Final answer:
The specific business goal for an independent food truck vendor to grow its customer base is to increase social media followers by 20% in the next month. This goal aligns well with modern marketing strategies and will directly aid in expanding the truck's visibility and customer reach.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct option : a
This goal is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). Raising social media followers directly relates to expanding marketing efforts, which is a critical action towards growing a customer base. An explanation for this selection is that social media plays a vital role in contemporary marketing strategies, especially for food trucks, which rely on mobility and location-based marketing. Social media platforms can be utilized for posting schedules, locations, menu specials, and engaging with customers to build a community around the brand. Improving the actual and perceived value of the customer experience is also crucial. Expanding the menu with five new items (Option b) meets some of the SMART criteria but isn't as directly related to growing the customer base as the chosen option.
Enhancing customer satisfaction by improving delivery times (Option c) is excellent for ensuring loyalty but does not necessarily attract new customers. Decreasing operating costs by 10% (Option d) contributes to higher profitability but isn't a direct method for customer base expansion. It's also worth noting that other strategies such as alliances with local businesses, participating in community events, or offering promotional deals could complement the goal of increasing social media followers and further assist in achieving their overall objective of customer base expansion.