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Contents
Chapter Title
Introduction to the Study Manual
Page
v
Unit Specification
vii
xiii
1
3
4
5
10
12
20
27
35
36
37
41
44
45
50
62
Marketing Strategies
Strategy and Planning
Corporate Strategy
Marketing Strategies
Corporate Objectives
Marketing Objectives
Models for Formulating Marketing Strategies
69
70
71
75
77
78
84
Marketing Plans
Development of the Marketing Plan
Nature of a Marketing Plan
Implementing the Marketing Plan
Control and Evaluation
Evaluating Sales Performance
Evaluating Marketing Performance
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Chapter Title
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279
10
Marketing Communications
A Strategic Approach to Promotion
The Communications Process
Advertising
Sales Promotion
Personal Selling
Public Relations
Direct Marketing
International Marketing Communications
Evaluating Performance
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287
295
300
306
313
320
333
335
339
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Chapter Title
Page
11
Services Marketing
The Importance of Services Marketing
Characteristics of Services
The Services Marketing Mix
Creating Value
Service Quality and Performance
343
344
344
347
348
350
12
353
354
355
358
362
366
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ABE
ABE website www.abeuk.com. You should ensure that you refer to the Members
Area of the website from time to time for advice and guidance on studying and on
preparing for the examination. We shall be publishing articles which provide general
guidance to all students and, where appropriate, also give specific information about
particular units, including recommended reading and updates to the chapters
themselves.
Additional reading It is important you do not rely solely on this manual to gain the
information needed for the examination in this unit. You should, therefore, study some
other books to help develop your understanding of the topics under consideration. The
main books recommended to support this manual are listed on the ABE website and
details of other additional reading may also be published there from time to time.
Newspapers You should get into the habit of reading the business section of a good
quality newspaper on a regular basis to ensure that you keep up to date with any
developments which may be relevant to the subjects in this unit.
Your college tutor If you are studying through a college, you should use your tutors to
help with any areas of the syllabus with which you are having difficulty. That is what
they are there for! Do not be afraid to approach your tutor for this unit to seek
clarification on any issue as they will want you to succeed!
Your own personal experience The ABE examinations are not just about learning lots
of facts, concepts and ideas from the study manual and other books. They are also
about how these are applied in the real world and you should always think how the
topics under consideration relate to your own work and to the situation at your own
workplace and others with which you are familiar. Using your own experience in this
way should help to develop your understanding by appreciating the practical
application and significance of what you read, and make your studies relevant to your
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personal development at work. It should also provide you with examples which can be
used in your examination answers.
And finally
We hope you enjoy your studies and find them useful not just for preparing for the
examination, but also in understanding the modern world of business and in developing in
your own job. We wish you every success in your studies and in the examination for this
unit.
Published by:
The Association of Business Executives
5th Floor, CI Tower
St Georges Square
New Malden
Surrey KT3 4TE
United Kingdom
All our rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the Association of Business Executives
(ABE).
The Association of Business Executives (ABE) 2011
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Learning Outcome 1
The learner will: Understand the creative nature of marketing and know how to evaluate the
role and value of marketing in a variety of business contexts.
Assessment Criteria
The learner can:
Indicative Content
1.3 Identify and explain the various 1.3.1 Explain product, production, sales and marketing
business orientations.
orientation.
Learning Outcome 2
The learner will: Understand the marketing mix concept (7Ps) and its role in the formulation
of an integrated marketing plan in both domestic and international markets.
Assessment Criteria
The learner can:
Indicative Content
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Learning Outcome 3
The learner will: Know how to formulate and evaluate marketing plans at domestic and
international levels.
Assessment Criteria
The learner can:
Indicative Content
3.3.1 Explain the need for the marketing plan and its
relationship with the overall strategic business plan and
appreciate the concept of a hierarchy or cascade of
plans.
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Learning Outcome 4
The learner will: Understand the role of information and research in marketing decision
making and the influence technology has had on these activities in recent
years.
Assessment Criteria
The learner can:
Indicative Content
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Learning Outcome 5
The learner will: Understand the macro and micro environmental factors affecting marketing
decisions and how to conduct environmental scanning and external audits.
Assessment Criteria
The learner can:
Indicative Content
Learning Outcome 6
The learner will: Understand consumer and organisational buyer behaviour and the main
influences at individual, household and organisational level.
Assessment Criteria
The learner can:
Indicative Content
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Learning Outcome 7
The learner will: Understand segmentation targeting and positioning tools and techniques
and be able to develop and implement STP strategies in an appropriate
and creative manner.
Assessment Criteria
The learner can:
Indicative Content
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Assessment Criteria
The learner can:
Manual
Chapter
Chap 1
Chaps 1 &
7 10
Chaps 3 & 4
Chaps 3 & 4
Chap 5
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Chaps 1 &
12
Chap 1
Chap 11
Chap 11
Chap 4
Chap 4
Chap 5
Chap 12
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7. Understand segmentation
targeting and positioning
tools and techniques and
be able to develop and
implement STP strategies
in an appropriate and
creative manner.
Chaps 1 & 2
Chaps 1 & 2
Chap 2
Chaps 2 & 3
Chaps 2 & 3
Chaps 2 & 3
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Chapter 1
Marketing Culture and Orientation
Contents
Page
A.
3
3
3
3
B.
What is Marketing?
C.
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5
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9
D.
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E.
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(Continued over)
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F.
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G.
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27
30
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Today
All kinds of industries are now engaged in an intense struggle to establish customer
preference in favour of their products over those of the competition. Rather than wait for
orders to come to them, the industry must go out and manage demand for its products by
winning customers and also, importantly, retaining customers by building customer loyalty.
For many, this process was the start of the marketing era and out of it many modern
marketing practices were born. Advertising appeared as a means of stimulating sales.
Branding and packaging were developed as a way of saying something about the quality of
the product. Salesforces were introduced rather than relying solely on the merchants to find
and develop new markets for their products, while products themselves were developed to
better satisfy customer needs.
There are now many more producers and products than there are markets for them, which
has resulted in an imbalance where supply exceeds demand. For modern business to
achieve the levels of demand it requires, it must not only concentrate on improving efficiency
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levels of production but, more importantly, must also produce products and provide services
the market wants to buy. This requires business to place greater emphasis on marketing
research to find out what buyers want, not what they simply need, and to match its productive
capacity and product lines to meet the anticipated wants. In effect, the national and
international situation has changed from a seller's market to a buyer's market, and failure to
give buyers what they want will surely lead to failure.
B. WHAT IS MARKETING?
As we have already noted, marketing has been around for thousands of years and has
evolved from simple bartering to the highly complex systems which are in use today.
Marketing as a discipline has its critics. These are the people who think of marketing as
being a "poison pack" which is responsible for all the evils in the world mainly because of
criticisms relating to the effects of advertising.
However, marketing also has its devotees. Some people see marketing as a "magic wand";
they think that when a company has problems all they need to do is to get in a marketing
manager and all the problems will disappear.
Neither of these viewpoints is correct. Marketing is now recognised almost as a science. It
is seen as a logical approach to business which involves the studying, and understanding, of
relationships and exchanges between buyers and sellers.
Various definitions of "marketing" have been proposed by practitioners of marketing:
"Marketing is a human activity directed at satisfying needs and wants." (Kotler).
"The management process responsible for identifying, anticipating and satisfying
customer requirements profitably." (CIM)
In marketing terms, a customer's needs, wants or requirements tend to mean a product or
service. Products are tangible, although the wider meaning of a product includes intangible
benefits such as after-sales service and services are intangible. However, there are still
things that the customer wants in order to deal with a real or imagined requirement or, to put
it another way, the customer has a problem to solve.
People can satisfy their requirements, or problems, in one of four ways:
force (threatening/stealing)
The last method, exchange, is based on a mutually beneficial outcome to both parties.
Exchange summarises marketing and applies in every type of product exchange, from the
simple purchase of a bar of soap by a customer in a supermarket, to the purchase of attack
aircraft by a government. In every case both parties give, or exchange, something of value
to the other.
For this to be possible, two parties must:
be capable of communicating
The existence of these criteria does not necessarily mean that an exchange will take place
only that it is possible.
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Successful exchanges will only occur when there is some individual (or organisation) with
enough interest (and available resources) who is prepared to enter into an agreement with
the owner, or producer, of some particular item(s).
customer expectations.
A company may be seen as being aggressive, caring, ethical or some other identifying factor
which summarises what the company stands for in its marketplace.
The perceptions held by the public may be, to a large extent, influenced by the approach or
stance that the company adopts. The different approaches to markets are referred to as
Strategic Business Concepts or Strategic Business Orientation.
There are only really four different types as outlined below:
Production Concept
A company following the production concept is operating on the idea that the more you can
produce the more you can sell. Managers assume that customers are only interested in the
availability of products and low prices and that marketing is not necessary. This may or may
not be true. Consider the following examples:
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If the company were able to increase production and reduce the price slightly they
could possibly sell more units and increase their revenue. Of course, calculations need
to be made taking into account all costs incurred, e.g.
Current
Level of production
Sales
@ 3.00
Fixed costs
Variable costs (0.25 per unit)
Profit (per four weeks)
4,000
12,000
2,000
1,000
9,000
Potential
@ 2.75
6,000
16,500
2,000
1,500
13,000
Assuming that new production plant cost 4,000, and that all units produced were sold,
it would take only one month's production to recover the costs. After that the company
would be making even more money than they are at present. Even allowing for a price
match to that of the competitor this would seem an advantageous move for this
company.
However, let us take this one step further with another example:
Imagine a company that makes a small electrical product which can be used in
photography.
After introducing a small pilot batch, it appears that sales potential for this product is
promising. The company has the production capacity to produce 3,000 units per
month. Managers fix a target production level of 12,000, which will take four months to
complete, and production begins.
Once the first monthly batch has been completed selling activity takes place and
everyone stands back waiting for the orders, but few orders are taken. An investigation
is begun after eight weeks as to why the product is not selling by which time the
company has produced a total of 6,000 units.
The investigations are completed by the end of Week 10 (7,500 units produced). The
company discovers, by asking its current customers, that a new digital camera has
been launched which has made their product obsolete almost overnight. The company
are left holding all the stock, and now have to accept the losses or find other markets
for the product which, in turn, will involve them in even more costs for research,
marketing and other activities.
In this last example the production concept has failed miserably. To simply mass produce
any product on the outcome of meagre research is foolish in the extreme. The company
might well find a market for their product but it would be a "niche" market rather than a mass
market because of the changes in technology. Producing in smaller batches appropriate to
the level of demand makes much more sense.
Using these three examples we can see that there are times when a production orientation
will work and times when it will not. This concept works when:
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economies of scale
It is not enough for a company to simply make lots of what it is good at if the customers do
not want the product it is a waste of resources and is likely to end in financial ruin.
Product Concept
Product orientation is present when managers in the company believe that customers will
recognise a good product or service and buy it when it is made available. The managers
have such a firm belief in the quality and appeal of the product, that they cannot accept that
customers may not readily see the same advantages. The managers fail to undertake any
marketing or even carry out essential research before beginning production. Consequently
they are dumbfounded when customers are not beating a path to their door to buy up existing
stocks.
Perhaps one of the most quoted examples of this type of orientation concerns the Sinclair
CV5, a small motorised vehicle which was introduced into the UK by Clive Sinclair. Sinclair
thought he had an excellent product which would help alleviate pollution and lower traffic
levels on the roads of Britain.
He did carry out product tests but they were in a gymnasium. When the product was finally
launched it proved to be dangerous and frightening when users were faced with large trucks
and other vehicles using the public roads. Sinclair had underestimated the fact that his target
audience liked their cars and that they were not going to buy something which, in their
opinion, was inferior to what they already had. Despite his belief in it, the product failed
completely.
Although the CV5 is used to demonstrate how product belief by managers can be dangerous
it is not the only example in existence. Currently there are many organisations which have
excellent products of all kinds but, because they do not market them or tell people about
them, they are not selling. One of the most pertinent in my recent experience concerns a
branch of the armed forces in the United Kingdom.
This particular branch of the forces is known throughout the world for its superb training
facilities but, because of the global reduction in defence forces, the facilities are now
underutilised. To make use of the facilities and to recoup some revenue, decisions were
made at senior levels to offer personnel training to other national governments. There is no
doubt that the product is excellent and yet it was not taken up to any large extent. This is
simply because they thought everyone would come running once the decision had been
made and little effort was put into finding out if what they had actually matched the
requirements of the potential customers.
The goods news is that professional marketing help was sought and customer needs
research was undertaken. A major drawback to sales was identified as being the lack of
facilities for accompanying families while personnel were being trained. This aspect has now
been addressed and sales are healthy. I am sure that this product will be a major earner in
the near future.
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We must not overlook the fact that sometimes a good product does have a good future and
that the belief of a manager can save the product from disappearing. Innovative products
spring from creative minds and sometimes creative minds can be far ahead of the majority of
the public. It is only after a period of time, and education, that people will appreciate the
benefits and begin to buy. The product may then take off and become very successful. If
every new product that did not sell was dropped immediately we would never move forward,
but to simply go ahead and produce a product because its creator believes in it is dangerous.
Companies following a product orientation can only be successful if:
Sales Concept
Orientation on selling means that the company sells what it makes it does not make what it
can sell. Managers believe that buyers have to be coaxed into buying by aggressive
techniques.
This will involve heavy activity on the selling and promotional aspects with perhaps
discounted prices being used and incentives to buy being offered. The company is more
interested in moving stock than in stocking the right goods.
Companies selling goods very similar to those of the competition are often following this type
of orientation as they can see no other way to get customers. Consider the following
situation.
In a medium-sized town there are four outlets selling carpets. They are all selling very similar
products, many actually coming from the same manufacturer. The managers think that the
only way they can get customers in is to attract them. So:
another offers interest free credit (charges from the finance company)
the last offers extended guarantees (insurance costs for potential replacements).
In each case the company is using money to attract money and each gain will only be short
term. It is likely that they will have to continue on this round of competitive activity just to stay
in the market.
If one of them were to break the cycle and research customer requirements they might well
find that customers are prepared to pay a slightly higher price for good quality advice on
carpet buying something which would not cost too much money to provide but which would
give the outlet a competitive edge.
Sales orientation usually implies the existence of an aggressive sales force and this can
bring a company into disrepute. If a salesperson is more interested in his or her commission
from a sale than in repeat business from a customer, they are more likely to use methods
which could be, to put it mildly, disreputable. Corporate reputations can be damaged very
easily, but can take a long time to be recovered.
In the mid 1990s in the UK the financial services sector was greatly affected by previous
sales techniques used by its salespeople. Changes in legislation resulted in vast amounts of
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money being paid to people who had been given bad or misleading advice from pensions
and insurance salespeople in the past. The result of this has been that salespeople must
now be qualified and are strictly controlled. Methods of paying commission have been
changed and there is now no advantage for a financial services salesperson to use any
aggressive methods.
Nevertheless there is, and always will be, a place for sales orientation. We have market
traders who sell aggressively to move their stock; and there are companies who buy and sell
inexpensive products which customers may buy either on impulse or to meet a short-term
need. But it is safe to say that if a company wishes to obtain and keep a customer, they must
be looking to satisfy customer needs and not simply make a sale.
The sales concept only works when:
Marketing Concept
Companies following the marketing concept firmly believe that the customer is the key to
successful business. Unlike the other three concepts/orientations discussed, the marketing
concept actually begins WITH the customer: the company is trying to provide what the
customer wants rather than making the customer want what the company has.
If an organisation is following the marketing concept it will have three distinct characteristics:
Customer Orientation
The organisation must define customer needs from the point of view of the customer,
not its own. It will need to actively seek information from the marketplace in order to
assess whether the offerings are meeting customer requirements and, if not, why not.
Organisational Integration
All functions, sections or departments of the organisation must work together to meet
the overall objectives of the organisation which must be to satisfy customer
requirements. When individual sections of a company do not fit in with the total effort
there may be friction or problems which can result in lost opportunities or dissatisfied
customers.
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departments in a company and if marketing can get some of the credit there are better
chances for improvement in other ways.
Marketing depends on information and the most specific information about the needs and
wishes of existing customers can come from the salespeople who meet them, listen to their
comments and note their dissatisfactions. The information flow will grow more quickly when
it can be seen that marketing can operate as a two-way system. Even simple activities, such
as clipping from newspapers any items of news about customers, can be the start of a twoway flow. Salesmen are grateful for sales leads and even such a simple service will usually
be appreciated.
Once the sales team realise the way in which marketing can collect useful information, they
will soon start contributing their own items, which may seem trivial at first glance. However, a
good marketing information system can put bits of news or even gossip into context and what
looks like a collection of trivial items may become quite significant information when put
together and related to other items. The growth of the internet has meant that information is
more widely available and easier to access than ever before. Organisations and the sales
force can monitor competitor activity, such as product launches, pricing and even distribution
strategies, as well as changes in the external environment, such as new technologies and
changing and emerging consumer trends.
Part of the marketing effort will almost certainly be sales forecasting. Forecasts which are
even reasonably close can be a big help to buyers, enabling them to place orders for
materials and components ahead of their required delivery time and possibly at better prices.
The same applies to the finance manager, the distribution manager and probably to every
manager in the company.
Most of what is mentioned here already happens in most companies, but there may well be a
need to formalise efforts to make them into a more coherent marketing activity.
Internal Marketing
You might have deduced by now that the marketing manager has a marketing job to do
within his or her own company if he or she is to introduce the marketing concept fully and
effectively.
Internally, there is a variety of "customers", starting with the chief executive (to be handled
with care) and including all the directors and senior managers. The marketing effort required
here will be to persuade them that the inconveniences which marketing will demand are
worthwhile in the long run. They will be the ones to make the lower ranks enthusiastic about
marketing.
Perhaps we should start right at the beginning and convince directors and senior managers
of the quality of the products. That may surprise you, but in this changing world there may be
many managers who were happier "in the old days", when the pace was slower and new
technology could be picked up leisurely. If they do not believe in the new products and
policies how can they expect their workforce to believe in them?
Many of the ideas used to communicate with customers outside the company can also be
used, with modifications, to communicate with people inside the company. Good news can
be spread by means of a company newsletter via email or intranet. A creditable mention in
the newsletter can work wonders for an employee's morale. I have seen times when sales
engineers went to great lengths to get unusual applications of the firm's products written up
for the newsletter. The prestige of being one of the few who were named easily justified the
strenuous efforts which some of the engineers made to get the photographs and diagrams
needed. I tried hard but never quite made the headlines.
If an employee is proud to work in a specific company, he or she will do more than the
minimum required to keep out of trouble. I am sure you will have met the employee who
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does just enough to keep out of trouble and you can contrast them with the dedicated
company enthusiast who does far more than just keep the boss happy.
If someone is freewheeling the cause may not be within the control of the marketing
management, but overall company morale is a fair topic for management meetings and
freewheeling is a sign of poor morale.
In his book Marketing (published in 1990 by Houghton Mifflin) Steven J Skinner refers to
"discretionary effort". He describes this as the difference between the minimum effort to keep
out of trouble and the maximum amount of effort an employee can put into the job. He goes
on to suggest that part of the marketing effort (and budget!) can usefully be allocated to
researching the opinions of staff at all levels and to internal publicity.
This is not just a matter of analysing sales figures and comparing them with a previously set
standard. Reasons for over-achievement and under-achievement should be found and
lessons learned at all levels.
Real benefit can only come from internal marketing if management allocates enough time
and money to making any improvements which may be required. This is where internal
marketing may become very difficult.
From time to time a company may derive a lot of benefit from having a marketing audit
carried out by a firm of specialists the effort and the results may be agonising, but the
outcome may be a company in better shape. I mention this with some caution, because a
firm I worked for was practically ruined by taking on consultants who ignored the most
important people the customers. Perhaps the brief they received told them to ignore the
customers? I do not know, but I had to put up with some very strong comments from good
customers. Clearly, the brief is vital and full cooperation of staff can only be obtained if there
is adequate consultation before the experts arrive. In that case it was disaster right from the
start, although the consultants were a big-name firm. They got off to a bad start by making it
clear they had little respect for us, almost blaming the lower ranks for the problems of the
firm.
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Product Design
Customers will see the changes which they asked for in design now begin to be
available, whereas the sales-oriented company just wanted to push what they had or
could get easily. Customers will notice that the sales team will ask more questions and
there may even be marketing researchers asking questions about desirable features in
products. Whereas the standard products were offered for long periods and changes
were not welcomed, the marketing-oriented company will offer new features or new
models much more readily.
Competitors will also notice a difference their products will face more challenging
competition from new or modified products.
Suppliers
The old, long-run demands for existing products will be replaced by shorter-run
demands for different products to suit customers' needs. There ought to be a new
enthusiasm in the company, which will be reflected in purchases of raw materials and
components.
Product line changes will show in different buying patterns in the company and ideas
might also come through for quite different types of supplies.
Publicity
A marketing-oriented company will be much more "visible" in appropriate journals and
maybe in other media too. There will be more originality in the design of advertising
campaigns and evidence of coordination of different media.
PR campaigns will be evident and the company name will feature more prominently in
trade and other journals as articles are published by the company's technical experts.
If the new strategy runs to sponsorship of sporting events, there will be dramatic
changes in publicity efforts; selling activities ought to synchronise with sponsorship
activities as far as possible.
Distribution
"When do you want it?" might surprise some customers who have become accustomed
to "You'll have it next Tuesday, when the lorry will be round your way".
Scheduled deliveries to fit in with the customer's production plans may even feature in
the strategy of a marketing-oriented company. Just-in-time deliveries are part of the
marketing strategy of some suppliers, who get the benefits of long-term association
with valued customers.
Prices
There are not likely to be any bargains simply because a company changes its strategy
from sales to marketing orientation, but the prices and terms which are applied are
likely to be more realistic. Financial arrangements should be more in line with the
customer's individual needs, because the marketing-oriented company will see the total
offering, from analysis of the customer's needs right through to satisfying them, as one
integrated concept.
Organisational Changes
When a company starts to put the needs of the customer first, there may have to be
significant changes in the organisation and it is unlikely that old ideas of tightly regulated
departments will survive. Customer satisfaction will have to become everybody's job and
there will be changes in the handling of customer contact, especially where customers collect
from warehouses or company-owned shops.
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Management may well decide that changes have to be made, but it is equally important that
the same managers allocate adequate facilities and money to make the changes smoothly.
Although many people regard marketing as just the application of common sense, there may
be times when the actions necessary to satisfy customers will be a nuisance to some
production people, who might well resist.
Sometimes activities which appear to be quite unrelated to marketing can cause problems. A
production bonus scheme was introduced in a factory which made conveyor belts and output
went up dramatically, along with improvements in product quality. But so did the number of
part-delivered orders, because the operators had soon realised that if they made big belts
they got more money than if they made smaller belts.
Unfortunately, customers wanted a full set of belts including both big and small, to fit during
their plant shut-down which happened just once a year. Within two years the company no
longer made conveyor belts they still had the ability but they just had no customers.
In another factory a new buyer saw an increase in sales so he ordered double the quantity of
one particular raw material; but when it was delivered there was not enough storage space
for the extra quantity. If he had bothered to ask for predictions of production and sales over
the next few weeks, he could have placed the larger order at a better price and asked for
scheduled deliveries to fit in with production schedules.
It is clear there can be difficulties in making the change from sales or production orientation
to marketing orientation and it would be easy to get the impression that "marketing" are trying
to dominate the whole company. A sales forecast (prepared by marketing) becomes an
impossible target and sales people are upset. Production is based on the forecast, along
with material purchases, and if the demoralised sales force do not sell as much as the new
marketing people think is possible, the whole company can be at loggerheads.
Such desperate situations should not happen, of course, and can be avoided if the chief
executive ensures that full and frank discussions are held at all levels. People do not
automatically know about or believe in marketing, so there has to be a period of training and
adjustment before a company can claim to have made the transition from sales or production
orientation to marketing orientation.
The transition period can be easier all round if marketing people market themselves internally
to their colleagues.
Finally, I must stress that I have taken extreme (though true) examples, so as to show the
extent of potential problems. Many companies already have some commitment to marketing
and would not necessarily have to go though all the difficult times described here.
Effects of Globalisation
It is almost a clich to say that we now live in a global village, but firms increasingly have to
view the world market as just an extension of their domestic market. The globalisation of
markets represents not only opportunities for domestic producers to earn revenue from
overseas, but also threats to domestic producers from overseas competition.
Various factors have contributed to the globalisation of business:
Goods and services are increasingly traded between economies in order to exploit the
concept of comparative cost advantage i.e. an economy will export those goods and
services that it is particularly well suited to producing and import those where another
country has an advantage.
The removal of many restrictions on international trade (such as the creation of the
Single European Market) has allowed countries to exploit their comparative cost
advantages. Nevertheless, restrictions on trade remain, especially for trade in
services.
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Cultural convergence that has resulted from improved communications and increasing
levels of overseas travel has led to a homogenisation of international market segments.
Combined with the decline in trade barriers, convergence of cultural attitude allows
many organisations to regard parts of their overseas markets as though they are part of
their domestic market.
International Marketing
In order to penetrate the international market, the marketer must have adequate market
information. Some, of course, will be accessible and free in the UK, e.g. by contacting the
BIS (Department for Business Innovation and Skills). However, in many cases it will be
desirable (if not essential) for the marketing manager to instigate market research in a
particular market. This may be done directly by the company or by the appointment of a
market research agency in the overseas market or by the appointment of a UK agency with
overseas branches or associates. The expense of such market information has to be
evaluated, reviewed and appropriate budgets prepared in line with the objectives.
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Economic Environment
One of the most common ways of analysing the economic environment is to classify it
according to some economic indicator which relates to marketing and the potential for sales.
(a)
Subsistence Economies
Here the majority of people are engaged in simple agriculture, producing only
enough to survive and so there is little opportunity for exporters.
Industrialising Economies
Manufacturing is beginning to play an important role here, e.g. in Egypt, India,
Brazil, the Philippines, South Korea and Taiwan.
Reliance may be put on importing textile raw materials, steel and heavy
machinery.
Industrial Economies
This, in effect, means much of the Western world.
(b)
Very low and very high family incomes largely found in the Middle East,
Latin American countries and in some industrialising nations, with those enjoying
the high incomes tending to be a tiny minority of the population.
Low, medium and high family incomes found in many of the industrialising
nations and the advanced nations.
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Gross national product per capita most firms want to know how much
income potential consumers in a country have to spend. The higher the GNP per
capita, the better the chance a company has to sell consumer products in the
higher price bracket. The fully developed Western nations offer excellent markets
on the basis of per capital GNP. However, you have to be careful about the GNP
per capita measure which, in effect, is found by dividing a country's population
into its total income. Some of the Middle Eastern countries, e.g. Kuwait, may
have a very high GNP per capita, but this is due to the influence of a very wealthy
sector of the community.
Political-Legal Environment
A company will be influenced in its internal operations by the degree to which a country
welcomes foreign firms and the degree to which it is accepted by the indigenous population,
e.g. anti-American feeling exists in many Middle Eastern countries.
The level of political stability will influence international marketing operations and if a country
is politically unstable, a company may favour export marketing to direct foreign investment.
The type of political parties, political philosophies and nationalistic tendencies will all have an
effect and may result in expropriation (confiscation of property), exchange controls, import
restrictions, tax and price controls, and labour problems.
Under the legal aspects pertaining to marketing, we can list the following:
rules of competition
packaging laws
price controls
patents
trade marks
Many overseas countries, e.g. Germany, Nigeria and the United States, are organised on a
federal basis. Different states within these federal countries may well have different laws,
and different taxation and regulations.
A marketer would also have to consider local regulations, e.g. a company is likely to have to
obtain planning permission if it wants to build a factory in a certain province.
Cultural Environment
"Culture" means a person's entire social heritage all the knowledge, beliefs, customs and
skills they possess as a member of society.
The elements of culture include the material culture in terms of technology and economics;
the social institutions embracing social organisation, education and political structures;
beliefs, particularly of the religious variety; aesthetics, which includes graphic and plastic arts,
folklore, music, drama and dance; and language. A complete and thorough appreciation of
the dimensions of a culture may well be the most important attribute to a foreign marketer in
the preparation of marketing plans and strategies.
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A country may be distant geographically but close in terms of culture, e.g. Australia has a
very similar culture to the United Kingdom. Cultural distance, therefore, is not the same
thing as physical distance. Often firms will prefer to be involved with countries on the other
side of the world rather than with a relatively close country because in terms of cultural
distance the more distant country is nearer. For example, the USA is closer to the UK in
terms of culture than it is to Mexico and many Central American countries.
Material Culture
The material culture can affect the level of demand, the quality and types of product
demanded, and their functional features, as well as the means of production of these
goods and their distribution: for example electrical appliances are unlikely to have a
market where less than one per cent of homes have electricity. Even if electricity is
available, certain electrical goods may not have a market due to the level and
distribution of income, e.g. the many electrical appliances used in the kitchen.
Social Institutions
Under social institutions we can mention, for example, the position of men and women
in society. For instance, the Singer Sewing Machine Company tried to sell sewing
machines in Moslem countries, where a woman's position is a secluded and protected
one: women were not allowed to attend the sewing classes. Singer overcame the
problem by inviting the men along to sewing lessons and demonstrating to them how
much additional work the women could do with sewing machines after taking sewing
lessons. Another example of a social institution is that of education which affects
literacy which, in turn, affects promotion.
Religion
Religion can influence people's habits, their outlook on life, the products they buy and
the newspapers they read. Religion can influence whether or not promotional
messages are accepted. For example, an advertisement based on puritanical
principles, whereby Frenchmen were threatened that if they did not brush their teeth
regularly they would develop cavities or would not find a lover, was unsuccessful. This
was attributed to the fact that in Catholic countries cleanliness was not regarded as
being next to godliness!
Aesthetics
Aesthetics are important to the marketer, particularly in terms of product styling,
advertising and package design.
Language
A thorough understanding of the language is required, particularly for advertising
purposes. The marketer must appreciate the true meaning of a language and avoid
resorting to "dictionary translations".
Technological Environment
Technology includes the techniques used in the creation of material goods. It is the technical
know-how possessed by the people of a society. In tradition-bound societies relatively little
technology may be used and the output may be correspondingly small. In modern
economies, on the other hand, technological development is in operation to a great extent.
We must also consider the technology of marketing. This will involve the communications
media and systems within a country, plus the distribution systems.
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The internet and the World Wide Web are also beginning to affect world trading patterns and
practices. Admittedly, at the moment the amount of global trading on the internet is relatively
small in comparison to other methods for facilitating world trade. However, its impact is
growing and it is likely to have a major effect on the nature, patterns and practices of world
trade in the future; so much so that no marketer can afford to ignore this aspect of the world
trading environment.
Geography
The marketer should consider the effects of climate, altitude, physical terrain, humidity and
temperature upon his or her product and marketing in general. They must also assess the
impact of geography upon distribution and communication systems and upon the state of the
economy.
In Britain we have few geographical hazards, but sudden falls of snow can throw our road
and rail systems into chaos. In many overseas countries there are the hazards of mountains,
difficult roads with bad services, and roads which may disappear if the weather turns bad.
The impact of the topography and climate may mean that sales have to be made and the
goods delivered at certain times of the year.
Consider the effect of geography on product design. Motor vehicle manufacturers in Britain,
Germany and France will normally fit heaters to all their products. Such equipment in
vehicles for export to Central Africa and South East Asia would be unnecessary. Rainfall and
snow may sometimes affect the required product quality. For example, in Scandinavia some
imported cars have a poor image because their bodies are not built to withstand sub-zero
conditions and the strong chemicals sprayed on the roads to control ice. The topography can
affect products used in the open, e.g. excessively hilly terrain may necessitate special gear
ratios in cars.
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Obtaining information from overseas sources is always a problem. Firstly, there is the long
lead time in obtaining a reply; some overseas correspondents are extremely slow in replying
to letters. Secondly, it is difficult to find sources which have the information. Some countries
are well documented; others leave much to be desired. The developed countries tend to be
better documented than the developing ones, but even so, many of the developed countries
produce their statistics too late for them to be of real value for taking tactical marketing
decisions. It is not much use to a marketing manager to have information about the trends in
usage of certain kinds of industrial machinery for a period ending two, three or even five
years ago.
Even in developed countries which are comparatively well documented, it is always advisable
to compile a list of sources composed of people who know the industry in which the
researcher is interested.
The opinions given by knowledgeable people in an industry may be of greater value than the
statistics which are available. The industry expert may not be able to quantify his or her
views to a fine degree of accuracy, but this is not always necessary. Views and knowledge of
experts will be up to date and the information they give is likely to be sound.
Always remember that industry and commerce are both living activities which are subject to
pressures from markets and respond to initiative. Often the need for information arises after
the events have taken place. It is often impossible to go back and collect information in
retrospect. Sometimes the information is required by a limited number of people and they or
a specialised group collect it for their own uses.
It is therefore not surprising that complete information about any market is rarely available
from one source. Many sources have to be approached if a balanced and, as near as
possible, total body of knowledge is required.
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(b)
(c)
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Much of the success in marketing the product will depend upon the marketer's
ability to impart to the potential customer its technical merits.
Potential customers are likely to wish to discuss certain technical aspects of the
product with the marketing executive, and it is therefore necessary that the
marketer has a sound grasp of the production technology in order to be able to
discuss any queries raised by prospective buyers.
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regard to, for example, forecast levels of sales, market share objectives and
competitors' prices. The important point is that effective coordination and
communication is a two-way process.
(b)
Together with information provided by marketing and sales, this information enables the
following to be calculated:
Marketing and finance must work together as a team to achieve effective sales control.
Credit and Discount Policies
An important aspect of competitive marketing strategy is the issue of policies and
procedures for customer credit, and discount policies. For many purchasers the
amount of credit which a company is willing to extend is a critical factor in the purchase
decision. In many companies decisions on credit and discount are often taken
unilaterally by either the marketing department or the finance (accounts) department.
However what is required is a joint decision on credit and discount which reflects both
the competitive needs of the marketplace and the financial resources of the company.
For example, a decision by the marketing department to allow an extra 30 days' grace
between delivery and payment may well be very competitive but may cause severe
cash-flow problems for the company. Similarly, a decision by the finance department to
cease offering price discounts for quantity may improve the short-term financial or
cash-flow position of the company at the expense of long-term market share. Clearly,
such decisions cannot be taken without consultations between marketing and finance.
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Scope of Relations
We have examined in some detail why marketing and sales need to have an effective
working relationship with production and finance. Although these are two of the most
important functional areas with which marketing must work, they are by no means the
only ones. In fact, all of the functions of a business need to work together to achieve
customer satisfaction at a profit. The marketing concept stresses that customer
satisfaction is a function of the total efforts of a company, not just those of the
marketing department. Packaging, quality control, transport and distribution,
purchasing, even the efforts of the company word processor operator, may all influence
the level of customer satisfaction. To illustrate this point we will examine a practical
example.
(b)
Raw materials
Labour
Overheads
Production cost
Mark-up 10% on cost
Transfer to sales
Basic overhead addition (15%)
including delivery in UK
Profit mark-up on cost 10%
Cash sales price
4.23
2.81
1.32
8.36
0.84
9.20
1.38
1.06
11.64
11.93
12.22
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(c)
25
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Source of Conflict
Production
Research &
Development (R&D)
Purchasing
Design
Finance
Interdepartmental conflicts are often attributed to the issue of ownership or territory. This can
occur when departments form views or beliefs as to whose function certain organisation
activities belong to.
Marketing research, selling and promotion are widely recognised as the proper reserves of
marketing management. However, within marketing operations there are subfunctions such
as product planning, customer service, packaging, distribution and pricing which are often
fought over between marketing and other functions.
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Alternative Structures
A business of any kind may be organised in several ways. The most common structures are
as described next.
Regional/Geographic
This is a very simple way of splitting up responsibilities. The region can be small (local
towns) or very large (Africa, Indonesia, United States, etc.). As the business develops
each area can then be subdivided to cope with increased work (e.g. north, south) or
perhaps in one of the ways considered next.
Task/Function
Typical functions to be found in organisations are: finance, production, purchasing,
marketing, human resources (personnel), etc.
Structuring a company by this method means that, irrespective of the region involved,
there are people who are responsible for certain activities with the resulting benefits of
experience and expertise. If a company organises in this way and then subsequently
grows in size, it may further subdivide the activities into regions.
Market/Customer
Depending on what is being offered by the company this may be a very good way of
structuring.
For example, a company which provides diagnostic testing media will have many
different types of customers: hospitals, agricultural testing laboratories, food
manufacturers, public health laboratories, cosmetic manufacturers. Having personnel
who deal with specific customer groups means that expertise can be built up and
specialised knowledge is available to deal with any relevant problems.
Product/Technology
This type of structure is usually found in the large conglomerates which have a wide
range of products, e.g. ICI has paint, chemicals and textiles, which are used by
different people for different purposes. The production processes can vary greatly and
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may have their own requirements which demand that they are regarded separately.
Add this to the different customers they are likely to be dealing with and you can see
why such a structure might be used.
Matrix
This is a form of management structure which involves bringing personnel from various
sections of an organisation together for specific reasons. Predominantly used for a
problem-solving exercise, it is most commonly used for managing complex projects
and has the benefit of multiple-skilled and experienced people working together. NASA
(North American Space Agency) was one of the first organisations to use this type of
structure in order to land a man on the moon!
Sometimes a member of the team will be acting as a leader and sometimes just as a
member, depending on which skills are needed at any given time.
Managing Director Directors
Finance
Dept
Design
Dept
Production
A
Marketing
Dept
Project S Coordinator
Project F Coordinator
Project Y Coordinator
Flat Organisation
Manager
Department Manager
Supervisor
First Sales
Salespersons
Second Sales
Third Sales, etc.
Tall organisational structures have many levels and so are associated with narrow
spans of control. (However in larger organisations with many employees, broad spans
of control can co-exist at many of the levels.) So you can see that tall structures mean
a long chain of command from the top to the bottom of the organisation, with power
and authority reducing the further you move down the chain.
A major advantage of tall structures is the distinct division of work between the levels
which reinforces a clear line of authority. On the other hand the number of levels can
make the identification of objectives difficult at each level, the distance between the top
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and bottom level can hinder communication, and additional management levels tend to
be costly.
Flat organisational structures have relatively few levels and are associated with broad
spans of control. The fewer lines of management mean people are nearer to the top
and this can create better communication links which add to the overall efficiency and
effectiveness levels.
Many businesses have now moved to a flat type of structure. It is considered that they
allow more flexible working, devolution of authority and autonomy and, because of the
reduced number of management levels, reduced administrative/staff costs. People
moving up the shorter chain of command are given more responsibility and greater
authority for decision-making, which motivates them to be more productive.
its own plans which fit into the overall corporate plan
recognised competition.
no fragmentation of effort
Most organisations tend to use a combination of the methods outlined here to form the
structure which is best suited to their activities. This is because of changes that have taken
place as the organisation and its market have evolved.
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Changes which take place and can involve structural reorganisation include the following:
the day-to-day operations become too much for the personnel employed and more
people are required
customer tastes
increased competition
developments in technology
government regulations.
Director
Finance
Director
Procurement
Director
Marketing
Director
Production
Director
Personnel
Manager
R&D
Manager
Sales &
Marketing
Manager
Advertising
Manager PR
Manager
Distribution
Manager USA
Manager Europe
From this structure you can see that power emanates from the managing director and
cascades down the hierarchy of command. The structure is based predominantly on a
functional basis in that there are people at senior level who are responsible for defined
activities for the company overall, e.g. finance, marketing, purchasing. With a high level and
central control of these activities expertise can be accumulated, cost savings can be made
and a much greater degree of control can be achieved.
Marketing itself is also organised on a functional (or task) basis but is then split
geographically into USA and Europe and, within the two geographic areas, a task structure
is used for the operational levels.
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The alternatives for grouping marketing activities are exactly the same as for the organisation
overall:
functional structures
regionally-based structures
product structures
customer-based structures
product/customer-based structures.
Sales Manager
Sales Office
Customer
Services
Marketing Manager
Home Sales
Marketing
Research
Product
Planning
Advertising,
PR, Sales,
Promotion
Area
Managers
Branch
Managers
(b)
(c)
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Marketing Director
Market Research
Manager
Field Sales
Managers
Product
Manager
A
Product
Manager
B
Product
Manager
C
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33
National
Sales
Manager
Marketing
Research
Manager
Market
Manager
Hotels
Market
Manager
Retail
Market
Manager
Commercial
You could argue that this structure represents the closest means of implementing the
marketing concept, for it is implicit that customer requirements will take precedence
over all other activities. It is a recognition that customers often have needs for a series
of related products which may be usefully combined with a company's product offer.
For example, IBM do not just sell computers they sell computer systems and
software tailor-made to end-user specific requirements. Emphasis only on the product
could well result in the employment of salespeople specialising in certain products and
missing out on such opportunities.
If we were to generalise, then, where a company's product has mass appeal across
industry or user categories, then the responsibility for marketing should be vested in
product managers. However, where there are marked differences in the needs or
buying habits of separate customer groups, then these should be regarded as separate
markets and market managers appointed.
(e)
Product/Customer Structure
Where companies have many products being distributed into many markets they could
choose to use either a product-based or customer-based structure. In an effort to
resolve this dilemma, a composite of the two structures has been formed. The textile
company Du Pont have chosen a composite-style organisation in employing separate
managers for yarns, rayon, acetate, nylon and Dacron (terylene) and separate market
managers for its apparel such as men's wear, women's wear, home furnishings and the
industrial market. The grid line structure as illustrated next operates across the
dimensions.
The product managers plan the sales and profits of their respective fibres and seek
information or forecasts of fibre usage from the market manager.
The market managers are only interested in meeting the needs of their customer
markets rather than pushing a particular fibre and, in preparing their market plans, seek
information from the product manager on prices and availability of different fibres.
This structure appears to be suited to large, multi-product organisations in terms of
greater coordination of activities and faster decision-making. Against this is the fact
that the system is costly and can lead to interdepartmental conflict.
Product Managers
Rayon
Men's wear
Market
Managers
Women's wear
Home furnishings
Industrial markets
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Acetate
Nylon
Dacron
34
Functional
Advantages
Disadvantages
Specialisation in task
activities to develop
skills.
Excess levels of
hierarchy may reduce
unity of control.
Direct lines of
communication may
be ignored.
Situational
Indicators
Simple marketing
operators.
Single pricing
product/market.
Specialisation in
product brands.
More management
attention to marketing
requirements of
different products/
brands.
Fast reaction to
product-related
change.
Market/
Customer/
Geographical
Specialisation in a
market entity focus
on customer needs.
Fast reaction to
market-related
changes.
Product/Matrix
Advantages of
functional product and
market specialism
and integration.
Dual reporting.
Too much product
emphasis.
More management
levels and cost.
Conflict between
product managers.
Duplication of
functions.
Coordination
problems.
More management
levels.
Allocation of
responsibilities is
difficult.
Duplication
inefficiencies.
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Chapter 2
Markets and the Marketing Environment
Contents
Page
A.
36
B.
Macro Forces
The Political Environment
The Economic Environment
The Social Environment
The Technological Environment
37
37
39
40
41
C.
Micro Forces
The Customer Environment
The Competitor Environment
The Supplier Environment
Company Resources
41
41
42
43
43
D.
44
E.
45
46
46
47
48
F.
50
51
59
61
G.
62
63
64
66
66
67
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Figure 2.1 summarises these two environments and shows where influences on marketing
activity can come from.
Figure 2.1: The macro and micro marketing environments
MACRO FORCES
Political
Economic
Customers
Competitors
MICRO FORCES
Shareholders
Directors
Distributors
Local communities
Technological
Social
Banks
Suppliers
National governments
Managers
Employees
Planning
Trading
partners
Activities
Media
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Taking the macro environment first, we have four distinct areas of influence, known generally
by their initial letters as PEST:
Political factors
Economic factors
Social factors
Technical factors.
These factors can be best viewed as factors beyond the control of the organisation and are
termed "uncontrollable variables". They can be contrasted with the so-called "controllable
variables" which for marketing purposes include such activities as marketing plans, pricing,
distribution, product development and promotion.
The controllable variables are surrounded and thereby influenced directly or indirectly by the
uncontrollable factors of the marketing environment. The importance of understanding a
firm's environment is that it helps companies to plan for change. It must continually adapt its
operation in terms of its marketing activities and plans to take account of environmental
changes or it will fail.
To summarise, the marketing environment can be divided into two distinct categories, termed
the micro and the macro environment. The micro environment consists of those forces
close to the company that affect its ability to serve its customers. The macro environment
includes the larger forces of politics, economics, technology and social forces and it is these
we will deal with first.
B. MACRO FORCES
The Political Environment
The political environment can be influenced by three factors: ideology, the law and ethics.
(a)
(b)
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and buying habits. Organisations will want to use this information to develop closer
customer relationships and engage in personalised marketing activity. However, data
protection legislation (Data Protection Act 1998) was introduced to protect customers
from the misuse of their personal data. Organisations are restricted from disclosing
personal information to third parties without permission and from using personal
information for purposes other than that for which it was gathered, for example sending
unsolicited emails.
(c)
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Income Levels
Income levels must have a strong bearing, for the amount of disposable income
individuals receive needs to be soaked up by producers of goods and services.
The gross domestic product (GDP) of a country is a useful indicator: this refers to the
value of goods and services produced within the country. Another indicator is the gross
national product (GNP), which refers to the value of domestically produced goods and
services plus the country's overseas earnings. The GNP describes much more closely
the country's national income.
A better description of a country's wealth can be found in its "per capita" income, which
is the total national income divided by its population.
Inflation
Inflation erodes the purchasing power of money and causes other problems for
marketers in areas such as pricing and the accurate estimation of demand.
Governments all over the world try to reduce inflation rates in order to stabilise the
economy and make it easier for international trading to take place. The "rate of
inflation" is often an indicator of how stable the economy of a country is. For example
in the UK, when the government succeeded in controlling the economy during the mid
1990s, inflation ran at approximately 23 per cent. In the same period in some
countries in South America and in the former Soviet bloc inflation was running at
upwards of 20 per cent (and much higher in some cases).
Distribution of Income
The way income is distributed is important to marketing organisations and this will be
reflected in the segmentation (dividing the market into specific groups of consumers,
discussed later in this unit) part of marketing strategy. In some countries there are the
very rich, the middle classes and the poor; but in Switzerland, for example, there are
few who are poor enough to be compared to the poor of Bangladesh. The levels of
income in any country will determine the type of marketing activity that takes place
there. Few people in Switzerland have a need for basic survival products and,
likewise, there will be limited numbers of people in poorer areas of Bangladesh who
have a need for luxury status products.
Patterns of Consumption
It is necessary for marketers to establish the level of spending power of different
classes of the population.
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Sales patterns may vary from region to region and from country to country. For
example, traditionally the French drink more wine than the British, whereas the British
drink more beer. Consumption patterns can be found in such publications as the Mintel
Reports.
During the later half of the 20th century the western world has seen a significant growth
in service sector industries, such as health, education, financial services and tourism.
Demographic Aspects
Population Size
World population is increasing as a general trend but in different areas of the world the
population is actually falling. When the population of a country shows a downward
trend it may be that the marketer will cease to see that country as a good opportunity
and withdraw or restrict activities. This in turn will have an effect on the individuals in
that marketplace as choice will be restricted and prices may increase due to lack of
supply of some products.
Age Distribution
Falling trends in birth rates, coupled with advances in medical science, have meant that
the world population overall is "ageing". To the marketer this means changing tastes
and needs and therefore marketing activities need to adapt over time. This is not to
say that there are no babies being born only fewer, with a resulting shift in the age
profile. The 1960s through to the late 1980s were seen as the ages of the "Youth
Culture". However as age levels have increased so we have seen the emergence of
other cultures, e.g. the growth of the number of people in the age ranges of 55 plus has
given us the "silver panther" market or (more unkindly) the "wrinklies".
Changing Family Patterns
The typical family is no more. Mr and Mrs Average, both in their first marriage with two
children, the husband at work and the wife at home, now represent less than four per
cent of all families in the industrialised countries. Even in the poorer and newlyemerging economies we are seeing changes to the traditional life styles of people and,
consequently, changes to marketing activity.
(b)
Behavioural Aspects
Cultural Values
People grow up in a society which shapes their beliefs: for example, alcohol is
forbidden in some Moslem countries, while Jews do not eat pork or mix meat and dairy
products together at the same meal.
Concern for the natural environment has led to significant changes in product
development for such items as fridges and freezers, air fresheners and deodorants.
Other aspects include a growing interest in health and fitness, which has led to
changes in our eating habits and recreational pastimes. More informal dress wear for
men and greater acceptance of more flexible working hours have affected the types of
products and services we seek.
Aesthetic Values
What one society rates as attractive, another may find unattractive or distasteful. This
applies particularly to colour, design, styling and fashion.
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New Processes
New ways of doing things are constantly emerging, e.g. satellite broadcasting involves
consumers purchasing satellite dishes; EFTPOS Electronic Funds Transfer at the
Point of Sale has been developed for retailers.
New Materials
New materials become available: optical fibres and carbon fibres are examples. The
laser compact disc (CD) has replaced vinyl records.
The Internet
In 2007 consumers spent approximately 46.6bn on the internet (a 54 per cent
increase over the previous year) and organisations are spending more on internet
marketing than radio, press advertising and direct mail together. E-commerce
activities, e.g. selling online, online banking and using the internet to research and
gather information, are a normal part of life in the developed world. The internet is more
widely available through mobile telephones and wireless networks.
The internet and mobile technologies provide organisations with many opportunities, such as
the ability to engage in one-to-one marketing communications activity, gather detailed data
on customer behaviour, reach new markets and achieve cost savings through electronic
distribution strategies, e.g. online ordering. However, the internet also provides many threats
for organisations, such as more transparent pricing information, ease of switching to
competitors and a reduction in customer loyalty.
C. MICRO FORCES
The micro environment includes not only the company itself, but also its customers,
competitors and suppliers.
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Organisational Markets
Resellers
Industrial
Government
Consumers
International
Company
The consumer market consists of individuals or households that buy and consume goods.
Although several categories exist consumer goods basically fall within two broad bands:
durable consumer goods such as washing machines, refrigerators, hi-fi equipment and
cars (some of these goods, e.g. washing machines, freezers and refrigerators, are
often referred to as white goods).
The industrial markets (sometimes called producer markets) are made up of organisations
that buy goods and services for further processing or conversion into finished items.
Resellers are the retailers, wholesalers, agents, etc., that buy goods and services for resale
at a profit. Government markets are government units or agencies that buy goods and
services to provide for public services. International markets include overseas buyers and
consumers, producers, resellers and governments.
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With shortening product lives, effective planning must be carried out in the light of the
competitive situation in which the company finds itself. The competition should be assessed
in several ways, such as:
direct competition those companies that produce the same type of product or
service and sell to the same customers
industry competition those companies that operate in the same broad product
areas, but do not necessarily serve the same markets
indirect competition companies that make different products or services, but which
may attract the resources or compete for the disposable income of the markets you
wish to serve.
Good examples of indirect competition include the purchase decisions to buy a car or go on
holiday, to move house or pay school fees.
Company Resources
The environment within which marketing management must work involves the resources of
the company, and they are not endless. There are always likely to be conflicting opinions
about how resources should be used, and one of the jobs of the managing director is often to
make the difficult choices between equally deserving departmental managements.
Resources are often thought of as they appear in the company accounts, in terms of money
either actual money in the bank or the estimated values of the buildings and machinery that
the company owns. These resources are important, and if the opportunity arises to earn
some extra profit the company may be able to acquire extra resources. That is what
expansion is all about.
Physical resources are a valuable asset, and the company which has access to adequate
resources can take advantage of opportunities whenever they come up.
The other type of resource is, of course, people of all grades and types, doing demanding
or menial jobs, all of which add up to achievement of the objectives given in the company's
mission statement.
One final resource is more difficult to define the management skill that makes all the
difference between a successful company and a loser, where both companies have
apparently equivalent (other) assets and resources.
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Macro
Proximate
macro
Micro
Micro influences are those strictly internal to the organisation staff, shareholders,
production rates. These are largely controllable by the company but will definitely
affect operating practices, e.g. if shareholders demand an increase on the rate of return
on investment it can mean increased activity in selling or even reduced numbers of
people employed.
Proximate macro influences are those such as competition, customers and suppliers
with which the company deals on a day-to-day basis. They may therefore not only
influence the organisation but may also have an immediate effect on the company's
activities, e.g. if a competitor changes their price structure it may affect another
company which, in turn, could reduce prices or cease production.
Macro influences are the same as in the previous view of the marketing environment:
the political, economic, social and technological changes which are likely to be beyond
the control of the company. For example changes in legislation on safety equipment
may not impact immediately but will eventually lead to the company either conforming
to the new legislation or ceasing production activities for certain products.
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environment audit
strategy audit
organisation audit
systems audit
productivity audit
function audit.
Audits cost money and should be done with a specific purpose in mind. Like most marketing
activities, auditing should have a clearly defined, measurable objective. It must also be
properly funded if the company cannot allocate staff or pay consultants to do the job
properly then it is better not to do the job at all.
The outcome of most auditing activity will be to show how some jobs could have been done
in a better way, or some results were not as good as they should have been. The snag is
that you cannot audit a plan beforehand, and it takes a good manager to accept that he or
she could have done better. Often the audit result is just an opinion anyway, because
investigations cannot reproduce the actual situation at decision time.
However, although they cost a lot of money and take up management time, marketing audits
can be very valuable if they are set up properly. A great deal depends on the attitude of the
managing director: if he or she views it as a learning operation, so that his or her team will
be able to learn from their mistakes and do a better job next time, then the audit will have
been worthwhile.
Modern technology has provided companies with an alternative to some aspects of auditing
the computer-operated modelling procedure. If suitable information about the market is fed
into such a computer application and then changes are made in some of the data, it is
possible to see what effect that would have had on the profit level. Such what-if? modelling
can take some of the guesswork or judgement out of marketing decision-making.
As remarked previously, modern technologies have allowed organisations to increase the
amount of data they are able to gather about their market and customers. Examples would
be data gathered through the use of loyalty cards or e-commerce/online buying. When such
data is entered into a database, data mining and website analytics can provide greater
understanding of consumer buying behaviour and purchasing activity. For example,
organisations are able to track a customer's route through a website, see how they enter
(e.g. have they entered the website directly or through a search engine), what pages they
look at and how long they spend on each page, at what point they exit the website and what
products they purchase. The analysis of this detailed information can be fed into the
marketing audit.
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those consumer products, the effect would be felt sometime in the future by the machinery
maker, then by the gearbox maker, but it might be difficult for the gearbox company to see
just why its sales had fallen off.
Some technologies change very quickly. Consider batteries the type used in calculators
and watches. As calculators were made smaller, the batteries changed from the cylindrical
type to smaller flat discs, developed for a range of products such as hearing aids and
cameras as well as calculators. A new range of products was brought out, and the market for
them grew. But within a few years calculators which would work from light-powered cells and
needed no replacement batteries were developed.
If the makers of cylindrical batteries had been examining the markets in which their
customers operated, they might have been able to predict the emergence of the new
technology and forecast the effect it might have on their sales. Or it might have happened
too quickly.
Sometimes a study of the markets you and your customers sell into can help to see how your
own sales will perform. I worked in an engineering company which sold components to many
industries, and we found that the car makers provided us with a good sales forecasting
system. Many of our customers were selling either products or services to the car
manufacturers and we found that our sales went up six months after an increase in the sales
of cars made in Britain. Sales fell six months after the car output went down, and we were
able to use an HMSO publication called Leading and Lagging Indicators for guidance.
Investigations into your customers' markets have to be handled with great care: it is easy to
give the wrong impression, and this is a long-term investigation which will run on indefinitely.
People can get the idea you are planning to move into their market, selling direct to their
customers, rather than that you are into some long-term study of potential developments.
When you are involved in marketing research you might well find that the people with whom
you come into contact welcome a general discussion of the market trends that can be
identified. Although it is never correct for a marketing researcher to reveal information about
another company, it is often possible to refer to trends in a way that does not reveal names.
As with all marketing activities, it is necessary also to establish positive objectives for any
investigations into your customers' markets.
In the short term you should be able to get a good idea of the future for each of your main
customers by reading their advertisements, press comments and other publicity. Even their
job advertisements can be useful. This is the sort of "investigation" that you might make a
regular part of your sales force activity, because they can contribute bits of news and maybe
comment on the strength of news reports.
As mentioned previously, analysis of websites, loyalty cards etc. allows organisations to
track, monitor and anticipate future customer activity.
Competitor Audit
Collecting information on competitors should be a regular part of analysing the marketing
environment, because knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors is
valuable information.
Your own marketing plans and selling activities can be improved if you know of the
weaknesses of a competitor, and if you know they are significantly stronger in one area, you
can avoid a head-on attack on their market. Many small companies survive nicely by finding
a niche which their bigger competitors do not bother to go into; small companies can manage
well enough on the smaller quantities that big companies find a nuisance.
Information about competitors should flow into your company on a routine basis, and you
should not need an outsider to carry out an audit in order to tell you the things you can see
for yourself. The value of an audit could be in bringing together many items of information.
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You might have a session, as part of a sales conference, in which everyone enters into a
brainstorming look at one specific competitor, then another and so on, going through the
activities of the main competitors. If you have an outsider doing a marketing audit you can
ask for information on matters you cannot normally get to know about. The consultant may
have different sources of information, and he or she may be skilled in the sort of detective
work that deduces ideas from the minimum of facts.
However, there is a lot you can do for yourself if you study information that routinely comes
into your company. Try to think out why a particular action has been taken, and what the
implications will be for customers. A change of policy on credit terms may not be announced
in a press release, and you might find a flow of customers moving from a competitor to your
company. You need to ask why this has happened.
The process of "putting two and two together" is a valuable exercise and it is often useful to
ask a few people to get together and give their views on a specific matter. You do not need
an expert to obtain routine information, but you might get some benefit from the opinions of
other people.
The matters you may not know about are the effects of competitors on your own sales and
profits. You may know of orders missed if you work in an industrial market, where many
orders are based on quotations and there comes a time when it is clear that an enquiry is
dead. Your salesperson should be able to find out whether or not the job went ahead, and if
it did you will know whether or not you got the order or part of it. The buyer is not obliged to
tell you who got the order, or why, and that is part of the relationship your salespeople have
to develop over the years.
In consumer markets there is more openness about retail selling prices you can check just
by looking on the shelves but that will not tell you the deals that went on between the
salespeople and the buyers. You need to know what made a store manager allocate more
shelf space to a competitor's product, and what the store and the competitor expect to get
out of this move. The store manager is not obliged to tell you, and again such information
may only be revealed if your salesperson has developed a close relationship with the store
management.
A continuing study of the advertisements used by your main competitors will show changes
of policy, and recruitment adverts can be very revealing. You could combine a study of
advertisements with a regular survey of the sales of specific products. Some companies
make their business from surveying the sales in shops at regular intervals: the best known in
Britain is Nielsen, based in Oxford. The Nielsen survey reports depend on actual counts,
which are split into product categories by the researcher, of stock and invoices. Sales over
the counter are much more revealing than company turnover, but there are no comparable
surveys for industrial products. Nielsen also operates in other countries and is one of the
leading names in marketing research in the USA.
The internet makes it easier for organisations to monitor competitor activity. Websites often
contain information about competitors, their products, communications about future products
and pricing.
Opportunities
It is worth quoting Skinner's definition of marketing opportunities:
"Those opportunities that arise when the right combination of
circumstances and timing allows an organisation to take action to reach a
particular market."
An audit which is done by an outside consultant may be very expensive, but there is a
better chance of getting an objective study of the market in which you operate than
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there would be if your own staff did the audit. People working in a company have split
loyalties they know they ought to be objective but they have friends on whom they
depend. Outsiders have just the one loyalty to their client.
An outsider might have wider experience than an internal manager, which could enable
him or her to recognise an opportunity that would not be seen as such by the insider. I
knew a manager who was quite sure there was no scope for selling his products to a
particular company. However, a consultant was called in and knew of a buying policy
change which enabled the manager to sell to that company. This was an opportunity
revealed by the open-minded approach of the outsider.
An internal manager must be deeply involved in his or her own department, so might
not be fully familiar with the capabilities of other departments, especially if they are in
different locations. Internal politics aside, it is unlikely that a manager would
recommend the company to take up an opportunity that would do away with his or her
own job. Further, the manager might not have the time or knowledge to see how two
situations could be brought together to create an opportunity that neither created on its
own.
(b)
Threats
As we've seen, a business can be threatened in several ways, such as the loss of
markets due to advances in technology. Threats are more predictable in fast-moving
industries and it is often possible to take some action so that profits do not suffer
unduly.
The more subtle threats are those from new competitors, who can appear on the
market without any warning. Your sales force might have some idea that something is
about to happen, and your suppliers may give a hint or two, but no one is obliged to tell
you of new competitors.
Threats may come from within the company too, owing to inefficiency in selling or
manufacture. Markets change, sometimes in a subtle way which has to be taken into
account. Yet few managers like change there is an inbuilt resistance to change in
most of us. Most changes are more tolerable if there is recognition at top management
level of the time and effort that will be needed.
If a marketing audit reveals a threat to the future of the company then it has served a
useful purpose.
(c)
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The directors disagreed so strongly about the allocation of resources that the design
was sold off and the R and D manager was dismissed, along with all his department,
which included me. That seemed bad at the time, but I turned the threat of poverty into
opportunities that have kept me solvent.
In these two examples you can see that the element missing was the overall control of
the company's marketing effort, and the reason for that could only be a lack of top
management expertise. Another situation which involved a big opportunity caused
serious problems because the company was too small to handle one big order, brought
in unexpectedly by their star salesman. The order was worth more than a normal
year's turnover and the management were seriously embarrassed. They could not
afford to pay the people and buy the materials, yet they did not want to lose the order.
establish which segments of the total market your product or service is selling to and
how efficient it is
ensure that the product's position in those segments is how you are seen in the minds
of the target market.
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Geographic the market is divided into geographic units: a nation, a country, a city, a
town. The geographic unit is quite likely to be a TV area certainly an area for which
secondary data sources exist.
There is no right or wrong way to segment a market. Consequently marketers are always
developing their own approaches to segmentation because each market must be
approached from the perspective of their own organisation. We shall review the general
criteria used for segmenting markets before going on to consider some of the main bases
applied.
(a)
Identifiable
It must be capable of being identified as a separate section of the overall market
and must display some common characteristic which sets it apart from the overall
market.
Recognisable
Do the members of the segment recognise themselves as being different and do
other organisations in the chain of distribution recognise the segment? If neither
the buyers nor those who serve them recognise the segment it is unlikely to be a
successful option. It is more likely to be a segment created in the mind of a
person who believes strongly in the benefits of a particular product: but
remember this is not true marketing it is product-led marketing.
Substantial
It must be large enough to warrant activity on the part of the marketer. In the
extreme example just given, the woman with green hair could not be described
as a substantial segment.
Profitable
It must be capable of achieving the desired objectives. This may not be in
financial terms. Segments can be identified and used as a means of entering a
market even though they produce little or no profit. This type of situation is often
found in international marketing if an organisation just wants to get a presence in
the marketplace for some reason or other. A segment, which produces little
profit, can also be chosen as an investment because of potential add-on sales at
a later date.
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Accessible
The marketer must be able to reach the segment. It is no good identifying a
potential segment if you cannot serve it because of government regulations or
location, etc.
Measurable
You need to know the size of the segment before, during and after your activities.
If you cannot measure, you cannot assess your success. Someone once said "If
I cannot measure it, I cannot manage it", and this is very true.
Reliable or Stable
The chosen segment must demonstrate a history and a future. If a segment
suddenly appears, say because of a fashion fad, it may not be either stable or
reliable. Unless the organisation is able to move quickly and satisfy the
immediate need, the segment may disappear just as quickly.
Sustainable
The organisation must be capable of serving the segment in the longer term. It is
pointless identifying a segment which is so big that it is impossible to maintain.
All this will do is to create dissatisfied customers and wonderful opportunities for
competitors to come along and take the segment over with the resulting losses
of investment and effort for the original organisation.
Another aspect which should be considered is whether the segment fits with the
company image and objectives. For example, a company which sells high quality
goods and relies on brand image would be unwise to suddenly start marketing to a
lower income group. The company could lose their credibility with the loyal customers
they have in the higher price bracket which might mean greater losses than the income
derived from the new segment.
(b)
Organisational Segmentation
Unfortunately the segmentation techniques available to those marketing to individuals
are not available to the organisational marketer. On the other hand the strictly limited
size of organisational markets is a major bonus. In organisational segmentation,
groupings of customers can be broken down by:
size of organisation
geographic location
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benefits sought
are more visible than individuals, and can thus be individually researched
The individual nature of the target audience generally precludes the use of mass media
but the very need for highly targeted communications brings major benefits with it:
sales records can be highly detailed, and extend over a long period
individual contacts can be fostered and developed, again over a long period
trade and specialist press exist to target virtually every type of organisation
direct mail lists can access virtually every individual of significance by job title and
in many cases, by name.
Note: In some cases where a supplier is marketing to individuals, it has been possible
to achieve a "double strike" in communications by transferring the retail brand into the
organisational market. Thus, when Dulux paint is advertised an important subaudience is the organisational buyers, who have the opportunity to decide which brand
of paint they will buy in bulk.
(c)
Geodemographic Segmentation
The powerful tool of geodemographic segmentation is made possible by the use of
computers and the system of postcodes (zip codes) used by the Royal Mail. There are
over 24 million homes and businesses in the UK and every one has a postcode.
The postcode breaks into constituent parts to provide a lot of vital information. Let us
examine the post code MK42 8LA:
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MK
The outward code, which identifies one of 120 postcode areas. MK is Milton
Keynes.
42
A district within the area. There are 2,900 districts in the UK. MK42 is the
Kempston district of Bedford in the Milton Keynes area.
The first digit of the inward code which identifies one of 9,000 sectors. MK42 8 is
a sector within Kempston.
LA
ACORN can take the data of individual clients and include it within the basic ACORN
system. It can then be profiled in whichever geographic areas are most appropriate
from postal areas to areas defined by contour lines on a map.
Additionally, all geodemographic surveys provide easy cross-referencing to two major
marketing research databases. The Target Group Index (TGI) and the National
Readership Survey (NRS) allow ACORN profiles to be extended to include data on
product usage, holidays, readership, etc.
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You can be given an exact count of the target households to leaflet, an exact
number of leaflets to print, and road maps that specify on which houses to drop
leaflets.
You can match a target segment against media (who show their readership by
geodemographic classification).
You can select sites for retail shops so that they are close to their target
customers.
ACORN data helped retailers to prove that customers choose stores by time and
simplicity, not by distance criteria. In other words being close to the customer is
not enough. If the journey is difficult or perceived as difficult the shopper will
go elsewhere. Shoppers will go 25 miles on a motorway rather than three miles
across town, for instance.
You can adjust stock range and levels so that the correct goods are in areas of
demand.
One simple way to secure customer information is through the guarantee cards that
most manufacturers ask buyers to complete and return. In the UK there is no need to
register a purchase with the manufacturer, the purchaser's contract is with the retailer.
Yet many of the cards are filled in and returned. You will notice that they normally ask
for more data than is needed simply to register a purchase. Every card that is returned
extends the manufacturer's database, and provides more information about its
customers.
Geodemographic data is very easy to obtain on contract. Individual prices are
discussed with those who have a serious interest, but the service is proven to be costeffective. Another well-established geodemographic system is MOSAIC, which we
have already mentioned. This offers 12 lifestyle groups, which in turn are split into 52
different types.
(d)
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Social Status
% of UK
Population
(1998/99)
Occupation
C1
C2
D
Those at lowest
level of subsistence
2.8
18.6
27.5
22.1
17.6
11.4
Source: National Readership Survey (NRS Ltd) July 1998 June 1999
Table 2.1: Resident Population of GB by Sex and Age: Estimate Mid-1998
Years of age
Total
'000
'000
Males
%
Females
'000
%
0-4
5-9
10-14
15-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
64+
3,670
3,913
3,795
7,189
9,231
8,505
7,756
5,881
9,290
1,882
2,004
1,948
3,687
4,720
4,294
3,870
2,895
3,821
7.0
6.6
6.2
15.4
15.9
14.1
11.6
10.2
12.9
1,788
1,908
1,847
3,502
4,510
4,210
3,885
2,985
5,465
6.3
6.0
5.6
14.0
14.9
13.5
11.1
10.2
18.4
Total
59,228
29,128
100.00
30,100
100.0
Sources: ONS; General Register Offices for Scotland and Northern Ireland
Note: figures may not add due to rounding.
(e)
You go to school with at least 11 years to look forward to. It costs about 8,000
per term to educate a child at a boarding school and about 4,000 per term at a
day school. Paying out of income is almost impossible take out a regular
savings plan early.
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You get a job the last thing you think about is life assurance and pensions, but
remember if you start a personal pension at 20 instead of 30 you could pay 9 per
cent less of your salary each year and still secure the same pension.
You start a family a real need for protection. One in five men will die before
they are 65. Take out insurance!
You buy a house you can choose between term assurance and an endowment
plan.
You plan time off you will need money to live on. Banks and building societies
can help with saving and investment plans.
You run your own business you may need to borrow, to arrange life assurance,
a tax-efficient way to save for the future.
You save for your daughter's wedding an average wedding costs over 18,000.
A bit of a shock if you don't save for it.
You think about retiring the State pension is (2009/2010) 95.25 for a single
person and 152.30 for a couple (assuming full contributions). Only one person
in 100 in a company pension scheme will receive maximum pension benefit so
the sooner you think about a personal pension plan the better.
You're worth more than you think without careful planning you could leave an
unnecessary tax bill for your dependants to pay. Take out a life-assurance policy
under trust.
Sagacity grouping looks at the life cycle in conjunction with job type. The basic thesis
is that people have different aspirations and behaviour patterns as they go through
their life cycle. Four main stages are defined which are subdivided by income and
occupation groups.
(f)
Psychographics
Lifestyle segmentation is made possible by ascertaining the typical lifestyle of a typical
customer and then confirming that there are sufficient similar customers and potential
customers to form a viable segment. The TGI survey is an important tool in lifestyle
segmentation.
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Benefit Segmentation
This is segmentation based on the consumer benefits those of the users/buyers
of the product. A car can be sold on such features as economy, safety and
acceleration. It is essential to know what a potential customer wants from a
purchase will he or she appreciate acceleration as a benefit? Should the offer
be made in terms of convenience and safety?
Sought benefits vary with lifestyle and circumstances. Thus a young man's
benefit needs are likely to change remarkably as he becomes a father for the first
time and convenience, safety and economy replace acceleration, speed and
status as priorities.
Similarly, a sufferer from chronic arthritis is likely to need an automatic car,
whatever he or she may have previously preferred.
Attitudes
Crucially important within marketing, attitudes, beliefs and intentions can be the
key to any form of segmentation. It is possible to segment on individuals holding
the same attitudes fans of a particular football team, for example but more
subtle is the influence which attitudes, beliefs and opinions have over everyday
behaviour.
It is important always to consider attitude when segmenting a market because
individuals will have a unique approach whatever general classification you can
slot them into.
Geodemographics coupled with lifestyle surveys comes closest to providing an
understanding of the prevailing attitudes within a segment, but an understanding
of the particular attitudes that affect a specific product/market is necessary for
truly effective segmentation.
As technology advances, markets are becoming more fragmented, as can be seen through
new media providers such as Sky Television with sports channels, DIY channels, baby
channels etc. Also the use of websites and related technologies means that organisations
are able to not only communicate individually with customers but are able to tailor their
products to an individual's requirements. An example of this can be found with computer
manufacturers, e.g. Dell, where websites allow individual customers to tailor their computers
prior to despatch.
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Market Targeting
This has been defined by Kotler as:
"The act of developing measures of segment attractiveness and selecting one or
more of the market segments to enter."
(a)
Target-Market Selection
There are five patterns of target-market selection, as shown in Figure 2.4.
Figure 2.4: Target market selection
M1
M2
M3
M1
P1
P1
P2
P2
P3
P3
Single-segment
concentration
M2
M3
Multi-segment coverage
M1
M2
M3
P1
P2
P3
Market specialisation
M1
M2
M3
M1
P1
P1
P2
P2
P3
P3
Product specialisation
P Product
M2
M3
M Market
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were product-focused and not task-focused. Their future lay in transportation, not
in railway trains.
(b)
Full market coverage is possible only for organisations since the aim is to
supply all consumer groups with all the products they might need, e.g. IBM
(computers), Microsoft (software), Ford (vehicles).
Differentiation
In undifferentiated marketing an organisation will ignore market segment differences
and offer a single product to the whole market. Note how even the mighty Coca-Cola
have revised their approach by the introduction of targeted versions of their original
product.
Undifferentiated marketing is only sustainable in conditions of monopoly or where
demand greatly exceeds supply. As competition enters, and when demand slows
down, it is no longer a tenable policy.
Differentiated marketing requires the design of products to be tailored to segment
needs. Thus Ford will produce up to 18 or 20 versions of each model to cater firstly for
the basic needs of a generalised segment and then for individual needs within that
segment. For example, the need may be for a small car to use in the city. Thus the
Fiesta is first choice. But then one can choose from a range of options:
engine size
Transcending product and service are the differentiation potentials of personnel and
image.
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61
adult males within MOSAIC Type 14 within the Tyne Tees TV region.
Positioning
There need be no such thing as a commodity. Convert a commodity into a product that can
be targeted in two stages:
Identify a way to differentiate. This will come from identification of a target market a
niche market with consumers who have unfulfilled needs.
Developing an overall "package" of benefits that can be positioned in the minds of the target
consumers completes the transformation.
Thus positioning is the act of designing an offer so that it occupies a distinct and valued
place in the minds of the target customers (Kotler).
Note that products are not positioned the term "product positioning" is incorrect.
Positioning refers exclusively to a mental concept. The package that comprises the offer has
to be positioned remember that consumers do not want products, they want what products
do for them. They want their needs to be fulfilled.
Example
How is a Mars bar positioned? Is it a filled bar of chocolate, a piece of confectionery to be
found on the sweets counter? No! A Mars, we have been told, "helps you work, rest and
play". So it is positioned as a nourishing snack that is fun to eat.
Who eats Mars? According to the adverts (the pictures, not the words) the eaters are young,
healthy, virile, active, fit and happy.
Where do we find Mars? On the confectionery counters; but also on the biscuits/snacks
counters, in vending machines, in cafs and we now also find "fun", "standard" and "extra
large" bars as the Mars brand is extended.
Further brand extension has seen the introduction of Mars ice cream which carries the same
packaging and symbolism as the traditional Mars bar, along with many other spinoff products.
A Mars bar, by virtue of its wide appeal and low price, could have a very wide market at
which to aim: but it is actually aiming at several different market segments. Mars are not
targeting individuals, they are instead targeting identified groups that individuals move into
and out of as they pass from stage to stage through life.
(a)
Positioning Maps
By taking two of the key variables influencing consumers it is possible to plot
organisations or offerings against one another. This gives a picture of the market in
terms of competitive position and facilitates the identification of market gaps
(otherwise known as niches). Figure 2.5 illustrates a retail food positioning map.
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LOW PRICE
HIGH PRICE
Tesco
Kwik Save
7-11 Stores
CONVENIENT
Positioning maps are usually shown in two dimensions for simplicity but it is normal for
multidimensional mapping to be used, i.e. several key variables are plotted against
each other in order that an identified niche can be accurately defined. Thus a
sequence of positioning maps may be required to illustrate even a static position.
Obviously a series of maps will be needed to describe a dynamic situation.
Positioning maps are a very effective tool because not only do they force detailed
market study, but they also present information in a readily understandable form.
(b)
Positioning statements
Positioning statements are succinct descriptions of the exact position that the product
is to take in the minds of the target market. Very great care and considerable time are
taken to ensure that the statement is accurate and detailed. It will become the focus for
all marketing effort and so the creative management time devoted to it will be repaid in
long-term benefit. We shall return to positioning statements later in the course.
It is difficult to challenge a competitor who holds a position; usually it is better to define,
establish and protect a position that is unique in the market.
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The Seven Ps
The term "marketing mix" covers the seven controllable variables of:
Product
Price
Place
Promotion
People
Processes
Physical evidence.
You will note that seven is emphasised. There is a good reason for this.
Previously if you were to ask someone what the marketing mix was, they would say "The
four Ps product, price, place and promotion." Until relatively recently this would have
been correct.
However, the marketing mix has been extended! We now have the seven Ps to play with:
the original four, plus people, processes and physical evidence.
These last three are sometimes referred to as the "soft elements" of the mix and are
regarded as being relevant to internal rather than external aspects of the organisation,
although they are all relevant to the customer. Increase in the service industries, during the
later half of the last century, has aided the importance of the seven Ps as people, processes
and physical evidence play an important role in adding value and creating competitive
advantage.
We will be looking at mix elements later in the course, but it may be appropriate to give some
attention to the "new" or "added" mix elements at this point.
People
This element covers the training and motivation of the people involved in the marketing
effort in other words, everyone in the organisation. It is important that the correct
image is portrayed to customers at all times, and the staff are the people who deliver
this image. The attitude they have to the customer is important, and may be shown by
the way in which they answer the telephone. Are they polite? Do they understand the
product range enough to help the customer? These considerations (and many more)
are important.
Because of fierce competition and the heightened awareness of today's customers,
organisations are having to pay greater attention to customer care and it is with the
internal staff that customer care begins and ends.
In the delivery of services there is no tangible product for consumers to experience and
therefore it is people who add value and provide quality. There is no product for repeat
purchase, and so customer loyalty is developed through the relationship staff develop
with customers at the point of the service. Therefore, as with customer care, delivery
of service is dependent on staff.
The search for improvement in this element of the marketing mix has led to the
introduction of internal marketing programmes designed to make staff aware of the
importance of the customer, as well as to motivate them to work towards achieving
customer satisfaction.
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Processes
This element refers to the systems used in the organisation which contribute to the
marketing effort. It may seem a strange organisational aspect to include in the
marketing mix but, if you consider that the marketing mix is the "toolbox" which
contains the controllable variables used by the marketer to satisfy customer needs, it
makes sense.
The customer comes into contact with the organisation in many ways: making
enquiries; making a purchase; seeking advice on delivery dates; receiving invoices and
statements; and after sales. If the marketer can influence or modify the organisational
processes in such a way that they become customer friendly, it can only add to the
overall marketing effort. Examples of improving or competing through process
improvements can be seen by organisations offering e-commerce capabilities through
their websites, such as online banking services. Process improvements can not only
add value and gain competitive advantage, but they can also be used to develop closer
customer relationships. An example here would be where customers get personalised
text communications such as reminders, promotions etc.
Physical Evidence
This aspect refers to what the customer experiences surrounding a purchase. Overall
the term covers the physical appearances and ambience that collectively imprint on the
customer's mind. It could be the appearance of the showroom, the trimmings that are
in a hotel, the quality of information leaflets, the external aspects of the building, the
type of music played in the background or any of the additional facilities that
organisations provide which give additional service to a customer.
Services are of course essentially intangible and it is therefore important that
organisations try to find ways to make a service seem more tangible for their
customers. An example of physical evidence being used in service industries would be
an insurance company which issues customers with physical pieces of paper/insurance
policies.
Although marketers have always considered these aspects, their importance was never
formally acknowledged until the 1980s and even then they were regarded as applying only to
service industries.
It is now recognised that they are equally important to all types of marketing activities. This
recognition is helping marketing professionals to give improved levels of customer service,
thereby providing more and more customer satisfaction.
Kotler's Seven Cs
The concept of the seven Ps has developed from the marketer's viewpoint of what is
required; Kotler considers marketing's role from the perspective of what customers and
consumers need, and he has introduced a C concept. Kotler's four Cs cover the original
four Ps (product, price, place, promotion) but it is relatively simple to add Cs to people,
physical evidence and process.
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When we do this we see that the marketing focus is made far clearer from the customers'
and consumers' viewpoint. It follows that marketers should produce as Ps only what
customers and consumers value as Cs:
Seven Ps
Seven Cs
Product
Customer value
Price
Cost
Place
Convenience
Promotion
Communication
People
Consideration
Processes
Coordination and
concern
Physical Evidence
Confirmation
Customer Value
Value is a combination of many factors, all of which are subjective and dependent on
the perceptions of individuals. Often what is valued is not the major benefit, especially
when branded goods are functionally so similar. Kotler says that the car he valued
most highly was a Ford because it was the only one with a gadget to hold his can of
Coca-Cola.
Cost
When judged from the C viewpoint, price becomes only one element of cost. How
much time, energy and effort have to be committed to the product? What are the
status and reputation issues? Cost is a blend of issues that far outweigh "mere money"
in importance.
Convenience
People want the function and/or the symbolic values and they want them where they
are needed. Thus convenience is the factor that matters. Obviously a package has to
be placed in a channel of distribution, but all that matters to the customer is that it is
available where, when and how it is most convenient.
For example, when buying a new computer the cost involves such price issues as the
total cost of the CPU, monitor, keyboard, cables and VAT. But the time and effort to set
up and then become experienced on the new equipment are also cost factors. Will
there be a need for new software? Can the existing data be read directly, or easily
transferred? Is the package conveniently packaged physically? Is it easy to
assemble? Is it delivered complete? Is the basic software preloaded?
Communication
The customer and the consumer both have to learn about the package, and in terms
that both comprehend and, hopefully, believe. Messages must be tailored to the needs
and perceptions of the members of the target audiences.
Consideration
Marketing is people oriented. Individuals differ and each must be provided for.
Therefore all contacts have to be established on a procedure, but with provision for
flexibility where possible. Staff must be trained to show consideration in their
explanations and in showing why in certain circumstances there can be no flexibility.
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Confirmation
Everything about the package about the offering has to be consistent so that each
succeeding message, in whatever order it happens to be received, confirms what has
gone before. An unkempt salesperson can destroy confidence built up by superb
promotion even if he or she has excellent product knowledge.
Credence the attributes of the product used to position the product need to be
perceived as credible by the target customers.
Competitiveness the product should offer the consumer benefits which competitors
are not offering.
Clarity the product positioning statement needs to clearly differentiate its position
from the competition i.e. Have a Break Have a Kit Kat.
Repositioning
Repositioning an existing product involves a planned move from one position to another.
This may be executed as a series of steps over a long period, with each step sequential and
designed to be as unobtrusive as possible. Thus, the image of HP Brown Sauce was
changed from an old fashioned product to a sharp, modern product in four stages over nearly
three years. The reputation that HP had earned over many years was retained, as were the
existing older customers, but the new youthful and active positioning was one to which new,
younger consumers also responded.
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Relaunching
Relaunching requires the effective withdrawal of a product so that it can be positioned where
it is required. To some extent this is akin to a new product launch except that there will be a
balance of consumer reaction to the product which will be related to its old position. In the
case of Lucozade this was judged beneficial because it had a strong positive image as a
tonic drink for invalids recovering from illness. The decision was taken to reposition the
product as an energy drink for the youth market and it was successfully relaunched. It was
not repositioned in stages because it needed to be introduced to a new segment as a new
product. It is still available for its original purpose but it is no longer targeted at that segment.
Efficient promotion directing the right messages to the right people in the right
place and at the right time. Clearly differentiates the product or service offering.
Improved service levels doing the right things to target and deliver value to the
segment.
Higher prices when customers perceive the value they will expect to pay higher
prices.
The marketing mix has a crucial part to play in the positioning process and should be used to
ensure that the correct activities are chosen so that value is experienced by the customer.
The following questions need to be addressed in order to ensure the product is delivering
value and benefits:
Product
Price
Are the correct channels of distribution being used that are right for the
product?
Place
Promotion
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Are the right communication channels being used and does the
message reflect the positioning of the produce or service?
68
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Chapter 3
Marketing Strategies
Contents
Page
A.
70
B.
Corporate Strategy
Organisational Stance and Positioning
Attack Strategies
Defence Strategies
71
72
73
74
C.
Marketing Strategies
Types of Marketing Strategy
75
75
D.
Corporate Objectives
77
E.
Marketing Objectives
Nature and Purpose of Marketing Objectives
Defining Marketing Objectives
Factors Influencing Marketing Objectives
Benefits of Marketing Objectives
Problems in Formulating Marketing Objectives
78
78
79
80
83
83
F.
84
84
87
89
94
97
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Corporate or visionary planning that provides a mission and structure for evaluating
and allocating resources to business
Business planning which involves long-range planning for positioning the company
and its products to best serve its target markets
FUNCTIONAL
Review
(Adapted from Gilligan & Fifield, 1997)
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It is quite easy to confuse the words "strategic" and "strategy", which is understandable
because, basically, the same word is being used. Like so many other words in the English
language "strategy" can mean different things. In marketing:
"Strategy" can be used to describe an approach, stance or long-term plans. (From this
use of the word we get "strategic planning" meaning a higher level of planning.)
Over the years marketing authors have tried to clarify this issue and they have used different
ways of doing this.
Wilson, Gilligan and Pearson in Strategic Marketing Management, readily admit that there is
no standard definition of "strategy", but highlight three "levels" of strategy:
Corporate strategy dealing with the allocation of resources throughout the entire
organisation, covering all of the various businesses or divisions
Business strategy which exists at the individual business or division level and is
concerned with the question of competitive positioning
Thus we see the model shown in Figure 3.1, which demonstrates the strategic planning
process.
This is all very well for a large organisation. We can see a progression from the top level to
the lower levels and, from our previous studies, you will know that as the plans move down
the organisation they become ever more focused and detailed.
But what about smaller organisations? Well, this process still works. What the authors have
done is to give a picture which will encompass any organisation. It may be that some of the
levels will "combine", e.g. small to medium-sized companies may only have one small tier of
top management above the operational levels. The higher level will still decide on the
allocation of resources overall, but may produce fairly detailed plans for operational levels.
Or, in some cases, the detailed planning will be left to the operational level.
You should also note, from Figure 3.1, that there is no distinct section for "segmentation".
Presumably this is because the authors consider that segmentation is part of the marketing
audit process. It is also worth noting that the authors place the "detailed marketing audit"
before setting "corporate objectives and strategy formulation". Many companies do not
undertake marketing audits until after they have formulated their objectives. They then carry
out investigations to see if the objectives are achievable. If they are not achievable they will
"revisit" the objectives and fine tune them to fit better with the increased knowledge gained in
the audit.
B. CORPORATE STRATEGY
Strategies are formulated as a response to the various factors in the company's environment
and these may come from both external and internal sources.
(a)
External
Nature of the competition and the products which are on offer in the marketplace.
Changes which are, or are likely to be, taking place in the environment.
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(b)
Internal
Corporate objectives
Availability of resources
Expectations of stakeholders
To put it another way, any aspect of the internal and external environments can have an
influence on strategy formulation. In particular, always remember the internal aspects
they are very important.
Leaders
These are innovative companies who are regularly first into the marketplace with new
products. They tend to be powerful companies who will have major market shares and
the benefit of abundant resources. They gain advantage from being first to the market,
but they invest heavily in development and face the risks attached to being innovative.
They must adopt strategies which will:
(b)
Followers
These are the companies who do not invest heavily in research and development (R &
D) but "copy" what the leaders do. This type of company will never get the initial major
market share, but they do not have to invest money in development or in making the
target market "aware", as the leaders will have already done this. They may also
capitalise on errors which the leaders make, e.g. if a leader's new product has a slight
technical problem, followers may be able to solve that problem before launching their
own version of the product.
If this is done, the early adopter and early majority categories of buyers may well turn
to the "following product" and the leaders will lose market share. Followers can make
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many different amendments to a leader's product (price, quality, distribution, etc.) and
amendment is cheaper than development so costs will be lower.
Followers are often referred to as "me-too" marketers in that they do not come up with
original ideas or practices. They are simply happy to hang on to the tails of the leaders
and take any benefits they can.
Challengers, or followers, may at times seek to overtake the leaders and will often
adopt methods which involve price-cutting incentives to distributors, giving improved
service levels, sharing costs with distribution channel members, etc.
(c)
Nichers
These types of organisation are those that are, to one extent or another, providing a
"specialised" product offering. They will have some kind of USP (unique service
proposition) which they can offer to their customers.
Niche marketers are often left alone by the market leaders as they (nichers) are either
chasing a small market segment, or are providing something which is non-viable for the
larger firm, e.g. individual service levels may be extremely high. Nichers can gain from
being seen as "specialist" and can, consequently, often charge much higher prices for
their product offerings. Niche markets can be very profitable, despite relatively low
market share.
We could not possibly expect an organisation to adopt a stance and retain that stance
forever. As we know, the environment changes, as do the circumstances of any
organisation. These changes could mean that an organisation will need to attack a
leader, or defend against a follower. The reasons for this may be a search for growth
or profits, for survival, or simply because the management culture has changed and the
new management considers it safe to change direction.
Attack Strategies
(a)
(b)
(c)
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(d)
Flank Attack
This involves the location of a position which is not open and which it is possible to
occupy and hold. When segmentation analysis reveals a niche that is not being
served, it is first necessary to ask why. If the answer is not "because it is untenable"
then it becomes available as an attack base from which to build market presence and
share. Cadburys, for instance, failed with a direct attack, Aztec against Mars, but
succeeded with Wispa when they outflanked Aero.
(e)
Encirclement
An encirclement attack endeavours to overwhelm a competitor by simultaneous attack
on every front: an expensive strategy, but one extremely difficult (and expensive) to
resist. Casio's approach to the calculator market is a typical example of encirclement.
They overwhelmed the opposition by a constant stream of ever better, ever cheaper
products until they achieved dominance.
(f)
Bypass
The most indirect assault involves broadening a resource base over a period whilst
avoiding confrontation until strategically prepared. In 1971 Colgate was underdog to
Proctor and Gamble; by 1976 it was well placed in 75% of its markets, and out of
contact with P & G in the remainder.
(g)
Guerrilla
A relatively small competitor cannot attack aggressively on a broad front but can
choose where and when to hit in the knowledge that the big competitor is likely to be
slow in response. Profits are therefore taken before response comes by which time
the smaller firm is striking elsewhere. This is unlikely to defeat the market leader but it
can take a substantial amount of profits from the market. The Hoppa buses introduced
in UK cities have become a serious nuisance to the established major companies
operating traditional buses on fixed routes.
Defence Strategies
(a)
Position Defence
Based upon a clear positioning that is established over years of effort (as the Mars Bar
has been), a position defence consists of flexible consolidation. A static position is
untenable; product innovation in the widest sense to include promotional innovation is
needed to keep the product alive, healthy and active in the minds of its customers and
consumers. An entrenched leader that is innovative will usually have massive cost
advantages and be able to withstand sustained attack to such an extent that, as when
approaching a porcupine, you do it, if at all, with care.
(b)
Pre-emptive Defence
An attack upon a potential challenger can distract through their need to defend. The
attack need not be head-to-head a fighting brand in another market can be made
active and set to assault a position of vital importance to the rival. Nestl are past
masters at this type of market strategy from comparatively few production lines they
now produce many branded versions of the same canned milk, and not all are intended
to be market leaders.
(c)
Counter-offensive
This is an aggressive response to an attack in order to prevent loss of market share.
Responses involve using mix elements. When Cadbury's attacked Mars they were
immediately faced with an overwhelming counter-offensive. They withdrew from the
confrontation.
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75
Mobile Defence
This is good marketing policy even without the threat of an attacker on the horizon
because it involves constant moving, through innovation, market broadening and
diversification into new territory. It requires a willingness to "go where no-one has gone
before" but the prospects of excellent returns and safety from attackers are very
tempting. Richard Branson and his Virgin empire exemplify the entrepreneurial
approach to growth through mobility.
(e)
Flanking Defence
The American car giants exemplify failure in attempts to erect effective flank defences.
Alert to the threat from Japan, which was focused on small cars, they attempted to
protect their overall position with hastily designed American compacts. These were no
competition for the carefully thought through, well designed and very efficient Japanese
competition, and the flanking defence turned out to have been a major distractor which
occupied time and resources that weakened their overall position.
(f)
Contraction Defence
Pulling back to a position of strength to be better able to mount a counter-attack is
sometimes a good policy. But, just as a defensive force pushed into the keep of its
castle in medieval times was usually held there under siege, so a modern company is
unwise to get into a position where it has to contract. The British motor-cycle industry
contracted before each successive wave of Japanese imports until there was no
effective British motor cycle left.
C. MARKETING STRATEGIES
The marketing strategy is the means of achieving the corporate objectives. As such it lays
down longer-term goals and targets for the marketing personnel to follow.
The marketing strategy gives measurements which can be used as controls, but it also gives
messages to the stakeholders, or publics. It says:
The fact that the strategy is longer term gives both internal and external involved parties an
indication of confidence and belief in the future.
Perhaps the most important purpose of marketing strategy is to give purpose to the rest of
the marketing activities. This means that the overall strategy should give clear guidelines on
practices and substrategies which are developed as a result of it.
undifferentiated marketing
differentiated marketing
concentrated marketing.
The models in Figure 3.2 show the differences between these three types.
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Undifferentiated Marketing
FIRM
(b)
marketing mix
Entire
Market
Differentiated Marketing
Segment A
FIRM
marketing mix
Segment B
Segment C
(c)
Concentrated Marketing
Segment A
FIRM
marketing mix
Segment B
Segment C
Undifferentiated Marketing
Here there is a standard, unchanged product and a standard, unchanged marketing
effort. The product will be aimed at a large sector of the market. This strategy can
reduce costs (e.g. marketing, production) but will encounter wastage in promotional
activity and possibly in distribution. Not too many companies are in the fortunate
position of producing a product which is suitable for everyone in the world. (Try to think
of some examples other than Coca Cola.)
Differentiated Marketing
Here the company segments its markets and offers modified products to different
segments. The marketing mix elements will also be modified to suit the requirements
of the chosen segments. Using a differentiated strategy will mean higher costs, but
ultimately the profit levels could be higher as the offering has been targeted to the
segments. This should mean that there will be less wastage of effort.
Concentrated Marketing
Here the total marketing effort is aimed at one market segment. This strategy is really
aimed at the exploitation of a limited market area and tends to be used by those
companies who have highly specialised products. It is "niche marketing" by another
name.
Concentration on key markets can be very beneficial to an organisation, e.g. control is
easier especially in times of difficulty. Market knowledge will be improved with little,
or no, wastage of resources on unprofitable segments and non-price factors, such as
delivery or customising, etc., are much easier to exploit.
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It is common for organisations with a diverse product range to use a combination of all
three strategies for different parts of their product mix. There are no rules. Decisions will
depend on the prevailing conditions within the markets being approached and other
influencing factors outlined below.
Some marketing authors will tell you that segmentation is a result of the decisions made on
the type of marketing approach which is to be used. Others will tell you that segmentation is
the cause of this type of decision having to be made.
The reason for the differences in opinion is likely to lie in "when" each of the two activities is
undertaken. Some believe segmentation comes first, whilst some believe "approach" comes
first.
In my opinion it makes little difference. Segmentation and the type of marketing approach
are irretrievably linked. It is the old puzzle of: "Which comes first the chicken or the egg?"
I cannot differentiate between which causes which. If we do not know our segments, we
cannot know how to market to them. If we do not know which type of marketing we, and our
offering, are most suited to, what is the point of segmenting the audience?
I can give you no easy answer to the question of which comes first, or which creates the
need for which segmentation or type of strategy. All I can say is that I believe they are
both essential in the marketing effort.
Remember that there are no "water-tight" boxes in marketing to keep things "tidy", and this is
another grey area. Try to understand the "spirit" of the processes involved and don't get
bogged down in petty issues.
D. CORPORATE OBJECTIVES
Corporate objectives relate to the entire organisation and are essentially longer term and
broad in their coverage.
There is a general maxim about the expression of objectives, as encompassed by the
acronym SMART. Objectives should be:
Specific Measurable Achievable Realistic Timed.
These overall corporate objectives will represent the expectations of senior management and
other important stakeholders, and may be expressed in either quantitative or qualitative
terms.
(a)
Quantitative
Quantitative objectives (in terms of numbers) can relate to money, percentages,
periods of time, output figures, etc. Examples are:
"To achieve 5% year-on-year growth in profit after tax for the next five
years."
"To effectively reduce operating costs by a total of 20% over the next five
years and, in the same time period, to achieve growth in profit after tax by
8% each year.""
"To achieve 15% return on investment in the next tax year.""
Sometimes the actual target figures will be given in the statement:
"To achieve 5,000,000 increase in profit in 1999, which represents a
growth of 15% on 1998 profit levels."
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(b)
Qualitative
Qualitative objectives (in terms of "ideals") can relate to service levels to be achieved,
image, position, ethics, etc.
The following is an excerpt from a statement of objectives published in the annual
statement of a police force in northern England:
"Within five years, or as soon as is practicable, to have a police force
which:
Is more open, relaxed and honest with ourselves and the public;
Is more aware of our environment, sensitive to change and positioning
ourselves to respond to change;
Is more closely in touch with our customers, puts them first and delivers
what they want quickly, effectively and courteously;
Is the envy of all other forces."
You can see from all the examples we have given that a statement of objectives can be
simple or quite involved; there can be one aim or several. It will depend on the
circumstances and the nature of the organisation.
E. MARKETING OBJECTIVES
Irrespective of the nature of the corporate objectives, corporate strategies are selected as the
means of achieving the stated corporate objectives. The corporate strategies are then
passed down the hierarchy of command and communicated to the functional levels.
Accepting the fact that the corporate level has decreed what must be done, it is then up to
the functional levels to translate the corporate strategies into workable functional objectives.
For obvious reasons, we are only dealing with the marketing function from this point on in
the course, but please remember that the marketing function is part of the organisational
network and, as such, is irreversibly linked with all other functions.
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McKay (1972)
The authors state that McKay suggested that there were only three possible marketing
objectives:
(b)
to improve profitability.
sustaining profitability
harvesting
Gilligan et al then go further to suggest that the supportive thinking for both of these
viewpoints can be said to reflect the thinking of Ansoff on marketing objectives.
(c)
Ansoff (1968)
Ansoff argued that marketing objectives can only ever be about:
products, and
markets
existing, or
new.
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Existing
LOW
RISK
MEDIUM
RISK
New
Market
Product
Existing
MEDIUM
RISK
HIGH
RISK
government legislation
lack of resources
What often happens is that marketing objectives are only loosely defined until such time as
all of the available strategies have been considered. Then, once a realistic strategy has
been selected, the marketing objectives are "firmed up" or even re-defined.
This process is quite acceptable as long as the final marketing objectives still fit with the
corporate objective and will still work towards achieving the corporate goals.
To illustrate this, we can work through the example of the general goal of maintaining
competitive advantage and consider the implications of this for marketing.
Maintaining the Competitive Edge
Every company that is in business for a reasonable length of time must do something better
than its competitors at least in the opinion of a number of customers. That something
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better may involve various factors, ranging from location and delivery to product performance
and marketing. Service industries need to consider how competitive advantage is gained
through the delivery of the service and how process improvements can be made to add
value. Therefore, in service industries organisations will need to work with the whole service
delivery chain to create value for consumers.
The marketing audit should show what it is that the customers find the company does better
than its competitors, even if the audit is a simple internal affair.
If the product is a fast-moving consumer product there will probably be dozens of products
competing for the consumer's disposable income. The consumer is quite capable of going
out shopping for gardening equipment and coming home with a set of pans instead. The
competition is not just those other products in the same category: they are the immediate
competition, but everything else in the neighbouring stores could be a competitor too. When
the product is a non-essential purchase, the situation is at its "worst".
Generally speaking, food is a priority and most basic foodstuffs are only competing against
similar products, so quite modest research can reveal what consumers think about the
various brands.
It is worthwhile looking at some of the factors that make one product or service more
attractive than another. If you are buying a personal service such as haircutting or dentistry,
it is unlikely that you will travel a long way when there are suppliers near home. Location is
important for many consumer products the opportunity to see and touch the product, to
have it delivered if necessary, and to be able to get service quickly, may ensure that a local
supplier is preferred. Speed and convenience are the two great attractions of shopping on
the net, which is growing rapidly. For others the most important factor may be performance
if you do not like the taste of a food or drink product, it does not matter about other features.
So what can the marketing manager do to maintain the competitive edge? Well, first he can
find out why his customers buy his products instead of others. We can go through a list of
the possibilities and suggest ideas for keeping one step ahead of the competition:
(a)
Product/Service Quality
There are what can be considered "normal" standards in every product, and there can
be grades of quality, so you must position your products in the appropriate grade.
Your marketing researchers should have been able to identify the grades and you must
judge which of them to aim at. That might not be the top grade in terms of features, but
the grade you choose must be identifiable by the customers.
It is essential that different models of your product can be seen to fit into different
grades, or have different features that make them better. There are sometimes too
many models to choose from, and the customer could get confused. That makes it
difficult to decide on a model, and the decision may be deferred, which means it may
go against your product. If you open a catalogue such as Index or Argos, you will see
several models of electric shavers, for instance, all from the one maker, and it is difficult
to see why there are so many.
(b)
Availability
There is so little to choose between some products that if one is not available
immediately, the consumer will choose a different one. That means your products have
to be widely distributed if they are to be highly competitive. There is more involved
than just getting the goods into lots of shops, because the retailers have their own
views of what will sell and make them profit. You have to convince them too, that the
product is worth having on their shelves.
Quite often the retailers and wholesalers will want to know what promotional efforts you
are making, because they know that television advertisements help to move products
off their shelves.
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There are sometimes problems in ensuring delivery, and many people can tell of
having taken a morning off work for a delivery man to bring, say, a new washing
machine, then he comes in the afternoon. Control is possible in the warehouse but as
soon as the van gets on the road some control is lost. The company may appear to
have failed to keep a promise owing to a road accident or traffic hold-up which was not
the delivery van driver's fault. If you can do better than your competitors on this, you
will have a competitive edge.
(c)
Price
Price matters most where there are few product features which are obviously better
than those of competing products. You can get a competitive edge by making a special
offer of some sort (such as three for the price of two), if the retailers will go along with
your policy.
Remember also that lowest price is not necessarily the competitive edge you need;
buyers can be suspicious of a low price with some goods.
(d)
Promotion
If you tell people your products are the best, and you can show examples that "prove"
the claim, some people will believe you and others will test your claim. In all cases it is
necessary to tell people your product exists before they have any chance of buying it.
There are many ways to promote products but some of them can appear excessive,
making people think that the price could be cut if the advert were more sensible.
(e)
People
Employees play an important role in adding value to a product and in particular a
service. The performance of employees will have either an indirect effect (for a
product) or a direct effect (for a service, or service element of a product) and therefore,
it is important for organisations to be able to train and motivate their employees to
deliver excellent customer service. Human Resource Management, therefore, plays a
vital role in recruiting employees with the correct skill set and ensuring existing
employees are well trained, motivated and loyal. Loyalty of employees is particularly
important in industries where personal selling is used. The marketing department can
also contribute to the training and motivation of employees by using internal marketing
techniques, such as newsletters, to improve communication with employees.
(f)
Processes
Processes are a set of activities that are linked together to either produce a product or
deliver a service. In fact, delivering a service is largely about processes. Value and
competitive advantage can often be achieved by excellent or innovative processes,
both internally within the organisation and throughout the whole value chain. Managers
need to be aware of those processes that add the most perceived value from a
customer's point of view.
(g)
Physical Evidence
Physical evidence most applies to the delivery of services. Services are intangible and
are consumed at the point of delivery, therefore, organisations will need to look for
ways of making services more tangible for customers. An example would be an airline;
the flight is the delivery of a service. However, airlines look for ways of making the
service more tangible and therefore adding value for the customers. For example,
airlines will issue tickets, confirmations, will provide magazines that customers can take
away, award air miles etc.
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Fear of Failure
If previous objectives were not achieved, planners may be reluctant to define new
objectives and will not strive to achieve.
Apathy
If the personnel in the company are demotivated for some reason, they will not be
interested in any new objectives as they will see them as "just another ploy to get us to
work harder".
Success
When a company is doing well, a new objective is often seen as being unnecessary.
This is the "If it works why try to fix it?" syndrome. Unfortunately complacency of this
kind can often lead to a company losing its market share to a competitor.
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Organisational Culture
A lack of marketing orientation in an organisation can prevent objectives from being
formulated. Lack of marketing often means lack of "vision" and short-termism. Instead
of a strategic stance being adopted, only short time scales are set or activities are
managed on a basis of "as we need to do it". The result is that the future is not taken
into full consideration, which may end in disaster.
Lack of Knowledge
Perhaps the biggest problem in formulating marketing objectives is the fact that
knowledge is necessary.
To formulate an objective which says:
Where we want to be?
Planners need to know the answer to:
Where are we now?
Knowing "where we are" implies investigation and a full search for knowledge. Do you
remember the fictional example I used earlier about you going to New York? Well, if
you hadn't known that you were in London, or how much time and money you had, how
could you have realistically planned to get to New York? The answer has to be that
you would not have been able to. You would have had to investigate all of the factors
influencing your plan before you could even begin.
This is exactly the same for marketing. Before we can really be happy that we are
setting good objectives we have to consider our current position. This means that we
need to undertake a full marketing situational analysis in order to define marketing
objectives and then select appropriate strategies to achieve those objectives.
Ansoff
Ansoff's is perhaps the most quoted model of all in marketing theory and practice. It is used
as a strategy choice model, in that it helps a planner to see which strategy is appropriate at
any given time and in various sets of circumstances.
Ansoff claimed that in marketing we can only ever be talking about products and markets,
and that these can only be old, or existing, and new, or potential.
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Using these combinations gives a choice, according to Ansoff, of four possible basic
strategies, as shown in Figure 3.4.
Figure 3.4: Ansoff Matrix
New
Existing
MARKET
PENETRATION
PRODUCT
DEVELOPMENT
New
Market
Product
Existing
MARKET
DEVELOPMENT
DIVERSIFICATION
The strategy will often be implemented by increasing activity on one or more of the mix
elements, e.g. using more intensive distribution, aggressive promotion, pricing, etc.
Strategy 2: Market Development (same product/new market)
This strategy is often found when a regional business wishes to expand or if new markets are
emerging because of changes in consumer habits. It can also occur when a new use has
been discovered for an existing product.
Implementation of this strategy involves appealing to market sectors (or geographical
regions) not currently catered for and may mean a repositioning of products as well as, very
often, new distribution methods or channels.
Strategy 3: Product Development (new product/existing market)
With this strategy an organisation develops new products or services to appeal to its existing
markets. It may simply be a product "refinement", e.g. change of packaging or taste, etc.
Product development is most prevalent when branding exists. Promotional aspects will
emphasise the added qualities of the "new" product and link it specifically to the security of,
and confidence in, the brand. This strategy builds on customer loyalty and the benefits to be
gained by purchase. Other mix elements, e.g. distribution, may remain unchanged.
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Diversification by Integration
Vertical Integration
This involves the acquisition of some other enterprise in the chain of distribution
between the manufacturer and the customer. It can be either "forward", i.e.
towards the customer, or "backward" towards the source of raw material.
For example, a company dealing in writing stationery may vertically integrate
forward by taking over a retail outlet to sell its products, or backward by taking
over a paper mill. Although there will obviously be control benefits to be gained in
either of these examples, the company will be dealing with a product, or products,
and markets which are new to them.
Horizontal Integration
This is the acquisition of another organisation which has a feature that is desired,
i.e. the acquired organisation may be using similar materials or components for
which they have a monopoly of supply. This is particularly relevant when
materials, etc. are in short supply. The company that is acquired may use similar
production methods and have greater capacity; or its distribution channels may
be highly effective and would prove advantageous; or it may have some other
quality which could be seen as a benefit, e.g. Johnson Brothers (china
manufacturers) taking over the Wedgwood china company and capitalising on the
Wedgwood brand and reputation.
(b)
Diversification by Conglomeration
This strategy moves the firm away from its existing product-market situation into an
entirely new area in order to satisfy a primary objective. Quite often this is done as a
short-term activity that will allow an organisation to recover from a temporary setback in
market conditions. For example, a company that produces ladies' lingerie, and is faced
with cash problems in the short term, may reap instant profits if it invests in "spotbuying" and "selling-on" of oil on the open market. This type of activity can also be part
of a longer-term strategy to spread risks.
Ansoff applied
Here we shall look at Ansoff's model as applied to Coca Cola, who use all four strategies
(adapted from Evans and Berman (Marketing, 1990)).
(a)
Market Penetration
More adults used in commercials "You can't beat the feeling" theme
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(b)
(c)
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87
Market Development
Greater emphasis on China, Eastern Europe, South America, Middle East, Africa
Product Development
New brands/flavours
New containers.
Diversification
Conclusion
Ansoff's model is one which is so widely used that you cannot afford not to know it really well.
There is no doubt that the model is extremely useful in deciding which strategy to adopt in a
given set of circumstances; however, you should recognise that it is not perfect as it does not
cover everything:
Despite the shortcomings it is very useful. It can also be used to assess risk; the further
away from its present position a company moves the more the risk increases.
For example, a company selling the current product to the current market is in the safest
position. All factors are known buyers, distribution, competition, etc. Once the company
begins to change some aspect, risks occur. With "new" products to existing markets there is
always a danger that the customers will not adopt the new product and, possibly, that the
new product will have an adverse effect on the existing range. Likewise, unknown market
sectors, or regions, can be risky (hence the need for market research) and, of course, the
unknown variables involved in diversification make it the most risky strategy of all. Marketers
need to consider all influencing factors when selecting which strategy, or strategies, to adopt.
cost leadership
differentiation
focus.
A business which followed none of these strategies would become "stuck in the middle" and
be unlikely to succeed in the long term.
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Cost Leadership
Stuck
With No
Clear
Strategy
Focus
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The BCG matrix is as well known as Ansoff and is one which you should be fully familiar with
for your examinations. Using the variables of market share and market growth rates,
planners can plot their products/SBUs onto a grid which will then suggest certain strategies
that can be used. Because analysis is undertaken on an individual basis (SBU/product) it
means that firms can mix and match their efforts in order to achieve optimum results at any
given time.
Figure 3.6: Boston Consultancy Group Matrix
Market Growth
High 20
10
Low 0
10x
1x
0.1x
Market Share
Note the following about the diagram:
The circles on the grid represent the position of SBUs in one company in accordance
to the growth rate of the market(s) and the share held.
The size of the circle is proportionate to the percentage of total income produced by
that product/SBU for the actual organisation.
The location of the circle indicates market growth rate and relative share in relation to
the leading competitor in the field. In Figure 3.6 market share of 0.1 means that the
product has only 10% of the volume of its leading competitor. Market share of 10
means that the product is leader and has ten times the sales volume of its nearest
competitor. It is important to remember that the mid-point of the axis diagram
represents the point where a product/SBU has equal share to the leading competitor.
Changes in proportionate share, or market growth rates, will move the position of the
circle(s) on the grid.
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Market Growth
High 20
10
Low
Stars
Question marks
Cash cows
Dogs
10x
1x
0.1x
Market Share
Stars
If Question Marks succeed they become Stars leaders in high growth markets. Stars
are the "providers of tomorrow" and a company with no Stars should worry. The
company depicted in Figure 3.7 has two Star products one which has the leading
share in its market and one which has only slightly more share than its leading
competitor. Efforts should be made to increase the share of the second product in
order to secure its future profitability, particularly as the market has a very high growth
rate this could be where future earnings lie.
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This, of course, means investment, which can be a cash drain on the organisation.
Even Stars with high market share may involve investment in promotion or distribution,
etc. if the competition is attacking.
Stars can therefore both produce revenue and use resources which can mean
"breaking even". Investment decisions must be based on the future potential of the
product and its market. Companies want to retain the share that Stars hold, but they
also want the market to stabilise as stable markets are much easier to cope with than
high growth markets which can mean difficulties in production and distribution.
In Figure 3.7 the Star with the leading share is moving down the spectrum which
indicates that growth in that market is slowing or stabilising and, providing no share is
lost, the Star should become a Cash Cow.
Cash Cows
When market growth reaches a stable level (10% is used in our diagrams as an
example but this will vary according to the particular market) Stars become Cash Cows
providing they hold a leading share of the market. If they lose any market share to the
competition they will "slip" into either being a marginal Question Mark or, at very worst,
a Dog. Cash Cows produce good revenue, do not require high investment and often
mean that economies of scale can be gained.
The money earned from Cash Cows should be used to invest in other products/SBUs
which are placed in the other classifications on the BCG matrix.
Figure 3.7 shows that the company has only one Cash Cow so is vulnerable. A loss in
market share could mean trouble, even more so if there is no Star to come in and take
the place of the Cash Cow. In this situation a company would have to pump in finance
to support its Cash Cow, thereby deflecting support from the other categories. If the
company continued to support other categories and neglected its Cash Cow, the Cash
Cow could eventually become a Dog.
In our example it would be very dangerous if the Cash Cow slipped to being a Dog, as
the Star which could come into the Cash Cow category is not making as much money
for the company as the current Cash Cow. Given these circumstances it is likely that
the company would invest in its current Cash Cow to retain market share.
Sometimes Cash Cows which are losing their share can be turned into Question
Marks, which is preferable to becoming Dogs, but this situation will only really occur if
something happens to revitalise the market perhaps a new use for a particular
product may be found and the market will begin to grow again.
Dogs
Dogs have weak market share in low growth or stable markets. These products can
often take up more time than they are worth. They usually produce low profits and often
incur losses. They will always consume cash, even if it is just in the time taken to
manage them.
Given the fact that Dogs consume cash many are often dropped by companies, but it is
not always wise to do that immediately as they may still be making money.
In Figure 3.7 you can see that the proportion of the company's revenue for one of its
Dog products is actually higher than the proportion of revenue gained by one of its Star
products. If the company were to drop the Dog, they would have less cash coming in,
which could have serious repercussions.
The competition must also be considered, as well as the effects on customers.
Dropping a product from a range can upset buyers who will then look for alternative
sources for that product. The alternative sources may also be able to offer other
products which the buyers want and they may place their future orders with the new
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suppliers resulting in the loss of even more sales overall. Decisions on product
deletion must therefore not be taken lightly or without full investigation.
Dogs that are retained tend to be kept because they are recognised as being a product
with "other" benefits. For example, the customer will have to come back to the
company to buy consumable supplies which are actually highly profitable for the
company, or perhaps the product has such a high image and reputation in the market
that the company prefers to maintain it.
There is also danger in keeping on a Dog if it is proving to be useless as this just
wastes resources that could be better employed elsewhere. Decisions to retain Dogs
past their useful life are usually based on someone's great belief in, or favour for, that
product they become "Pets". For example, the owner of a company may wish to
maintain a product which was the foundation of the company's current product range
despite the fact that the market has changed and technology has bypassed the original
product. Sentimentality, and the power of the owner, will ensure that the product is
retained and money will be wasted.
We should also not overlook the case of products which have just been launched and
the market has not really taken off. Such products could be classified as Dogs but,
given more investment, the market might be stimulated into a faster growth rate and
the Dog could actually gain more share. Sometimes the faith of one manager in a
product can turn a company's portfolio around completely.
As we noted earlier product deletion decisions can be risky. They should always be
calculated for effects.
BCG Matrix: Cash Position for Products
We have seen that the various types of products or SBUs each have different characteristics
as far as revenue generated and money for investment are concerned. Figure 3.8 indicates
the likely cash position for products, etc. placed on a BCG matrix, but planners should not be
too dogmatic about this as there will always be exceptions to the rule.
Figure 3.8: Boston Consultancy Group Matrix
High
20
STARS
Market Growth
Revenue
Investment
QUESTION MARKS
+++
Revenue
Investment
0
10
CASH COWS
Revenue
Investment
DOGS
+++
Revenue
Investment
++
Low
++
0
10x
1x
0.1x
Market Share
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Portfolio Strategies
After positioning all products (SBUs) on the BCG matrix, the company must decide if it has a
balanced portfolio. (Too many of any one type means it is unbalanced.) It then must allocate
objectives, strategies, etc. to each of the SBUs. Strategies suggested by the BCG matrix can
be one of four:
Build (for Question Marks) to increase share, even if it means giving up short-term
profit
Harvest (for weak Cash Cows where the future is dim or for Question Marks and
Dogs) to increase short-term cash flow regardless of long-term effects
Divest (Dogs and Question Marks draining resources) to sell off, liquidate or delete
an SBU or a product.
Stars
Question marks
(1)
Market Growth
(2)
Forecast
position
(3) and (4)
(3)
10
Cash cows
Dogs
(4)
Low 0
10x
1x
Market Share
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Conclusion
The BCG model has the advantage over the Ansoff one in that it considers share and
competitive positioning. It is also relatively easy to understand because of its visual nature.
However it, too, as with most other models, has its drawbacks and you should always
remember the shortcomings.
The main problems with this model are:
It is not fair to expect all SBUs to have the same rate of return or market share, etc.
The whole point of this method is to assess the position of each product, or SBU, and
different markets will have different growth rates. It is therefore really better to plot only
one product or SBU onto a BCG matrix.
If the model is used as a predictor of cash usage, valuable products may be left to
stagnate and die owing to lack of investment.
The model only uses market share and market growth as variables. Remember that
companies with a small market share can be highly profitable.
The model ignores environmental factors which may have an impact on performance.
Positioning can encourage planners to develop bad habits, e.g. not allowing enough
funds to maintain the Cash Cows so that they grow weak. Planners can also
sometimes leave them too many funds and fail to invest in other categories.
Business Strength(s)
Differential advantages
Market diversity
Share (number/value)
Sales (volume/growth)
Profitability (total/unit)
Competitors
Mix effectiveness
Social/legal environment
Innovativeness
Planners, with their knowledge of the market and the company itself, can decide how an
SBU, or a product, can be assessed in terms of the market attractiveness and the company's
strength and can then place that product, or SBU, on the matrix. Assessment can be based
on "High", "Medium" or "Low" or, more likely, on a basis of "weighting" where the planner will
give a score to each of the factors under consideration and then the total is taken as the point
at which the SBU is placed on the grid.
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Medium
Low
(1)
High
Business Strength
(2)
Share held by
company
Medium
Low
(3)
Although this model uses circles, similar to the BCG model, it is different in that the circles
represent the overall market sales (BCG circles represent the income for the company
only). The share held by the company is then shown as a proportion of the circle.
Looking at Figure 3.10 we can see the characteristics of various products in a company's
portfolio. The company has major shares in three markets:
(i)
A highly attractive market, with a large overall market potential revenue; the company
has high business strengths. The company is in a very strong position with this SBU.
(ii)
A market which is viewed as being mid position in attractiveness but the company has
high business strengths. The overall market income is not major, in terms of the other
SBUs, but activity could generate further interest which could increase the
attractiveness of the market. Given the share held, this SBU could potentially be a
future high earner for the company.
(iii)
A market which is not seen as being highly attractive coupled with the fact that the
company does not have any high degree of business strength in that field. The fact
that the company has such a major share of the overall market may indicate that the
competition have withdrawn because of costs incurred, or some other reason, and the
company has acquired share by default rather than activity. It is unusual to find a high
overall market income in such a market but it can happen, e.g. the potential of selling
specialist tooling equipment to manufacturers. The market may be lucrative in terms of
potential earnings but not attractive in terms of size hence the classification as a
"medium attractive market". It really does depend on what planners consider to be
important when assessing market attractiveness. In the circumstances shown by the
example grid, planners may decide to develop their business strengths in order to
capitalise on the overall potential market and to keep the competition out of the field
(providing the forecasts for the market show stability or growth). The placing of the
SBU on the grid would then change in accordance with its new "classification".
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The other products on the grid in Figure 3.10 show a variation in the potential of the
market(s), the share(s) held and business strengths.
Strategic Options
Strategic options for SBUs placed on the GE matrix cover three types of marketing
management activity. Each strategy covers three of the nine cells as shown in Figure 3.11.
Figure 3.11: General Electric Matrix Strategies
Industry Attractiveness
High
Medium
Low
Business Strength
High
t
en h
tm t
es row
v
In or g
f
Medium
e
ag
n
a
M
y
el
it v
c
le
se
s
ng
i
n
ar
e
r
fo
/
st
e
v t
a r es
H div
Low
Harvest/Divest
Here the SBUs are similar to BCG Dogs. The strategy can be to minimise marketing
activities and concentrate on selected products rather than the whole range. They can
divest products from the range, closing down or deleting an SBU which is seen as nonproductive or to have little future. Profits are "harvested" because investments are
minimal.
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Gap Analysis
The idea of gap analysis links up with portfolio analysis, which asks if you are offering the
right products to the specific market segment. Markets change and it is usually necessary to
change with them. You are familiar with the example of the home music industry, which has
gone from records to tapes and then to compact discs in a fairly short time. If you run a
company that is still making records you had better do a bit of portfolio analysis there is
going to be a big gap to fill!
Evaluating Services
The evaluation of service is often harder than the evaluation of a product due to its
intangibility and the fact that they are heterogeneous in nature, i.e. unique or different
each time. Also for services it is only the customer that has any experience of the
service and therefore it is only the customer's perception that is relevant.
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GAP 1
GAP 2
GAP 3
GAP 4
(b)
(c)
Reliability
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
Punctuality
(iv)
(v)
Responsiveness
(i)
(ii)
Promptness of response
(iii)
(iv)
Assurance
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
Courteousness of employees
(iv)
Knowledge of employees.
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(e)
99
Empathy
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
Convenience of delivery.
Tangibles
(i)
Standard of equipment
(ii)
Standard of facilities
(iii)
Appearance of employees
(iv)
Standard of materials.
As you can see from the above the SERVQUAL dimensions can be used to develop
questionnaires that can be used to evaluate customers perception and expectations of
a service and this information can help marketers identify the activities that create
value in the eyes of the customers and then develop service marketing strategy
accordingly.
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Chapter 4
Marketing Plans
Contents
Page
A.
103
103
103
104
B.
105
105
107
108
109
110
C.
110
112
113
114
115
115
117
119
D.
120
121
121
121
122
122
E.
123
123
123
(Continued over)
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F.
124
124
125
126
127
128
129
129
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You can see that the list I have given is very similar to a list of benefits to be gained from any
type of planning. Common sense should tell you that once you begin to think in terms of
what is to be gained from planning you do not have to learn lists of benefits by rote you
only need to understand to be able to discuss. Always think in terms of your own
experience and what have been, or are, good and bad examples of planning in the
companies you have worked for. It is always better to speak from experience.
PRODUCT PLAN
SYSTEMS PLAN
PROMOTION PLAN
Covers
Covers
Covers
Research &
Development
Product launches
Product deletions
Pricing
Distribution
Sales force
Order processing
Advertising
Literature
Public relations
Direct mail
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Figure 4.2: A company with 3,000 employees operating from US headquarters with
subsidiaries in Europe and Asia
MARKETING PLAN
PRODUCT
R&D
PRICE
CONTROL
SALES
ADMINISTRATION
USA
Europe
Asia
(as for USA)
Promotion
Literature
Business Consumer
DISTRIBUTION
Sales
Advertising
Printed
Direct
Indirect
Broadcast
You can see that as the organisation becomes more complex and employs more people,
more plans are needed but they all relate back to the original marketing plan. What we have
is a hierarchy of plans for marketing in much the same way as we have a hierarchy of plans
for the organisation but now we are dealing only with marketing activities which, in turn,
are related to the marketing mix elements.
a management summary, for those who do not need to see the full text
product and market background, with market shares and market size, trends, and
outside influences
marketing objectives, properly quantified over a timescale (which is usually, but not
always, a year)
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financial projections and controls, including sales and profit forecasts, budgetary
control procedures and the main budget levels
appendices showing the supporting information for the detailed items in the plan,
including any market research results.
Various marketing authors present slightly different ideas on just what should be included in a
marketing plan.
In Marketing Management (8th edition) Kotler suggests that the strategic marketing plan
should contain the following:
an executive summary which gives a brief overview of what the plan contains
this is not always given as it is really a matter of practice within an organisation
objectives
for each section of the plan (volume, share, profit, etc.)
strategy
the broad marketing approach that will be used
action programmes
what will be done, who will do it, when it will be done, and how much it will cost
controls
the way the plan will be monitored and measured.
Malcolm McDonald (1991, Journal of Marketing Management) suggested that the marketing
plan should contain:
mission statement
financial summary
market overview
SWOT analysis
assumptions
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If you consider the various suggestions here, you will soon realise that they are more or less
saying the same thing. Basically, then, the marketing plan says:
where we want to be
This is all very well, but does it help to structure the plan? The answer is yes, it does,
because, depending on what you think should be included in your plan, you can simply use
those headings to form your structure. There are, though, no specific rules on how a plan
should be structured.
Remember, plans are statements of intent and the presentation of a plan can be done in any
way that suits the presenter and is appropriate to the reader. Plans will include some (or all)
of the following: written statements; models showing projections; tables of data.
If you refer back to Figures 4.1 and 4.2 which show the hierarchy of marketing plans you can
see that the common feature in marketing plans will always be the marketing mix. As long as
you make sure that you cover all of the relevant mix elements, you can present plans.
A useful system is to take, say, a four-year view of the business every year. The annual
marketing plan will have appendices projecting forward the activities of each main
department, and forecasts of sales for each product group, for four years. It will be accepted
that years 2, 3 and 4 ahead will not be very accurate, but this system does at least set out
the pattern.
Method of Preparation
There are two main approaches to planning generally:
Top-down is the type of planning in which top management sets the objectives and
plans for the lower levels. This is based on the military example, where the senior
officers tell the lower ranks what to do. It fits in with Douglas McGregor's theory X view
of people that they do not like work and responsibility so they have to be directed.
However, what works in a military situation is not necessarily the best way to run a
civilian company.
Bottom-up is the type of planning in which each department puts forward what they
think is the best they can do, then top management sorts out what the whole company
can achieve. There may be differences in the level of achievement that each manager
thinks his or her department is capable of, and there may be no synchronisation of
results, so there could be a lot of wasted capability.
Neither of these methods of planning quite matches the needs of a marketing plan, and the
best plans are usually based on a blend of the two methods. As a result, marketing plans are
often far from perfect when the company starts to use them; they get better with experience
and practice.
Top management will set objectives based on the profit figures which they think will satisfy
the shareholders, and the departmental managers will suggest what they can achieve if they
continue as at present, or have this or that new machinery.
The planning process is usually one of iteration ideas bounce up and down the
management structure until all levels are satisfied that they have a workable, achievable
marketing plan.
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There is potential for considerable conflict between managers of different functions. For
example:
The marketing manager may say she can only achieve a specific level of profit if prices
can be raised, and that would be possible only if the products were of better quality.
The production manager may agree, if only he could get some better machines in and
get rid of the old stuff.
The finance manager may say she could only accept that idea if more profit was
coming in, or some costs could be cut.
Few managers will suggest that their department could be downsized, and it needs a strong
chief executive to choose a course of action that all managers will accept and support
wholeheartedly.
We now need to look in some detail at the components of a typical marketing plan, some of
which will be familiar to you from previous chapters.
SWOT Analysis
SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, and every company has
its fair share of all four components. It is not easy for a manager in a company to sort out
just what the strengths and weaknesses of the company are, and it is important to allow for
the fact that the perception of the customers is what really matters. A manager may see a
feature of the company as a strength, but if the customers do not see that, the feature may
be quite irrelevant. Make sure your SWOT analysis takes into account the views of the
customers.
Strengths are what the company does better than other companies; you could rate
quality of staff as a major strength. Location could be a strength too and companies
may gain by moving nearer to their major markets. A strength not to be missed is the
reputation of the company goodwill may not appear on the balance sheet but it does
show in customer relations. Other strengths may include design capabilities, money in
the bank, production capabilities and, of course, marketing skills.
Weaknesses are more difficult to define, because they could be seen as criticisms of
the managers of the departments concerned. You must have a clear idea of what you
are comparing the company with. It may be weak compared with competitor X but
strong compared with competitor Y. It is usually only possible to know about the
products rather than the manufacturing facilities of your competitors, but your
marketing information system (MkIS) may be able to tell you enough to enable you to
get some ideas together.
It would be constructive to regard identified weaknesses as opportunities for
investment, instead of criticisms of the people involved.
Opportunities include those which can be aimed at now and those which can be seen
on the horizon. You will realise that all the work that may be done in a marketing audit
could contribute to the marketing plan.
Threats may come in visible form competition, new products and processes and in
less obvious forms such as action by governments (local and national) and the
European Union.
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You will find it useful to plot a SWOT analysis on one page, like this:
Figure 4.3: SWOT analysis
SWOT Analysis
Strengths
Weaknesses
Point 1
Point 2
Point 3
etc.
Opportunities
Threats
Financial Projections
The allocation of resources can be a difficult area: departmental managers will all want to
show they could do better, and that nearly always means spending more money on new
machinery, more people, better buildings and so on. There is such a logical need for all
these demands that there can be real jealousy if one demand is refused. Yet the top
management must choose a course of action and get the agreement of the managers
involved, because plans that are imposed instead of agreed will not work well.
The job of the chief executive is to work out which course of action will give the company the
best chance of achieving the objectives that he or she thinks the company must aim for.
Eventually this is achieved by judgment, because there is nothing in planning that is anything
like a guarantee.
With so much investigation into the company's activities it is inevitable that control of working
funds will be involved, and budgetary control is therefore a key aspect of the planning
process. Every activity in marketing, except the selling activity, takes money out of the
company, and that needs careful control.
Briefly, budgetary control is a system in which an amount of money is allocated to each
department at the start of the working year, and that has to be used to run the department for
the whole year. There will be fluctuations in the demand for money, and there will be a need
to check quite often that the budgeted amount for each period and for the year has not been
exceeded.
This control system works in well with the marketing plan, because the plan should include
forecasts of sales for each month, and that will show when the money will come into the
company. On a company-wide scale, the finance manager should be able to see when there
will be a shortage of money that will involve borrowing or other ways to keep going.
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encouraged to sell them. This was a case of extreme jealousy among managers who saw a
newcomer getting more and more money allocated, whilst their budgets were being cut. A
stronger chief executive would have seen the problem and done something about it.
Above all it is important to realise that the market is not static it is constantly changing and
the marketing plan must take note of the changes. All the ideas mentioned on marketing
audits must be applied and the reactions of customers, wholesalers, retailers and
competitors must be analysed.
The benefits of such activity can be seen in the example quoted by Sally Dibb (in Sally Dibb
and Lyndon Simkin, The Marketing Casebook: Cases and Concepts, Thomson Learning,
2000) of JCB, which grew from a small lock-up garage in rural Staffordshire to become the
dominating company in the world market for middle-sized earth-moving machines. Sally
writes:
"Planning and analysis have enabled JCB's marketers to better understand their
marketplace. The company has invested heavily in researching its core customer
groups throughout Europe, utilising well the strengths of its subsidiaries'
personnel in the field. Extensive evaluations of their competitors' strengths and
weaknesses, their competitive positions and likely strategies have led JCB to preempt successfully competitors' thrusts and to establish new product launches in
target markets very quickly."
It is essential, in all this planning, to keep in mind the impressions made on the customers by
any changes. What looks good on your plan might be disastrous to a customer, yet if they
are told of the plans before they are fully implemented, they may be able to adapt to fit in with
your new schemes. If not, you will lose them to a competitor.
When I was a sales engineer for an engineering company, every year we did a major study of
the important customers for each product. If a product had a falling demand for a series of
three years, it was considered for deletion from the range. However, we always had the
chance to talk to our main customers before a decision was made, and quite often we found
that customers were willing to predict how long they would need that product before their
own development plans made their machines obsolete. On some occasions we found the
customer could estimate their three-year needs and our company would supply them all at
once, before ending production of the product. Our customers appreciated the consultation
and we seldom lost out by this tactic.
The same applies to other elements of the environment with which the company must
cooperate, such as the suppliers of materials and services like transportation. Friendly
discussion should not go so far as revealing information that would be useful to a competitor
of course, but there is some merit in treating your environmental partners with consideration.
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Barriers to Implementation
Reasons for poor implementation will be caused by environmental barriers either within or
outside the organisation. At various times during this course we have considered these
environmental factors to one degree or another. But, to summarise, barriers can be caused
by a number of different aspects:
Internal
Management culture
Leadership skills
Organisational structure
Resources
Attitude to planning
Measurement procedures
Communications
External
Political intervention
Competition
Distributors
Suppliers
Customers
Economic conditions
Changes in technology
We should perhaps recognise that while external factors are likely to result in changes to the
marketing plan, it is the internal factors which bring most pressure to bear upon successful
implementation.
No one can doubt that the support of top management and the involvement of staff in the
planning process are the main keys to successful implementation of any plan. The degree of
success achieved in the plan's implementation will vary in accordance with how the two
variables are balanced, as you can see in the model in Figure 4.4.
Figure 4.4: Implementation variables
Staff Involvement
Low
High
Successful
implementation
will occur.
Low
Gilligan and Fifield (1996) refer to the same variables of senior management support and
staff involvement as being necessary for good implementation of the plan. They have used
these variables to produce a matrix which gives an indication of the potential outcomes for a
company trying to achieve customer focus which we know is essential in any marketing
organisation (Figure 4.5)
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Staff Involvement
High
High
Low
Anarchy
Collaboration
Compromise
Low
Apathy
Bureaucracy
Successful Implementation
No matter which terminology we use to identify key factors, or how many models we use, we
are really referring to organisational integration or synergy (or any other name you wish to
apply, i.e. everyone working together and everyone being linked).
McKinsey's seven Ss model (Figure 4.6) is a good way of representing the factors which are
essential in marketing and which can affect the successful implementation of plans. This
shows the links which, when present in a balanced format, will allow a marketing plan to be
developed and will aid in its implementation.
You could, if you choose to, also use this model as a representation of where barriers to the
implementation might come from.
Figure 4.6: McKinsey's seven Ss framework
Structure
Strategy
Systems
Shared
values
Style
Skills
Staff
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Company infrastructure
Human resource management
Technology development
Procurement
Primary activities
Margin
Inbound
logistics
Operations
Outbound
logistics
Marketing
& Sales
Service
Porter maintained that it was not only important for each department to do their own work
effectively and efficiently, but that success also depended on how well the departments
reacted to and related with each other. He claims that if departments are only concerned
with their own activities, then delays will occur and customers will not be satisfied.
This is another way of saying:
synergy is required the whole becomes greater than the sum of the individual parts
All we are doing is saying the same thing in different ways. Each part of an organisation can
add something to the activity of satisfying the customer and they must work together or they
will fail. United we stand, divided we fall!
It is only by having good systems and processes that this will work.
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Relationship Marketing
On several occasions throughout this course I have referred to the importance of building
and maintaining relationships in marketing. You can see that no company can be completely
independent and stand alone: every organisation obtains supplies from somewhere and
provides something to someone.
This means that there is a reliance chain linking organisations into multiple relationships. If
the relationships are transient they may never need to be made secure and strong: for
example, when you buy a souvenir of your holiday you are unlikely to repeat that purchase
so the seller has no need to develop you as a long-term customer.
However, if the relationship involves repetitive contact it needs to be worked at. Trust must
be built up and each party must feel secure in the knowledge that they can rely on the other.
Although this works at every level in both consumer and industrial markets, it is really
between business organisations that relationship marketing is seen as being valuable.
In pure marketing terms the value of a customer over a life period is difficult to calculate, but
the value financially can be estimated. If a customer buys on average twice a year and
spends 50,000 each time, it means approximately 1m in ten years from that one customer
alone. If the customer is satisfied with every transaction they could buy more, or more often,
and it could mean even more money. The financial value of a customer will vary with the
nature of the product and its value, but long term a customer is valuable and should be kept
satisfied.
Marketing companies have always tried to take care of their customers, but now they are
also likely to be getting involved in the customer's planning activities. It makes sense. If a
company knows that a customer is intending to have a special promotion, or to run a special
production batch, they can plan their own activities to match the customer's time and material
needs. Likewise, if a customer gets to know that a supplier will have a certain product
available at certain times, they can plan their activities to match. So, by each party talking to
the other, plans become interlinked and a degree of interdependency is created.
The very fact that each party is depending on the other means that the relationship becomes
stronger and harder to break. This, in turn, means that there is less likelihood of losing a
customer to the competition, or less possibility that another customer will be given
preferential treatment.
It is not uncommon for joint planning meetings to take place with several organisations being
involved. Long-term plans are made which enable each organisation to schedule activities
and save costs by reducing risk.
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The benefits of relationships can be immense. For instance, one example which has been
quoted by Kotler and other authors is the relationships linking Levi Strauss, the jeans
manufacturer, to its suppliers and customers, using electronic data interchange (EDI). At the
end of each trading day Sears, one large company which retails the Strauss jeans, sends in
details of which styles, sizes and colours of the jeans they have sold. This triggers off a
replacement order from Levi. Their picking of the replacement order triggers off an order
from Milliken, who supply the material for the manufacturing. Milliken, in turn, reorders fibre
from Du Pont. Not only is this a good demonstration of the uses for EDI, but it also serves to
show how major companies can work together to keep their systems operating and
successful.
Even though initially the efforts in forming relationships may be done for security reasons,
eventually other benefits will be seen. Suppliers and buyers will pass on information they
have heard about new developments which are more suitable for a product, or cost less to
buy, etc. Warnings about competitor activity will be passed on and taken note of. Anything
like this can be invaluable in carrying on day-to-day business.
Relationship marketing can only take place after a strategic decision has been made. There
may be good solid relationships between people at lower levels in two different organisations,
but to involve a company in the activities of another is a serious step which will be taken only
after full deliberation. How far to become involved is another aspect which needs to be
decided. Occasionally there may be danger in locking yourself in to one supplier or too close
to a customer who is not on a sound financial footing.
Establishing a Programme of Relationship Marketing
Recognising the need for a relationship marketing programme is not sufficient in itself; there
must be logical system or the whole process could fail dismally. Steps to achieve good
business relationships are:
identify the key customers, suppliers, etc. who are likely to produce beneficial
relationships
each party to select "managers" who will be responsible for monitoring communications
and be recognised contact points for each other
each party must understand the needs and problems of the other, and be prepared to
adapt, and make allowances for each other.
I may be stating the obvious here, but it is essential that relationship marketing is carried out
carefully companies should commit themselves to the concept but be cautious. Just as
relationships between individuals will grow if they are nurtured, so too will relationships in
marketing. The underlying principle of relationship marketing is loyalty which comes from
trust. Trust is gained only when reliability is assured. Reliance takes time to build.
The implications of relationship marketing are very simple time and effort need to be spent
in forming, building and maintaining the relationships, but perhaps the biggest implication of
all is that it may involve a change of culture within the organisations concerned. This is
where internal marketing comes into being.
The internet and use of databases can support the development of customer relationships
because they allow organisations to understand their customers in far more detail than ever
before, by using tools such as web analytics software and online feedback forms.
This deeper understanding of customer satisfaction and needs means organisations can
target marketing activity more effectively and even start to truly anticipate customer needs.
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The internet allows organisations to respond and communicate almost immediately and
individually to customers, building a deeper relationship. Examples such as personalising
web pages, responding individually to queries, and linking internet usage with email and
mobile technologies, demonstrate how the internet can be used to develop customer
relationships. An example of this is booking a cinema ticket online: customers are sent email
confirmation and text reminders of the start time and future films that may be of interest.
Internal Marketing
Imagine that you are a non-technically-minded customer who is thinking of buying a new
camcorder camera.
First of all you need literature to help you make your choice. If one company has
produced literature with the customer in mind and another has produced literature with
only technicians in mind, which literature is likely to influence you the most?
Next you may need to go to an outlet where you can look at the products, ask
questions and perhaps buy. If one outlet has pleasant, helpful and knowledgeable staff
and another has untrained staff who are dismissive of your problems, where are you
likely to buy?
If your friends and family tell you that one company never delivers on time but another
does, where are you likely to place your order?
Likewise, if your friends and family tell you that one company is very good for aftersales problems and another isn't, which company will you have more confidence in?
And so it goes on. You will only gain satisfaction if your needs as a customer are understood
and catered for.
From this example you can see that at each and every stage that a customer comes into
contact with a company, there is a potential danger zone. Only by making sure that internal
staff recognise the dangers and understand how their own efforts can help avoid the
problems will true customer satisfaction be gained.
Importance of Internal Marketing
Most companies in the world readily accept the idea that they are dealing with "the market".
What they really mean is that they are dealing with external factors such as customers,
suppliers, distributors, competitors and other environmental aspects. Many often fail to
recognise the importance of another (equally important) market, i.e. their own "internal
market".
The internal market of an organisation consists of every employee from the chairman of the
board to the maintenance personnel who change the light fittings. Although some members
of the company's personnel may be more "visible" to the buying customers, every employee
in his or her own way is important in the process of satisfying the customer.
It therefore follows that if the company is to succeed in its search for giving customer
satisfaction, it must give due consideration to these internal personnel, to understanding their
needs, their training and their motivation. This can only be done by having effective
processes of internal marketing.
Suppose, for example, that a marketing department decides to have a promotional push on
certain products by giving a price reduction. They go ahead and advertise without giving
advance warning of the promotion to internal personnel. What is likely to happen is that
telephone staff will give conflicting information to callers, showroom staff may well dispute the
fact that there is a price reduction, the production department will be unable to cope with
increased demand, distribution may have vehicles off the road for servicing and be unable to
meet deliveries, etc. The marketing department simply failed to recognise the needs of the
internal market, i.e. information and time to be prepared.
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What a difference there would have been if everyone had known about the "plan". Activities
could have been coordinated and not only would a more professional image have been
projected by company personnel, but the personnel themselves would have felt more
involved and would have had more job satisfaction.
This could be described as the "core intention" of internal marketing to keep everyone
informed of the plans within the company, so that everyone knows what is going on and what
is being aimed for. Underlying this, of course, is the commitment to customer satisfaction
which the company is trying to achieve.
Of course internal marketing is especially important in the delivery of services. Employees of
a service organisation can directly affect the quality of the service, which will have an
immediate impact on customer satisfaction. Therefore organisations must ensure that
employees are well informed and kept motivated.
Establishing a Programme of Internal Marketing
Kotler has described internal marketing as:
"The task of successfully hiring, training and motivating able employees who want to
serve the customers well."
If we take Kotler's definition in stages, we can see how an internal marketing programme can
be implemented.
Successful Hiring
Careful recruitment of people who are capable of doing a job is vital. This means clear
job descriptions and good interviewing on the part of managers. If an interviewer is not
absolutely clear on the right kind of person for a job, there could be problems in store.
The right person may be someone who, with training, could be ideal. The main
requirement is that they will fit with the ethos of the company and recognise the
importance of customer satisfaction.
Successful Training
A programme needs to be set up whereby ongoing training and awareness is
established within the organisation. Accepting that training for internal marketing is to
create awareness of the need for customer satisfaction, and the importance of
following the marketing concept, this training is often led by the marketing department.
The training may take the form of meetings within various sectors, or workshops on
certain issues, e.g. new products being developed, new objectives being set.
Awareness is achieved by keeping everyone informed of what is going on. This can be
done by notices, newsletters, email, etc. any form of internal communication can be
used. The point is that it is really the marketing concept and plan which is being "sold"
to the internal customers. Convincing the workforce of the importance of customer
satisfaction is one of the first steps in achieving it.
Successful Motivation
Motivation is often linked with money, and it certainly helps in many cases. If staff are
given incentives for their efforts, they will respond accordingly and try harder to achieve
their targets. This type of incentive can be a bonus or commission, and can be based
on any aspect of the job that the company chooses. However, money is not the only
type of motivation that can be used and, in some cases, can actually cause problems,
e.g. the salesperson who is more interested in his or her commission than actually
satisfying customer needs.
Personal motivation can often be much more effective than money. Motivating factors
vary from person to person. For some people a sense of achievement is important, for
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others it can be recognition, status or authority. But everyone likes to feel involved and
important and this type of motivation is easy to achieve.
Organisations which give people responsibility for their own actions, involve them in
discussions about future plans and are receptive to comments and ideas brought
forward, soon find that the workforce becomes motivated into doing a better job of
working together to achieve the desired objectives. This is sometimes referred to as
"ownership of the plan" or letting people "buy into" the plan. It is quite simply
involvement.
The real aim is to try to turn the workforce into a united group working together. Simple
things like social events, family fun days and so on all help to create unity and to foster
a feeling of being proud to work for the company.
Successful Internal Marketing
Success will only be achieved by an organisation when there exists:
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when activities will take place and who will be responsible for those activities. If planning has
been done by involving people they will be more receptive and will work with the plan rather
than against it.
If that step is achieved, the marketing ethos is already beginning to be accepted. If it is not,
you need to start at the top convince the higher-level management of the benefits that can
be gained and demonstrate the outcomes and how easy they will be to achieve. Once the
senior management are convinced, the belief in marketing will cascade down through every
level.
After that, a concerted programme of education and motivation is needed. Persuasion from
higher levels will soon ensure that lower levels begin to look seriously at what is being
proposed. If training days can be added to this, the transformation will be that much quicker
and, very soon, suggestions will be offered by staff as to how systems and procedures could
be improved. Motivation will have begun.
Motivation has its own force it grows if it is allowed to. Once people become motivated
they should be encouraged by some form of incentive. Remember that this need not be
money other rewards are important too, e.g. "best cost-saving idea of the month", "top
salesman of the quarter", "most efficient department", etc. I would not deny that money is
important, but it is not the only way!
The main difficulties to be found in instilling a marketing ethos into the company may well
come from a senior management who do not think it is necessary. Some may see the new
way of thinking as being a threat to established systems which have proved relatively
efficient. New thinking is often seen as being radical and, especially if the company has
been established for a long time, there will always be people who resist it. People fear for
their positions and the status they have acquired. They worry that people with new ideas will
take over and that they will lose their jobs. If they can see that to accept the validity of the
argument that the customer is important, and the significance of everyone working together,
they will eventually change their opinions.
Once the marketing ethos is accepted and functioning properly, the company will have an
open culture. Innovation will be encouraged which will help in new product development and
in improved customer care. Staff will be retained as they are happy in their work. Costs may
be reduced because people find better processes. I could go on but I am sure you can see
the benefits, too.
The marketing ethos of a company is the same as anything else it needs to be taken care
of if it is to survive. You cannot just convince the entire organisation of the benefits of
marketing and then leave it at that. Follow-on training on new products, new systems or
anything else that is appropriate should be undertaken. Regular communications are
essential or the old order will soon return where departments are isolated and people do not
know what is going on, or what they are trying to achieve. Even company newsletters are
important as they show employees that the company is at least communicating with them.
Including comments in a newsletter about the success of various members of staff, or
competitions, etc. is a good motivational tool.
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sight of the fact that the shareholders own the company, and the whole management team is
in place to serve the interests of the shareholders.
It is usual for the shareholders to have profit, dividends and growth as their key interests, so
we can take it that the chief executive is also aiming for these.
In order to keep some check on the way in which managers use their delegated authority the
company must have a system of controls, and that is what we shall look at next.
setting objectives
measuring performance
corrective action.
This process is iterative it is repeated continuously and the corrective action should make
the results come nearer to the objectives. We need to look at the four activities in more
detail.
Setting Objectives
If the company is family owned, or owned by a small group of shareholders, it is usually easy
to see what they want to achieve, which is often a balance between making profit and
enlarging the company. Owning shares is an alternative to having money on deposit earning
interest, so the minimum objective is usually to make enough profit to enable the company to
pay out a good dividend.
In a chapter of The Marketing Book, edited by M J Baker, there is a section by James R
Bureau in which he asserts that most marketing policy decisions are made on the basis of
speculation rather than facts, because of the cost of acquiring the facts.
He goes on to add that marketing is so speculative that failure is a normal part of the activity.
Whilst the R and D people can go on correcting faults in the design of a product until it is
near perfect, faults in the marketing of it are difficult to correct and are more visible, so they
could grow like a snowball. The Sinclair C5 tricycle is mentioned as the ideal example, and
the inventor, Sir Clive Sinclair, is on record as saying that inventors have to accept failure as
part of the price of success.
So the objectives are set with a background of uncertainty and hope, but they must be set as
well as possible, so they must be in terms which enable management to see whether or not
they have been achieved. You may see objectives no more precise than: "To earn 15 per
cent on the capital employed this year", or "To make 10 per cent more profit this year than
last year."
From such simple-looking statements the management team has to prepare complete
marketing plans which include targets for each salesperson or branch office, performance
targets for deliveries and customer care, etc.
Measuring Performance
We will look into specific performance measurements later, but we need to take a general
look at the subject first. You could compare a marketing plan with a journey plan:
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When you have an objective you can decide your strategy, taking in all the resources and
limitations that apply in your specific company; you can then pass that down to lower ranks
who can decide the tactics. You could view this in the same way as the organisation chart,
with the tactics at the lower levels and the objectives at the top.
Whilst the directors may understand such objectives as "make ten per cent return on capital
employed", there is little chance of the machine operator in the factory understanding how
that could be related to his or her work. This means it is necessary to break down the
objectives into understandable targets for all the operational people in the company.
The marketing manager may suggest that a specific market segment is the one to aim at,
and the branch managers will each be invited to agree to a target for their sales team. They,
in turn, will ask each sales representative to agree on their individual targets and of course
the total of all the targets will be enough to meet the objectives.
The decision that then has to be made is how to achieve the sales or profit levels needed,
and that will be reckoned on a monthly or weekly basis, using the knowledge of the sales
representatives and manager.
Corrective Action
When a serious deviation from target is identified, it is essential that a fairly detailed
investigation is made in order to find out why the target was either not reached or exceeded.
There is no way that corrective action can be taken if the manager does not know the fault.
Corrective action may involve making up the sales or other total that was missed, for
example by doing something differently, or it may be necessary to accept that the target was
missed and then make adjustments to the total objectives. Reducing the objectives may be
necessary if the reason for the failure to meet the target was due to the loss of a major
customer, for instance.
At the marketing management level the corrective action may be a change in the advertising
message, or a total rethink of the marketing strategy, and it is better to know about that early
in the year rather than to wait until near the end.
The whole process of control is easier to understand with the help of a diagram such as
Figure 4.8.
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Forecasts
Plans
Activity
Comparisons
Results
Objectives
achieved
Corrective
action
Simple Methods
The simple methods are such as those just mentioned. For example: recording the
number of calls made; number of orders obtained; value of the orders both in total and
on average; number of new accounts opened; average number of lines sold per order;
order/call ratio; number of new lines introduced; and the general increase in business
on the territory.
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Marketing Plans
Other Yardsticks
Other performance standards may be applied through the analysis of salespeople's
expenses, such as hotel bills, car running expenses and telephone calls. An
experienced sales manager has a shrewd idea of the kind and amount of expenses
which are incurred by salespeople.
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Experience will show a "normal" level for this ratio, and that can be plotted as a horizontal
line. Monthly achievements are then plotted and they ought to fluctuate around the line, as in
Figure 4.9.
Figure 4.9: Marketing evaluation chart
11
10
Upper limit
9
8
7
6
5
Lower limit
4
3
2
1
0
0
10
11
12
13
14
15
Time period
Kotler points out that the continuous rise in the ratio in the last few periods is a cause for
alarm, and the marketing management should investigate the matter.
This technique has been used for many years in production control, where the upper and
lower limits are the tolerances on the dimension being machined. Physical measurement
and plotting used to be the inspector's way of checking that the cutting tool needed changing:
now computer control can ring a bell or even arrange for the tool to be sharpened.
The upper and lower limits for the marketing evaluation chart must, of course, be set with the
benefit of experience.
You will be familiar with break-even charts and sales graphs, so there is no need to go into
them again. You should note that most statistical techniques can be adapted to suit small
companies for a one-person business you could use the "cost per enquiry" to evaluate
magazine and newspaper advertisements, and a moving annual total to see how the
business is going. Knowing the conversion rate for enquiries to orders, you would be able to
work out the cost of acquiring each order. A monthly bank statement would tell you the
immediate cash situation.
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Marketing Plans
total market, so you must find some reliable statistics, published regularly, from which you
can estimate the size of the market in which you operate.
Reliable and regular statistics are published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and
much information is available online (www.statistics.gov.uk/hub/index.html) or from The
Stationery Office (TSO). Business monitors are published monthly or quarterly and they use
information supplied by companies in the specific industries.
ONS has a firm policy of publishing statistics which cannot reveal the activity of any
individual company, so some of the product classifications are deliberately quite wide. You
may have to do some statistical detective work to find just what the market size is for your
product.
The value of the market share analysis is that it removes the influence of the general
economic environment: the share that is gained is from other companies, so changes in the
economy and in total market size are left out of this reckoning. This is not infallible, of
course, and if your company has just invested a lot of money in promotions you should see a
gain in market share or your promotions may be ineffective.
If a new competitor enters the market successfully, it is clear that the sales they achieve will
reduce the market share of all the other companies, unless the advertising done by the
newcomer raises the general interest in the products.
You may decide to go up-market and that will certainly reduce your market share but may
well increase your profits, so you could be better off but more vulnerable to changes in the
customers.
If you sell food products you can buy surveys of the retail business, such as those supplied
by Nielsen and others, which will tell you the sales over the counter for many products. From
these you could calculate your share relative to competitors, and plot that periodically.
There is a lot to be said for comparing your company's performance with that of other
companies in a similar line of business, and this is usually possible by using Inter Company
Comparisons (ICC) or similar publications. ICC produces inter-company comparisons and
other similar analyses, which show the financial and other ratios for companies in specific
industries. The information is from company accounts, lodged each year with the Registrar
of Companies, so there is often a time lag in obtaining the information, and there may be very
little available about some companies. You may be able to find an average for some
statistics which could be a starting point.
There will always be gaps in the information which is available to help you to evaluate your
company's marketing performance and there are some outside influences that we must also
look at.
Awareness Assessment
When you spend a lot of money on the advertisements for a product or service it is natural to
want to know how effective they were in telling people about the product. The measurement
of awareness is one of the specialisms of some marketing research companies and some
textbooks would have you believe that everyone should do this.
Well, yes, everyone should measure awareness you just need to get the salespeople to
check with the wholesalers and retailers to see how enquiries and orders are going.
However, if you are going to pay a lot of money to measure awareness just to evaluate your
advertisements it may be a very expensive business.
Ideally, every marketing manager should be able to relate awareness of a specific
advertisement to sales of the product, and that would make it possible to estimate sales in
the near future. That situation will only come with long experience and it is worth thinking
about other ways in which you could judge the quality of the advertisements before deciding
that an awareness survey is needed.
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Goal
Measure
Customer
perspective
Goal
What must we
excel at?
Internal
perspective
Measure
Goal
Measure
Innovation and
learning perspective
Goal
Measure
Generic Measures
Financial perspective
Customer perspective
Internal perspective
Benchmarking
This is an analytical process that enables an organisation's performance to be compared with
that of its competitors (Wilson and Gilligan, 1999). It is used to:
design and implement plans to improve one's own performance on key issues relative
to competitors.
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Benchmarking can be used in other functional areas of the business and can potentially help
to change corporate culture. It is necessary to assess any possible response by competitors
to any action that the organisation might take. This is an important part of management
strategy, and the measurement tool may be used to establish best practice outside of the
industry in which the organisation operates to help inform management decision-making with
regard to various functions within the organisation. An example of this would be Tesco's
desire to improve logistic and channel management just-in-time deliveries. Tesco consulted
with the Royal Mail for advice regarding the process of mail delivery in order to improve their
delivery process for customers.
Management Reports
An effective management reporting system will assist the organisation to control activities in
accordance with its objectives and planning. The process of controlling business operations
depends on devising, and constantly revising, an up-to-date system of reporting which
should result in better decision-making and improved coordination.
Reports should be designed to emphasise factors that are important in the success of the
organisation's activities, i.e. critical success factors. These factors would be characterised as
follows:
Examples of critical success factors might be a new production process or product quality.
The adoption of a structured approach to reporting will enable management to view the
results and efficiencies of individual departments in the light of their contribution to overall
performance and objectives.
capacity utilisation
employee turnover
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inventory levels
IT efficiency
Effectiveness measures vary for organisations but some broad measures are as follows:
unit sales
number of customers
customer loyalty
customer complaints
relative quality
relative value.
The non-financial measures of performance tend to measure the effectiveness rather than
the efficiency of activities such as customer satisfaction, market image and awareness levels,
competitive position, market share and so on. Growth based on the analysis of the market
potential and business opportunities should garner success for the organisation. The degree
of success of a brand also needs measuring through qualitative research, and this takes into
account the effectiveness of advertising as well as the customer service and product
perceptions of customers.
There is a need to look at different performance measures from the point of view that the
organisation has to satisfy customers' need for value balanced against shareholders' needs
for their dividend and a healthy return on investment. It is also necessary to look at the
organisation's situation and the ability to balance internal and external needs.
Brand Equity
As a brand is an intangible asset, the type of information measured for the brand will be the
perceived value and its general standing within a local or global marketplace. The success
of a brand gives an organisation profits and the potential for future profits, thereby building
the intangible asset. The marketer needs to consider the effects of advertising and general
marketing activity which creates a positive image in the mind of the consumer.
It therefore makes sense for marketers to integrate the financial and non-financial measures,
which will lead to greater understanding of why an organisation is able to achieve a good
return on investment (Lenskold, 2002).
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Chapter 5
Research for Marketing
Contents
Page
A.
Introduction
The Role of Information in Decision-making
133
133
B.
133
134
135
136
C.
Types of Research
Research Design and Research Method
Desk or Secondary Research
Field or Primary Research
Market and Marketing Research
Quantitative and Qualitative Research
137
138
138
139
139
140
D.
Sources of Information
External and Internal Sources
Macro-statistical and Micro-statistical Information
Government Sources
External Databases
141
141
142
143
144
E.
Research Methods
Interviews and Discussions
Observation
Questionnaires
Test Marketing
Sampling
145
145
145
146
147
148
F.
148
148
149
(Continued over)
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G.
Briefing
Controlling
150
151
Information Systems
Management Information Systems
Marketing Information Systems
Content and Purpose of MkIS
151
151
153
154
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A. INTRODUCTION
The Role of Information in Decision-making
In the past information on customers, customer behaviour, awareness levels and attitudes
was available to organisations through marketing research methods of observation and
survey techniques only. It is now possible for organisations to hold complex details about
their customers through computerisation and database management, and the use of
marketing information systems (MkIS).
The availability of information such as customers' frequency of visits to stores, days visited,
range of products purchased, size of packages purchased, the consistency of purchasing
specific brands etc. has changed the role and nature of marketing research. Research,
these days, tends to concentrate more on attitudes and behaviour of customers, and money
set aside for marketing research may now be split to include database maintenance.
Thus, organisations are now looking at an integrated approach to collection, recording,
analysing and interpreting information on customers, competitors and markets (Wilson,
2008).
There is a need for information for those organisations that adopt the marketing concept as
their philosophy and policy, since this requires that all within the organisation are driven to
deliver customer satisfaction. Information is critical if the correct products, services and
communications are to be provided to customers and needs to be gathered from various
sources. Management decision-making effectively requires information regarding its
customers, its competitors and the external environment in which it operates.
It is natural that managers work in a degree of uncertainty and so the collection and
interpretation of this type of information is crucial to the success of management decisions.
However, having more information does not mean that the decision-making will be better.
What matters is collecting the right kind of information and therefore it is important that
managers decide exactly what they need to find: in other words, what are the research
objectives?
So it is accepted that collecting information from a number of sources will be more reliable
than using a single source. The process is regarded as triangulation, so that some sources
will hopefully balance out any weaknesses in others. This means that a minimum of three
sources should be used to be considered a balanced research. So this is why it is
recommended that information be obtained from secondary data (research already carried
out) and the two methods employed in primary data collection, i.e. qualitative and quantitative
research.
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the basics of life, such as "don't try to sell pork to Jews or Moslems" or "if you make cars for
sale in the European mainland, they have to be left-hand drive."
The problem is in knowing just how customers prefer the style of a designer product, or the
pack size of a grocery product, or the colour of a suite of furniture and so on.
If the manager can reduce the risk by using marketing research, then he or she will be more
successful in his or her marketing efforts. However, the improvement in marketing success
must be real marketing research costs money and it is essential that the extra knowledge
can be used to earn more profit than the cost of the marketing research. It is clear and
simple to read about in a course, but not always so easy to achieve in practice.
Having said that developments in website technology have meant that marketing research
can be undertaken in a more ongoing manner, and website analytics allow organisations to
track customer preferences, responses to campaigns and buyer behaviour. Online surveys
and questionnaires are cheaper to implement, as there are no research costs and results can
be analysed automatically.
The internet has also made secondary research cheaper and easier to access. For example,
many government statistics and research reports are available online to download. Search
engines and portals make it easier to track information on a subject area, such as a
competitor.
What is Research?
Consider this definition:
"Research is the gathering, recording, analysing and reporting of all facts relating
to the transfer and sale of goods and services, from products to consumer. It is
usually based on statistical probability theory and always uses scientific
methods." (Max Adler Lectures in Market Research)
The process of research describes the steps taken in the research activity:
gathering
analysis
storage
retrieval
dissemination.
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Why Research?
If we accept that planning is a necessary activity for marketing effectiveness, it follows that
we need to be as certain as we can of any decisions that we make. This certainty will only
be present if we are confident in what we are doing. Remember that:
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The reasons shown here, and many more, could all be described as very valid reasons for
researching. However, they are primarily "research objectives" in that they actually outline
the task in hand. They highlight a problem which needs addressing and a proposal is then
made to carry out research as a component of some form of assessment.
The main reasons that lead to research being carried out are to:
reduce risks
Thus, research is necessary in marketing if the organisation is to reduce risks and carry out
its plans successfully and with minimum effort. To put it another way: research is a
management tool which, in tandem with other available management techniques, can help a
much more effective outcome to be achieved.
outline the problem it could be investigation into new markets, research into buying
patterns; trends in market size, etc.
set or agree the budget this may be done initially in order to help in making other
decisions
implement the plan set everything in motion this is where the PROCESS comes
into being
monitor and control constant checking to make sure that all activities are being
done and time targets, budgets, etc. are still on course
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Just as in every other plan, there may be amendments made because of changes which take
place. A plan always needs to be flexible enough to cope with adaptations to meet the
current situation. Having said that, if the planning activity is carried out correctly
environmental conditions will have been anticipated and amendments should be minor.
Some respected authorities reckon the acronym CATS should be applied to every proposal
for marketing research and should underlie the research plan. The initials stand for:
Cost
Secondary information already exists and is less expensive to use than new research.
Some secondary information can be bought in standard, regular forms which can show
trends.
The cost should not exceed expected benefits and benefits should preferably be much
higher than costs.
Accuracy
Time
Research can reveal your plans, or at least your intentions, so can you afford that?
Security
Some marketing decisions are best kept secret; marketing research may alert your
competitors and may even encourage customers to hold back orders.
New products particularly may suffer from being revealed too early.
Even your own salespeople may slacken off if they suspect that a new product is
coming soon.
C. TYPES OF RESEARCH
The costs of research can be very high even if the organisation uses its own staff to carry
out the entire process so it must be done in a structured and logical way, with clear
objectives and an appropriate strategy related to those objectives.
There are a number of approaches to consider in this.
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Exploratory Research
This type of research is carried out to look at initial ideas or insights and to provide
direction for any further research required. It is a preliminary investigation of a problem
or opportunity that will not involve a large amount of cost and time. There may be very
little other research to assist in knowledge, and is useful for new product research and
ascertaining the priorities required for questioning and learning about an issue.
Descriptive Research
This type of research covers studies that are of a qualitative nature and require the
researcher to describe results rather than provide statistics as would be the case in
quantitative research. This type of information will be collected in interviews and focus
groups. For example, researching customer attitudes towards an organisation's
communication messages and media, or examining the extent to which customers are
satisfied with the service they receive.
Causal Research
This research compares one variable against another variable and thus provides
evidence regarding the relationship of one variable against another. It is possible to
incorporate both causal research and descriptive research. For example, the
hypothesis, or problem to be researched, may be the effect of price increases on
consumer perception of the brand. This will involve both quantitative and qualitative
research and therefore some of the evidence will be descriptive in design and content.
external information available from sources which have reasons to publish information
(market surveys, annual reports, etc.).
Desk research is so called because it can literally be carried out from a desk in an office.
Using published sources books, journals, articles, statistical information services, the
internet, etc. researchers can obtain a vast amount of material which can help in making
initial assessments of a market.
Remember though, information collected in this way is secondary i.e. it is not new, but
second-hand. Further, such information will have originally been prepared, in its published
form, for someone other than the organisation wishing to use it. This can present problems:
It may be presented on a different statistical basis to that used in the home country,
which could make nonsense of the information.
Desk research can, though, help in eliminating unsuitable markets or segments, which can
mean reduced costs and certainly reduced risk factors.
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It is only when researchers are satisfied with the results of their desk research that an
organisation should consider moving on to more specific field research. Insufficient or
incorrect information can lead to unnecessary costs and expenditure as this may mean that
an entirely unsuitable market/sector was not eliminated at the appropriate time.
As field research is based on people finding out about people their likes, dislikes, etc.
it can inevitably mean delays. People being researched may not be available; people
undertaking research may be ill or tied up with too many projects; people who are
responsible for analysis may have too many projects, etc. When planning field
research, potential delays should be considered and, where possible, some time
allowed accordingly.
Market research is an investigation into aspects of the market the size, trends,
competition, legislation, barriers to entry, etc. Market research assists in the audit
stages of marketing planning. It is a general view of the market and is used as a basis
for decision-making. It is really concerned with the comparative analysis of markets
and market sectors.
Marketing research means the investigations into how to reach, or serve, the
customer and/or the end-user in the best way. Marketing research is concerned with
the marketing mix elements product, price, place and promotion and, in most
circumstances, will include the soft elements of people, physical evidence and
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Agree
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Although I have shown five possible responses in Figure 5.2, it is better if there is an even
number as this forces the respondent to make a decision. When there are five choices it is
easy for respondents to choose the mid-option and opt out of giving any real opinions, which
can produce a very bland result for the investigator. Of course, many companies use five
boxes as they are happy to learn that people have no strong opinions either way as this
means that the service offered is "acceptable". Brave researchers are not averse to
receiving adverse comments!
D. SOURCES OF INFORMATION
The information we are concerned with here is that which forms the basis of desk research.
As we noted earlier, this will be published information and will come from a wide variety of
sources and in a wide variety of forms. It will need careful sifting and analysis to establish its
relevance to the specific research being undertaken.
(In respect of field research, the source of information is the market itself or more
specifically, consumers themselves, whether they are existing customers, potential
customers, individuals or organisations.)
government departments
employers' federations
trade associations
private firms
professional institutes
newspapers
magazines
TV and radio
banks
embassies
chambers of commerce.
sales results
return on investment
production capabilities
website databases.
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Two external sources are worthy of additional comment here since they are rarely considered
as specific sources in the research process.
Suppliers
Information from suppliers may be less formalised than the published documents or,
indeed, a company's own internal records, but small items of information about industry
trends can come out of discussions between sales representatives and buyers. It
depends, of course, on the buyers understanding the need for information and their
adoption of the marketing concept.
It is often in the interests of suppliers to help keep their customers profitable and
exchanging useful information may be to the advantage of both sides. The people
involved must be aware, of course, of the necessity to comply with the professional
codes of conduct and avoid giving information about any specific company.
Competitors
They may seem to be an unlikely source of information, but if you study the activities of
competitors you might be able to deduce what their marketing policies are and how
they will affect your business.
I mentioned a conveyor belt manufacturer earlier, part of whose demise was due to the
fact that their sales people only ever visited the head office of their largest customer.
The sales manager thought his team would be wasting their time talking to people who
did not have authority to make decisions. (He had read that in textbooks on selling.)
However, the principal competitor ensured that his sales engineers visited every
maintenance engineer involved with conveyor belting, because he knew the engineers
were "influencers" contributing to the choice of supplier. Competition was so severe
that prices were always very similar, so the fact that people asked for a specific brand
ensured the competitor got most of the business.
Watching job advertisements put out by competitors may give some ideas on how well
they are managing to keep their sales staff; and the odd comment from customers
should be reported by your salespeople. Several small items of information which look
insignificant individually can add up to a trend when put together in a marketing
information system.
Macro-statistical Information
Macro-statistical Information is the data produced by external organisations which
relates to a country or a market as a whole. All governments produce this type of
information, as well as many other public authorities and organisations covering whole
industrial sectors (such as employer federations, professional bodies, etc.).
Macro-statistics can help marketing organisations to:
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Micro-statistical Information
Micro-statistical Information is data which is specific to the organisation. This type of
data is compiled by monitoring the activities of the business itself, e.g. production,
sales, labour supply and return on investment. In effect it is the result of the internal
records system of the company.
Every company has to keep copies of orders, invoices and payments for normal
management purposes. If these records can be analysed in detail, they can provide a
lot of useful information about which customers buy which products and when. With
small additional inputs the analysis may be made more useful; if the system is
computerised it will be fairly easy to relate details to other information collected from
different sources.
Databases which store raw data in an organised format and data mining (the term used
to describe the analysis of this data) have made the storage, retrieval and analysis of
electronic data more efficient and timely. Using databases and data mining with
website data means that organisations have accurate, up-to-date, quantitative
information available to them on a daily basis.
It is important for records to be kept in the same way for long periods for them to be
useful. Consistency is very important in the analysis of information.
Micro-statistics can help organisations to:
It is arguable as to which type of information is most useful to a marketing planner, but you
should remember that information is the lifeblood of the planning system and, as such,
should be kept flowing into the company. To keep it flowing, research is needed.
Government Sources
Most governments collect information about consumers and industries, and then publish
summaries in a standard format at intervals.
Clearly, the statistical offices must avoid publishing any information which could reveal the
sales of any specific company, so there is often quite a lot of processing and amalgamation
of categories. Even so, regular analysis of appropriate statistics will enable the detection of
trends and maybe the identification of the causes of variations in company performance.
In Britain, most government statistics are available from the Office for National Statistics
(online) or on subscription through TSO (The Stationery Office) and include:
Business Monitors, which show imports, exports, production and sales of specific
industry groups, usually on a quarterly basis. Some production monitors are divided
into product groups which can be quite specific and the Service and Distribution Series
deals with the activities of shops, catering establishments and finance houses.
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provisions for personal secrecy for people who live in lodgings and computerisation has
speeded up the analysis, so some information can be available within two or three
years of the census date.
A ten per cent sample census is also taken halfway between the main censuses. The
statistics are used extensively by organisations attempting to evaluate potential
markets. Information is analysed for over 100,000 enumeration districts, each one
having about 150 households, so you can see that the information collected is quite
detailed.
Monthly Digest of Statistics, probably the most useful starting point for many
marketing researchers because the latest information is published on a wide range of
items.
External Databases
There are many organisations which collect and interpret information regularly and provide a
variety of statistical and other data to subscribers. Many industries have a trade association
which may collect statistics from members and publish extracts. There are also many trade
directories published which can give useful information. You will find that most large libraries
have a "directory of directories"; many of the more important directories will be on the
shelves.
There are also several regular publications which can be useful, such as:
Kompass Register, which is published annually for several countries and usually
shows companies of any importance, listed by area, industry, turnover and employees.
Names of directors are usually given, along with any associations with other companies
or groups. Some businesses also take advertising space to add more information.
Key British Enterprises, published annually, shows ownership, directors, turnover and
number of employees for about 20,000 companies, arranged alphabetically. There are
also indexes based on geographical location and on industry.
Times 1000, gives details of the top 1000 companies in Britain and some other
information.
Who Owns Whom shows the ultimate owners of companies in groups. Sometimes
group affiliations are difficult to trace and if this publication is kept up-to-date by the
librarian it is a big help.
Research Index, published every two weeks, shows what has been published in a
number of major newspapers and journals about specific topics and selected
companies.
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E. RESEARCH METHODS
Once you have a clear idea of the nature of the information you want to collect from field
research, you can decide how to obtain it economically and at the right time. There are a
variety of methods available, and the main ones are described next.
Structured interviews are easy to analyse as there will be a definite pattern to the
questions put to respondents and to the type of answers received usually based
around the use of standard questionnaires.
Informal interviews are much more difficult to handle and analyse and require highly
skilled interviewers.
Group discussions often referred to as "focus groups" are conducted with small groups
of people who have been chosen as a representative sample of the target population. They
can be "led" by an observer or be more formal in that the group undergoes tests at the same
time. Often groups are kept together and re-interviewed several times over a period to
monitor changes in attitudes and opinions.
Such matters as new product research, for instance, often involve discussion of future
developments of a company's product range. It is necessary for the researcher to have a
good product and industry knowledge, so as to be able to recognise useful information when
it appears in conversation. It is also helpful to be able to ask questions spontaneously and
give some information to the respondent, so discussion does not get down to a newspaper
reporter-style question and answer session.
Observation
Watching people can be an effective means of collecting information not the "private eye"
type of watching you may see on television, but more likely the automatic watching provided
by the machine which counts the number of people who enter and leave a shop. This is
simply a beam of light broken by the passage of feet, the break in the ray of light operating a
counter which can then be used to ascertain shopping flows, movements and behaviours.
Observation may also be used to examine behaviour in respect of, say, the attractiveness of
colour options or to monitor patterns of interaction for example, the way a child plays with a
toy, or the impact of different physical surroundings on customers in a shop.
You may see occasionally a person with a hand-operated counter, clicking as they record
some sort of activity, but it is not a frequent happening these days, often due the cost and
time involved.
Two particular forms of observational techniques are hall testing and laboratory testing.
Hall Tests
Hall tests are where members of the public are invited to take part in a product test, in a
location large enough to handle the number of people to be tested. For example, an
airline might use this method to test out new seating in an aeroplane. The company
would hire a hall and have a mock-up of a plane with seats in it. They would then ask
people to undertake certain activities put the seat back into reclining position, switch
on the seat video, reach for the bell to call cabin staff, etc. They would also have cabin
staff serve meals and drinks to the "passengers". These activities would allow the
company to assess such factors as passenger comfort and convenience, safety issues,
ease of access for cabin staff and so on all of which are vital to ensure safe and
economical use of limited space.
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Respondents can be recruited by invitation or by simply asking them in off the street.
Usually for this kind of test there is an incentive offered perhaps a small fee, free
meal or something of that nature.
The point of a hall test is that all respondents are tested at the same time and results
are recorded immediately. Not all tests touch the entire target population at the same
time.
Laboratory Tests
Laboratory tests are where representative members of the target audience are asked to
look at, for example, certain adverts, products, etc. Instruments are available which
can be used for measuring the reactions of vision to colour, cameras which will record
the speed with which the eye is attracted to certain aspects of an item, and instruments
which will measure the changes in activity of the sweat glands (psycho-galvanometer)
etc. The problem with this type of test is that it is held in artificial conditions and may
not be accurate in reflecting the individual's responses under normal conditions.
Questionnaires
Questionnaires are the most frequently used research method, mainly due to their flexibility
they can be as simple or as complex as required, and may be conducted in a variety of ways.
They also ensure standardisation and consistency in both the questions asked and the
responses.
There are a number of general principles about the use of questionnaires they should:
not be too difficult for the respondents if they are complex they may deter the
respondent from answering fully
If you are planning to use questionnaires, it makes good sense to get the details checked
before the formal process starts. There are two ways to do this: either send questionnaires
to a selected test sample and wait for replies or visit them (by appointment) and watch them
fill in the questionnaires. This can be a very useful activity if you can stand the comments
on your masterpiece!
There are various ways of using questionnaires. They may be used as the basis of individual
interviews for example, the surveys conducted by stopping people in the street but we
tend to think of the main types of questionnaire as being those conducted by post or by the
telephone.
Postal Surveys
These are questionnaires sent to representatives of the market in order to clarify items
being researched. Although these are relatively inexpensive to issue, there can be a
great deal of wastage unless some form of incentive is offered to the respondents. Of
course, once an incentive is offered it can cause bias to the results in that respondents
may answer in a manner which they think will please the researcher.
The one big advantage of the postal questionnaire is that you can reach everyone in
the postal system, usually at the same predictable cost. If you enclose a reply-paid
envelope you can raise the response rate considerably. Since it is possible to do this
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for many overseas countries now, you can operate almost worldwide. However, you do
have to be careful with translations when my boss decided to send a questionnaire to
companies in Belgium and France he thought the French questionnaires would be
good enough for the French-speaking part of Belgium, but our branch manager in
Brussels insisted on altering some of the phrases. There were many more examples of
that type, too.
Telephone Surveys
Modern telephone systems connect so quickly that it is tempting to use the telephone
for questionnaires and there are some advantages in doing so. The main advantage is
speed and it is possible to gather a lot of opinions in a short time.
It is essential to keep the questionnaire short and simple to ensure the respondent is
likely to be able to give an opinion without searching through records. On a specific
survey I collected over 200 useful answers in 2 days of intense telephoning, from an
office with no windows and no other distractions except a clock and a classified
telephone directory. A dedicated, well-trained telephone interviewer could do even
better and might well enter the responses direct into a computer database.
There is a danger in such intensity one of the respondents asked "Is that a machine
or are you real?" and I realised my presentation had become rather mechanical and
boring. It was time to stop for a break. It is also helpful if the interviewer tries to avoid
giving the impression that they are simply working through a predetermined
questionnaire. If telephone interviewing is not handled correctly it can become a
nuisance to the person being interviewed, and this will result in answers being given
which may be untrue (or given to get it over with) and the whole purpose of the
exercise will be lost.
It is sometimes useful to follow up a postal questionnaire with a phone call to clarify
some point or to ask for more information, or to provide some reassurance to the
respondent.
With itemised telephone bills, it is now much easier to check on the costs involved in
conducting a telephone survey.
The response rate from questionnaires may be increased if the respondent can be
guaranteed confidentiality of any replies, which must be assured if the claim is made. There
can be difficulties when the research is done by in-house staff, so the researcher must be
sure of management support on this delicate matter. Some salesmen find it very difficult to
accept they should not be given names and addresses of respondents. However, the
information provided should be used only in such a way that it cannot be traced to the
source. Professional researchers would automatically take care of the matter.
Test Marketing
Test marketing is a much more extensive type of research in which the product is launched in
a selected area; thus the product and marketing methods can be tried out in real life
situations. It is then possible to judge whether or not a substantial amount of money and
effort should be committed to a national launch. If the test marketing programme shows
serious faults in the product, the costs of a full launch will be avoided.
Test marketing requires very detailed preparation and analysis of results. There are lots of
opportunities for false results to be received, indicating a successful product which may not
turn out to be profitable. Also, the test must go on for an appropriate period long enough
for consumers to buy a second time if they like the product. That gives your competitors a
chance to see what your ideas are and perhaps launch a similar product without waiting to
test their version.
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Sampling
All of the previous methods of gathering information are based on some form of sampling.
This involves selecting part of an entire group (a population) which is representative of the
whole group, since it is easier to take information from a small number of people than from
an entire target market. Providing the sample is truly representative, the results gained will
provide a relatively accurate prediction of the way the entire target market will react in any
given situation.
There are several types of "samples":
random any one item/person has the same chance of being included
purposive based on the choice of the selector (e.g. 1825 year olds)
stratified sample divided into groups (age, etc.) and then randomly selected
quota interviewer given basis of selection (50 per cent male/50 per cent female)
In-house or External?
Decisions on who is to carry out research can be difficult to make but, in actual fact, it is
simply a question of asking questions such as:
Can I do it myself?
By answering these questions a manager will soon be in a position to decide on who should
carry out the research. Aspects which need to be taken into account are:
the experience the agency has with the type of product or target audience
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Disadvantages
Knowledge of personnel
Tighter security
Agency Research
Advantages
Disadvantages
Research skills
May be quicker
Cost
Desk Research
You need to investigate which agencies are available. This information can be
obtained from magazines, trade directories, professional associations, etc. but it may
be available in-house if your company has used agencies before. You should never
overlook the information already held in a company it can save a great deal of time
and effort.
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approach the task and show how the results will meet the requirements of the
investigating company. The pitching will enable the client to assess how effective the
agency will be and to analyse the costs involved, etc. Pitching is more common when
dealing with advertising agencies but if the research task is complex, or very big,
several research agencies may be asked to give quotations before a final choice is
made. The selection criteria are as we outlined earlier time, confidentiality,
experience, etc.
Recruitment of agencies is exactly the same as any other form of recruitment you find the
best agency for the job and then hire them. However this is not an internal relationship and,
as such, will require careful handling. The main way of ensuring good agency relationships
and that satisfactory work is completed is through the use of a research brief which, in most
cases, is actually issued before a final agreement is made between a client and an agent.
Briefing
The research brief is basically the means by which the client tells the agency what they want.
The process is logical but managers need to be quite clear on exactly what needs to take
place:
Lines of communication are defined between the client and the agency.
Agreement is made on how/when the agency will report back to the client.
The research brief is a critical document as it sets the parameters of the relationship between
the client and the agency. Many client/agency relationships have been soured because of a
poor or inadequate brief; even worse, if a brief is inadequate in some respect it can lead to
work not being done correctly and, in some cases, to expensive litigation when client or
agency sue one another for costs incurred.
If we consider the brief as being the foundation of an agreement we can see that it must
contain precise and clear information on exactly what is required as part of that agreement.
A typical example would contain:
the reasons for the research being undertaken, e.g. finding new markets in an
overseas territory/identifying how many buyers are likely to take up a new product
We must not forget that an agency has the right to reject work if the task is not suited to their
resources or is not a viable proposition for them. Agencies are businesses which must also
make money to survive. Occasionally it may be necessary for a client to adapt requirements
in order to make the work more acceptable to an agency but, in a competitive market, it is
more likely that it would be the agency which would make adaptations.
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Controlling
Assuming that an agency accepts a brief and is engaged for the project, the work should
begin in the timescales agreed, with relevant personnel carrying out their duties as and when
required. However, it is the client who holds the responsibility for seeing that everything is
going according to plan. Although we use the word "control" in this context we actually mean
"monitor and measure". Any client who is lax enough to allow agencies to work without
regular reporting or supervision deserves to have something go wrong. If the brief has been
done correctly there will be clear parameters for the agency to work within and it is simply a
matter of the client allocating responsibility to someone in their organisation to keep an eye
on things.
Control can be achieved by:
Dealing with an agency can become a nightmare if control is not exercised. Spiralling costs,
added to a "loose control contract", have caused many headaches for managers who often
find that when something is going wrong, a research project is too far down the road to
change agencies. This is one area that must be handled with care by any manager
marketing or otherwise.
G. INFORMATION SYSTEMS
As we have seen the process of research is the gathering and storage of information for
analysis and decision-making. Depending on the nature of the research task, there may be
vast amounts of information gathered which need to be retained until such time as it can be
analysed or translated into a suitable format for analysis. Storage needs to be secure so that
valuable data is not lost in the system or destroyed accidentally. Such storage systems are
in common use and are known as information systems.
storage of information
interpretation of information
The "place" where the information is put is called the management information system
(MIS). The system may be manual or computerised, according to the size of the business
and the resources available.
It is often the case that when people talk about a management information system they are
thinking in terms of computerised systems. This is because of the number of very large and
influential firms which have access to networked computers many on a worldwide basis.
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However, very small companies may not have the benefit of computer technology and the
skills to utilise it, and there are times when an MIS can consist of pieces of paper stored in a
filing cabinet.
So management information systems are not exclusive to large companies. There are many
individuals who work at their own trade (jobbing carpenters, plumbers, etc.) who would say
that they do not have a management information system, but they do!
With any information system information is fed into it, transformed into a format that makes
sense, and then stored. It can stay stored for short periods of time, or for relatively long
periods of time, depending on the nature of the information and the purpose it serves.
Self-employed carpenters or plumbers are constantly gathering information on their own
particular markets and potential customers, etc. They may keep this information in their
heads, but the information will be recalled as and when appropriate.
The principle also applies to you. You take in information on numerous things. At various
times, information will be given to you that you do not understand and you set your brain to
work and think about it. Eventually you come to terms with it. You then convert the original
information into a format which you can understand and you retain it in your memory.
Some information you will only need for a very short time and you will then forget it, but some
information you will retain in your long-term memory until it might be useful to you. When the
occasion comes that you need that information, you delve into your memory to retrieve it.
Your brain is your own personal information system. You may have further sources of
information a diary, a Filofax, an address book, etc. Any way in which you organise
information that is useful to you is part of your "system".
Exactly the same principle is used in terms of business organisations but, of course, the
systems used are usually more complex than a personal system.
If you accept this, you could argue that a management information system is always present
irrespective of the size or complexity of the organisation.
The effectiveness or otherwise of the system lies in the planning and organisation which is
undertaken to make sure that the system meets the required standard.
Information which might be held in an overall management information system includes:
financial records
personnel details
purchasing costs
For an organisation, the overall management information system should cover every section.
The system needs to be designed so that it is multipurpose and of use to everyone in the
organisation. If one section of the organisation is left out the system is failing to cope.
Each individual section of the organisation will have different information requirements but
ultimately, all of the systems need to be interlinked in some way, so that information can be
used to best effect.
For example, the production department will have its own information requirements but there
may be others in the organisation who will need access to it, e.g. the person who is checking
an order for a customer may need to see which batch of a product is currently completed or
in progress.
The marketing information system (MkIS) will have information relating specifically to the
marketing effort but other people in the organisation may at times need access to some of
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that information. Hence the necessity for the interlinking of systems across the whole
spectrum of the company.
If the systems do not link in together, there is a possibility that the corporate objectives will be
confused and diluted and, consequently, will not be achieved.
marketing intelligence system the sources and methods used to collect information
marketing support or analysis systems the statistical systems used to analyse the
information.
Assessing
information
needs
Internal
records
Marketing
intelligence
Planning
Control
Distributing
information
Marketing
decision
support
analysis
Competitors
Marketing
research
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markets
Marketing
channels
Analysis
Implementing
Marketing
Environment
Publics
Macroenvironmental
forces
154
This may or may not be a truly accurate statement, but we have to accept that information
gained does help make life easier. Thus, the purpose of the MkIS will be to make available
any information which will help in the marketing effort.
So, by providing:
at an acceptable cost
Having already identified the numerous factors which are studied during a marketing audit it
seems inappropriate to repeat exhaustive lists of the type of information which will be held in
a marketing information system. However, do remember that the marketing information
system will include details of:
customers
competitors
market share
Information gathered and held in the system can be used for a wide variety of purposes:
customer analysis
forward purchasing
profit analysis
sales forecasting
competitor analysis
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The benefits are the same as those to be gained from planning of any kind, e.g. reduced risk,
cost savings, better decision-making, improved performance and commitment. Each and
every one of the previous examples of how an information system can be used is important
in its own right.
The uses for information actually bring us to the last stage in handling data from research:
the dissemination of information, which is simply the circulation of information among those
who need it. Throughout the organisation there will be multiple uses for any piece of
information which is received, whether it originates from internal or external sources. It is the
responsibility of those who use the marketing information system (and the management
information system) to see that information is available as and when required by the people
who need it. Hence the necessity to design user-friendly systems which meet the needs of
several functions.
If we take examples of two pieces of information, one internal and one external, we can see
how information can be of different use to different functions.
Information
Used by
For
Internal source
Orders received
Marketing
Finance
Cash-flow planning
Purchasing
Forward planning
Production
Scheduling
Despatch
Marketing
Changes in promotion
Finance
Purchasing
Production
Changed processes
Despatch
New handling
procedures
External source
New legislation
You can see from this that any single item of information can have repercussions throughout
the company: because of this it is important that information does indeed get to the right
people, at the right time, and in the right format. The internet has made a major contribution
to the development of marketing information systems, due to the availability of data from
analysis of website usage and also from the ability to access information more cheaply and
easily than before. Taking the examples given before, information about orders received is
available continuously to marketers, they can track the number of online orders, the
customer profile, the time of purchase, and the decision-making process by tracing the
customer's route through the website etc. They can also easily access information on new
legislation by visiting government websites or news channels, so the information needed for
the marketing information system is easier to gather, cheaper and more timely.
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Chapter 6
Understanding Consumers and Consumer Behaviour
Contents
Page
A.
158
158
161
162
B.
164
165
166
166
166
167
C.
Classifications of Consumers
Socio-economic Groupings (Class)
The Family Life Cycle
Sagacity
Geographic/Residential Groups
Life-style Groupings
167
167
168
169
170
170
D.
172
173
173
178
182
185
186
E.
Organisational Purchasing
Organisational versus Consumer Buying
Types of Industrial Purchases
Influences on Organisational Buying
Segmentation and Targeting in Business-to-Business Markets
187
188
189
191
193
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At any stage it may be necessary to go back to a previous stage and review earlier thinking.
This is known as a feedback loop. This basic process is shown as a very simple model in
Figure 6.1.
Figure 6.1: The rational decision-making model
Definition of problem
Setting objectives
Evaluation of alternatives
Remember that review and feedback are also important in this process.
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Never forget that we are talking about a process and this involves a sequence of stages. As
marketers we need to be able to understand the processes our customers go through so that
we can overcome any barriers that may make them decide not to buy, or to buy from the
competition.
We want to establish ourselves as the preferred provider. Not many companies are in the
enviable position of being the sole source of supply.
To demonstrate the process, let us take a simple example of the buying process of an
individual consumer YOU.
Example
Imagine you have been kept late at the office and do not have an evening meal prepared.
You are feeling really hungry and know that you need to eat pretty soon.
Stage 1
You have a problem you are hungry. You need to eat so you must find food. You
move into Stage 2.
Stage 2
You have no meal prepared at home. Your first choice involves deciding on whether or
not you will cook when you get home.
Solution 1: you know that you have a nice steak in your refrigerator, so you
decide you will cook when you get home. The search stops there your
problem has been solved.
Solution 2: you decide you are too tired to cook and want to have food provided
for you. You remain at Stage 2 your problem still exists but it has changed
slightly it has added dimensions.
The first added feature involves deciding where you want to eat:
Solution 1: in a restaurant?
Solution 2: at home?
You consider the alternatives and decide that a restaurant will be expensive and take
too long. (You have assessed your resources of time and money.) You decide you will
eat at home.
You remain in Stage 2. You now reconfirm your problem and assess your decisions to
date. Yes, you are hungry and you need to eat. Yes, you are too tired to cook for
yourself and yes, you don't want to go to a restaurant. Your decision is "firm" your
problem still exists but has moved into another decision phase.
You are still in Stage 2. You now have to decide what kind of fast food you want to eat.
You consider all solutions available to you, which may vary from fish and chips or
beefburger to Chinese or Indian meals. You assess each option against various factors
time, convenience, money and preference. When you have finished your
assessment you will make your decision. You decide on an Indian meal.
You could move into Stage 3 immediately because there is only one outlet to buy from;
or you could have further decisions to make on where to buy from before you finally
choose.
Your final decision might be based on the fact that there is an Indian take-away
restaurant near your home. You've used it before and know the food is good. You also
know that you can order by telephone and it will be ready for you to collect when you
arrive. The end result will be that you can eat as soon as you arrive home. You are
happy with your decision and you move into Stage 3.
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Stage 3
You telephone in your order stating your requirements and giving the time when you
will be collecting. You leave the office, collect your food, go home and eat it. The
purchase is completed and the product has been "consumed". You now move into
Stage 4.
Stage 4
After you have eaten your meal, you feel a little ill. You blame the food and think about
the other options which had been open to you. Would they have been better? You
might not be feeling ill if you had bought fish and chips. Maybe you should have gone
to a restaurant or tried a different outlet.
You are now doubting the wisdom of the decisions you made earlier. You are
experiencing dissonance an interference with, or jarring of, your knowledge and
experiences.
You think back over the process. You compare the options you had available but still
think your decisions were right. You wonder why you are feeling ill.
Suddenly you realise that you are really only feeling ill because you have eaten too
much. You feel reassured it is you that is at fault, not your decisions, the food or the
outlet. Your confidence in, or loyalty to, the outlet is restored and your preference for
Indian food is re-established you did the right thing! You are likely to repeat the
process at another time in the future.
Although the decision-making in this example is on a very simple level, it clearly indicates the
stages in the buying process and the decision loops which will be taken.
At each stage, whether consciously or not, all decisions are checked and verified before
moving into the next phase. Resources are monitored to see if the decision is viable, etc.
The process will be the same, whether it is for an expensive item or for something which
costs very little money.
What can vary is:
If you consider these possible differences, you will see that some of them will be a direct
outcome of another. For example, for a high-value purchase it is likely that more time will be
spent in the searching stage. The level of reassurance necessary after the sale will also be
greater. It is also possible that more than one person will be involved in the process. This
brings us, as marketers, to a very important question who is buying?
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Who Buys?
You will note that in the previous section I have introduced the term "the user". This is
because we often sell things to people who are buying on behalf of others.
The customer buys. The user is the consumer. Of course a person can be both at the
same time, but we should never forget that we may be dealing with multiple levels in the
buying process and we have to cater for all needs. To simply make it easy for an
intermediary to buy without thinking of the impact on the user is most unwise. Conversely, to
concentrate on the needs of the user at the expense of the intermediary is equally unwise.
We should be looking for a balance which most closely matches everyone's needs. This
matching can be easy or it can create a number of problems. Problems often increase in
direct ratio to the length and complexity of the distribution channel and the nature of the item
being bought.
The Decision-making Unit
Buying can be done by an individual or by a group of people. We call the individual(s),
involved in buying the decision-making unit (DMU).
We have to accept that often purchasing is carried out to meet the requirements of more than
one person, which can mean that more than one person will be involved in the purchasing
decision processes. This applies equally in consumer and industrial purchasing.
When more than one person is involved, the individuals may have a definite role to play in
the process. The roles have been identified as follows:
the initiator: the person who comes up with the idea of buying an item
the influencer: the person, or people, who will shape the outcome of the decision
the decider: the person with the power or authority to make the decision
the user: the person who will eventually use the product
the gatekeeper: the person who can prevent the decision from being made or make it
more difficult, e.g. a receptionist who prevents a salesperson from seeing a buyer, or a
friend who tells someone that a product is a waste of money simply because they do
not see the need for it themselves.
Although these descriptions are more often used to describe group purchases, the individual
purchaser can also be playing many of the roles. For example:
A father might think of the idea of buying some painting materials which would keep his
children occupied while he is busy (initiator).
He allows his own tastes to influence his decision as he enjoys painting (influencer).
Of course, he may decide that his children don't deserve the present and not buy
(gatekeeper).
The only role not being covered in this example is that of the user.
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Types of Purchasing
One way of considering the decisions that most consumers take is to classify them broadly
as either "new buys" or "repeat buys". It is worthwhile looking at these two categories in
some detail, because many organisational decisions follow a similar pattern.
New-buy Decisions
Your new-buy decisions may be for items of small value, such as changing your
toothpaste or choosing a different food; they involve small amounts of money, so the
risk of being dissatisfied is there but the outcome is not disastrous. You may throw
away an item you dislike and accept you have wasted a tiny part of your resources.
Some new buys are more serious because they involve products which cost more
money and would not be thrown away so easily. There are many grades of this type of
buying and you can easily put your buying into an order of importance. You might think
of clothing, then kitchen equipment, furniture, a car, a holiday; for some of us, a house
is the most expensive new-buy item.
Repeat-buy Decisions
When you buy something you have used previously you have the benefit of experience
to help you, so you have less difficulty in choosing the product. There will still be
different levels of decision-making, because the products you buy may range from lowvalue items such as toiletries or foodstuffs to a second car or another house. In all
these categories, the experience of previous deals will make the decision to buy or not
to buy less difficult.
However this is a rather simplistic analysis for marketing purposes, and more light is shed by
using a model which was originally introduced by Assael (1987).
This asserts that the type or nature of purchasing is affected by two variables:
High
Habitual buying
behaviour
e.g. basic foods
Dissonance reducing
behaviour
e.g. furniture
Variety seeking
behaviour
e.g. chocolate bars,
breakfast cereals
Complex buying
behaviour
e.g. computers
Few
Significant
Differences
Between
Brands
Many
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Habitual Buying
This is repetitive buying which takes little thinking about. Few differences are apparent
between products and brands and the customer allocates little or low importance to the
purchase. It may be that the customer has in the past considered alternatives and has
found "the ideal". The customer is happy to stick with their decision and has, in fact,
become loyal to the product or brand.
Variety Seeking
This type of purchase will still involve relatively low importance in the mind of the
purchaser, but there will be lots of choice and variety, e.g. biscuits, sweets,
newspapers, magazines. If a product is tried and found to be lacking in some aspect,
the buyer will simply try another one the next time they buy, or they may actively decide
to keep trying different brands to see which is best, e.g. people who drink beer often try
different types just as an experiment.
Dissonance Reducing
Dissonance-reducing purchasing is the kind of purchasing which is designed to reduce
post-purchase "doubt". Because the degree of involvement is high, usually because of
value and the item being something which is only bought rarely (e.g. an electric bed),
the buyer may have no previous experience to use as a base for comparison in the
search process.
If you add this lack of experience to the fact that there are only minor differences
between the types of product available, it is easy to see why the buyer needs to ensure
that the item they buy is good. The search process may therefore be extended. This
type of purchasing can also mean that, because there are so few differences in the
models or brands available in the market, the actual purchase itself may be made
relatively quickly.
Complex Buying
High product involvement and lots of choice make this an extremely hazardous type of
purchase for a buyer. If we take buying a computer for home use as an example, you
can understand the problems. You may have already had one make of computer and
been quite happy with it, but now you have outgrown your machine and need another.
It is going to be expensive so you have to make sure you get good value for money.
There is such a wide range of computers on the market that your choice will not be
easy. You have to consider machine capabilities, software, compatibility with your
existing media and printer, etc. This type of decision can take a lot of time in the
search for information and assessment of alternatives before a purchase is made.
Impulse Buying
Although impulse buying is not mentioned in the Assael model, we must consider it as it
certainly happens.
Producers are aware of the existence of impulse (or non-rational) purchasing which is why so
much money is spent on promotional literature and point of sale displays.
There is really no accounting for this type of purchase and yet we all do it from time to time.
We are attracted by an advertisement or a point of sale display, and we leap in and buy
without thinking about it. Sometimes impulse buying works and sometimes it doesn't.
If it works that is OK. We acquire confidence in the manufacturer, or the outlet, and feel quite
happy. If it doesn't we have all the time in the world to regret what we have done. We may
think "Never again!" and blame the manufacturer, or the outlet, for our own error.
The effects of this blame can last for a considerable time and can actually influence our more
rational purchasing with the organisation which was blamed losing custom.
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You may think that impulse purchasing does not meet the recognised stages in the buying
process. In my opinion it does. All that has happened is that the process has been gone
through very quickly or some stages have been more or less bypassed:
When you buy something on impulse you will be thinking it is a good idea as it will be
useful for some purpose or another you are solving a problem. You may not have
been aware until then that the problem existed, but some factor makes you recognise
it.
Circumstances shorten the search phase maybe it is because you know you can't
get back to the outlet, or there are only a few of the items available.
You still make the purchase decision and complete the purchase.
wants (desires).
It has been said that today's wants are tomorrow's needs and a great deal of marketing effort
is put into trying to make this the case where buyers are concerned.
For example, I "need" to earn enough money to live but I "want" to earn enough money to
buy a speedboat.
Internally, within the organisation itself, managers need to ensure that basic needs are met
and that personnel are satisfied with pay, conditions of work, involvement, style of leadership,
etc. and that the personnel are not demotivated by any activities taking place. They should
also take into consideration the wants of the staff as a means of motivation. Knowing the
aspirations of a member of staff, or what will motivate them, can be of considerable help
when trying to achieve their cooperation.
It could be said that if behaviour is not understood, marketers are unlikely to be successful in
obtaining their objectives and in overcoming conflict.
It would be every manufacturer's dream to produce products that every buyer in the world
wanted to buy, but we know that is impossible simply because buyers are people, and people
differ in many ways. Marketers therefore have to understand what makes people different
from one another, if they want to help the customers to satisfy their needs.
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These differences are caused by various influencing factors, as the model illustrated in
Figure 6.3 shows.
Figure 6.3: Influences on Consumer Buying Behaviour
CULTURAL
PERSONAL
The Buying
Consumer
SOCIAL
PSYCHOLOGICAL
Cultural
The influences under this heading can be subdivided into three sections:
Culture
Culture includes both abstract ideas and beliefs as well as physical artefacts which are
important to a society. It summarises the learned values and attitudes of a society as a
whole. It is while we are growing up that we acquire expectations and standards that fit
with the society in which we live, and these acquired values and expectations generally
stay with us throughout our lives. For example, the different standards between the
Muslim and Christian religions impose different levels of acceptance on certain
behaviour and, therefore, on purchasing habits.
As an individual grows, they will absorb and acquire behavioural norms which are
acceptable to their particular society; these inbred beliefs will be very strong. It is an
accepted fact that the society in which a person lives and has been reared is one of the
greatest influences on the final character of that individual.
It is relatively easy for any marketer to understand the culture in their own country as
they will be part of it, but understanding cultural influences in foreign markets takes a
little more care. It is therefore particularly important that, when dealing with markets
different to the home market, time is taken to identify and understand the cultural norms
of acceptability in the foreign market, as these may vary dramatically from those in the
home country.
Subculture
Cultures of all kinds will contain smaller groups or subsections. The differences may
be based on lifestyle, religion or on belief in some ideal, e.g. in Spain you will find the
Basque separatists, who are part of the overall culture of Spain but can be regarded in
their own right as a subculture.
Social Class
Despite the claims for classless societies which we hear from politicians, class systems
still exist around the world. Social classes are the divisions which a society accepts
and they may be based on status, money or education. In the UK the social class
system (A, B, C1, C2, D and E), which is still widely used, is defined on the job of the
head of the household but, because of the changes which have taken place in the UK
society, this method may not always be an appropriate measure as we have noted
before.
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Social
Influences under this heading can come from family and friends or other reference groups,
such as clubs and interest societies. The individual role and status of the buyer is also
another influence how we want other people to see us!
For example, if your father has always bought Ford cars, you may be influenced into buying
a Ford when you make your first car purchase. However, should you be part of a group that
has adopted another make of car, e.g. university students who buy a very basic type of car
as a status symbol or statement, you could be influenced by that attitude in your wish to
conform to the norm of the group. Once you get your first major job as a manager, though,
you may realise that a BMW car would fit your status better than the one you have and you
will make another change.
Personal
Personal factors relate to the individual, e.g. age, lifestyle, occupation, wealth and character.
For example, a young man of 21 who enjoys danger is more likely to be attracted to a
powerful motorcycle, with innovative paintwork, than another wealthy young man of the same
age who enjoys the theatre. A lady of 45 will want different clothes from a lady of 25. A
company director will have different purchasing expectations from those of a mechanic in a
garage. As we move through our lives, we change our purchasing habits according to the
prevailing conditions.
Psychological
Wilson, Gilligan and Pearson (in Strategic Marketing Management, 1992) identify four
psychological characteristics as being important: motivation; perception; learning; and
beliefs and attitudes.
Motivation
This is what drives us to do or want something. It stems from a range of human needs,
from basic to higher, as identified by Maslow in his hierarchy of needs model
(discussed later in Section D).
Perception
This is how we "see" things. We are conditioned to expect certain things and this
conditioning means that we take in images but convert them to what is acceptable to
our minds. It is our own way of organising the information we take in each day. Two
people subjected to the same advertising message, at the same time, may "see" the
message in completely different ways. For example, one person at a holiday timeshare
demonstration may see the salesperson as being very good and knowledgeable on the
subject, but another person at the same demonstration may see the same salesperson
as being a slick fast-talker, who is just interested in taking money.
Learning
This comes from experience. As we learn, we change our expectations to meet with
the newly acquired knowledge. For example, if you enjoy working or playing with
computers, you gradually build up your knowledge until such time as the existing
machine is not good enough for you. You then move up to another category of
machine and begin the cycle all over again.
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particular brand is better than another, we will buy that brand until something happens
to change our belief.
"Attitude" is defined as being "the way a person views something or behaves towards
it, often in an evaluative way". Therefore we will be influenced in our buying by how we
regard the item being purchased. For example, you may see an item as being "good
value for money" or "cheap and nasty".
We shall examine these various factors in more detail shortly.
Moving on from this simple model, there are other influences that the marketer must take into
consideration.
Group
Family
Work
Education
Leisure
Residential area
Hobbies
Acquired knowledge
Protest groups
Likes/dislikes
Support groups
It is these types of influences which give rise to the broad classifications of consumers which
are used extensively in marketing and are examined next.
Note that group attitudes may be acquired from formal (structured) or informal groups.
The influence from peer groups and opinion leaders is very strong indeed particularly so in
the young. In any kind of marketing these influences must be considered by the planner as
they can ultimately have an effect on the outcome of the entire marketing effort. If opinion
leaders can be captured, the "followers" will also adopt the product on sale.
C. CLASSIFICATIONS OF CONSUMERS
Socio-economic Groupings (Class)
Perhaps one of the oldest and most recognised ways of splitting people into categories is
based on perceived social and economic status class. Every country in the world has
upper and lower classes. The differences may be based on the position of a person or their
family in society or on wealth, but it is still a division recognised and accepted by all even
though many object to it.
In the UK, the following social classes are recognised:
A
C1
C2
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The idea of social class remains well used in the UK. The whole premise, though, is based
on the job and income of the head of the household who is often taken to be male. But times
have changed and many women now earn more than their partners which, in effect, could
mean that together the couple should really be categorised in a different class. Time has
also eroded the perceived differences between those born to upper and lower classes.
Description
Purchase Preference
Bachelor
Leisure interests/clothing/alcohol/
eating out/holidays/stereos/cars/
cheap accommodation.
Newly married
couples
Domestic appliances/furniture/
durables/holidays/financial
services.
Full nest 1
Full nest 2
Full nest 3
Empty nest 1
Empty nest 2
"Reckless" purchasing on
unnecessary items. Interest
holidays, cruises, etc.
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Stage
Description
Purchase Preference
Solitary survivor 1
Solitary survivor 2
Sagacity
The inadequacies of the FLC and social classifications led to the introduction of the sagacity
lifestyle model of influences on behaviour.
The model uses life cycle as its main base and suggests four stages of life: dependent, prefamily, family and late.
It then splits up each stage in accordance with income and then income is split up according
to white collar (managerial/higher) or blue collar (skilled/lower) occupations.
The underlying suggestion of this model is that people will have different hopes and buying
behaviour as they move through their lives and will be influenced by their current situation.
This is, in fact, a very similar concept to the family life cycle.
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Research work has taken the viewpoint of the sagacity model further and suggests that it is
not necessarily true that age and progression through the accepted life cycle are the most
important influences on buying behaviour. The suggestion is that influences on behaviour
will be psychological, and that it is attitudes and expectations which will be more significant.
Geographic/Residential Groups
There are several types of classification based on geographic or residential factors for
example, MOSAIC or PINPOINT. However, ACORN is the most quoted of these systems
and is widely used in the UK by analysts and planners. ACORN stands for "A classification
of residential neighbourhoods." Similar types of systems are used in other parts of the world.
In the UK, the ACORN system uses categories of housing:
A
rural areas
The premise of this type of classification is based on the assumption that people who live in
similar areas will portray similar buying preferences, allowing marketers to target on a
geographical basis.
The problem with this model is that although in general residential areas will house people
earning similar salaries, this will not always be true:
There may be families living in urban local authority housing that have quite a lot of
money which puts them in the market for high status purchases but they choose to
stay living where they are because they like the area or the neighbours.
There may be young couples who have extended themselves to buy a really expensive
house in a high status area but they may have no money with which to buy furniture
and carpets and may be struggling to survive.
Again, we have a model which can be useful in general terms, but is not perfect.
Life-style Groupings
The changes which have taken place in levels of affluence and consumer awareness overall,
coupled with increased competition for markets, have led to an increasing interest in
analysing and understanding individual lifestyles. These include:
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In much the same way as Maslow suggested people move through a hierarchy,
Mitchell suggested that people move through the four stages, from being a survivor
until they become integrated. However, Mitchell added the possibility that people can
achieve "integrated status" by two possible routes.
All people are survivors, then sustainers, and then become belongers.
At this point Mitchell suggested that, depending on the basic nature of the person, one
of two routes could be taken:
The Innovators
Resigned poor
Mainstreamers
Transitionalists
Struggling poor
Aspirers
Reformers
Succeeders
Yaks (young, adventurous, keen and single): 1824; living at home or in rented
accommodation; fashion followers; live well; high entertainment expenditure;
often little regard for savings; often high credit card users.
(b)
Ewes (experts with expensive styles): 2435; trained/skilled in highly paid job;
often married but usually two incomes; some in rented, some in mortgaged
accommodation; ability to meet payments; fashion conscious; disposable income
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(d)
Clams (close check against money spent): 3444; married but children growing;
mortgage commitments at their peak; often paying school fees; some in midlife
crises divorcing or remarrying; 12 holidays per year either package or visiting
friends and relatives in UK; budget carefully; pay credit cards on time or leave
very small outstanding balance.
(e)
Mice (money is coming easier): 4454; children grown some left home; often
inherited property giving financial security and ability to purchase luxury items; 1
2 holidays per year often now without children usually in UK but often special
places they have always wanted to see or visiting old friends who have moved
abroad.
(f)
Owls (older with less stress): 55+; children grown and left home; financial
security; 23 holidays per year maybe visiting friends abroad in similar life
situations; still conscious of money but determined to enjoy themselves; major
expenditure is on holidays and presents for children and grandchildren; use credit
cards but often sparingly and always pay in full and on time.
These classifications were pertinent to the company which undertook the research, and
demonstrated the lifestyles of their customers at that given time. Other companies may
devise their own classifications in accordance with their specific needs, and categories
will change because of environmental aspects there will always be the "latest
method" which will outdate previous categories.
Ultimately though, it makes little difference how consumer groups are identified or
categorised; the various methods are really a way of understanding why people buy, and
what influences the buying decisions.
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An Initial Model
Engel, Kollatt and Blackwell (1978) proposed a development of the systems approach to
apply to the decision-making process as a framework for highlighting aspects of the
influences which have a bearing on the process. This can be shown in a simple diagram
illustrated in Figure 6.4.
Figure 6.4: Simplified version of the Engel, Kollat and Blackwell model
PERCEPTUAL
SYSTEM
EVALUATIVE
SYSTEM
MOTIVATING
SYSTEM
CENTRAL CONTROL
UNIT
DECISION PROCESS
CHOICE
SATISFACTION
OUTCOMES
DISSONANCE
As you can see there are many inputs into the central control unit and only one output, the
decision. This is a simplified version of the model and the full version has much more detail.
The block shown here as the "perceptual system" can include such items as past experience,
advertising, recommendations, perceived need, funds available and even wishful thinking.
Similarly, the block shown as the "evaluative system" could include such items as attitudes,
hereditary beliefs, knowledge, advice, information search, motives, lifestyle, group
compliance.
Note that the outcome can be satisfaction or dissonance: you do not know how good a
product is until you try it and you may be pleased or not. Your knowledge will feed through a
loop into the evaluative system, ready for the next buying decision. Such feedback loops can
be added to all the items in the model, making it much more complicated.
Fulfilment of Needs
The two classic theoretical models on the nature of needs as an influence on behaviour are:
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Maslow's model can be very useful in demonstrating the changes which take place in the
individual over time (see Figure 6.5).
Figure 6.5: Maslow's hierarchy of needs
Self-actualisation
Ultimate
satisfaction
Esteem needs
Social affiliation love
Safety and security needs
Basic need
Physiological needs
Maslow suggested that each individual has certain needs, basic and higher, and that only
when one level of need has been satisfied will the individual move up into the next level.
This model can be very useful for marketing purposes as marketers can target activities at
people who are seen to be at one level and help them to reach the next level.
The problem with this model is that it is very difficult to know exactly which level someone
has reached at any given time. People may be at several levels at the same time for
different reasons. For example, someone who has a high powered car in order to impress
people, may not have a permanent and secure home base; someone who is held in high
esteem as being an expert in a certain topic or skill may not have enough money to go on the
holiday they want to.
All that marketers can do is to accept the overall meaning of the model and use Maslow as a
guideline for general targeting purposes.
Maslow's hierarchy of needs is a fascinating and useful theory for all kinds of people, but
particularly for marketers since it explains to us why people want different things at different
times. In particular, we gain from it an understanding of the strictly hierarchical order of
human desires. So there would be no point, for us as marketers, talking to people about the
satisfaction of aesthetic (level five) needs, when our potential customers are still feeling their
physiological (level one) needs have not been met.
The reverse is also true: once a particular level of need has been satisfied, a new level
comes to the fore and it is a waste of effort to dwell to any great extent on those below. So,
for instance, if you are in the fashion business it would be folly to try to appeal to your
customers on the basis of warmth and comfort.
It has also long been recognised that the way people move from awareness of a need to the
point where they act to satisfy it is by no means necessarily simple. For instance, we can
say with some certainty that everyone who goes without food for a day or two will begin to
feel hungry (at least, under normal conditions). What we cannot say with the same degree of
certainty is that the person will act to satisfy that hunger. Religious ascetics for instance, may
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deliberately induce hunger because they believe it is a good thing to deny their own appetites
in the interest of strengthening their spiritual discipline.
For most of the 20th century psychologists tried to discern a relationship between felt needs
and actions intended to satisfy them, but there has been no great agreement on the subject.
However, most writers have recognised certain mental states or movements that may be
components of the process.
Herzberg's work indicates that satisfaction of needs is not always of the same kind. In his
research about what motivated people to work for a particular employer, he discovered that
there were several factors that needed satisfying (like good wages and pleasant conditions)
but which of themselves did not motivate. In contrast other factors were powerful motivators,
causing people to put themselves out, sometimes greatly, for the opportunity to work. These
were things like job satisfaction, responsibility and a sense that one's work made a difference
to the world.
Herzberg proposed what he called his two-factor theory, in which he stated that factors of the
first kind were hygiene or maintenance factors (they needed satisfying, but they did not, of
themselves, motivate) and those of the second kind were satisfiers. So a person who was
badly paid but had a job where they felt they were making an important social contribution
might well stay, despite being offered the opportunity to work elsewhere for better wages but
in a job which seemed pointless or unimportant.
This theory translates well into the world of marketing. It seems that consumers have certain
needs (hygiene factors) that require satisfying, whose absence will cause dissatisfaction,
but which are not so strongly felt as to attract a buyer from one product to another. There are
others (satisfiers) that are so important that their absence will cause the consumer to
engage in a search for an alternative product. In the context of work, Herzberg summed up
this theory by saying that hygiene factors affected the decision to work here, whereas
satisfiers affected the decision whether to work at all.
In a marketing context, we can imagine a washing-up liquid that smells strongly of carbolic
but which cuts through grease like a knife, and another that is perceived to be less
efficacious in cleaning but which smells sweetly of pine needles. If the consumer is really
keen to keep pots and pans sparkling, they will stay with the unpleasant-smelling brand
because, although they would prefer a sweeter smell, it is not the main benefit being sought.
The smell is (in this case) the "hygiene factor"; the powerful degreaser is the "satisfier". If the
consumer is not already a user of the strong product they may well switch to it from the nicersmelling one, but if they are a current user, they will not switch away from it.
We shall now consider three aspects of behaviour designed to fulfil needs and their impact
on consumer actions.
(a)
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the ideal self-concept (the "me" I would like to be, were it not for my faults and
flaws)
(There is, of course, the possibility that the "real" person is different from all three of
these, since all three depend upon the biased self-perception by an individual of
himself or herself.)
For the marketer this idea is important, since different purchase decisions will be made
on the basis of different motivations arising from these pictures of the self. If I am
buying a small pack of peanuts in a shop miles from home where there is no chance of
my being recognised, and if the person serving in the shop is someone I feel no desire
to impress, then I might well choose the cheap packet of salted roasted peanuts. On
the other hand if I am buying in a bar when my friends are present, I may well choose
the expensive, foil-wrapped, dry-roasted product. I might do this either because I want
to be seen as generous (the ideal self-image) or because I believe that is what a
health-conscious, green consumer should buy, this being my social self-image
(although I may be completely wrong about how others see this aspect of me).
Ever since Veblen floated the idea of the symbolic value of possessions at the end of
the 19th century, marketers have been fascinated by the evidence that seems to show
that people buy things not just because of what the things are or what the things can
deliver as material benefits. They also buy things because of what the purchase says
about the purchaser: what is often referred to as "conspicuous consumption". We
buy to conform with, or to enhance, our self-image. And since, as we have mentioned,
there is a degree of anxiety associated with self-image, the notion of risk is inextricably
tied up with the act of purchasing. If we buy the wrong thing, it may damage our image
or our lifestyle.
(b)
Purchase Risk
The idea of purchase risk needs disentangling from that of objective (i.e. real) risk.
Undoubtedly when I make a purchase, there may be a physical, tangible, objective
danger of the purchase being unsatisfactory. When I open the box, there may be a
piece missing; if I am unlucky, I may have bought the loaf upon which the baker
sneezed. That is actual risk, and the chances of the bad thing happening can be
estimated to some degree, and quality control procedures can in some measure
prevent it happening.
What we are talking about here however is perceived risk the risk that the purchaser
feels is attendant upon his or her own act of choosing. This has two sources: lack of
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information (the less information is given about the product, the more the purchaser
feels they are taking a risk in buying it), and the possible consequences of the
purchase. The consumer may feel little anxiety and that they are running only a very
small, acceptable risk, when buying certain products. If the product is one on which
they do not feel the need for much information (buying a new handkerchief does not
require an extensive information search) or one where the consequences of making a
mistake are not severe (the handkerchief, if it turns out to be faulty, can be thrown
away without much loss in money or time), then the perceived risk will be low. If on the
other hand the purchaser feels that the purchase is a complex one, demanding a great
deal of information in order to avoid the wrong decision, and if the consequences of a
mistake are likely to be severe (buying a house, for instance), then they will perceive
the purchase as involving a high risk. Marketers characterise their products as low-risk
or high-risk products and obviously certain strategies are necessary for high-risk
products which are not needed for low-risk ones.
For most marketing managers, strategies are needed that reduce the perceived risks
associated with purchase. (We say "for most managers" because there may be a
category of products where risk is actually a desirable state, such as some forms of
investment products, gambling products, "adventure" holidays and personal services
such as dating agencies.) Such strategies to reduce risk may be functional or
psychological.
(c)
Problem-solving Behaviour
Mental discomfort associated with risk or lack of information is apparently not a steady
state in consumers. There is quite a lot of work that seems to show that people move
through a cycle of purchase behaviour and that different people have different levels of
tolerance to risk and uncertainty. Let's look first at the idea of cyclical behaviour.
ABE
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
considering their own attitudes and preferences ("am I the sort of person
who would want/need/use this?")
178
(iv)
consulting the social and fashionable pressures that are evident ("everyone
else I've met this week seems to be buying one of these")
(v)
assessing such factors as price, availability and all the risks associated with
the purchase.
As a result of this an intention may be formed, either to buy the product now, to
defer purchase until later, not to buy it at all or to re-engage in the information
search.
Diffusion of Innovation
The cycle of behaviour from EPS to LPS to RPS is fairly well documented in most
consumers. But it does seem as if different people move at different speeds through it,
and that there is some interaction between different types of people in their movements
through it.
It seems that there are people who greatly enjoy consuming new things (here, as
elsewhere, when we talk about products we mean all kinds of products, including
intangible ones and services). They are the kind of people who readily discount the
risks associated with newness (Will it come down in price? Will it soon be obsolete?
Will I quickly become tired of it?) for the pleasure they feel in being seen as leaders
among their friends and associates. They are usually also quite prepared to pay a
premium price for something that is new, where other people might be more cautious
and wait until price competition has brought the price down to a level they are more
comfortable with. These people are referred to commonly as innovators and people
like this are thought to constitute only about 2.5 per cent of the population.
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Innovators are also important, not just as initial buyers of a new product, but as opinion
leaders for people of other psychological types. Whilst they themselves may move
quickly through the EPS-LPS-RPS cycle, there are lots of other people who move less
quickly. For these slower types, innovators often become one of the sources of
information to be consulted during the information search phase of EPS.
The model of the diffusion of innovation developed by Rogers continues with the
idea that people move through the decision-making process at different speeds.
Following the innovators in taking up products are the early adopters. These
(perhaps 13.5 per cent of the population) are people who are not
temperamentally inclined to take the risks associated with discovering and trying
out new things for themselves, but who are keen followers of fashion. Early
adopters are often readers of magazines like Vogue. They watch television
programmes about design, the home and garden and new cars and they are
more likely to be watchers of commercial TV than public service (non-advertising)
TV. All of this behaviour is so that they can feed their need to be up there with
the leaders. It matters to them to be "in fashion", though as we have seen, they
are not themselves leaders of fashion. Instead, these people watch closely what
the innovators are doing, and tend to follow them. They too are quite likely to pay
fairly high prices for articles that are seen as new and fashionable. Their EPS is
likely to be heavily influenced by their observation of the innovators. They move
quite quickly, as a result, through the EPS-LPS-RPS cycle, though not as quickly
as innovators.
The next group is the early majority. These (34 per cent of the population) will
generally not try a product until it has been well tried by others before them.
They are not inclined to search hard for a product so if it is not on the shelves of
their regular shops and stores, they will not go to the trouble of seeking it out, as
innovators or early adopters would. These are people in whom the EPS is shortlived as they rely quite heavily on others having done it for them, as it were. They
are also unlikely to come into the market until the prospect of large-scale sales
has prompted a reduction from the original premium price.
Another 34 per cent of the population are the late majority, who do not feel
comfortable with a new product unless there is clearly little risk associated with its
newness. They prefer to choose between several competing brands and they
need the low prices associated with fierce competition to tempt them into the
market. They exhibit practically no EPS behaviour at all.
Finally, there is a group of some 16 per cent who are known as laggards. These
people are distrustful of anything that is not seen as traditional, well tried and
tested, familiar, even old fashioned. Curiously, although these come very late to
market for products, they are among the most loyal of consumers. Once a
product has established itself in their minds as having some measure of tradition,
they will buy it and continue to buy it for as long as it is available, often going out
of their way to discover remaining sources when mainstream outlets have delisted it and moved on to newer products.
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Late
majority
Early
adopters
Innovators
Laggards
34%
34%
2.5% 13.5%
16%
Time
(b)
Reference Groups
People often see themselves as members, potential members or aspirant members of
particular groups. When we make everyday decisions about how we should and will
behave in various situations, we seem to do so by reference to what people would
expect in the groups that matter to us. Psychologists call these groups reference
groups.
One of the most common reference groups in early life is the family. We learn a good
deal of behaviour from the expectations of the people to whom we are closely related.
We are also subjected to a good deal of socialising in environments such as schools
and colleges, and it is here that we learn to value certain character traits and to
depreciate others. As adults, we are more mature and able to think for ourselves, but it
seems that our wish to belong to reference groups and our willingness to be influenced
by them remains strong throughout life.
Three broad types (or functions) of reference group have been identified.
Normative Groups
These are groups to which we would like to think we belong and so we behave in
ways which we think appropriate to membership. For instance, if I like to think of
myself as middle class, I will read a broadsheet newspaper, wear a collar and tie,
encourage my children to think of going to university, work in a professional or
near-professional occupation and so on. The family is the first normative group
for most of us but regional, class and occupational groupings are common
normative groups in later life.
Normative groups reward us when we behave as they do by accepting us into
membership, and punish unacceptable behaviour by denying membership or
ostracising us. Marketers use this tendency, for instance, by showing
advertisements that suggest that failure to buy or use the product will lead to
ostracism by a particular group ("good" mothers, "good" cooks or fashionable
youngsters) while buying the product allows membership of the desired group.
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work on this tendency by using some channel that is appropriate to those who
feel they belong to a particular group. Thus, if the marketer has discovered
through research that there is a sub-group of the middle class that aspires to "the
good life", in which high-quality products with a high degree of "naturalness" are
valued, and that many of this group are readers of the Guardian newspaper, then
the marketer will use advertisements in the Guardian showing typical members of
the group choosing and using filter coffee. This influences my choice accordingly
("People like me choose this rather than that.").
Expert Groups
This third group are seen as expert in choice and use, either by virtue of their
own natural, inherited or acquired knowledge, or because by having already
bought and used the product they have become so. For instance, if we were
wondering about how effective a particular mouthwash was in killing bacteria, the
opinion of a dentist would carry a good deal of weight. Equally, if we want to
choose the "right" washing liquid, the opinion of an experienced housewife who
has been washing clothes for years would be seen as highly influential. We have
all seen advertising that makes use of this kind of reference group.
(c)
Credibility
Marketing activities aim to change people's feelings and attitudes towards various
products and often to persuade people that a product fits well with a particular
reference group or lifestyle. However an important consideration in this respect is the
credibility of the person (or other source) from whom the message is received.
One of the reasons for the growing use of public relations (where at one time
advertising would have unquestioningly been chosen) is the belief that most consumers
nowadays distrust advertising. It is thought that they tend to discount the message of
an advertisement, whereas an article in a newspaper written by an independent
journalist is seen to be a credible message source the reliable opinion of an
apparently disinterested opinion former.
The same principle is being increasingly applied in advertising itself. Here, great
emphasis is placed on using trusted personalities to provide credibility to the
messages. The use of Thora Hird in stairlift adverts is a good example of an actress
chosen for her credibility. TV personality Carol Vorderman (whose background is
thought vaguely by most people to be in science) advertises many "scientific" products,
from hair conditioners to technology magazines, on the basis that, if a scientist says so,
the products can be relied upon to work.
The reverse effect can happen when a figure used as an advocate falls out of public
favour, e.g. Pepsi-Cola's battle to recover from the embarrassing publicity arising out of
the fall from grace of rock musician Michael Jackson.
This raises the question (or should do, in marketers' minds) how credible a spokesman
is and what benefits this kind of association with a well-known figure can provide.
In the field of consumer psychology, the work of Osgood and Tannenbaum has been
valuable. In the formation of their congruity theory, they examined the relationship
between an idea (such as a brand value) and the person who advocates it. They
concluded that where the audience's feelings about the idea and the advocate start out
at different points on a scale of approval, those feelings will move toward each other,
arriving at a point where they are equal the point of congruity. So, if I disapprove of
bungee jumping but I approve of Fred, then when I hear Fred speak approvingly of
bungee jumping, both my feelings about Fred and my feelings about bungee jumping
move towards each other until they are at the same point of my scale of approval the
point of congruity. The question is, how far and how fast do those feelings move? And
where do they end up?
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Osgood and Tannenbaum concluded that in such situations, strong feelings in either
direction (i.e. either towards favourability or unfavourability) move less readily than
weak feelings. So if I begin strongly approving of Fred, but only mildly disapproving of
bungee jumping, then my feeling about bungee jumping will move more readily (since it
is the weaker feeling). The point of congruity will be found at a position of mild
approval. However, if my approval of Fred is only weak, but I strongly disapprove of
bungee jumping, then the point of congruity will be on the disapproval side of the scale.
I shall finish up still disapproving of bungee jumping, but less vehemently, while my
opinion of Fred will have moved from mild approval to slight disapproval (see Figure
6.7). Only when feelings start out equally strongly held, said Osgood and
Tannenbaum, will they move equally readily and meet at a point midway between their
starting points.
Figure 6.7: Osgood and Tannenbaum Congruity Theory
Disapproval
4
Neutral
2
Bungee jumping
(weaker feeling)
Approval
1
distance moved: 3
distance
moved: 1.5
Fred
(stronger feeling)
Point of congruity
Disapproval
4
Bungee jumping
(stronger feeling)
Neutral
2
distance
moved: 1.5
Approval
1
Fred
(weaker feeling)
Point of congruity
For the marketer, it is clear from this that the credibility of the source of any message is
of great importance and careful research is needed before use is made of reference
figures (or "advocates" to use Osgood and Tannenbaum's term).
Cognitive Dissonance
All the foregoing makes it evident that our actions as purchasers and consumers in society
(either individually or as part of a decision-making group, such as a family or a work group)
are fraught with all kinds of anxieties. It is therefore worth spending a minute or two in
considering what people do when, despite all the attempts and stratagems to make the
"right" decision, anxiety persists after the decision has been made. It seems that it often
does. The psychologist Leon Festinger did extensive work on this question and, although his
model is by no means uncritically accepted, it is another of those landmark ideas that has
helped to shape marketers' thinking or at least to raise worthwhile questions in their minds
when strategy is being planned.
Festinger formulated the theory of cognitive dissonance. "Dissonance" is a musical term that
signifies the unpleasant effect of two or more conflicting sounds being produced together, as
when you strike two neighbouring keys on the piano. The resulting discord is painful and
requires resolution by moving one finger to play a note further away from the other (at a
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greater interval apart). This creates harmony. Festinger recognised that people are happiest
when they have to deal either with only one unchallenged idea (like playing a single note on
the piano) or with ideas that do not conflict and are widely separated (like playing an interval
of a third or a fourth on the piano). What makes us uncomfortable is having to cope
simultaneously with two ideas or sets of ideas that are so close to each other as to seem to
conflict. Once again, an example may be useful.
I buy a new car. I am moved to make my choice principally by the sexy red colour, the
reasonable price and the car's great comfort. I leave the showroom a happy man. I return
home and get out of the car. The man next door looks over the fence and compliments me
on my new possession. He asks what it is like for speed. He asks what its consumption of
fuel is like. He asks how often it has to be serviced and how much parts cost. Having gone
indoors with the manual, I look up information on the points he has raised. Within ten
minutes I am downcast. The car seems to be built for comfort, not for speed; its greater
weight and lack of aerodynamics means that it uses a lot of fuel; being a foreign make, parts
are difficult and costly to get hold of; and it requires a routine service every four thousand
miles, where six thousand is the more usual requirement.
Festinger suggests that when a person makes a decision (any kind of decision, not just a
purchase) the mind is rather like a weighing scale or balance. On one side of the scale are
the positive factors that make one tend towards a particular decision and the negative factors
that make one tend away from the alternatives. On the other side of the scale are the
negative ideas about the chosen option plus all the positive things about the alternatives.
So in our example my mental weighing scale contains, on one side, the colour of the car and
its comfort (positive factors about the choice I made) and the high price of other cars I could
have chosen but didn't (negative factors about the alternatives). On the other side are the
negative factors about the chosen option (I've now discovered the expense of the fuel and
servicing) plus the positive factors about the alternative options (other cars are speedier and
more stylish). What will happen to the scales, loaded with these factors on each side?
There are three main possibilities, with infinite gradations in between. Either the scale will tip
sharply this way, or it will tip sharply that way, or it will be in perfect balance. This is
illustrated in Figure 6.8.
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Positive
aspects of the
chosen option
Negative
aspects of the
chosen option
Negative
aspects of the
rejected option
Positive
aspects of the
rejected option
Cognitive dissonance; in
balance, or nearly so
Dissatisfied; attempts
to change or
rationalise
Festinger demonstrated that when the scale tips sharply in either direction, we are mentally
comfortable (we experience "assonance" or harmony). We feel that the evidence shows we
made the right decision or that we definitely made the wrong decision and so we act quickly
to reverse it (I take the car back to the dealer's and swap it for another one). What makes us
uncomfortable is perfect balance or near balance, as this means the evidence is inconclusive
so we are unable to decide whether we did the right thing or the wrong thing. A decision too
close to the point of balance is like those two neighbouring notes on the piano: it produces
dissonance an unpleasant conflict of closely related ideas.
In the modern commercial world many purchase decisions are difficult because, as a
manufacturer becomes more knowledgeable about people's needs and wants, he works hard
to make the product suit us but so too do all the competing manufacturers. It becomes
harder and harder to make a product that is genuinely different from all its rivals. This means
that when we make a purchase decision we are very likely to experience cognitive
dissonance because, as sophisticated, knowledgeable consumers, we are unlikely to make
very obviously "wrong" decisions and, as we have said, there are very few incontrovertibly
"right" ones, so closely similar are the goods on offer. In other words the scale is unlikely to
tip sharply one way and, unless we have been uncharacteristically careless, it will not tip the
other way. Most decisions will be at or near the point of balance.
Marketers value Festinger's ideas for two reasons. One, it reminds them that in a world
where competing goods are so closely similar physically, they need to build brand values that
make the consumer, before the act of purchase, recognise their brand as positively different
from the near competitors. Two, it reminds them that the mental state of the consumer after
purchase is equally important. Someone who experiences cognitive dissonance is unlikely to
be a repeat purchaser and that, after all, is the goal of every serious marketer. Much of the
advertising you will see, especially for high-risk, high-involvement goods, is aimed less at
persuasion to purchase than at reducing or eliminating post-purchase dissonance.
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Decision-making Sets
Some people may disagree with what we have just been discussing, on the grounds that
goods do vary widely in all kinds of ways and therefore there is ample opportunity for us to
make very wrong decisions. For instance, a BMW sports saloon is a very different purchase
from a cheaper South Korean import. Of course this is true, but it does not invalidate
Festinger's theory. The reason lies in the idea of "decision-making sets". Most consumers,
in a sophisticated market, mentally separate products or brands into discrete sets. Rather
like Russian dolls, each set is smaller than its predecessor and they fit inside each other.
When a consumer is in the market for a particular kind of product, there are several
competing brands she could buy. Some she knows, others she has never heard of and
probably never will. Put them all together and you have the total set of brands from which
she might choose. Out of the total set can be distinguished this particular consumer's
awareness set; she does not, as we've said, know all the brands on offer and she will not
therefore choose something she does not encounter. (An extensive information search, if
she embarks upon it, may enlarge her awareness set, but it is still unlikely that she will ever
know absolutely every brand of computer, car or instant coffee that exists.) So, within the
total set lies the awareness set.
Among the awareness set are those brands she is prepared to think about buying the
consideration set; the rest are brands that for some reason or another she excludes from
her choice-making process. For instance, she may decide that some are just too expensive
for her budget, not sufficiently stylish or not easily available. Among her consideration set
there may be one or two brands she quickly decides against, again for a variety of reasons.
Perhaps one is a foreign make which, though she admires it as a product, she is not
prepared to buy because she feels she ought to buy a product made in her own country. The
ones that are left, after these casualties have been removed, constitute the choice set. It is
from these few that she will make her final decision (see Figure 6.9).
Figure 6.9: Decision-making sets
Mars
Bounty
Wispa
Snickers
Snack
Topic
Twix
Double Decker
Time Out
Milky Way
etc
Total set
Mars
Bounty
Snickers
Topic
Twix
Milky Way
Awareness
set
Mars
Bounty
Snickers
Twix
Consideration
set
Mars
Snickers
Twix
DECISION
Choice set
DECISION
You can see fairly easily that a sophisticated consumer who has this mental landscape about
a product is unlikely to make drastically wrong decisions. The brands that would cause
Festinger's scales to tip sharply in the negative direction may be in her awareness set but
they get no further than that. As we have seen, modern brands are so carefully researched
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and designed that the final choice set is likely to include brands that are very similar indeed,
so there will probably be no single brand that would tip the scales sharply in the positive
direction.
The idea that people choose to purchase from sets is also confirmed in work by Andrew
Ehrenberg, who looked at the evidence of brand loyalty among supermarket grocery
shoppers. He discovered that, in the main, shoppers do not fix on one single brand and
remain faithful to it. Perhaps because of the boredom of consistent repetition that we
mentioned earlier, or perhaps because they like to convince themselves that they have some
control over their choices and actions, it seems that consumers establish a "repertoire" of
brands in each category. So if I am buying floor cleaner, I will sometimes buy Flash,
sometimes Jif and sometimes the supermarket's own brand. I move cyclically between these
three (perhaps more).
What is even more interesting in Ehrenberg's work is his finding that when a new brand
comes onto the market where there are already several established brands in the same
category, the new brand must be tried and accepted into the consumer's repertoire within
twelve months from launch. If it fails to do this, it will probably never be accepted by that
shopper.
Attention You cannot get a message to someone until you have arrested his
attention; hence, for example, the need for advertisements to have large
and striking headlines and involve illustrations.
Interest
Once you have got the attention, you must convince him that the message
is actually relevant to him. Your message might be beautifully crafted, but
if I cannot see what it has to do with me, I shall ignore it and pass on to
something of more relevance.
Desire
Action
Now that I know what you are offering and that it is something I have a
need for, you must show me how I can go about getting it. Hence, the
popularity of cut-out coupons or reader-response mechanisms in press
advertisements. Alternatively, you might tell me who stocks your product
so that I can go and enquire for it myself.
This model has spawned many others, as various scholars sought to improve upon it. The
generic name for all these models is "hierarchy of effects" models, since they all postulate an
ordered process of successive mental stages.
Here are just a few:
Colley (1961)
unawareness awareness comprehension conviction action
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Rogers (1962)
awareness interest evaluation trial adoption
From our discussions in this section, you will by now be extremely wary of any model that
seems to offer a comprehensive understanding of how people behave in markets or of what
is happening in their minds at any given time. Of course none of these models can be
entirely satisfactory. But they are commendable attempts to model a complicated process so
that marketers can at least think about what is going on and perhaps avoid some elementary
errors of practice.
In particular, their usefulness lies in perhaps two simple but important observations. First, the
link between making someone aware that you have something to sell and their buying it is by
no means a simple one. Several things have to happen on the way and at any one of those
stages the process can break down. Second, there is an order in which communications
should be managed. Trying to arouse interest before awareness exists or desire before
interest has been kindled is almost certainly not going to work. We may quarrel with the
stages that must be gone through and over what we call them, but none of us should doubt
that the process should follow a logical order.
One last observation should be made. Throughout this section, we have spoken of the
process of marketing communications being directed at the individual consumer as a
purchaser. However this is not the only situation in which these ideas are applicable. They
are equally applicable to group decision-making (as in a family planning where to go on
holiday or a commercial firm planning to buy a new production line) as to individuals. They
are equally applicable to the marketing of services as to that of tangible products. They are
also equally applicable to the marketing of non-profit-making organisations, such as
government departments or charities, as they are to commercial companies. It is to these
organisational purchasers which we turn to in the last section of the chapter.
E. ORGANISATIONAL PURCHASING
So far we have been looking at general factors in the purchasing process. The process
applies equally in both consumer and industrial markets, but we have to accept that there are
differences between the two markets. Organisations buy differently from individual
consumers for a number of reasons:
The main difference between industrial purchasing and consumer purchasing is that
industrial purchasing is predominantly done by people on behalf of others and that, apart
from the one-person business, there is nearly always more than one person involved in the
buying process.
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Business Purchase
Consumer Purchase
Product
Price
Promotion
Place
Customer
relations
Buying decision
process
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When making decisions organisational buyers move through a decision process that is
similar to that of consumers. The organisational buyer will recognise a problem, search for
information, evaluate alternatives, make a choice and then go through the post-purchase
process. Due to the complexity of organisational buying decisions, researchers have
developed a more detailed set of decision-making stages that the organisation will move
through. These stages are shown in Table 6.3.
Table 6.3: Buying Stages of Organisations
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
Stage 4
Stage 5
Stage 6
Stage 7
Stage 8
(Source: based upon Hutt and Speh, Business Marketing Management 1992)
As the degree of change increases, so does the complexity of the buying process and the
time taken. More people may need to be involved in a new buy than for a modified re-buy,
e.g. it may be a purchase of new plant for an entirely new production purpose which will
involve a great deal of technical input from design engineers.
On the other hand, a modified re-buy may simply involve a change of supplier which the
purchasing department can deal with quite effectively on their own.
Needless to say, straight re-buys are the easiest of all and need no specialist input; all they
need is a repeat order to be raised.
There are three broad categories of organisations making buying decisions industrial,
wholesaler/retailer, and non-profit organisation (NPO) and different considerations apply to
each. However, the SME (small and medium-sized (business) enterprises) should also be
remembered.
Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
The SME is likely to be working in a limited number of markets, probably with a limited range
of products or services. The scope of the organisation is therefore likely to be less of a
strategic issue than that of larger organisations. Unless the organisation is specialising in
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some way with its product or service, it is likely to be under pressure to compete. Decisionmaking is likely to be quicker and more flexible due to the smaller management structure,
and SMEs will be able to challenge their larger counterparts on costs. However, the
approach to purchase decisions will not differ from that of other organisations.
Industrial Buying Decisions
The buyer in a factory will purchase three kinds of things:
machinery with which to make the products that the company markets for profit
The housekeeping supplies will often be repeat buys and similar in many respects to the
repeat buys of the consumer. The difference will be in the suppliers, terms of trade and
quantities involved. None of them will make the repeat-buy decision significantly differently
from that of the consumer for similar products.
The decision to buy machinery may involve past experience of similar machinery, or at least
of the suppliers of previous machinery. However, it is likely to be a much more serious
decision than for housekeeping supplies. A decision to buy machinery will often involve
several people, as well as the buyer; the group of people will often be called a decisionmaking unit (DMU).
Because buying machinery is an important decision, it is likely that the production manager
may be asked to comment on the suitability of various machines. The finance manager will
probably be asked to arrange a loan or other scheme to make sure that cash flow in the
company is not badly affected by the scheme. If the machine is bought, the human
resources manager may have to arrange for training, extra insurance, shift working and a
whole range of matters concerned with worker safety. The managing director may have the
final word on important decisions.
Similar ideas can be applied to buying services such as advertising and other publicity
matters, as all these decisions are complicated by the fact that, in the long run, industrial
purchases are due to derived demand, which is more difficult to anticipate.
Wholesaler/Retailer Buying Decisions
The wholesaler and retailer share the same purpose to make profit by buying products from
manufacturers then selling the same products to other people. It renders their decisionmaking process quite different from that of the industrial buyers. Usually, the wholesaler
buys in bulk from the manufacturer and sells smaller quantities to the retailer, who then sells
individual items to the consumer.
There are long-term and short-term aspects to the supply business which must be
considered. Short-term aspects are fairly straightforward: the purpose is clearly to get goods
to the places where consumers will buy them and to make a profit by doing so. The products
concerned may be anything consumers buy and also many of the repeat-buy items which
industrial buyers have to get in, so as to keep their factories running.
In the long term, wholesalers have the obvious function of supplying retailers, thus saving
manufacturers the job of delivering to thousands of shops and then dealing with numerous
accounts.
However, wholesalers have another function they disconnect the production line from the
consumers. By taking goods into stock, wholesalers enable factory managers to run their
production lines at the best speeds for efficiency. Production lines depend on continuity
they are set up to produce identical items for long periods. The products have to be moved
away from the end of the line so as to keep the line going. Consumer demand is very
variable and it would be difficult to make most of the products just when they were about to
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be bought. So the wholesaler sometimes provides a useful buffer between the demand and
supply aspects of business.
The decision-making process will have short-term and long-term considerations, which for
the retailer will be concerned with potential demand for a product in the immediate future. In
retail operation, demand can be turned into profit: the retailer has to judge what to buy so as
to maximise the profit level.
For the wholesaler, there are other considerations the wholesaler is providing a service to
the manufacturer as well as to the retailer, and so must expect to be paid for that service.
Wholesale decision-making is complicated by the service aspect of the business.
Non-profit-making Buying Decisions
There are other organisations which cannot be classified as industrial or wholesaler/retailer,
and many come under the heading of non-profit-making organisations (NPOs). Such
organisations need supplies just like others, but they do not buy them with the purpose of
consuming for their own benefit in the same way as domestic consumers, nor do they buy
products with the intention of selling them for profit.
The most obvious examples are the many local services, such as the police, hospitals,
ambulance and fire services (although the notion of profit not being applicable in some of
these cases looks set to change). Then further afield there are the armed forces, mountain
rescue services, lifeboats and coastguards.
Less obvious are the charities, which usually buy products to use for someone else's benefit,
or to send on to people who are disadvantaged for some reason. Some charities work for
the welfare of animals or the countryside, and they all have the characteristic of being nonprofit-making.
(b)
profits
reduced costs
(c)
(d)
Add to this the stress of internal organisational politics and you can appreciate just how
difficult industrial purchasing can be.
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The influencing factors on buying will vary from organisation to organisation and it would be
an impossible task to produce a comprehensive list of all of the variables that might influence
industrial purchasing. However, factors might include:
Market
availability and choice of products
legal aspects
competitive position
recession or boom
Organisational
attitude to risk
availability of resources
policies regarding trading/not trading with other parties
the nature of the DMU (e.g. few or many people)
Personal
status and power
internal conflicts and politics
individual morality and ethics
knowledge or lack of it.
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Industry type
Standard Industry Classification (SIC) provides a first stage for identifying target
industries and dividing them into groups of companies with different needs or differing
approaches to buying. For example retailers and hospitals both buy computers, but
they have differing buying strategies.
Company size
Size may be very important small companies have needs that are different from the
larger companies; therefore it would be significant to look at the number of
employees, sales turnover etc.
Customer location
This may be a good way to segment the market for business products as location will
impact upon sales and distribution costs and competitiveness may be high if there are
strong local competitors.
Company technology
The stage of technological development will directly affect the manufacturing and/or
product technology and thus affect its demand for different types of product. High
technology businesses may require different distribution methods Tesco, for
example, requires suppliers to be able to cooperate in electronic stock control and
cross-docking to avoid retail stockholding. Increasingly, firms wish their suppliers to
be integrated into their computer systems for all stages of the purchase process.
Customer capabilities
Business customers may differ in their strengths and weaknesses and thus in their
demand for different types of produce and service.
Purchasing organisation
There may be differences in the way the purchasing is organised in the organisation.
This may well be a good way of segmenting the market, thus selection being
dependent on the dependence or otherwise of technology.
Power structures
An influence in selecting a target customer may be the strengths of the organisation
matching those of the supplier.
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Purchasing policies
The way in which organisations approach their purchase may also be a source of
targeting information. For example, companies that wish to lease and those that wish
to purchase equipment.
Product application
The uses of the product will also influence the purchase process and supplier choice.
For example, the purchase of machinery for continuous use in a large factory will
differ from that for a small machine used intermittently.
Attitudinal Characteristics
B2B organisations tend to have fewer but larger customers and deal with a range of buyers
in the decision-making unit (DMU), such as buyers, decision-makers (financiers), influencers
and gatekeepers. Different members of the DMU will often have different perceptions of what
the benefits are, both to their organisation and to themselves. In communicating with the
different members of the DMU, it may be necessary to emphasise the benefits of the product
or service rather than the features of the product or service. B2B products and services tend
to be complex, and therefore organisations use sales forces to deal with the complexities
through building relationships with the customer organisations.
Behavioural Characteristics
Although there are organisational policies that will influence the purchase of goods, the
products are still purchased by individuals within the DMU and therefore it is necessary to be
aware of issues such as:
buyer motivation different members of the DMU will differ in the degree to which
they look at alternative suppliers and source products and services, and may wish to
remain loyal to existing suppliers
buyer risk perceptions there will be an influence regarding the status of the person
making the purchase decision and the personal style of the individual.
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Chapter 7
Product Management and Development
Contents
Page
A.
196
196
197
197
B.
Product Management
Main concerns of Product Management
Product Portfolio, Range and Mix
Product Management Decisions
Product Mix and Customer Benefits
199
199
203
204
211
C.
Product Branding
Brand Strategy
Threats to Branding
212
213
214
D.
Product Packaging
Practical Aspects
Decorative Aspects
Informative Aspects
215
215
215
215
E.
216
217
220
223
F.
224
225
226
226
G.
227
228
232
233
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The expected product, which includes price, packaging, availability, after-sales service
and so on
The augmented product, in which augmentation is the way in which the manufacturer
differentiates his products from others by adding some extra benefit
The potential product, which is the ultimate combination of product and service which it
is possible to achieve.
This introduces the idea that products and services have depth or different dimensions to
them which consumers find attractive and contribute to the decision to buy.
We can say that a product has three main dimensions:
Physical
This refers to the materials from which a product is made, e.g. cotton for bed linen,
metal for shelving units, etc. The actual raw material may have no real value until it is
formed into a "product" of some kind, which is there for a purpose.
Functional
Functionality refers to the use of the product. What is it for? What does it do? It may
be that it plays music, or it keeps out the cold, or whatever. The fact is that the raw
materials have been turned into something which has a purpose. The "function" of a
product may change at times because someone has found another purpose for it, e.g.
house bricks can be used as supports for beds, seats or shelving units.
Symbolic
The symbolic attributes of products are also sometimes known as "psychological"
attributes. This is because the symbolic attributes refer to the "value" which a user
gives to a product. Value is intangible and will vary from person to person, e.g. the
value ascribed to a pair of Nike training shoes by a style-conscious teenager is much
higher than that given to a similar pair of shoes by a middle-aged keep fit enthusiast.
It is the "symbolic" attributes that play on the "esteem" and "belonging" needs of the
buyer and, consequently, help in the marketing of branded and high value goods.
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Tangible product
What is offered the features, style, quality, packaging, etc. For the refrigerator, this
could be that it fits under worktop, is self-cleaning and is offered in a range of colours.
Augmented product
The add-on benefits provided along with the product after-sales service, guarantees
and warranties, credit facilities, availability in the market, delivery, etc. For our fridge,
this might include image, guarantee, free credit and the particulars of the after-sales
service.
Inseparability they are used or "consumed" at the time of purchase and, as such,
cannot be separated from the provider.
Variability they are dependent on the person who is providing the service and, as
such, will vary from time to time in accordance with when they are being provided and
the circumstances surrounding the provision.
The characteristics of a service can add difficulties for marketers but, at the end of the day, it
is still "the item that is being exchanged" it is the product. The product of an accountant is
the expertise which is being sold, and the product of a hairdresser is the skill in cutting and
styling that he/she provides.
Thus, "products" and "services" are not really any different. A product is a service and a
service is a product. For the rest of this chapter, when we refer to "product" please
remember that we are also referring to "service".
Classifications of Products
If you recall we have basically two types of markets: consumer and industrial. It follows,
then, that we have basically the same two types of product and service.
(a)
Consumer Products
Consumer products are classified in three ways:
Convenience
The minimum of effort is needed because the customer knows about the product
before they shop.
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Brand substitutions are easily accepted as these products have low "value".
They are the products which are bought automatically and repetitively, e.g. butter
in a supermarket.
The marketing implications of this are that:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
Shopping
Those products where customers do not have full knowledge and where they can
be influenced to accept an alternative product (during their "search" phase) by
the benefits being offered. They are higher in "value" than the convenience type
of product and therefore involve more risk in purchase.
The marketing implications of this are that:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
Specialty
This type of purchase is where customers have hard and fast ideas of which
product, outlet, brand, provider, etc. they wish to use. The customer will go to
great lengths to ensure that they obtain the actual product they require and will
not be easily converted to a substitute. These purchases are high in "value" and
therefore carry the greatest element of risk to the buyer.
The marketing implications of this are that:
(b)
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
Industrial Products
Industrial products can also be classified into three categories:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
The level of quality required will depend on the quality of the end product
(iv)
Equipment/Plant
Computer systems, production plant and other types of equipment needed in the
operation of a business fall into this category. The nature of the purchases often
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involves high prices and, as such, a great deal of research and deliberation will
go into the purchasing decisions.
The marketing implications of this are that:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
(vi)
Supplies
The "consumable" items that are needed for day-to-day operations. These
products are similar in nature to convenience goods in the consumer sector.
Purchasing can be habitual and may carry little psychological "value" to the
buyer.
The marketing implications of this are that:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
It makes little difference how we describe the product, or even how it is classified. The
product is what is being sold and what is being bought. In other words, it is the item that is
being used in the exchange process that is taking place between buyer and seller.
However, the more qualities there are to the product, the more valuable it becomes to the
person who is acquiring it and the more likely the chances of success for the marketer.
Hence the emphasis on the augmented aspects of image, after sales, delivery, etc. and it
cannot be denied that the best products for a buyer are those which give an "added value" of
some kind: they give something more than the basic function. For example, designer
clothes cover the body but they also give esteem and status; personal computers now give
the benefits of built-in modems which can be used to communicate with people around the
world.
B. PRODUCT MANAGEMENT
The level of responsibility and autonomy given to managers of products will vary in
accordance with the size of the organisation as well as with the style of management which
is currently being used. Some product managers will have wide-reaching responsibilities and
freedom for decision making; others will be limited in their scope.
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Information on how a product is faring in the market will help a manager to decide if it is
time to make any changes to the range, or part of it. In cases of poor revenue
generation, it may be that a product needs to be dropped or extra promotional activity
is called for. Decisions such as these are made on a regular basis in the process of
product management.
(b)
Part of both these concerns is how the product is placed in the market in terms of customer
perceptions, e.g. high quality, value for money, etc. This is product positioning.
(c)
Product positioning
Product management is concerned with getting the positioning right, keeping it right, or
changing it until it is right.
Perceptual maps are used to show positioning. These maps can be used by a
manager to compare positioning with the competition or to show the overall picture of a
company's product range, as in the following Figures.
Figure 7.1: Competitive Positioning (Leisure Activities)
HIGH PRICE
Golf Club
Theatre
Squash Club
Swimming Club
POOR VALUE
Cinema
GOOD VALUE
Bingo Hall
Council Sports Centre
LOW PRICE
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Tennis
Swimming
Hockey
POOR VALUE
GOOD VALUE
Museum
Sports Fields
Art Gallery
LOW PRICE
Theatre
POOR VALUE
GOOD VALUE
Bingo Hall
Council Sports Centre
LOW PRICE
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GOOD VALUE
Sports Fields
LOW PRICE
The variables which can be used in the construction of perceptual maps can really be
on any aspect which the company wants to use, e.g. distribution : price; guarantee :
length of time taken to complete the order; or price : quality.
It will depend on what the management has identified as being important and just what
is being "measured".
Influences on positioning can, in most cases, be directly related to customer
perceptions and expectations. At this point we should be asking why these influencing
factors are so important to a product manager.
Well, the whole idea of marketing is to satisfy customer requirements and it is the
company best at doing that which is likely to win the rewards of market share/profit, etc.
By understanding the influences on buying behaviour, a manager can fine-tune his
product and position it in such a way that it will not only satisfy, but "delight" the
customer. This is what most product managers want to achieve. Obviously there are
benefits to be gained happy buyers, repeat purchasing, kind words said about the
company and its products, etc.
(d)
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The majority of purchases, however, are repeated on more than one occasion and, as
such, the marketer wants to build up a relationship which will mean that the customer
will come back another time.
Apart from the aspect of satisfying the customer, there are very good managerial
reasons for establishing customer loyalty, such as:
The cost of gaining new customers is much higher than keeping existing
customers happy
It is easier to manage the product range when buyer needs are known.
You can see from these points how important it is to develop a long-lasting relationship
with a customer. Long-lasting relationships MEAN customer loyalty. The stronger the
ties are between a seller and a buyer, the less likely the breakdown of the relationship.
Marketers try very hard to create and maintain this type of relationship.
Portfolio
If a company has just one product then all its efforts and resources will be devoted to it.
Since all the risks in the marketing environment will fall on one product, most
companies would try to avoid such dependence. Yet as soon as another product is
marketed, there is the need to reallocate some of the company's resources and the
scene is set for conflict, even in the best run companies.
The benefit of having more than one product would be obvious if we could foretell the
future accurately; we could just allocate resources to those products which are going to
make most money, and change when the future changes. As you know, life is not so
simple and every decision carries some risk of being wrong.
The idea of a portfolio of products is sensible; if you can arrange your business so that
as one market dwindles away another is just growing, you can have profit continuously
and inherent risks will be reduced. When the theory works in practice it is not by
chance. Information has to be acquired and decisions made so a progression of new
products can be phased in. At the same time, management will want to make as much
profit as possible from their investment in the old products before they are retired.
(b)
Range
Many simple products are supplied in different sizes, to suit the needs of different
customers; you will have seen big and small packs of foodstuffs in grocery stores and
there are plenty of examples of size ranges, as in shoes and clothes. The same
situation applies in factories gears and chain drives, belt drives and machine tools all
come in different sizes to suit specific purposes.
A product range (or line) has some similarities; if the products are not related in some
way, they are in different ranges. For instance, a supermarket may have in stock 5000
product ranges and some may include four or five different sizes. Packs of sugar may
be in two sizes and three varieties, but they will all be in the "sugar" line, as distinct
from the frozen chicken line. Similarly, for a product which does not have size
variations, the number of models in the range may be considered. Take pens, for
instance; they are roughly the same size and the differences are in the quality of the
nib, the filling mechanism and the casing. Packaging has some importance, too.
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This leads us to consider the product mix, which can be a serious matter for a
manufacturer.
(c)
Mix
Lancaster & Massingham, in Essentials of Marketing, show a neat description of the
concepts "mix", "depth" and "consistency" in connection with products adapted in this
figure:
Product line 1 = 9
Product line 2 = 13
Product line 3 = 8
The "depth" of the product range is shown by the longest horizontal line and the "width"
of the range is shown by the number of different lines.
When studying companies the "consistency" of their product range depends on the
closeness of the products in terms of end use, production facilities utilised and
distribution systems. Stronger consistency will give a company a greater strength in
the market, whilst a greater depth will extend the consumer types. Extending the width
of the product mix will give the company more scope for providing profit from different
sources, for protection against a decline in one range.
In the above example, Lancaster & Massingham go on to show that the company has
30 items in the portfolio, in 3 lines, and the average depth of the product mix is 10.
These "ratings" can be used by managements to assess company strengths. We can
take a closer look at the idea of a product mix.
(d)
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Ansoff matrix
The Ansoff matrix can be used to show the possible ways in which a company might
look at product strategy:
Figure 7.5: Ansoff Matrix
Existing
New
Existing
MARKET
PENETRATION
STRATEGY
PRODUCT
DEVELOPMENT
STRATEGY
New
Market
Product
MARKET
DEVELOPMENT
STRATEGY
DIVERSIFICATION
STRATEGY
The four basic strategies shown in the matrix have different risks attached and have
been estimated in principle as in the following table:
Risk Factor
Current product, penetrating deeper into the
current market
16
Although the Ansoff matrix must not be seen as a decision-making tool, it is useful as a
way of clarifying the next stage in the process of ensuring profit growth, which is the
investigation of the possibilities. The choice between the strategies shown in the
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matrix will involve a great deal of information collecting and analysis, so it is useful to
show the risk involved in each strategy right at the start of the process. Some
managements will rule out the riskier strategies and concentrate on less risky
procedures, so narrowing the amount of information to be collected and analysed.
You may see many variations on the simple matrix shown here; some go as far as
16 squares to refine the risk assessment. You may see matrices with "HIGH" and
"LOW" instead of "Current" and "New", or different factors instead of "Products" and
"Markets"; however, all have the same purpose to clarify the decision-making
process.
Obviously, when a manager uses the Ansoff matrix, each square will show factors
relevant to the specific situation, and "Market Penetration Strategy" would become
something like "improve the distribution", or "offer some extra product features", or
"increase the advertising", or "sponsor the London Marathon".
Boston Consultancy Group Growth/Share Matrix
The Boston Consultancy Group (BCG) is an international group of management
consultants which has built up a substantial reputation as leaders of their profession.
They have the advantage of dealing with a lot of companies, from which BCG can
develop their knowledge of "cause and effect" in marketing. The BCG Growth/Share
Matrix uses "Market Growth" on the vertical axis and "Relative Market Share" on the
horizontal axis. The axes are both divided into "high" and "low", as you can see in
Figure 7.6.
Figure 7.6: Boston Consultancy Group/Share Matrix
High 20
Stars
Question marks
Large
cash flow
Modest + or
cash flow
Market Growth
(b)
10
Cash cows
Dogs
Large +
cash flow
Modest + or
cash flow
Low 0
10x
1x
0.1x
Market Share
Market Growth refers to the growth of a product, a product range or a Strategic
Business Unit (SBU). Any division or department may be a SBU, if their costs and
profits can be identified separately from those of other parts of the company. Most
people regard an annual growth rate of 10% or more to be high and less than 10% to
be low. You can see already how arbitrary are the decisions on what to include in the
matrix.
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Market attractiveness
Strong
Industry attractiveness
Medium
Weak
High
Medium
Low
Business Strengths
Invest for growth these are the best positions to be in attractive markets
Harvest or withdraw the business is weak in unattractive markets
Invest selectively and with caution, but the markets are medially attractive
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Note: When placing products or SBUs on the portfolio matrix it is normal to use a
circle to indicate the overall size of the market. Bigger circles equal bigger markets,
and the shading of an area indicates the firm's current share of that market. Thus, in
the following illustration, A indicates a market about twice the size of B, with the
operation having 50% of A and a 25% share of B.
A
Some people use the title "Competitive Position" instead of "Industry Attractiveness"
and the matrix is based on Return on Investment, not just cash flow. You can see from
the shading on the matrix just what indications there are for managements trying to
plan future strategies. However, you can also see that there is a need for even more
information and a lot of judgement.
One of the problems in using matrix analysis is that the simplification of the information
tends to ignore factors that cannot be expressed in commercial terms. The matrix may
suggest the closure of a SBU, or the withdrawal of a product, yet there may be good
reasons within the company for keeping them going. One product supports another,
perhaps, by using the same machinery or raw materials. A company, in which I worked
for a time, bought raw rubber at a very good price, then used the raw material to make
mouldings, drive belts, conveyor belting and waterproof sheeting. If one of the SBUs
had been closed, due to failing in the matrix analysis, all the other SBUs would have
suffered from the higher buying price of the smaller quantity of raw material.
Can you find enough information to draw up the GE matrix for your company? Maybe
you could discuss the matter in general terms with colleagues or your manager. You
will remember the principles much better if you have tried to compile the matrix, even if
you are not successful. Don't think that matrix analysis is useless if you cannot make it
work in your situation remember that this is a technique for the big companies with
ample resources.
(d)
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Weak
Average
Disinvest
Phased
withdrawal
Double
or quit
Phased
withdrawal
Custodial
Try harder
Cash generation
Growth
Leader
Strong
(Source: Lancaster & Massingham, Essentials of Marketing)
Although the matrix usually does include strategy recommendations in the nine cells,
Shell say that each strategy should be evaluated against all foreseeable scenarios, and
if the results in all nine cells are acceptable there should be no disasters. But how do
we foresee scenarios of the future? Quite often a manager can predict events, such as
a general election, but they cannot foresee the effects of the event.
(e)
Emerging industry
Transition to maturity
Decline.
We can look at this at a very basic level you probably take for granted the use of a
fax machine or computer to transmit messages down a telephone line, but it is not so
long ago that this facility was developed. The change from "wired in" telephones to the
modern "plug-in" types has enabled a whole new industry to develop, probably within
your working lifetime.
The strategy for selling the old type of telephone was very simple, and was hardly
noticeable as a strategy. However, when the new uses for telephones were in their
early development stages, there was a need for a quite different strategy, because of
the new versatility of the equipment. In Britain there has also been the introduction of
competition from cable companies to replace the old monopoly situation. This has
made the telephone industry evolve their marketing strategies very quickly.
Another example of evolution is the compact disk used on computers: that has gone
from novelty about ten years ago to now being a basic part of computers sold to
householders. I leave it to you to work out the changes in strategies they have
happened in your working lifetime.
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Growth
Strategic position of organisation
210
Leader
Cost leadership
Keep ahead of
the field
Imitation at lower
cost
Joint ventures
Raise barriers
Deter
competitors
Differentiation
Focus
Decline
Redefine scope
Divest
peripherals
Encourage
departures
Differentiation
New
opportunities
Follower
(Source: Lancaster & Massingham, Essentials of Marketing)
Porter suggests that industries have particular characteristics which change as the
industry changes from emerging to maturing then to declining, and we should look at
these stages.
Emerging industries have to deal with uncertainty among buyers about product
performance, potential applications and future developments. They also have to
cope with uncertainty among sellers about the customer needs, demand levels
and technological developments that might make the product obsolete before the
sellers have recovered their costs of developing a market. This is a common
problem in the late 1990s as computer systems, which were installed at great
cost, are seen to be outdated within a couple of years. Many buyers are reluctant
to remove the systems, buy new ones and re-train their staff, for the small
improvements in performance that they could achieve. In some technologies,
customers have shown some resistance to the capabilities of some of the new
machines. Video recorders are a good example some researchers have seen
people asking for a simpler version, easier to operate.
Porter classifies companies simply as "leaders" or "followers" and you can see in
Figure 11 how the strategies change as their industries move from "emerging" to
"maturity" and then to "decline".
Have you noticed that Porter has moved towards the Product Life Cycle (PLC)
concept? You could almost superimpose the PLC on some of the matrices that we
have been looking at. Do that if you wish, but remember that all these ideas depend on
a lot of information, a lot of management thought, a lot of patience and some
conjecture. There are not many companies that have enough spare management
capacity to be able to use these analytical tools fully.
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However, that does not reduce the value of the concepts and some managers can
adapt the ideas to reduce the complexity and make the concepts workable in their
marketing activities.
Intangibility
Perishability
Inseparability
Variability.
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Therefore, value is not added with physical features but by creating value with a set of
processes, it is through the management of these processes that organisations will create
value and benefits for its customers.
The management of service processes requires the use of resources and marketing similar
to that of products.
However, the major resource in the delivery of a service is usually employees. Employees'
knowledge, competence and behaviour will all affect the processes and therefore, the value
and benefits to a customer. The service characteristic of variability means that the service
can vary each time it is experienced, therefore, consistency in employee knowledge,
competence and behaviour needs to be managed and therefore, employee training and
appraisal plays an important role in providing consistency of service delivery. However,
technology is playing an ever increasing role in delivering service processes (e.g. on-line
banking) but the issues of consistency, keeping content up to date etc still applies.
Although the service/processes themselves are intangible, service does have some tangible
features, such as physical surroundings, quality of supporting materials etc. and managers
can use these resources to add value to a service, e.g. business class lounge in an airport.
The inseparability characteristic of the service being the fact that as the customer uses the
service at the point of delivery and it is the organisation that delivers the service through its
processes, the customer and the service processes are linked and cannot be separated. In
fact, the customer is part of the process itself. So, the way an organisation adds value
through its processes is by engaging the customer in a relationship. The primary aim of
building a relationship with customers is customer retention. The more engaged a customer
is with the service provider the more likely he is to return or use more of the service.
C. PRODUCT BRANDING
Kotler tells us that the American Marketing Association gives the definition of branding as
being:
"...a name, term, sign, symbol or design, or a combination of them, intended to
identify the goods or services of one seller, or a group of sellers, and to
differentiate them from those of competitors".
Essentially, a brand is the flag which signifies, to the buyer, what they can expect from
purchase in terms of quality, service, functionality, etc. A brand is a recognition factor which,
particularly at the point of sale, can help a buyer to reach a purchase decision.
Consider the following brands and what they could mean to an individual:
You can see from the above (remember, they are only examples I am not stating them as
fact) that a brand can mean good and bad things to people.
Buyers are attracted by certain brands and not by others. There may be good reasons
behind the rejection of a brand by a buyer, e.g. poor experience in customer service, or in
product quality, or perhaps because of influences coming from a family member, etc. but
"brand rejection" does occur.
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Because of the danger of this phenomenon, marketers try hard to protect a brand image with
vast amounts of money being spent on advertising and publicity. At the end of the day,
marketers see the brand as being a major asset which works in their favour. The more
loyalty that can be created, the better it is. The better the branding, the more likely it is to
create loyalty.
Brand Strategy
To develop a brand takes time and involves long-term planning and investment. This means
that decisions on the type of branding to be used will not be taken at the operating level.
These decisions are strategic in nature and involve higher-level decision-makers. Brand
strategies that can be followed are:
Family/Range Branding
This is where a company has products being sold under a recognised name which is
different to the company name. Family branding can apply to all products which are
sold by the company, (e.g. Marks and Spencer use "St. Michael") or for some of the
products only (Woolworth uses "Kingfisher"). Family branding can also apply to
individual ranges. This type of individual family range branding is very common with
high street fashion retailers, e.g. C & A use "Canada" and "After Six", Littlewoods have
recently introduced "Berkertex" (a play on another well-known fashion brand), Evans
use "Essence" each of these names signifies the particular qualities of the range to
the buyer.
A company may decide to adopt one, or all, of these strategies depending on what it is they
want to achieve. We can quote many examples:
Corporate
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Individual
Ragu
Chicken Tonight
Nissan
Frontera
Frontera Sports
Volkswagen
Golf
Gti
Warner Lambert
Health Care
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214
Often the brand strategy decisions will be based on the type of products which are being
manufactured. If they are broadly similar the company may choose to be known for its
corporate name rather than for individual products. Where the product range is diverse and
aimed at different target sectors they may choose to adopt a policy of "family" or "individual"
branding. It is impossible to give a good, general guideline. The ethos of the company and
its long-term intentions will dictate how branding is carried out.
When brands need to be developed, either from scratch or changed in some way, decisionmakers cannot simply come up with a catchy name or new logo and hope that the buyers will
like it. The brand must be very carefully planned in terms of its particular characteristics.
Consideration needs to be given to several aspects including:
Threats to Branding
The presence of strong branding can, in itself, be a threat to an organisation. Managers can
become complacent and, at times, arrogant and dismissive of customer needs. Acting from
a power-base can be a powerful drug and warning signs may sometimes be ignored.
Resentment of the power of a supplier can cause problems which will build up and then
suddenly develop into a major issue.
One of the main outcomes of this, throughout the world, has been seen in the actions of
major retailers in the consumer sector. Many have developed their own brands which now
compete with each other and more established brands, on the basis of price or value for
money.
Buyers who try the own-brand goods will often find that there is little difference in quality and
taste but there can be a big difference in the price they pay. If the price they are paying does
not equate to the "value" they receive, they change brands. They shift loyalty from one brand
to another! Brand managers don't want this to happen so they do everything they can to
keep their customers happy.
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D. PRODUCT PACKAGING
You may think that packaging is only for protecting the goods on their way from factory to
user; but just stand in a supermarket, look down the rows of shelves and imagine what the
scene would be like if all the packages were in plain brown. And think what a struggle it
would be to find the product and pack size you want to buy. The same applies to most other
types of store; so it is clear that packaging does more than protect the product.
We can look at packaging from three aspects: practical, decorative and informative, to get
a better view of the importance of packaging to the marketing manager.
Practical Aspects
Some aspects are obvious, such as containing the right quantity of product and keeping it
safe during transit from factory to warehouse, then to the store shelves and finally to the
customer's home. It is equally important for the packaging to protect distribution staff,
customers and associated people from the product, if it is hazardous.
Some products sold in grocery stores could be very dangerous if spilled onto people or
property. Oven cleaner is an example; I bought an aerosol in a hardware store which could
be a real killer if the packaging failed to protect the user.
There is scope for ingenuity in the design of packaging, to make the pack more useful or
attractive to the user; examples include "easy-pour" spouts on cans of engine oil and "tuckin" flaps on cardboard cartons for various products. I always look for hand-holes to help me
to get a grip on heavy packages.
If the pack can be re-used (for a different purpose rather than re-filling) there may be a
benefit for some customers which will be another reason for buying the product. This applies
in industry, too; some large packing crates are used as offices, sheds, workshops and even
as homes in some places overseas.
You may like to ponder on the supply of foodstuffs before packaging by processors became
the normal activity. I can remember the grocer weighing out sugar, flour, dried peas and
beans, pouring them into paper bags and then folding over the tops neatly. I never knew who
had produced the groceries and hygiene was of minimal importance. Can you imagine
returning to life before plastic bags?
Decorative Aspects
The obvious "prettiness" of packages is not the important matter here. A package can carry
the logo or symbol of the brand, which adds to the message appearing in advertisements.
Repetition of a logo helps identify the product to customers with some satisfactory
experience of the same brand. It also "reinforces" the message in the advertisements and
helps persuade customers to buy the product.
Some products have quite distinctive packs; the colours and designs used become
synonymous with the product, such as Kodak film, Mars bars and After Eight Mints. Here,
the design of the pack and the colours used are identified with the product just as strongly as
the coloured shirts of a football team.
The packaging may not be on the shelf the logos of petrol suppliers are on their tankers
and on the forecourts of petrol stations, not on the product.
Informative Aspects
This really is important in view of the potentially dangerous products sold over the counter
these days. The information can be simply how to open the package not easy with some of
the "protection" devices which appear for our benefit!
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In other cases the information shows us how easy it is to use the product, as with the
lawnmower operated by a gorgeous young lady in a clinically-tidy garden. In fairness, the
same packaging tells you how to use the machine safely and even tells you how to carry it
easily. Some packaging includes information on the safety aspects of the product. Many
products can only be sold if labelled with specific information.
Maturity
Revenue
Growth
Decline
Introduction
Time
The five stages in the life cycle are as follows.
Development
This can be a protracted stage and will involve activities such as design, planning,
costing, test marketing, etc. Costs are high, with no earned revenue (and thus it does
not register as a stage on the diagram at Figure 7.10). Promotion for awareness may
commence in advance of introduction of the product to the marketplace.
Introduction
This is another heavily expensive stage with promotion being intensive even though it
may be selective initially. If the product is truly innovative there may be little or no
competition at this stage, but market education will be required so promotion costs may
be even higher. The distribution network will have to be established with dealer
incentives being offered to secure business.
Growth
If the product is taken up by the market, this stage will produce the greatest increase in
sales and profit. The competition will be catching up and promotion will be aimed at
creating favourable attitudes to the product as well as establishing buyer loyalty. The
growth stage gives opportunities to solve problems which may have been found in the
marketing effort (distribution, packaging, etc.) but pressure from the competition makes
this a tense stage and there are still relatively high costs to be incurred.
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Maturity/Saturation
The market has matured and competition will be at the maximum. Profit levels may
begin to show falling trends as market share is lost to the competition or the market
becomes saturated. At this stage promotion will be aimed at reminding the target
audience about the product and at overcoming the competition. There may still be
good revenue to be earned from the product and managers may extend the life cycle
by marketing effort new packaging, increased promotion, new market sectors,
regions, etc.
Decline
The market is falling and results in low profits. There is a possibility of high support
costs and considerable management time spent in considering the merits and demerits
of the product. The product may need to be withdrawn if new markets/uses cannot be
found or if adaptations to the mix are not effective in increasing sales.
At this stage organisations may be introducing new products to take the place of those
which are about to be deleted. The decisions on product deletions and introduction are
strategic decisions and will be dealt with at higher levels of management some
companies make a practice of deleting products regularly and others stick to making
adaptations to extend the PLC; yet others will have an "open" policy of considering
each product on its own merit.
Shape
The typical life cycle model shown in Figure 6.5 illustrates the four "stages" that a
product can go through: Introduction, Growth, Maturity and Decline. Occasionally, you
may see another category, Saturation, which comes immediately after Maturity.
The model in Figure 7.10 can immediately be criticised because it makes no allowance
for any activity, costs incurred or time taken before the product is introduced to the
market. It is, in effect, a "sales" life cycle as it shows the revenue gained and falling
over time, although this could be related to the life cycle of the product from launch
only.
Figure 7.11 gives a better illustration of the concept:
Figure 7.11: Product Life Cycle Model
Revenue
Maturity
Growth
Development
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Introduction
Time
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The model in Figure 7.11 is more realistic in that it shows activity and resource
utilisation at the development stage, before market launch. We could therefore argue
that the true shape of the product life cycle diagram is "S" shaped.
But then we come across the problem that not all products are alike. They are
launched under different circumstances, for different target sectors and for different
uses. They will also involve different levels of resources during the development stage.
This implies that the shape of the individual life cycle model will change.
Consider Figures 7.12 and 7.13:
Figure 7.12: Product Life Cycle Rubik's Cube
Revenue
2m
Time: 2 years
Time: 30 years
The model for the Rubik's Cube shows little development costs incurred, a very rapid
growth phase, a short maturity and a rapid decline. This reflects the nature of the
product it was a game that took the market by storm in the mid-1980s with everyone
trying to beat the puzzle, but it quickly fell out of fashion with the resulting loss of sales.
You can still buy the cubes but they do not take a large share of the games market
other favourites, or fads, have taken their place.
Figure 7.13 shows a different history, with massive development costs, a slow
introductory phase and then a steady growth with a long maturity phase.
This reflects the fact that the CD player was a highly technical product which needed
intensive development and production costs before launch onto the market.
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The product was bought in small quantities at first because people could not really see
the benefits of changing how they listened to music. Additionally, CD players were
seen as being a waste of money because the gramophone records that people had
collected could not be used on them. Gradually, as the benefits of the superior sound
reproduction were recognised, more and more people bought them with the growth
stage increasing steadily until maturity was reached. Some music is now only available
in CD form and, for those who like that music, a CD player is essential. The long
maturity stage, as shown in Figure 6.8, is typical of where an industry has adopted a
standard. Until something even better comes along, CD players are here to stay.
Note that the model for the CD player is not for any particular product it is for a
generic, or core, product a class of product. A life cycle diagram for an individual
product may look completely different. In actual fact different product life cycle
diagrams can be drawn for product class, product forms and products or brands. In
Figure 7.14 we have used the vacuum cleaner as an example.
Figure 7.14: Product Life Cycle Vacuum Cleaners
Hoover
Product class
all forms
Cylinder
Vax
Time
You can see that the life cycle of the product class is continuing. The product form
(cylinder) was popular for some time and then declined in popularity with another
growth stage at a later date.
The curve for the individual brand (Vax) shows that the product has been a relative
latecomer into the market and it is still in its growth stage. The scalloped curve for the
Hoover brand, however, shows an on-going history of rising and levelling of sales.
This variety in the possible shape makes it rather difficult to accept the idea of a
"standard product life cycle" and this is a major problem for managers. They would like
to be able to draw a simple product life cycle and then have everything go according to
their expectations. Unfortunately, life is not that simple.
(b)
Influencing Factors
Product life cycles are a reflection of sales over time. We all know that sales can be
affected in numerous ways and, no matter how good the forecasting or planning, there
can always be a reduction in sales. The product life cycle takes no account of
environmental influences such as competitive activity, legal pressures or customer
buying behaviour.
Accuracy
As it is not possible to be 100% accurate in forecasting sales in advance, the only
way that the product life cycle model can reflect a true picture is if it relates to
sales already achieved. It follows, then, that only historical product life cycles
can be accurate.
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Location of Products
Another problem that managers face is in knowing exactly where each product is
in its life cycle. The growth stage may be protracted or very short. The potential
size of the market may have been underestimated, which could result in a
manager thinking that the product had reached the maturity stage when, in fact,
there could still be opportunities for growth.
Over-reliance
Sometimes a reduction in sales revenue can be because of some influencing
factor, (e.g. recession). Just because the product appears to have reached
maturity does not mean that it will go naturally into decline. An over-belief in the
concept of the life cycle can mean that a manager will withdraw support from a
product when sales slow down. Doing this can actually create decline and the
product will fail. This is known as the "self-fulfilling prophecy syndrome" and has
caused many products to disappear from the market earlier than necessary.
(b)
Strategy formulation
The stages of the product life cycle give good general guidelines on the characteristics
which can be expected for aspects of the marketing activity and consequently aid
decisions on the type of marketing strategy that might be appropriate. These are set
out in the Table following (Figure 7.15). I stress the word "general" because there will
be exceptions. Environmental influences should always be taken into consideration
when formulating strategies.
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Introduction
Growth
Maturity
Decline
Sales
Low
Increasing
Slowing
Declining
Profits
Loss
Peaking
Declining
Low to zero
Cash flow
Negative
Moderate
High
Low
Customers
Innovative
Mass market
Mass market
Laggards
Strategic focus
Expanding
market
Market
penetration
Defensive
marketing
Productivity
Marketing
expenditure
High
High declining
Falling
Low
Product plan
Market to
innovators;
early adopters;
high product
failure rate;
basic
developing
Expand for
early & late
majority; less
product
distinctiveness;
improve models
Widen product
lines,
rationalise
brand; less
competition;
differentiate
Niche
marketing;
reinforce brand
loyalty;
rationalise
Competitor
reaction
No reaction
Maximum new
entrants high
Marginal
competitors exit
Competition
declines
Pricing plan
High skimming
Differentiated
for each
segment
Lowest
competitive
Price cutting
rises for niches
Distribution
plan
Unstable
pattern widen
channels, seize
shelf space
Increasing
pattern
competitor
activity
increasing
Control passing
to fewer firms
Segmented,
fragmented,
and localised
Promotional
plan
Push for
awareness
Create "pull"
Withdraw
Cease
If managers were to follow the guidelines given in Figure 7.15 too rigidly they may
come up against a number of problems. Take the example of Distribution at the growth
stage. To simply say that because a product is in its growth stage you should intensify
your distribution activities may not always be true. Product and customer requirements
may make that a nonsensical proposal.
For example, think in terms of producing a highly specialised and innovative design
tool. To have intensive distribution would be almost impossible, and customers would
need personal attention. On the other hand, intensifying distribution for a product
aimed at the consumer market might well be appropriate when the product is in its
growth stage. Therefore, it follows that the product life cycle is not, and can never be,
a formula for marketing management.
(c)
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Based on the normal distribution curve, the model shows the rate of diffusion at which
a product will normally spread into a market.
Figure 7.16: Diffusion of Innovation
Early
majority
Late
majority
Early
adopters
Innovators
Laggards
34%
34%
2.5% 13.5%
16%
Time
As you can see from Figure 7.16 the theory splits buyers into four categories:
Innovators
These are buyers who are always at the forefront of the market. They buy new
products as they like to experiment and be seen to be first. These people are the
"opinion leaders" of society. If this category can be convinced of the value of a
product, and they buy, there will almost certainly be a growth rate for the product.
It is also likely that if this category do not take up a product, then success will be
limited and the product will die at birth or very soon afterwards.
Early Adopters
These buyers are never the first to try new products, but they always follow
opinion leaders fairly closely. They are not confident or adventurous enough to
be leaders, but like to be "fashionable". They need to see that a product has
some value before they buy.
Early Majority
Once a product is established, the early majority will take it up and buy. By the
time the early majority are buying, the product has been on the market for some
time and has been proven to be successful or useful in some way.
Late Majority
The late majority buyers are those who wait until the product is almost at maturity
stage. They require much persuasion and it is often only when a product is
widely available that they will buy.
They are conservative buyers who need reassurance of performance.
Laggards
These buyers are behind the time. They buy products when they are going out of
fashion or may even have been outdated by new technology. They are the most
resistant buyers to convince as they are the most risk-aversive. Products in the
decline stage which have been reduced in price may be attractive to these
buyers, but a marketer would not necessarily devote very much attention to them.
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By superimposing the theory of the diffusion of innovation onto the product life cycle, it
is possible to understand the typical characteristics of buyers. This means that
positioning can be done in such a way that it will be more effective and changes in
positioning can be made as the product moves from introduction through to decline.
Product A is now well into the decline stage and revenue is falling.
Product B is moving into maturity. This product was launched and managed to reach
maturity as product A began to fail.
Product D has been launched and is being managed to reach maturity as product C
moves into decline.
The expected revenue is more or less at a steady rate which means that the cash flow will be
constant and resource utilisation will be planned.
Figure 7.17: Recurring Product Life Cycle
Revenue
required
A
D
C
C
B
D
This recurring product life cycle will be appropriate for those companies who are involved
in new product development, rather than in product adaptation. Where product adaptation
takes place, the result will be a scalloped, or extended, life curve, such as the one for the
Hoover brand in Figure 7.14.
Most managers would agree that the ideal product life curve would indicate little development
cost, rapid growth and very long maturity. However, the reality is that most products are not
fortunate enough to achieve that and product life cycles will vary in shape according to:
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So we could argue that there is no ideal product life curve. The nearest we can come to that
is if we create product life cycles and manage the product to fit our requirements, rather than
simply launching a product and accepting the way the market behaves.
Thus, then, we can say, in summary, that the product life cycle:
Expansion involves trying to increase demand for an existing product and thus
increase production levels. Hence it is a strategy which does require additional
investment, either in support of local manufacture or foreign market facilities.
As for examples, the original domestic market for Perrier spring water was extended by
repositioning and a change in advertising and pricing. The market for Japanese cars and
motorcycles was expanded by setting up satellite manufacturing facilities in overseas
countries.
Be warned that there are no generally accepted definitions of these two terms (a common
problem with marketing terminology). If you have to use any problematic terms in answer to
an examination question, it is entirely acceptable to begin with your own reasonable
definitions and then apply them consistently in your answer.
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The marketing management will also want to know the nature and size of the
opportunities available for extension of the market; where they are and what they are
like. How do they differ from present markets? Is the present distribution system
adequate or even appropriate? Is there any way in which we can spread our message
to potential new customers? Can we use the same type of advertisements? What will
it cost?
Can the marketing management expect to be able to move into a new extension of
their market without competitors fighting to keep their market share? Surely the best of
them will try to stop anyone from taking their market share? Their reactions might be a
threat to our extension plans.
It is commonplace in marketing texts to refer to a SWOT analysis; the initials stand for
Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats, which are all words used in the
preceding paragraphs. It is easy to suggest a company does a SWOT analysis, but it is not
always realised that there can be a great deal of work involved. A good Marketing
Information System (MkIS) will have some of the information already on file, of course, but
other material will have to be gathered and analysed.
A company may be lucky enough to be able to choose from a number of possible extensions
to their marketing activities; hence it will be necessary to decide which of them will bring the
best increase in profit. In addition, there are few fixed points in this sort of analysis; most
possibilities will have some element of doubt about them.
Fortunately, computer analysis programs are available to help marketing management
predict what might happen if they take specific actions. They are fine in their way but depend
on having a lot of information to feed into the program. This type of analysis is often called
"what if?" analysis. A more formal name for the activity is "modelling".
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Market extension
or expansion
Probable sales
curve if no action
is taken
Sales
Profit
Time
For a well-managed company there might be several such curves for different products.
They would be plotted from actual sales and profit figures, so they would show the total profit
and help management predict future profits. Product life cycle graphs can be predicted if the
company has experience in comparable products, which is a bit like having "hindsight" in
advance. A very useful bit of knowledge!
The disadvantages of NPD are those of money, time and risks the opposites of the
advantages.
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Process of NPD
The process needs to be thorough and systematic but flexible. All costs should be
considered but short-termism should be avoided, as often there may be high costs/low profits
initially but ultimate profits will be excellent and costs can reduce through experience.
The main emphasis on NPD is that there should be a process planning is crucial if NPD is
to be successful. Everyone involved should know the policies of the company where new
products are concerned and should understand the stages of the development process itself.
Poor communication and liaison will inhibit the development and successful launch of a new
product.
The main priority in NPD must be to monitor constantly so that activities can be controlled.
The new product development process for many years has been viewed as a linear,
sequential process involving several stages of analysis and review. The model most
frequently quoted for this is the Booz Allen Hamilton model, identifying logical sequences in
the process as follows:
Idea generation
Screening
Concept testing
Business analysis
Product development
Test marketing
Commercialisation.
Whilst the model does give a good basis for risk reduction in new product development, we
can see, by looking at each stage in turn, that it can be a time-consuming process and
therefore may not be perfect in today's highly competitive marketplace.
(a)
Idea Generation
Ideas are collected from perhaps the sales force, distributors and
customers/consumers. The company will be actively looking for opportunities, and new
products can be produced in response to a perceived, or recognised, demand. The
process of gathering the ideas may take weeks or even months. The ideas have to be
collated, considered for feasibility and eventually passed to the people who are
responsible for screening.
(b)
Screening
The company will have set certain criteria, e.g. we must be able to produce this product
without further investment in production plant or personnel; the product must "fit" with
the rest of our range; there must be a recognised level of demand; it must give a stated
level of profit; it must be different to what the competition is offering, etc. The people
who are responsible for screening the new ideas must try to "match" the ideas against
the stated criteria wherever possible. Assuming some of the ideas meet the criteria,
they are then passed on to the people responsible for the next stage in the process.
The screening stage is crucial, as it is here that non-viable ideas are shelved.
(c)
Concept Testing
This is not a "product test" but an "idea test". The concept is taken to potential buyers
as well as to the internal processing people to check on manufacture, packaging,
distribution, etc.
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At this stage people are being asked such questions as: "Do you think it is a good
idea?"; "Would you buy it at x price?"; "Can we make it?"; "Will it be easy to store and
distribute?". Once again, a time-consuming process, before the next stage is begun.
(d)
(e)
Business Analysis
This stage is crucial to the NPD process. It is here that the potential profits are
compared to the production and marketing costs to see if it is worth proceeding.
Competitive activity, market trends, environmental aspects, etc. will all be analysed in
order to give as accurate a picture as possible. It is at this stage that products are
often rejected because they do not demonstrate enough potential earnings in a given
period of time, whereas given the appropriate support they may actually be products
which could give huge profits over a longer period of time. Assuming that after the
business analysis the product idea is still a viable proposition the next stage then
comes into effect.
(f)
Product Development
To begin manufacturing a new product is a risky venture and there can still be some
doubt as to the viability of the product. Because of this, some manufacturers will
choose to produce a prototype, or small batches, in order to test effectiveness before
they give full commitment to production. The effort in producing small quantities adds
to the expense and time involved, not to mention the possibility of the competition
becoming aware of what the company is doing. It is during this stage that final
planning for the other elements of the marketing mix (brand names/pack sizes, etc.) will
be completed and this is often the time when something completely unexpected will
crop up meaning higher costs for the company.
(g)
Test Marketing
This is where the product is introduced to a representative sample of the potential
market and aspects of the marketing effort are tested. This is an opportunity to adapt
any of the mix elements which prove to need adjustment. It is important that the test
area chosen is representative of the entire target audience.
For industrial products, selected customers may be approached to "test" the product
and they will be surveyed for their responses in view of effectiveness, price and other
attributes. For consumer products, testing regions will be chosen. In the UK, and
indeed throughout the world, certain areas are known to be good testing sites. Usually
this is because the region has a representative cross-section of the community, with
good communications and distribution facilities available.
Although it increases costs, it is better to use more than one testing area so that
comparisons can be made. Different prices, advertisements, methods of distribution
and perhaps even packaging may be used in the different areas so that the company
can see which methods are most effective.
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The results of the test will then dictate whether or not the product moves on to the final
stage of the NPD process. However, before we move on to the final stage, it is worth
considering the possible problems in test marketing. The problems can come from:
(i)
Buyers people will often buy a new product just to try it. They may like it and
tell a researcher so, but they will then revert back to their normal purchases
because of brand loyalty or for some other reason.
(ii)
(iii)
Other factors which research has shown can cause problems in test marketing are:
The wrong sector is chosen for the test and it is not truly representative of the
whole market
The size of the market sector being tested is not big enough
The timing is wrong, e.g. testing products in July, when they are likely to be
purchased for Christmas gifts or entertainments
The length of the test is too short, or too long, which can give distorted results
Not enough resources are put into the advertising and promotional aspects
The results of the test are ignored because of an over belief in the product by one
influential executive in the company.
Irrespective of the problems which may be encountered, there is no doubt that this
stage in the NPD process takes time and effort (both time and effort to any company
mean one thing money!) before the new product finally reaches the last stage in the
process.
(h)
Commercialisation
This is the full-scale manufacture and launch of the product onto the marketplace. If all
of the stages have been carried out correctly, the product should have a good chance
of success, and yet research indicates that anything up to 80% of new products fail to
progress from the introductory stages of their life cycle.
If we accept that the sequential NPD process as outlined in the Booz Allen Hamilton model is
valuable in that the process can weed out obvious failures and, at the very least, reduce the
risk factors, we must also realise that in the aspect of "time to market" it can be severely
restrictive.
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A sequential approach implies that one stage must be completed satisfactorily before the
product is "pushed over the wall" and another stage begins. Add to this the fact that often
different teams of people are responsible for the various stages and it is not difficult to see
why producers have had to come up with new ideas on how to cope with NPD.
Consider that, instead of each stage being done in sequence by the relevant people,
the company changes its approach completely and parallel processes are introduced
where various stages are carried out simultaneously. You may well think that this is a
high risk process and that some aspects may be overlooked, which could still result in
failure for the product. But it is a fact that manufacturers are moving increasingly to this
innovative style of NPD.
Venture teams, or new product teams, are drawn together for the sole purpose of
introducing new products to the market. These teams may be ad hoc in that they are
brought together for one project only, or they may be more or less permanently
established in that they are constantly looking at new product ideas. It is necessary
that the team represents ALL sections of the organisation: marketing, finance,
purchasing, production, possibly personnel and maybe even any trade unions. In other
words, any parties involved in the production and launch of a product should be
involved.
The team meets and "brainstorms" ideas. Just as with the Booz Hamilton sequential
approach, these ideas can be as collected from customers, or the sales force, or may
simply be ideas that have been generated by the personnel in the company.
Because the team is comprised of people from different functional areas, there will be
immediate responses as to the likelihood of turning an idea into a distinct possibility for
development. So, using cross-functional teams, a lot of ideas can be subjected to
simultaneous initial screening which will get rid of some totally unsuitable ideas almost
immediately and identify those ideas that are at least possible.
The various team members then go off to their own areas and "work" the ideas.
Production thinks about whether, and how, the product could be made; marketing
research demand and draw up outline plans for the mix elements; personnel look at
whether new people or skills training will be required; and purchasing investigate
sources, prices and quality of the required materials. Other involved personnel
consider the aspects relevant to them. In some circumstances even potential buyers,
or users, of the product could be involved with these teams.
The team must meet regularly to report on progress and discuss any changes that may
be necessary as a result of the activities undertaken. As a lot of the work will be
"research based" many inconsistencies will be ironed out as the development process
continues. This means that decision making is much easier and decisions made
should be far more reliable, with the result that risk factors can be reduced to a great
extent.
If a team such as the one we have described is formed, the members should be
working together from the idea generation stage to the ultimate commercialisation
stage, so that they carry the product through all of the problem stages. In effect, the
product becomes "their baby" and they are interested in ensuring success.
Obviously, this approach to NPD will only work if the culture of the organisation is
conducive, and supportive, to this type of cooperation. The whole ethos of the
company needs to be innovative and encouraging towards innovation on the part of its
employees. There are numerous examples of companies which have successfully
adopted innovative cultures, but perhaps the most quoted is 3M. This company
actually allows its workers time to come up with new ideas. If an idea is accepted, the
person whose idea it was not only becomes part of the project team and helps get the
product to market, but also gains a percentage of the profits made by the product.
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All of this has resulted in a workforce which is constantly generating new ideas and is
dedicated to getting those ideas produced with obvious benefits to the company and
its customers. A real "win-win" situation for all concerned.
Recent years have seen companies moving away from producing entirely new
products and concentrating instead on product adaptation or extension. When you
consider that it can cost far more to introduce a new product than it does to adapt one,
it is not difficult to see the sense in this. Sometimes even a slight change in some
aspect of the mix elements can extend the life of a product and this need not incur high
costs for the company.
Coupled with this trend, we are seeing more and more companies who, when they
produce either entirely new or adapted products are dispensing with the test marketing
stage.
Decisions on whether to test the market or not will often depend on the confidence of
the decision-maker. If the early research into the new offering is viewed as being fully
reliable, they may decide to take a calculated risk and get to market early in order to
defeat the competition. One outcome of this, of course, is that the product may not be
as perfect as it could have been (not to mention the marketing effort). However, it is
always possible to refine an offering after it has been launched, whereas it is often too
late if the competition get to the market first.
Confident decision-makers.
Failures in product launches are quite often related to the timing of the launch, but they may
also occur because of inadequate market research, and failure to anticipate changes in
technology, customer preferences or competitive activity. They can also arise quite simply
because of excessive faith in a product by the company or one of its more vocal or influential
managers.
Recent research has shown that failures in NPD can be caused by:
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Strategic product plans can include the type of branding to be used, the levels of
quality to be given, whether or not (and how often) new products will be introduced, etc.
Operational product plans will be much the same as with any other operational plan
they will identify timing, costs, responsibilities and measurement techniques. They
are more detailed than the strategic level plans.
A well-structured product plan helps to identify opportunities and to ensure that there is a
good mix of products in the overall range, as well as giving the capability of assessing the
performance of range items in order to see which need support, deletion or adaptation.
Lack of formal planning for the product is likely to result in failure in the marketplace, with the
obvious outcomes for the company.
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Chapter 8
Pricing Policies and Price Setting
Contents
Page
A.
236
236
236
B.
238
238
239
241
244
246
C.
248
D.
Price Elasticity
The Price Elasticity of Demand Formula
Factors Influencing the Elasticity of Demand
250
250
252
E.
Marginal Costing
The Principle of Marginal Cost
Practical Implications
The Concept of Contribution
253
253
253
254
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This is an old-fashioned method of setting prices which is still used quite extensively,
and the effect on the production manager is that they will often be asked to reduce the
costs, because "the customers will not pay the price".
As you can imagine, that causes problems for the production manager, who would
certainly be able to reduce the costs if they could get authority for making bigger
batches of the product, because unit costs fall as production levels rise. But would the
lower costs, and lower prices, ensure that there would be higher sales levels? Maybe
they would, but maybe not.
It is easy to see how production managers can feel that they are being asked to do the
impossible to cover up for the inefficiencies of salespeople.
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Whatever the terminology, the outcome is that the trade price is what the company can
expect to receive, and all their financial considerations must be made on that price
level.
The distributor may see the price in two ways:
(i)
the price that is charged by the shopkeepers, which will have some effect on the
demand from customers
(ii)
From the point of view of the customer and the marketplace, the manager must take
note of the current level of prices being paid for similar products on sale in the market.
They should then work back through the chain of distribution to manufacture, analysing
the costs incurred at each stage and building up a total cost for that particular item.
When all costs have been considered the actual revenue received for that product can
be checked to see if it is viable or otherwise. If profit levels are not adequate then
managers need to consider other issues, such as whether the product could be
regarded a loss leader which would, in time, lead to sales of other related products; or
perhaps it is necessary that the company has a place in that particular marketplace for
competitive reasons.
Working from cost of manufacture, by building up all costs incurred from production,
marketing and distribution until the product actually reaches the customer. If the final
price is too high, and unrealistic as far as the customer and current market levels are
concerned, the manager then needs to investigate how (if possible) they can reduce
costs incurred in order to lower prices. The converse also applies. In the case of highvalue items it could well be that the price reached would be too low and would not
reflect the correct image. Image is important and customer perceptions are affected by
price, so that price needs to be right.
Pricing Plan
In the last chapter I said that the product plan was a mini-version of the marketing plan. In
some respects, the same could be said of the pricing plan. It has objectives and strategies
and will obviously need schedules and controlling to see if it is being effective. But the
pricing plan has a different role to that of the product plan. The pricing plan has to make sure
that the customer is happy, but it must ensure that revenue is kept flowing and that costs are
met. It is not an easy plan to produce.
Managers involved in pricing are called upon to make decisions which will maintain the
delicate balance between the organisational aspects of earning money and the marketing
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aspects of satisfying the customer. They need to know the best strategy to use at any given
time and in any given circumstances.
There are so many influencing factors that pricing can become a minefield if it is allowed to.
It is only by following laid down pricing policies and strategies, and adding value judgment,
which is a result of knowing the market and the customer, that a manager can be sure of any
degree of success. In other words, pricing needs to be structured, creative and based upon
knowledge.
Despite the different structure of the pricing plan, it must still fit with the other plans. It is no
good deciding to adopt a policy of high pricing if the product quality does not match. It is no
good deciding on low prices when the product is unique. It is no good deciding to maintain
prices when a market has reduced in size the price will need to be reduced or raised
according to the competitive players who are left operating. Last but not least, it is no good
regarding pricing as a minor issue it is important.
Pricing Policies
As with most activities, in any organisation there will be stated policies underpinning the dayto-day activities which are taking place. Policies are set and agreed at the higher levels of
management and then passed down to the relevant personnel for adoption and action.
Pricing policies may be complex or straightforward depending on various factors such as
management style, cost structure, etc. The policies are there to give guidance on the
manner in which prices should be set.
Because marketing managers may have to make decisions on prices both for the home
market and countries overseas, it follows that pricing policies need to be all-encompassing.
They should be clearly stated and easy to understand.
Pricing policies can be established in three ways. They can be:
cost-oriented
demand-oriented
competitor-oriented.
(a)
Cost-oriented Policies
Here the company knows the costs involved in manufacturing the product and then
adds on a percentage of the cost as a markup in order to set the price (a "cost-plus"
policy).
There are two ways of carrying out this policy:
(i)
A standard across the board markup on all products is produced. The markup is
designed to cover potential profit.
Example:
A company has a standard markup of 25 per cent.
Product X costs 5.00 to manufacture.
Production batches are 500 units.
The selling price would be 5 plus 25 per cent 6.25.
To simply cover costs the company would have to sell 400 units. If they were
guaranteed to sell that number, and were able to sell the other 100 units, they
could have an extra 625 revenue or profit. But, unless the product is made to
order, there is always a risk that some will remain unsold.
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(ii)
Selling Price ()
200
20.63
300
13.75
400
10.31
500
8.25
There is a big difference between the lowest price using the method in (ii) and that
found by using the straightforward markup in example (i). The difference is that an
allowance has been included to cover required profit. This is a refinement on the basic
cost-plus pricing policy. In a situation such as this the marketer has then to decide
which price to use, balancing influencing factors against each other to see which
scenario is likely to be the most productive.
These modest examples serve to demonstrate just how difficult it can be to set a good
price which will be acceptable to the market and yet still bring in the required revenue.
Forecasting of sales needs to be as accurate as possible, but the marketer needs to be
able to sense what the market will bear.
You may consider that cost-plus pricing is a rather dangerous method but many
companies use it quite successfully. In my experience those that do use it do not
operate simply on a standard markup; instead they have varying levels of markup to
suit the particular products or markets. There may be a stated policy such as:
"minimum of 25 per cent, maximum of 400 per cent before (or including) profit"
and then the marketing managers are given freedom to set the prices within those
parameters. Calculation lists, such as the one used in Example (ii) but much more
comprehensive, of course are drawn up so that planners can see at a glance how
much profit they are likely to make at any given selling price. This type of list is very
useful in the process of new product development and can save a lot of time in
repeating calculations.
You usually find the policy of cost-plus pricing in those markets where there is more
than one seller of a product and they are broadly similar in nature; products are
differentiated by means of added benefits.
(b)
Demand-oriented Policies
High demand means high prices low demand means low prices. This is a common
perception of demand orientation. However, there is the aspect of keeping prices high
to meet a special demand, such as in the case of luxury goods (Rolls Royce cars, etc.).
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In other words, demand can be created by using a pricing structure that meets the
needs of a specific market demand. In the case of Rolls Royce it would meet the
exclusive or elitist aspects of the buying market.
There is also the reverse aspect of keeping prices low to create a high demand.
Keeping prices low relies on very high turnover, e.g. FMCG (fast moving consumer
goods) products. To price low to create demand requires that a company is strong in
the marketplace.
(c)
Competitor-oriented Policies
This type of pricing is usually found where a group of organisations is selling the same
product (petrol, finance, etc.).
The overall market knows the costs of certain items and buyers are only happy to pay
what is accepted as the "market price". If one of the companies or organisations were
to reduce their price drastically it would simply mean a huge loss of revenue
conversely, if they were to increase their prices it would mean that buyers would buy
from the competition.
In these circumstances the safest policy is to keep pricing at a level that is the same, or
near to, that being charged by the competition.
This policy applies equally to large and small operators. Consider the case of three
market traders selling fruit and vegetables within close proximity. If one of them
charged higher prices they would simply lose out to the other two. Although they may
charge a little more on one or two items, the prices of all three will be broadly similar.
The policies of cost-plus and demand can also be applied to this scenario. If one
trader simply wants to cover costs it is easy to do so and of course he can include a
percentage for profit before he works out his price. If he manages to get some exotic
fruit which the other two have missed, he can price that in accordance with demand.
CUSTOMERS
EXISTING
COMPETITORS
COMPANY
MARKET STANCE
PRICE
NEW
COMPETITORS
MANAGEMENT
CULTURE
SUPPLIERS
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Corporate Objectives
As we have already seen, different companies will have different objectives.
Where financial gains are more important pricing may be aggressively high;
where power or prestige is considered to be important, prices may be kept low.
Management ethics and culture will undoubtedly have an impact on pricing. For
example, in times of shortages of supply which result in an increase in demand
one company may raise their prices to capitalise on the short-term situation, but
another may hold their prices to be fair to the customers. In times of shortage the
company which maintains a loyalty to their customers will inevitably reap the
greater reward in the long term.
Quality
There can be no doubt that there is a direct correlation between price and quality.
The better an item is, the more the customer will pay. Companies can set prices
in accordance with the quality of the product, whether it is high, medium or low.
The model in Figure 8.2 illustrates this situation (source: Wilson, Gilligan and
Pearson).
Figure 8.2: Price/quality matrix
Price
Low
Medium
High
CHEAP-VALUE
STRATEGY
OUT-OF-STEP
STRATEGY
EXPLOITIVE
STRATEGY
ABOVEAVERAGEVALUE
STRATEGY
MIDDLE-OFTHE-ROAD
STRATEGY
OVERCHARGING
STRATEGY
SUPERB-VALUE
STRATEGY
HIGH-VALUE
STRATEGY
PREMIUM
STRATEGY
Low
Product Quality
(a)
Medium
High
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However, this is a very generalised approach. In view of the fact that it is difficult
to know exactly where a product is in its life, it is unlikely that a marketing
manager will set pricing strategies entirely on the PLC.
Product Line
The price of one product may affect another because of interrelated demand or
costs, e.g. the same resources are used in production. In cases such as these
pricing decisions will be based on management values and judgment after full
consideration of all influencing factors.
Segmentation/Positioning
It is an accepted fact that when a company holds a good position in the market it
can set higher prices as it will be operating from a position of strength, providing
its segmentation and positioning are set correctly. If segmentation and
positioning are wrong, the competition will soon attack on the weaker fronts.
Brand position and strength also feature here. When a brand is strong people
willingly pay higher prices to obtain the product. Although this will not attract
every single potential buyer, those that do become loyal are reducing the
elements of "perceived risk". Once they have fully accepted the brand, product
or company, buyers will feel secure in their purchasing and tend to stick with it.
They will carry on paying the higher prices until such time as they can be enticed
away by yet another brand, product or company. Pricing based on brand may be
extremely high depending on the strength of the particular brand.
(b)
Customer Factors
Demand
As demand changes prices may fluctuate. This can cause gluts in the market
and prices will reduce because of oversupply, (e.g. oil, housing) or peak buying
times, e.g. holidays. Marketing managers who are prone to suffer peaks and
troughs in demand will be pricing in such a way that any revenue gained will
offset the lean times.
Customer Benefit
Customers will accept a "basic" price for any commodity but many will be
prepared to pay more for added benefits. Companies therefore try to provide the
benefits at minimal cost in order to keep profits high. They can also use the
"reduced benefits" approach to attract buyers, e.g. the growth of own-label
brands that promote on the basis of no fancy promotional costs in their prices.
Perceived Value
A customer will pay more for what they consider good value but only if the price
reflects the value ascribed. Ascribed value can be on any aspect that is
considered important to the buyer quality, delivery, image, etc. Sometimes
manufacturers do not initially recognise an obvious asset, and do not raise their
prices accordingly. This is a failure to recognise competitive advantage which
can result in needless loss of market share.
(c)
Market Factors
Competition
Managers know that the prices charged will be noted by competition, as well as
by buyers, and this will affect how the prices are set. Companies may adopt a
pricing policy which signals "we are not aggressive" to reduce competitive activity
or the opposite, "we are strong, keep off, you cannot touch us" to frighten off
attackers and inhibit new entrants into the arena.
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Environment
Government intervention for any reason can have an impact on how a company
sets its prices, e.g. fair trading, monopolies. Intervention can be for a number of
reasons: to protect the consumer, to protect manufacturers, to encourage or
deter importers, or simply to gain political points.
Geographic
Distance can add extra costs for delivery which can make pricing difficult. For
many products customers expect to pay the same price no matter where they
are. This is dealt with by a system of either uniform pricing or zone pricing.
Under uniform pricing items are sold at the same price irrespective of the location
where they are sold or delivered (e.g. the price of newspapers does not depend
on where they are printed). Under zone pricing transport and delivery are part of
the price, but the price varies in accordance with the distance travelled. For
example, some retail furniture outlets add an amount to the price based on the
number of miles that delivery has to be made within ten miles free, 20 miles
plus 10, 30 miles plus 25, etc. The added cost may not be the entire cost of
the delivery but the customer is expected to contribute.
The nature of the product, its value to the customer and the level of service which
the company wishes to give will all be determinants of the price where distance is
concerned.
Pricing Strategies
The underlying intention of any pricing policy is to set standards, which can be used to price
in such a way as to maximise profits in the long and short term. There are several strategies
and actions that can be used in conjunction with the policies just described.
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The danger in this strategy for marketers is that they may suffer from the reduced
revenue because of low prices. They may also find that they are unable to increase
the price from its low level.
You will often see this strategy called "market share pricing", "market penetration" or
"swamping the market".
Differential Pricing
Companies may operate a differential pricing structure charging different prices in
different market sectors. This strategy is usually adopted by companies following a
demand-oriented policy. In order for differential pricing to work efficiently, the different
target markets/sectors must be clearly distinguishable.
They must show different demand patterns and be separate enough to avoid
overlapping consumer knowledge of the different price structures being used.
Therefore it follows that this type of pricing is more likely to be found in international
markets than in home markets.
Differential pricing can be difficult for the following reasons:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
improved communications means that people are more aware of what is going on
in other parts of the world
(iv)
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Competitive Pricing
Pricing can be used to build a competitive advantage. There are a number of tactics
that can be deployed and a selection of these is given next. These tactics are meant to
be short term and can be implemented without damaging the overall pricing strategy.
(i)
Volume discounts
These are designed to encourage repeat purchasing and contribute to brand and
customer loyalty. They are frequently used in business-to-business markets to
reward customers who purchase larger quantities or who buy fixed volumes over
a given period of time.
(ii)
Menu pricing
This allows the cost to be broken down into different elements. Customers are
then able to choose their requirements from the menu. This system offers
customers a degree of choice when they are faced with bills for large purchases.
For example, car servicing costs can be broken down into different parts so the
customer can select from the menu.
(iii)
Promotional pricing
This is a popular form of pricing used throughout the marketing process. There
are five main categories:
cashback offers
Other approaches include premium pricing and all-inclusive prices as offered by hotels,
garage service companies and finance/lease schemes.
Changing Prices
There are some situations in which a price must stay level for a time, such as catalogue
stores where the catalogues are printed in quantity and have to last six months at least. It is
possible to amend the catalogues in the store, but the claim is that you choose the products
in your home, so price changes would be undesirable.
Equally, there are market situations where the price is a daily negotiation between suppliers
and shopkeepers, such as the vegetable markets in towns. In principle, stable prices which
do not change frequently are desirable, so that customers can know what to expect when
they go shopping. That is easy to achieve if you run the biggest store in town and can exert
great influence on the rest of the traders.
The difficulty comes when the prices of raw materials rise or staff get a pay rise, which would
reduce the profit if the prices were kept level. A clever management may be able to reduce
production costs so as to absorb the increases, but there are many managements which do
not have that opportunity. If you buy different raw materials from which you make a machine,
you have more chance of balancing one cost rise against another, and maybe some
reductions, to keep your own prices level. But if you get vegetables from a wholesaler and
then sell them from your shop, there is little scope for keeping prices down, especially as
your overheads go up without any choice.
Just recently I have had to compile an advertisement for a directory which will show my price
for a year, starting about eight months from now. That advertisement commits me to a price
for nearly two years. It's a good job I have only one product range with few prices!
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If everyone else is raising their prices, you could gain some temporary differential advantage
by keeping yours down or you could give the impression that you do not need to raise your
prices because you have enough money. Customers, or at least some of them, will say that
is due to overcharging in the past.
(a)
Price reductions
Speaking in general terms, marketers do not like to reduce prices because they fear
the danger of a price war with the competition. Consequently, when a price is reduced
there will always be a very good reason for it, if not more than one. It may be a
situation which forces the change in price, or a deliberate action on the part of
management in an attempt to revitalise activity in the market.
Prices can reduce because of one or more of the following reasons:
competitive activity
leadership strategy
excess production
recession.
In fact, not all price reductions are destructive and create price wars: sometimes they
simply increase volumes of purchasing so that profits are increased. However, when
price wars do occur they are usually between companies which have similar pricing
structures and policies. A downward spiral will often mean that one company has to
withdraw from the fight leaving the winner the overall market. The winner is then able
to put up the prices again.
This shows that although the customer will gain from price reductions in the short term,
they can lose in the long term because of lost opportunities for choice and stable
prices.
The only way to avoid price wars is to operate in such a way that competitive activity
does not become over-destructive. This may require a level of cooperation with a
competitor in order to keep the market stable or to secure the company's future
position. Remember that price fixing by agreement between competing companies is
illegal in Britain. It may not be in other countries and you need to find out before going
into international marketing.
(b)
Discounts
When a discount is given, it means that an allowance has been given from the price for
one reason or another. Different companies may have different names for the types of
discounts they give, but they are all similar in nature. Marketing managers use them as
and when appropriate in their pricing strategies. Some of the more common types are:
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Sometimes a price cut, or a discount from a standard price list, may be offered so as to
encourage sales and move some stock out so that the factory can keep up production.
(When you keep on making products, you need somewhere to put them.)
(c)
Price increases
Price rises are far more popular with marketers than price reductions but, even then,
marketers recognise the danger in raising prices. It is a fact of life that customers
expect prices to rise over time but not too rapidly. If a company puts up prices for no
apparent reason they will soon fall out of favour in the marketplace, so price increases
are only brought into operation if there is good reason. Reasons may include:
inflation
increased taxes
excess demand
For managers to raise prices successfully there are some basic rules that should be
followed:
Always remember that no price is absolute. Your strict terms and reasonable price may
not be as good as your competitor's high price and reasonable terms. Sympathetic
payment terms can help close the sale.
raw materials
labour
It is with this last item that the difficulty arises, because the amount of raw material can
probably be reckoned up quite closely, and there should be some record of the time that
each craftsperson spent on the item. (Do not worry if you are out of touch with tiaras the
same principles apply to paper clips, but the numbers are different.)
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Overheads consist of all the costs of keeping the factory open and fit for the production
process. That includes a lot of items that cannot be allocated to specific products, and most
of the overheads will still be incurred if the factory is not actually producing anything for a
time. Even if it is closed altogether, there will still be rent to pay and whatever local taxes are
involved, as well as the wages of the security guards, and some heating and lighting bills.
It is common to ask at what level of sales the company will break even or get out of debt.
That brings in the matter of revenue and with it the question of what price to charge for the
product. Economists take the simple view that if price goes up, demand will go down, and if
price goes down, demand will go up. If we stick with this oversimplification for a time, we can
look at the effect of different prices on the breakeven point. The best way to do this is to
draw a hypothetical model of a one-product company's situation, using the terms "fixed
costs" for overheads and "variable costs" for the wages and raw materials that are involved in
making one product.
Fixed costs are considered to be constant for the year, for convenience of reckoning, so they
can be shown as a straight horizontal line at the appropriate level on the "money" scale (see
Figure 8.3).
Figure 8.3: Breakeven chart
Revenue/
Cost
000
40
Sales
30
Breakeven Point
Total Cost
(Fixed + Variable)
20
16
10
Fixed Expenses
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
Volume of Output
Revenue starts at the zero point, because we will plot the numbers of products sold in each
month, against the revenue (not profit) from the sales. For every product sold there is a
variable cost and that can be plotted as a line rising to the right from the left-hand end of the
fixed costs line. So if we take a horizontal line at any volume of sales, we can see the total of
the variable and the fixed costs. We can also see the revenue to be earned from this volume
of sales, so we can see whether or not the company is in profit at that volume.
There are figures shown on this breakeven chart so that you can see the breakeven volume.
However, I simplified this example to show the principle, and in real life it would be quite
common to see the revenue line curving downwards after a certain level of sales people
will only buy what they need or want of anything, whatever the shape of your breakeven
chart.
At the same time, the variable cost line could have kinks in it when you reach specific
quantities, because of quantity discounts for material and production line economies.
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For an existing product, already being sold, the breakeven chart will be built up as sales and
cost information is built up during the year, and the chart will be a factual record of the
situation. However, price setting can be helped if the marketing manager can see at what
level of sales the breakeven point is reached for various prices, so it is common to try to use
the breakeven chart to see what price to charge.
If the marketing manager knows from experience or from a test marketing activity the effect
on sales of various price levels, it is useful to plot several revenue/sales lines to see what the
effect may be of setting high and low prices.
D. PRICE ELASTICITY
Elasticities are relationships and it is possible to consider several different types of elasticity.
As we are dealing with price setting, we will stick to the price elasticity (p.e.) of demand.
In order to understand price elasticity we have to consider volume sales, so let us consider
compact discs, sold in their thousands to many different types of people. At the simplest
level, if the demand for a specific CD goes down when the price goes up, then the CD is said
to have an elastic demand relative to price. This often happens when the goods are not
essentials.
The opposite would happen if the price went down the demand would rise, but only for a
time. When all the people who wanted a specific CD at that price had got one, the demand
would fall off again. If the CD was then offered at a lower price there would be some more
demand generated, by people who had a lower idea of the value of that CD.
On the other hand, if the price of bread went up, people would still buy bread, for quite a long
time. It would take most people a long time to find a suitable substitute for bread, so people
would pay the higher price and the demand would not fall dramatically. Demand for bread
would be considered to be inelastic relative to price.
Some goods are just so essential that some people will buy them at any price life-saving
medicines, for instance, although in that case the buyer may not be the consumer.
You will see that the numerator and denominator of the equation are both in the same units
percentages so the price elasticity of demand is a number, although it is common to write it
in the equation as "e".
If e < 1: then the demand is relatively price-inelastic and it would need a big change in
price to make any change in demand.
If e > 1: then the product is price-elastic relative to demand, and demand will move in
the opposite way to price.
Just occasionally there is a product which will be bought at whatever price is charged the
p.e. is infinite, but this is not the normal state of affairs, so you do not need to do anything
about that.
Practical examples will make this clearer: suppose that you are one of the thousands of
people who will buy a toothbrush next Saturday. Some of the thousands of buyers will have
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some idea of price, from experience or looking around. If there were 10,000 buyers and the
price went up from 1.00 to 1.20 (an increase of 20 per cent), it is likely that there would still
be a lot of buyers, let's say 9,500, a reduction of 5 per cent.
Then the p.e. of demand for that brand of toothbrush would be:
5
<1
20
and the demand would be relatively price-inelastic.
Suppose we take the example of a music CD not really an essential item. If the demand
for a specific CD was 10,000 at the expected price of 10.00, and then it was found that
demand dropped to 5,000 (a 50 per cent fall) when the price went up to 10.40 (a 4 per cent
rise), the p.e. of the CD would be:
50
>1
4
and the demand would be very price-elastic.
You may see this more clearly with a diagram: Figure 8.4 is a graphical indication of the
effect of price on demand.
Figure 8.4: The effect of price on demand
Price
Price/Demand
Relationship
Quantity
This is a common sight in textbooks on economics, although you will seldom see it drawn in
such a simple form. It is necessary to understand this clearly, so I will go into some detail: If
you know this subject well, just skip this bit.
If this was a graph drawn from real information, it would show the quantity of product bought
(i.e. demanded) at each price level. As the price gets higher, the demand gets lower,
indicating a demand that is price-elastic.
The slope of the curve indicates the degree of elasticity: if the slope is shallow, so that a
small change in price makes a big difference in demand, the demand is very elastic in
relation to price. If the slope is steep, and the demand changes little with higher prices,
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indicating that most people will still buy the product even if the price goes up, that shows a
demand that is not so elastic in relation to price.
Note however that the graph shows price and demand, whereas the elasticity of demand
relative to price depends on the percentage change in each of these factors. As far as we
are concerned, there is no difference in the result.
There is a lot more to the matter of price elasticity of demand, and quite often it is in the
mass market rather than the individual consideration where the importance is noticed.
Management will be looking at the total revenue from a product, and the speed at which that
revenue arrives. Knowledge, from experience of the probable price elasticity of demand for a
product, would enable the marketing manager to set a price that suited the company policy.
For example, a clearance price would only work if the manager knew that there could be
more demand at a lower price, in other words if the demand for the product was price-elastic.
Remember though, that this is assuming that price is the only factor that changed. In real
life, just moving the goods to another location might make them sell better.
(b)
(c)
(d)
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E. MARGINAL COSTING
We met fixed costs and variable costs earlier in this chapter and now we need to look just at
the variable costs of making products. Again, we shall just consider simplified examples
because you only need to understand the general principles here we shall leave the
intricacies of costing methodology to your accounting studies.
Practical Implications
In the real world, the marketing manager may well be faced with a factory that is running
profitably at 80 per cent of full capacity and is covering all the fixed costs. If they can get the
factory running at 90 per cent capacity or more, there will be even more profit and that is
good for everyone. If the marketing manager can get an order for a quantity of products that
will use up the spare capacity they do not need to cover the cost of the overheads in the
price of each product, because the other work is already covering them adequately.
So, if the regular production orders are covering the overheads, the marketing manager can
offer the spare capacity at "marginal" costs. That means they charge for the material and
labour, and add whatever profit they think is reasonable, but leave the overheads off.
You may have seen textbooks which refer to the marginal cost as "the cost of producing one
more item", and that does not fit in well with ideas of production lines. It is reasonable to
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think that if the material and labour costs are covered in the pricing of the additional order,
then the average total cost per item of production will be lower, and that is the main reason
for using marginal costing, when it is used.
There are several potential dangers in the marginal costing approach to getting more
business. The first one is that the manager must understand the ideas behind marginal
costing and know the facts about the costs in the factory. Quite often there is hardly any
extra cost involved, other than material, if the products are made on machines. This is
because it is just as costly to set up for (say) 1,000 components as it is to set up for 1,200.
That is why it is common in the printing trade to expect the customers to accept and pay for
"overruns". This idea is also particularly applicable to such products as mouldings made of
plastic, or other processes such as chemicals, where the plant is set to run for a specific time
and the production has to be sold.
The other main danger is that the customers do not understand the system and start to
expect to get lower prices for all their orders. That is especially difficult if one principal
customer boasts about having got you to cut your price extremely low then they all want
such favoured treatment. It is essential to make sure that each order which is marginally
priced is regarded as special and not repeatable.
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You might have recognised that contribution pricing is very similar to breakeven analysis, and
the two ideas might work well together. The breakeven graph is different for contribution
pricing, but the result is similar (see Figure 8.5).
Figure 8.5: Breakeven graph
Revenue
Total Costs
Variable Costs
Fixed
Costs
Quantity
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Chapter 9
Distribution Policy and Management
Contents
Page
A.
258
258
259
260
B.
Channels of Distribution
Direct and Indirect Channels
Factors Affecting Channel Choice
Characteristics of Different Channels
Distribution Strategies
Industrial and Business Markets
Export Markets
261
261
262
264
266
266
268
C.
268
269
270
270
273
274
275
D.
276
276
E.
279
279
279
281
283
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A Situational Audit
This is the research that is necessary to find, select and establish channels.
Objectives
Objectives will be aimed at coverage, costs, timing and control.
Strategies
These are the choices that are available to get the product(s) to the user.
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Tactics
This covers the implementation, monitoring and control, etc. of the distribution channel.
determine distribution policy in terms of type, number and level of outlets to be used
The distribution function deals with minutiae in volume and on a continual basis. Its role is
supportive but crucial. Marketing is concerned with the exchange of satisfactions on a
continuing basis and the product must be delivered, in good condition, at the right time and to
the right place. Errors in invoicing can probably be corrected with minimum problems. A
similar error in distribution can cause a serious loss of revenue both to the customer and the
supplier.
The distribution plan is developed from objectives, strategies and the main marketing plan. It
is therefore tailored to suit the company products, the market segments targeted, and the
performance criteria and standards set.
Providing the planning is done in relation to the marketing and corporate plans, a distribution
plan will be effective.
Distribution Management
Cost-effective distribution is a specialised management skill one which an increasing
number of organisations are contracting out to specialists. In some cases the subcontractors
are strategic business units (SBUs) within the organisation but run as independent trading
operations, often carrying associated lines from other manufacturers to maximise efficiency.
Every major high-street grocery retailer has its own distribution network and negotiates
special delivery/collection arrangements with suppliers.
No physical distribution management (PDM) system can simultaneously maximise customer
service and minimise distribution cost. Maximum service implies large inventories, in close
proximity to customers, with very flexible transportation availability. Minimum cost implies
slow/cheap transport, low stocks and few depots. Kotler suggests eight areas for which
strategies must be set:
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The relative importance and formulation of these various customer services must be
researched for the target customers. Competitive policy, promise and achievement must
be monitored; only then can the necessary distributive strategies be set.
Cost-effectiveness is crucial. At one time costs of distribution could easily run as high as 20
per cent of sales revenue. This has been halved in many industry sectors, and reduced to
around four per cent in some retail sectors.
The achievement of profit leverage through cost reduction is of significant importance. A 5
per cent reduction in distributive costs can boost profits by 50 per cent. This gearing effect
is well known, but maximising its benefits requires constant monitoring of the PDM operation
by specialised management.
Distribution Decisions
Initial considerations on this aspect of the marketing effort will be mainly based on four
factors:
You can see that these areas are all interdependent and none can be taken in isolation.
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product
producer
purchaser
B. CHANNELS OF DISTRIBUTION
When we refer to a channel of distribution we are speaking about the chain which links the
manufacturer and the user.
The shorter the chain, the fewer the links and the closer the ties between the manufacturer
and the user. As channels lengthen, problems associated with loss of control and profit
become more pronounced and the responsibilities of the manufacturer will increase.
Direct Channels
Direct distribution means that the manufacturer delivers the product straight to the
buyer the product goes directly from the producer to the consumer without the use of
a specific intermediary. We are seeing a growing trend for farmers to bypass
wholesale markets and sell their produce direct at farmers' markets. These are proving
very successful, particularly as the call for organic produce develops. Many companies
who want to reach a wider audience use the pages of the national newspapers and
magazines to sell off the page. This method of selling is now being transferred to the
internet where ordering and payment are made easy. Initially, it was mainly travel and
book companies that used the internet to sell their goods and services. Today, we are
witnessing an explosion in many other fields, including property, jobs and cars.
Organisations are using more e-commerce, which has had a significant effect on
market structures, with one or more intermediary/members of the distribution chain
being bypassed disintermediation. Disintermediation has allowed organisations to
cut costs and gain more control over their products and services. It has also allowed
organisations to build closer relationships with their customers, because they have
direct access to customer purchasing information via the website. One of the major
examples of disintermediation has been in the insurance industry, where insurance
companies no longer rely on financial or insurance brokers but sell direct to consumers.
However, in recent years the internet itself has seen the growth of its own
intermediaries, such as search engines like Google, virtual retailers like Amazon and
Lastminute.com and even virtual shopping centres.
Guarantees have to be given to buyers in case the merchandise is not what they want
and so a full refund has to be offered.
Direct channels mean total control over quality, price and profit and more involvement
with the customer. This closer involvement adds many responsibilities order
processing, transport arrangements, marketing, promotion and after-sales service.
This can be too much for some organisations, so they prefer to use indirect methods of
distribution.
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Indirect Channels
Indirect distribution means that delivery is made through an intermediary of some kind.
The intermediary is a "link in the chain". There may be multiple links in the chain with
many intermediaries before the buyer, or user, comes into contact with the product.
Using indirect channels means that manufacturers will lose some element of control
and profit. They may never get to know, in great detail, anything about the actual users
of their product, which could result in a reduced capability to know what the users are
looking for. We must also recognise that using an intermediary can never be as quick
as going direct to a customer.
Both the number and types of intermediaries, selected in designing a channel, depend upon
the range and nature of the tasks required in moving goods and services from the
manufacturer to the final buyer. They also depend on the extent to which one channel is
superior to another. That said, the following table highlights a variety of factors influencing
choice between direct and more indirect channels of distribution.
Direct
(Shorter)
Indirect
(Longer)
Industrial products
Consumer products
Services
Tangible products
Market Characteristics
These include location, purchasing preferences and patterns, overall number,
segments, communication media used.
Where the number of customers is large, long channels are normally necessary.
(The role of the bulk-buying multiple has changed this to some extent.)
High frequency in the purchasing pattern of low unit-value items may indicate the
need for long channels because of high cost of direct sale.
Consumer preference for dealing with a specific type of outlet affects choice.
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263
Product Characteristics
The most important characteristics are:
(c)
Price: the higher the price and the lower sales costs as a percentage of price, the
more direct sales become attractive.
Seasonality: seasonal products require a reseller system that can handle the
stress caused by seasonality in sales.
Perishable items: these often require a direct channel. Note that because of
improvements in science and technology, many traditional perishable products
are being developed into long-life products, such as UHT milk.
Characteristics of Intermediaries
The availability of suitable intermediaries, their ability and willingness to perform the
various marketing functions and their willingness to take on the particular product affect
choice. Other factors include capabilities, premises, sales force, customer base and
credit rating.
(d)
Characteristics of Competitors
The extent to which competitors dominate existing channels and the extent to which
manufacturers wish to compete directly against competitors or avoid them affects
channel choice.
(e)
Company Characteristics
The size and reputation of the company, its product mix, past channel experience and
present marketing policies will affect its channel strategy.
(f)
Legal Aspects
Any government-imposed restrictions or incentives, difficulties in setting up or
cancelled contracts.
You can see that the information which is required is as for the full marketing audit you
should be recognising by now just how comprehensive a full marketing audit can be and how
important research is to the marketing effort.
Either before or after the basic decision to use direct or indirect channels has been taken,
research into the factors just identified will help in determining which type of distribution
channel comes closest to meeting all requirements.
However it may well happen that the "ideal" channel is non-existent in the intended market
or, for various reasons, is unavailable to the seller. If this is the case the seller may decide to
diversify by vertical integration and take over some existing distributor, build up his own
distribution outlets/chain, or even develop a completely different method of selling.
The final choice between channels will depend on a balance between:
cost
investment
maintenance
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control
maximum/minimum
strict/lenient
Decreasing
length
Producer
Consumer
Producer
Retailer
Consumer
Producer
Wholesaler
Retailer
Consumer
Producer
Agent
Wholesaler
Retailer
Consumer
the manufacturer is new to the market and prefers to rely on the wholesaler's
contacts
For industrial goods a similar pattern emerges. For example, steel stockholders
handle steel for steel companies. The wholesaler here can employ their own sales
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force, make immediate delivery from stocks, and provide credit and technical backup to
customers.
These points illustrate where it is advantageous for the manufacturer to use a
wholesaler, but there are disadvantages.
(b)
The manufacturer loses control over where their products are finally sold. They
cannot dictate a distribution policy to the wholesaler.
The wholesaler sells other competing lines and therefore the manufacturer has
no control over what products the wholesaler generally pushes.
Some manufacturers operate dual distribution, e.g. Mars (the confectionery company)
sell direct to big customers, but also sell to wholesalers who service the small retailers
outlets which the Mars sales force leave alone.
(c)
(d)
Some customers continually place small orders which are hardly economic;
roughly 20 per cent of customers provide 80 per cent of the turnover.
You should bear in mind that some retailers will not, on principle, deal with wholesalers
because they feel that wholesalers are "inferior" to the manufacturer. This is often an
attitude of mind rather than a fact. Also, some retailers are so large (e.g. Boots, J
Sainsbury) that they have enough buying power to contract direct with the
manufacturers their orders alone would eclipse those of many wholesalers!
(e)
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Direct sales to the ultimate consumer of consumer goods may be achieved in one of
the following four ways:
Door-to-door selling: this is carried out in various ways, e.g. some companies
such as Avon Cosmetics do a direct canvass, while others use leads in response
to press advertisements. This latter method is exploited by many small
businesses.
Forward integration: this occurs where manufacturers own their own retail
outlets (e.g. Boots) through which they sell their own products.
Generally, using these methods, the costs of distribution to the final consumers are
relatively high, but this has to be balanced with the supplier's complete control of the
marketing.
Distribution Strategies
We have examined some of the factors which will influence which outlets you wish to
distribute to and here are three options that can be engaged as part of a distribution strategy:
Intensive
Intensive distribution aims to achieve the widest coverage of outlets and is sought by
suppliers of high-volume, low-value products that are in mass demand. This strategy is
usually adopted for fast-moving consumer goods. They are in high demand all year
round and the aim should be to gain distribution in every available outlet possible.
Exclusive
Exclusive distribution is where distributors/stockists are granted exclusive rights in
specified areas. This makes a lot of sense where high capital investment is required,
and especially where detailed after-sales service is needed.
It is applied where the product is expensive and infrequently purchased, and so the
motor car distributive networks exemplify this type of distribution. For example, with
top-of-the-range cars like BMW or Mercedes, distribution should be matched to areas
of population that can afford luxury goods. Prospective customers are likely to visit you
(maybe initially via your website) before visiting the showroom.
Selective
Selective distribution can be adopted when the product is fairly expensive and bought
occasionally but not top of the range. This strategy is used by consumer-durable
manufacturers. The product is not placed in all potential outlets, thus selected dealers
can specialise and afford after-sales backup and support.
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The decision-making unit (DMU) can be much more complex. As marketers you have
to establish who makes up the process and often tailor different messages to them.
Take, for example, Leyland Trucks. The managing director, financial director, fleet
manager and the truck drivers will all have an influence on choice.
Deliveries are likely to be larger (e.g. kitchen furniture to a B&Q warehouse) and will be
needed more frequently.
Figure 9.2 illustrates the various channels available for industrial marketing.
Figure 9.2: Industrial distribution channels
MANUFACTURER
Branch or
Depots
Agents
Brokers
CUSTOMERS/BUYERS
Largely because of the nature of industrial markets and the type of product, much of the
business is conducted with the customer on a direct basis. Often this might be done through
a branch or depot which may carry stocks and service parts.
However, you should note that many of the channels listed under consumer markets will also
apply to industrial markets. For example, an industrial concern in the UK may buy its biros
from W H Smith and catering supplies from Asda.
With the growth in self-employment and working from home (currently there are 2.5 million
businesses whose owner is also the manager) companies have had to develop new
distribution strategies for reaching this lucrative market.
A good example of this is Viking Direct, an American organisation that was set up in the UK
to supply direct to businesses, both small and large. Using large catalogues which are
mailed out to customers and prospects, they offer a huge range at keen prices and deliver to
your premises the following day (or the same day in some areas) free of charge for orders
over a very modest value. Their customer retention methods are first class. They regularly
write personalised messages offering customers special offers.
The computer industry both manufacturers and software wholesalers have also been
particularly adept at penetrating this market.
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Export Markets
If a company is engaged in international marketing, i.e. having separate marketing operations
in overseas countries, the distribution channel options will be similar to those we have
already illustrated.
If the company is engaged in export marketing, i.e. manufacturing at home and selling
overseas, the following channels may be used:
Export merchants: these people take title to the goods, which they ship to their own
overseas agents or customers. They may publish their own catalogues featuring
assortments of goods.
Overseas branches: the company may have overseas sales offices or depots selling
to and supplying the overseas market.
Overseas import houses: these companies receive and take title to goods, relieving
the manufacturer of overseas manufacturing operations.
Joint venture operations: the company may enter into an association with an
overseas company which agrees to market the firm's products.
Earlier in the course we discussed relationships with research agencies. Basically, finding,
selecting, briefing and controlling any external agency is similar in home or overseas
markets, but we have to accept that the added dimensions of dealing with another language
and culture can create additional problems.
What you must remember is that an intermediary is a customer. They are entitled to be
treated with respect and given as much consideration as the individual user of a product.
Indeed, treatment of intermediaries may be crucial to the long-term success of a
manufacturer.
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The internet has allowed organisations to develop a closer relationship with their
intermediaries, to improve processes and improve communication via intranets (internal
computer networks which use internet technology). Organisations can use intranets to link
customer ordering between supply channel members, so that stock is automatically replaced
and/or orders automatically shipped. Communication with distribution channels can be
improved through the use of intranets with, for example, online notice boards, online training,
technical and support manuals to assist with after-sales service, and promotional material to
download.
Some of the advantages to an organisation of creating these links with suppliers are:
the ability to gather more information about customers and the market
improved service to the end customer, for example by improving delivery time and
improving after sales service.
Wholesalers
The wholesale trader is one who purchases in bulk from the manufacturer and sells in
smaller quantities to the retailer. The true wholesaler operates neither as a manufacturer nor
as a retailer but as a link between the two.
The wholesaler, therefore, is a merchant whose functions are:
to assist retailers by supplying goods in the quantities and of the qualities required,
obviating the retailers' need to carry heavy stocks which would tie up their capital for
long periods
to keep prices steady by buying when trade is slack and prices low, and selling when
prices rise due to increased demand, thereby relieving the manufacturers and retailers
of much of the risks of market fluctuations and price movements.
Merchants
Merchant wholesalers are the largest single group of wholesalers, accounting for
roughly half of all wholesaling. The merchants are independently owned and take title
to the merchandise they handle.
Brokers or Agents
The difference between merchant wholesalers and brokers and agents is that the latter
perform only limited functions and do not take title to the goods. Brokers bring buyers
and sellers together to trade, and assist in negotiations. There are several types of
agent, the most common of which are manufacturers' agents, who often use their wide
contacts to sell their clients' products such as clothes, furniture and electrical goods.
Buying agents make purchases for their clients and often receive goods, warehouse
them and ship them on to their clients. These are particularly common in the apparel
markets. This system also operates quite extensively in international marketing.
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Distributors
The main difference between distributors and wholesalers is that distributors take the
products in the form that the buyer requires. Payment may be made to the manufacturer for
the products or they may be despatched on "consignment" basis which is simply another
way of saying "sale or return".
Distributors are strategically placed in the market to ensure coverage of the target sector and
can relieve manufacturers of a lot of basic marketing problems. They like to be exclusive (i.e.
be the only distributor used by the manufacturer) as this cuts down on competition and adds
to their own competitive advantage in the marketplace. They may be dealing with a wide
range of products manufactured by various companies, or they may limit themselves to only
one particular type of product.
Distributors are often used for electrical goods both consumer and industrial.
Retailers
Retailers, large and small, provide a point of contact for buyers. High-street retail shops will
have decor that is suitable to the type of customer they are selling to. For example, the
fashion store Top Shop is "brighter, noisier and less formal" to cater to the tastes of its young
market; Country Casuals, on the other hand, caters to a more selective audience which
tends to be older, so the outlets are tastefully decorated with more gentle background music
than the frenetic pop music which is played in Top Shop. Both stores, despite the
differences, are supplying a convenient location for buyers to see and try garments before
buying.
Retailers may be a long way from the manufacturers of the clothes they are selling, but they
are a direct link to the users.
(a)
Retailing Functions
The functions of the retail organisation may be listed as follows:
While these functions may appear formidable, they are by no means a deterrent to the
entrepreneur. Many thousands of retail businesses exist throughout the world. They
range from the village general stores run on a sole trading basis to the multiple shop
and chain store ventures operated by large, public limited companies (PLCs).
(b)
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The phenomenal success of the multiples is due to a number of factors, among the
more important of which are:
Essentially, these factors have enabled the multiples to offer their products at very
competitive prices. In turn, and as they have grown in size, their centralised bulk
buying of goods has enabled them to negotiate advantageous price terms with
suppliers, and to enjoy marketing and promotional support from the manufacturers.
This has enabled growth to be sustained.
The key features of multiple stores are their size and concentrated buying power, which
enable them to buy large quantities of goods and foodstuffs at the lowest prices. From
the manufacturer's point of view, there are fewer calls to be made by sales
representatives and much of the negotiating is done by high-level managers rather
than shopkeepers. Early in 1987, the managing director of Campbell's Soups (UK) Ltd
was quoted as saying that four customers bought 50 per cent of their output and the
top seven customers bought about 65 per cent of their output. With such buying
power, these customers are visited by national account managers who are at a much
higher level in their organisations than sales representatives.
(c)
(d)
Hypermarkets
Supermarkets are a typical example of a development which took people away
from the idea that shopping had to involve visiting a number of small, specialist
shops, perhaps in different parts of the town, in order to purchase the weekly
requirements. Much larger buildings were required for the new method of
shopping, but eventually most if not all of the goods required for the week could
be purchased under one roof.
Unfortunately however, there were and still are attendant disadvantages. These
include the lack of space in town and city centres to build the supermarkets, and
the lack of facilities for car parking in and around the shopping area. This is not
made easier by the attempts of planners to reduce the impact of cars in city
centres.
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Both hypermarkets and out-of-town centres are likely to take an increasing proportion
of retail business in the developed economies, representing, as they do, a convenient
and economical form of one-stop shopping.
You should be able to discuss some of the main factors that have contributed to the
success of these large retail stores. For example:
The growth of car ownership and the importance of the car in our everyday lives.
Hypermarkets and superstores (large supermarkets) such as Asda are often
located in out-of-town sites. Car ownership provides a greater catchment area
for these stores, enabling customers to travel to them. Parking facilities are very
important to the consumer, particularly with the increase in city centre traffic
congestion, and such stores provide extensive parking facilities.
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Car ownership enables the consumer to buy large quantities of goods at once;
some people purchase one month's groceries at a time. They are able to
transport these large purchases to their home by car.
Today more women (particularly women with children) work and do not have the
time to spend hours shopping. They are able to visit a hypermarket, often quite
late in the evening after work has finished, and purchase the majority of their
requirements at one retail establishment within a short space of time. Weekend
opening also means that more shopping is done as a family than in past years.
(e)
Franchisees
Many companies now use franchising and licensing as a means of distributing their products
around the world. Using a franchise system means that the company's name and image can
gain much greater exposure without the need to have owned outlets. Franchisees are
controlled, to some extent, to operate within certain parameters set by the franchiser. Fees
are payable for the right to the franchise and any support which is given by the franchiser.
Some franchisers give full support, whilst others expect the franchisee to pay for it, e.g. in
promotional material or product training.
Franchises are in operation for a wide variety of products food, office supplies,
photocopying and carpet cleaning to name but a few.
This system is popular with people who want to set up in business in their own right but do
not have the resources available. They in effect become "managers" for the franchiser but
take profit from the business they are running.
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Agents
An agent is someone who acts on your behalf. They are used both in home and overseas
markets, and are a "link in the chain".
The term "agent" can mean many things, from one person to a complicated organisation as
we noted. An agent can be responsible for few or many activities depending on the
relationship required, current legislation and prevailing circumstances.
There are various types of agents, including:
commission
stocking
There are strong advantages in using agents for both the home and overseas markets, as
shown in the following table.
Home Market
Overseas Market
Local knowledge/contacts
Easier importation/paperwork
The advantages and disadvantages must be balanced before any decision can be made, but
the ultimate choice will be based on some of the following aspects:
area covered
experience
resources
location of customers
willingness to cooperate
costs/profits involved.
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Contractual Agreements
Problems in dealing with any type of intermediary may be overcome, to a large extent, by the
contract agreed between the intermediary and the manufacturer.
At times contracts may not be necessary as the relationship between the manufacturer and
the intermediary is a straightforward buying and selling activity. In these circumstances the
terms and conditions of sale and/or purchase will determine the ease or complexity of the
transaction.
Where contracts are necessary they are very important and must be agreed with the utmost
care. All aspects should be covered to the optimum satisfaction of both the manufacturer
and the intermediary. Intermediaries may well have the protection of legislation which could
mean non-cancellation clauses or punitive fees in certain circumstances.
Each party has to ensure that the contract will not inhibit its future activities in any way. For
example, if a small manufacturer in the south of France agreed to let one local store be the
only distributor of his products he could, in the event of growth, be restricted from engaging
any other distributor anywhere in the world. If the manufacturer had discovered a unique
product which was in high demand everywhere he would lose a great deal of business and
money simply because he had allowed himself to be tied to one small outlet in the south of
France. However, the distributor could make a lot of money because he had been better at
negotiating a contract.
If the manufacturer decided to take a risk and appoint a distributor in another country he
could find himself being sued and at the worst could end up losing his business altogether.
Examples of points covered in contractual agreements are:
training commitment
expected turnover
dissolution clause.
If a contract is not clear, then it can lead to confusion or disputes which are likely to result in
poor relationships, loss of profits, loss of "face", loss of market share, etc. However, a good
contract means security. It also lays down operating systems and procedures which make
day-to-day activities within any organisation that much easier to arrange and control.
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Put another way, making any change to a distribution channel is a similar exercise to setting
up a new distribution channel. The same type of research has to be undertaken and similar
decisions made.
If we assume that it is not simply a case of getting rid of a channel member who is
performing badly, changing a distribution channel can, in some circumstances, be made
much easier if channel harmony exists. Harmony among channel members leads to
smoother operating procedures, better communications and a greater willingness to
cooperate. This is helped by building relationships.
Relationship Marketing
Increasingly competitive markets, resource restrictions and buyer power have heightened the
need for good relationships in distribution. When manufacturers and intermediaries work
together, communicate well and discuss plans, etc., they become interdependent and the
relationships formed are less likely to suffer. Not only will control be much more effective, but
it will also be much easier to make changes to improve efficiency and effectiveness for both
parties.
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But there is a danger here. Relationship marketing is excellent in all ways apart from the fact
that it can cause complacency. If a manufacturer becomes too lax in his treatment of an
intermediary (or a supplier) he may miss some factor which is indicative of an underlying
problem. If that problem is not settled it can lead to a break-up of the relationship. This also
applies to intermediaries being careless in their attitude to manufacturers. Technological
advances in the use of intranets for providing information, improving communication and
linking processes, have all helped improve relationships between organisations and their
distribution channels. Organisations have also been able to use technology to create close
relationships with distribution channels, to try to stop competitor organisations moving in. An
example of this can be seen in the retail industry, where suppliers create technology links
with retailers so that when a customer purchases their products they are immediately
reordered and despatched to the retailer; this prevents the valuable shelf space in a retail
outlet being lost to a competitor because of a lack of stock.
The key relationships which need to be managed are set out in Figure 9.3.
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SUPPLIERS' CHANNEL
REQUIREMENTS
SUPPORT REQUIRED TO ACHIEVE
DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL AND
MARKETING OBJECTIVES
High penetration
Convenience
Availability
Choice
Promotion
Market intelligence
Market development
Intermediary
support
programmes
Consumer
satisfaction
DISTRIBUTORS' REQUIREMENTS
COMPENSATION EXPECTED BY
INTERMEDIARY FOR PROVIDING
SELLER SUPPORT
Satisfactory rate of stock turn
Gross margin and overhead
contribution
ROI on inventory/selling area
Promotional allowance and other
below-the-line benefits
Distribution exclusivity
Continuity of supply
Market development
Credit
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Benefits of Logistics
In their book Essentials of Marketing, Lancaster and Massingham make the point that
properly managed logistics can provide the supplier with cost savings and a differential
advantage which will go a long way towards ensuring future orders. In fact, they say that in
some industries you cannot get orders unless you can work to just-in-time (JIT) schemes.
On the other hand, a stock shortage on a modern assembly line can be an expensive
disaster, so there is some justification for the demands of the manufacturers.
Although this looks like an industrial matter, the same ideas apply to some of the products
sold in supermarkets. You see fresh flowers in superb condition in some supermarkets and
even in department stores such as Marks and Spencer. You might wonder how they keep
the flowers so fresh: the answer is in the contracts for daily deliveries with local growers.
This is not quite as dramatic as the assembly line, but is another example of JIT marketing
logistics which you have probably seen but not thought about. Examples of marketing
logistics are all around you, but the fact that they are so efficient stops them from being
noticeable.
Management of Logistics
There are entire books devoted to the management and improvement of marketing logistics,
but for now we can confine ourselves to the following, adapted from Lancaster and
Massingham.
The process of physical distribution management involves the following steps:
We can take each item and look at the implications for the company.
(a)
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(c)
Maximising Profits
Whilst we are looking at the possibility of improving logistics for the customers, it is
essential that we keep an eye on the costs that may be involved. Although we talk of
JIT deliveries, the goods have to be manufactured and the machinery in our factory
may not be adaptable to small batches every day or two. Production economies
usually come from large batches, or long production runs, and it is normal practice to
plan for economic production runs, and then store the products for delivery to
customers on a planned schedule or just when orders are received.
If the customers no longer want to hold stocks and if they prefer to depend on frequent
deliveries, we might have to use different delivery methods. We might even have to set
up a small stock depot near their factory. This is not a new idea many years ago a
company based in the West Midlands won an order from Volvo for forged steel
brackets on condition that they set up a stock depot to keep four weeks' supply near
the Swedish factory.
Stock depots are expensive items and may not be necessary if the customer is not too
far away, but the point has to be considered. Some car firms working in several
countries in Europe run their own mini-airlines so as to have full control over the
delivery of vital parts.
(d)
(e)
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establishments had the job of keeping production rolling, and he often had to make
small design changes on the spot. These were formalised in the design office later.
Where two or more companies are involved, it is essential for full cooperation to be
established and there are many ways in which that can be achieved. For instance, it is
usual for Japanese companies to buy some shares in the other company as a sign of
good faith. In Britain the cooperation is more likely to be assured by means of
meetings of directors.
You will see from all this (which only skims the surface of a vast subject) that the deals
involved go beyond the mere generation of short-term profits. Much of what we have looked
at would take a year or two to settle down into a pattern, and it is only where there is scope
for long-term profit that this sort of activity is worthwhile.
However, companies take note of what their competitors are doing, and if an agreement is
seen to be working well, there may be some demand generated for more of the same for
different companies.
On a shorter time-scale it is possible to get something similar going, especially in mail order,
with a declaration such as "all orders received before 3.00 pm will be despatched the same
day". In Britain that is enough to guarantee delivery next day, or in two or three days,
depending on the level of service that you pay for. If you make such a promise, make sure
that you know where the carrier's depot is you might be taking the goods to the depot if you
miss the collection time.
Guaranteed Delivery
A company which sets out to gain a differential advantage, by offering the availability of
their products at the times which suit the customers, must do more than simply
manufacture the goods and despatch them. As soon as the goods leave the
manufacturer they are out of their control and the promise of availability is no longer
valid. With the best of carriers there can be problems that are beyond the control of
their management, such as a breakdown in the transport which is used, or a
consignment which is misdirected. The manufacturer has no control over such
problems and may be just one of many clients suffering from the same predicament.
If the manufacturer wants to ensure that the offer of availability at specified times can
be guaranteed, they must either use a priority service, which promises delivery in a
specific timescale, or control the delivery service themselves.
In Britain there are various companies which provide a collection and delivery service
for items ranging from small parcels to whole truckloads. Usually these companies
promise delivery either on the next working day, or in two or three days, depending on
how much you are prepared to pay. For very urgent packages there are schemes
which are quicker than that.
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Customer Satisfaction
In my small way I provided the equivalent of a JIT service for these two clients, to
increase their satisfaction. It cost me extra, and if I were to do this regularly I would
probably charge extra for the fast service. As it was, I got the benefit of a
recommendation: business which comes in when a satisfied client recommends you to
friends avoids the cost of advertising. A spread of such recommendations can then be
used as part of the publicity message and the advantage gained multiplies each time.
Years ago I was a sales representative working for a company that took a pride in
delivering as quoted, and customers came to rely on delivery promises. When a series
of events caused a delay, the customer demanded action, and the best way that I could
help was to strip my car of all loose items (to reduce the weight), then take the parts in
the car. It took three trips, and I was not selling anything during the journeys, but I was
helping the company to maintain its image as a reliable provider of availability. In that
company everyone put the customers' interests first, and the reputation of the company
was as high as it could be.
Service Elasticity
Therefore it is important for an organisation to introduce flexibility into its logistical
management. Organisations need to decide on the best way to store, handle and
move products so that they are available to the customers in the right quantity, at the
right time and in the right place. It is about managing the flow of products from the
manufacturer to the customer or end-user. Inventory management might mean that
there is not enough stock to meet urgent customer needs or unforeseen peaks in
demand and this will affect customer satisfaction. Developments in electronic
technologies such as radio frequency identification tags (RFIT) are improving the
efficiency and effectiveness of the logistical activities and how they are managed and
implemented. In the retail sector order-processing technologies provide quick
response programmes which assist in the management of inventory replenishment.
Electronic warehousing systems, or database systems, are being used for the storage
of products which are digitalized so that the system can be searched electronically. An
example would be ScienceDirect, which is an electronic database dealing with
customer searches for information.
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Kotler points out that the location of the manufacturer's plant may seem to be obvious as
near the market as is possible within reason but that may mean a high-cost location in the
city suburbs. On the other hand, a location some miles out of the city may be so much lower
in costs as to offset the transportation costs and make the total operation less expensive.
There is so much to consider, and if the company is setting up a new factory it will be
possible to choose the best site, for the time being. However, few people are in that position,
and it is usually necessary to do the best you can with the location that is available.
Logistics
Although some firms view physical distribution as being separate from marketing, the
opportunities to be gained from integration are enormous. The objective is to achieve a
balance between services to buyers and customers, in terms of time, place and operating
efficiency. We have to remember that all sensible marketing depends on the provision of the
goods at places where people can buy them. Effective logistics can lead to the maximisation
of benefits for the company as a whole.
The term "logistics" encompasses all the activities that are involved in getting the right goods
to the right place at the right time, in the right quantity, and with the right sort of support.
There is more to that than just distributing the goods from one place to another, although that
is a big part of the activity. It includes the following areas:
transportation choice of transport method (road, sea, air, rail, etc.), vehicle utilisation
(own, hired or leased), vehicle selection, scheduling and routing, load planning
warehousing and delivery space, layout, facilities, utilisation delivery policy and
returns
Logistics considers the cost of all the activities and of course the aim is to keep the costs per
unit to a minimum. So much of the cost of a product goes into the packaging and movement
of the product from the factory to the customer that it is necessary to evaluate every activity
and trade off one cost against another. There is little point in reducing the cost of packaging
or the speed of handling if it increases the cost of handling and breakages.
In assessing the physical aspects of the logistics operation, the following criteria need to be
considered.
Transit time: this is very important for perishable goods such as food, and less
important for some others; the destination of some perishable foods may have to be
changed if there is a delay in the transport system, or even if the weather changes
dramatically.
Reliability: this must be considered in total, because customers can often buy a
substitute for the product if it is not available at the right time and place. Also, the
goods should be safe from pilfering.
Accessibility: the warehouse and carriers must be easily available to move the goods
over the best network of roads, railways or waterways.
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Capability: the warehouse and carrier's transport must be able to provide cold storage
for some products, or safety for such products as gases and fuels.
Traceability: it is often necessary to find out just where a consignment is, to give an
idea of when it will arrive at the store. This is tied up with the policy for dealing with
claims for late or non-delivery.
Cost: there are times when the minimum cost is best, but other times when a higher
cost is more acceptable, if the trade-off includes faster delivery.
Whilst all these matters make for plenty of difficult decision-making in connection with the
warehousing and transportation of goods, you must remember that in the long run, the
marketing manager has to take these matters into consideration too. If the best interests of
the customer clash with the best solution of the logistics model, the marketing manager may
have to persuade higher management to put the customer's needs first.
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Chapter 10
Marketing Communications
Contents
Page
A.
287
287
291
293
294
B.
295
296
296
297
298
298
299
C.
Advertising
Why Advertise?
Classification of Advertisements
Using Advertising Agencies
Advertising Media
300
300
300
302
303
D.
Sales Promotion
Advantages and Disadvantages of Sales Promotion
Exhibitions
Conferences/Seminars
Sales Literature
Merchandising
Effective Sales Promotion
306
307
309
310
310
311
312
E.
Personal Selling
Sales Force Objectives and Tasks
The Seven Steps of Selling
Coordinating Sales and Sales Promotion
313
314
314
317
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318
286
Marketing Communications
319
F.
Public Relations
What is Public Relations?
What Public Relations is not!
Purpose of Public Relations
Public Relations and the Marketing Mix
The Public Relations Message
Methods of Public Relations
Importance of Integrated Activities
319
319
320
321
322
324
325
329
Direct Marketing
Direct Mail/Email
Relationship Marketing
333
333
334
H.
335
335
335
336
338
339
I.
Evaluating Performance
Pretesting
Post-testing
Financial Analysis
Likeability
339
340
340
340
340
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Advertising
Advertising is the paid for time and space in media not owned by the advertising
organisation.
Tasks such as design and efficient buying of media may well be left to the operational
manager but other decisions, such as the nature of an advertising campaign and the
timing and frequency, will be taken at strategic level.
Advertising is seen by the public and it must be done in such a way that the company
and its products are not harmed by any adverse reactions on the part of the public.
This may seem to be within the realm of public relations but it is really control of
advertising and a prime concern for senior levels.
Many people think that advertising is a short-term activity which cannot be planned in
advance. While this may be true in some circumstances, it is certainly not true in all
cases. If a company needs to make major changes, their advertising planning will
certainly be over a long period. They may decide to change the type of media they use
or they may wish to change their image. For instance, when Guinness was suffering
from a reducing target market (they were literally dying) the company knew they had to
change their image. Instead of using the tried and trusted toucan for their adverts, they
used a well-known personality and advertisements that were modern and intriguing.
The approach worked Guinness attracted a younger audience and sales grew again.
Guinness did not just act on a sudden impulse. The strategic planners made sure that
everything was done correctly. The change took place over a long time period
arrangements had to be made to make sure that the campaign would be effective. A
great deal of money was spent and it was a risky time for Guinness too risky to leave
to operational managers.
The internet has provided organisations with a different advertising medium. Websites
themselves support a "pull" communication strategy as the customer is actively seeking
out the product or information about the product. Customers will still need to be
directed to the organisation's websites either by traditional media or by internet
advertising as banner adverts on other websites such as portals (e.g. AOL), which
aim to "drive" traffic/users through to the organisation's website. Organisations can
also try to encourage traffic onto their websites by using search engines, such as
Google. This works by organisations trying to include keywords in their advertising
message, hoping that customers will search for those keywords when looking for
information.
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Marketing Communications
The internet, as a medium, can also offer the capabilities of interaction with the
customer and one-to-one communication through personalisation of website pages.
(b)
Public Relations
Public relations means the activities taken to foster good relations with stakeholders
and other relevant publics of an organisation.
Because public relations is so important and reflects the overall ethos of the company it
is seen, in many companies, as a major strategic responsibility. Operational marketers
may well be responsible for the implementation and control of any plans, but they will
be following the "company line". The company line will be based on how the company
is to be presented to the public at large and will ultimately be aimed at achieving
corporate objectives.
A sub-activity of PR is publicity free exposure, whether good or bad, to the publics of
the organisation. Companies will go to great lengths to gain good publicity and to even
greater lengths to avoid or overcome bad publicity in order to protect their image and
reputation. At the higher planning levels decisions will be taken as to whether the
company will actively seek publicity and which methods to adopt.
It is usual that the people who deal with publicity are the same as those who deal with
PR. Certainly the strategic thinking will be the same and similar considerations will
influence any decisions made.
(c)
Sales Promotion
Sales promotion means all other efforts taken to support the advertising and publicity
activities of the organisation.
"Sales promotion" can include a multitude of activities: database marketing; free gifts;
television selling; online loyalty schemes such as offering discounts for purchasing
online; customer loyalty cards, which give points for purchases that can then be
redeemed against future purchases or used to purchase other goods or services, and
so on. The term is a catch all for everything that does not fit into the other categories of
public relations and advertising.
The main difficulty with sales promotion is in getting the balance right. Customers can
get very tired of the same old things and the company can easily gain a reputation for
being "offer-based" if they are not careful.
It is the balance and the approach to sales promotion that are decided at strategic
level, rather than the day-to-day activities involved. Will the company give free gifts? If
so, to what value? Will exhibitions be used? If so, where and when? How often
should incentive promotions be held? These are the types of questions that strategic
planners will be asking and finding the answers to so that strategies can be passed on
to the relevant people.
(d)
Personal Selling
Personal selling means activities taken to ensure that the sales transactions are
completed.
The sales force comes in various shapes and sizes from a large number of retail
assistants, to one highly-skilled technical executive. They may be taking orders,
delivering products, collecting payments, giving after-sales service and so on, but they
all have one thing in common they deal with the customer direct. It is this fact that
makes the sales force an excellent promotional tool.
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Direct Marketing
"Direct marketing" is the definition for the marketing activities an organisation
undertakes directly with the customer, e.g. e-commerce, direct mail, email marketing,
and telemarketing.
The role of direct marketing is to communicate directly with customers with a view to
building one-to-one relationships and increasing customer loyalty. Direct marketing
can also be used to support traditional advertising by using direct response telephone
numbers of return coupons or as a sales channel itself.
Technological developments of the internet, messaging and email have supported the
growth of direct marketing and increased the range of media available. Direct
marketing media include:
the internet
direct mail
interactive television.
The advantages of these media over more traditional media such as television is the
speed of delivering the message, the speed of response (which in some circumstances
can be instant), the ability to personalise the message and the measurability of
marketing activity.
The internet and email allow organisations to accurately measure response rates of
campaigns. For example, websites can measure "click throughs" from other sites such
as search engines and so be able to accurately calculate the cost per new customer
(or potential customer), the cost per number of visits to sites, cost per purchases etc.
Through the use of direct marketing organisations are able to gather more detailed
data about their customers. Organisations can gather data on what customers buy,
when they buy, how they buy, their demographic information etc.
Technological advances in software have supported the collection, storage and
analysis of data by storage in databases. This allows organisations to analyse and
manipulate the data, providing them with detailed information to gain a deeper
understanding of their customers, resulting in a closer customer relationship and
increased customer loyalty.
Wilson, Gilligan and Pearson (Strategic Marketing Management) offer a diagram expanding
the promotional mix, which demonstrates very well how the totality of promotion consists of
yet further subsections. If we accept that each of the identified activities in Figure 10.1 will
need its own sub-plan, we can see that the promotional plan will be a combination of miniplans in much the same way as the marketing plan.
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Marketing Communications
DIRECT MARKETING
SUB-MIX
SALES PROMOTION
SUB-MIX
THE PROMOTIONAL
MIX
Advertising
Sales promotion
Public relations
Personal selling
Direct marketing
PERSONAL SELLING
SUB-MIX
PUBLIC RELATIONS
SUB-MIX
The role of PR
Corporate identity and image
Publics
Internal marketing
Media relations
Agencies
Sponsorship
Exhibitions/PR events
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The company advertises on local television and in the local press. They distribute desk
calendars and memo pads showing the company name. Every visitor to the company
premises is given a small gift which shows the company name. They have a
sponsorship programme for young people in sports. They regularly support parent and
teacher associations in schools. They distribute information packs for people moving
home with the company name being shown, naturally. They hold seminars for local
groups and exhibitions in public places. Their vehicles are clean and bright. Their staff
wear smart uniforms. Their information leaflets are attractive and easy to read. Their
name is known to everyone in their area!
Their core product is double glazing!
You could be forgiven for thinking that none of this is new these are the old
promotional tools being used effectively. Well, I happen to know the managing director
of this firm quite well and I know that the strategy of using a combination of different
media was quite deliberate.
Initially they used to advertise by sending out flyers and placing advertisements in the
local papers. The adverts did have some success but they discovered that their entry
in the Yellow Pages was actually producing more enquiries, although still not enough.
Advice was sought and a new approach was taken. They decided to cut down on the
advertising in the press and flyers, and begin to use other media. It did not happen
overnight. New methods were introduced as resources allowed, but the decision had
been taken and strategic plans were made for the longer term.
The company became the market leader in its own region and grew to such an extent
that more than 50 people were employed. The gross turnover for 1996 was in excess
of 8m. Not bad for a company that started off, in 1985, as two redundant men with
15,000 capital between them. They are now firmly convinced of the benefit of
integrated communications.
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Marketing Communications
The Ford motor company ran a campaign for their Probe car. Their target sector for
this car was the adventurous person who likes to be at the leading edge, and loves
speed and technology.
The theme of the campaign was "fly me to the moon" and the screen broadcast
commercial was a combination of beautiful imagery and unspoken messages.
There was no commentary about the car.
The commercial relied simply on the visual aspects and on the linking of imagery that
would take place in the minds of the target sector. The use of space footage and
technology-related aspects appealed to just the right kind of audience.
And yet there was no information about the car!
Ford used other media to get the details across. They used database marketing to
send mailshots to identified targets. They used printed media to reinforce the images.
They used publicity to gain exposure. They used exhibitions to show the car. They
used everything.
Obviously we are talking about a lot of money here, but the point is that Ford
deliberately took an integrated approach to attract the buyers. You could argue that
they are still just using the promotional tools but it is the thinking that is different it
is integrated.
Integrated communications will work for any company but it is a challenge. It is not as
easy as just dealing with each promotional element separately. Close planning is
called for, as well as good budget allocation.
The internet is an alternative media for communicating with customers. It is interactive and
can be personalised, and it can be used to inform customers about products and assist them
in the decision-making processes and create brand image. Therefore it is important that the
internet is seen as complementary and supportive of the other elements of the marketing
communications mix, such as advertising, direct marketing and sales promotion.
As well as an advertising medium itself, the internet can be used to support advertising
campaigns. It can do this by supplying customers with a website address to visit for further
information about product features and benefits, thereby reducing the costs of advertising by
having the more detailed technical information available online. The internet can also allow
customers to personalise the information they require. For example, instead of downloading
a whole brochure from a tour operator, the internet can allow consumers to pick the
pages/content that they are interested in.
The internet can support a sales promotional campaign by encouraging customers to order
online, offering discounts or perhaps by supplying customers with a promotional code to
receive a free gift if they respond.
The use of the internet in integrating marketing communications is huge. Customer details
such as age, address and email address can be captured in databases which can then be
used to build customer profiles and effectively target customers. The internet allows
organisations to analyse customer purchase behaviour and to intervene with promotional
activities at appropriate points, to encourage the completion of a purchase. For example,
organisations are able to track a customer's route through and exit points from their websites,
and if a customer has visited to website to gather information, the organisation can intervene
and offer a sales promotion such as an incentive.
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Type of Campaign
Apart from some obvious aspects, such as whether a campaign will be intensive,
sporadic, aggressive, low key, etc., there is one major decision that needs to be taken
is the campaign to be "push" or "pull"?
Pull campaigns are directed at the eventual buyers and users, to make them
seek out the product "pulling the products off the shelf".
Push and pull campaigns cannot work in isolation each needs the other. No push
campaign will be totally successful if there has been inadequate pull advertising. The
opposite also applies. If a massive advertising campaign is undertaken directed at
users but no promotion is done to channel members, suppliers will not have adequate
stocks and the users will be unable to obtain the product.
This is partly what happened when Cadbury introduced the Wispa chocolate bar in the
UK. The consumer pull advertising was very successful much more so than the
channel push campaign which meant that there were inadequate stocks available in
the retail outlets. When retailers began asking for the product the company had
insufficient stocks of the chocolate prepared. The product had to be temporarily
withdrawn leaving dissatisfied customers, unhappy retailers and, no doubt, some red
faces in the planning department of Cadbury.
This problem does not only occur in the FMCG sector. For example, one company I
know, which we shall simply call company X, was dealing in mobile communications
equipment. They did a very good pull campaign but their push to the distribution
channel was not so good.
Unfortunately for them, a major competitor had decided to adopt a pre-launch push
strategy on a very similar model before taking any activity on the pull side. They had
motivated suppliers to take up stocks and their products were widely available. The
suppliers were told that a massive advertising campaign was to take place in the near
future; suppliers like this kind of support and they were ready to take advantage of the
exposure.
However the campaign never took place as, when requests began to be made for the
product which had been advertised by company X, the suppliers simply "converted" the
buyers and sold the competitor's products which they had in stock.
A lot of money and ground was lost by company X with the competitor reaping the
benefits of a "free" campaign which had fostered the overall demand. To rub salt into
the wound, the money the competitor saved was later put to good use to press home
the message of "being first" to the market. Company X failed to keep abreast of what
was happening and they suffered badly.
The examples I have referred to show how dangerous it can be if communications are
not planned with every aspect being taken into consideration. Too much of one kind is
just as bad as too little. A balanced approach is necessary and this is where the
strategist comes in. It is the strategic planner who should be dictating the overall
approach not the operational planner.
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(b)
Media Selection
Media selection is based on the characteristics of the target audience. If a
manufacturer is selling high-priced industrial equipment they do not advertise it in a
magazine which is read by teenagers. Conversely, if a company deals in mass
products they do not advertise in The Philatelic Review.
These are obviously extreme examples and would be unlikely to occur, but it is
surprising how many companies fail to streamline their communications and waste
resources by not using the correct medium.
We shall examine the selection of media in greater detail when considering each of the
elements of the promotional mix later in this chapter.
Budget Allocation
You should know that budgets are appropriated by using some measure which can be:
None of these methods is perfect in its own right. Many writers have disputed the validity of
basing promotional budgets on results achieved as, very often, no direct correlation can be
found between advertising and sales. This can be caused by the delay in a buyer actually
taking up a sales proposition.
Equally, the other methods can be disputed. For example: last year's spend may have been
inadequate; the competition may have better resources; "enough to do the job" is open to
abuse people will waste money.
So perhaps the best way of appropriating promotional budgets is to assess from a results
perspective. Instead of beginning to plan with the question: "How much money can we
have?" if promotional planners began by asking: "How much can we achieve with any
activity?" budgets may be much more appropriate. They will certainly be better justified as
there will be projections to support any bids.
In most cases promotional and other budgets tend to be set as a result of a combination of
factors and may well be based on one or more of the methods outlined previously.
The reality of life is such that many promotional budgets are very tight and managers will be
given a limited amount to spend. It is here that the skill of the strategic planner comes into its
own. If once a budget has been set the planner can use that money creatively, the overall
success will be that much greater.
Using all promotional tools and techniques works to this end. Basing the allocation of a
promotional budget on the effectiveness of the medium will result in better customer
awareness which should end in more revenue for the company.
Allocation by weighting is very common in promotional planning. If one medium is likely to
be more effective than another it is given a higher weighting and gets more of the spend
allocated to it and so on. Careful research and assessment needs to take place so that
managers can identify which medium will be most effective for any particular target sector.
Without research, and objective decision making, budget allocation may well be done on
some basis which is illogical, e.g. the manager likes TV advertising even though, in the past,
it has not been as effective as personal selling.
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Message
Medium
Audience
Feedback
encodes
message
Medium
decodes
message
Receiver
Feedback
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Communication Objectives
Communication objectives will be based on solving a problem that is currently being faced or
on long-term plans that have been made. These objectives can be for various reasons
including to:
inform/instruct internally.
The "information" nature of marketing communication means that most objectives will be
predominantly qualitative in nature but this does not mean that they cannot be expressed in
quantifiable terms. For example, the following could be valid communications objectives:
To increase awareness from 40 per cent to 65 per cent within 12 weeks of the
campaign launch among 2535-year-old females in the area covered by Carlton
Television.
To announce the introduction of a new chocolate bar, in the Tyne Tees region, creating
50 per cent awareness of the new product one week prior to launch.
To position the iPod as the best, and trendiest, on the market within 6 months from the
date of launch, among 85 per cent of 18 25-year-old ABC1 males and females.
The Message
It is important that you appreciate just how significant the message can be. The message
must reflect the objectives of the communication which will have been designed or defined to
overcome some problem.
For example, suppose you had a problem of falling sales because some of your customers
have not remained loyal in the face of competitive activity:
Your objectives would be based on keeping your loyal customers and recapturing
those who have left you.
Your message would be aimed at reassuring your loyal customers, and reminding the
lost customers, of your services/benefits, etc.
If you have creative people who can produce a message that will cater to both target sectors
that is fine. If not, you may have to use more than one message and more than one medium.
Messages can be informative or persuasive or a mixture of the two:
Informative messages will contain simple facts such as: price, outlets, times,
locations, new formulations, contact names or telephone numbers.
Messages do not just happen. They need to be designed and this is a highly skilled task
which is why we have so many creative agencies earning vast amounts of money.
The criteria for successful messages are that they must be relevant and credible to the
target audience and relate to the nature of the objectives. They must also be ordered and
unambiguous if they are to be transmitted and understood properly.
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Target Audience
Whatever the message or the reason for it, the target audience must be identified and
targeted or the objectives of the communication will not be met.
We covered segmentation in an earlier chapter so we do not need to go over it again.
Suffice to say that audience research and segmentation go hand in hand. When you know
your audience you should know what kind of communication to send because you can
design your message around the factors which influence them.
The message may need to be serious or frivolous, depending on the campaign and the
product in question but it must reflect the nature of the audience for which it is intended,
and it must be capable of being understood by that audience.
Audience selection has become very sophisticated in today's marketing environment.
Strategists now concentrate on good targeting in order to reduce wasted costs incurred in
promotional activities.
You already know from our study of buying behaviour that marketers have improved on the
traditional methods of audience selection (age, income, etc.) by taking into consideration how
people live and what motivates them. This has considerably improved marketing
communications: not only are the communications more specific and relevant to the
audience, but wastage (promotion reaching the wrong audience) has also been reduced,
with the result that costs have been lowered.
Audience selection criteria are exactly the same as for segmentation: the audience must
have a demand pattern, be big enough to warrant activity, be reachable, etc. Once the
criteria have been matched to a sector, promotional activities can begin.
You can see from everything that I have said here that the main audience research is really
part of the overall situational analysis that is undertaken at the audit stage. But there may be
additional research undertaken to investigate the coverage of one or more types of media so
that results can be forecasted.
I have previously mentioned the importance of internal communications and how marketers
should play a leading role in these. Sadly, strategic marketers often neglect internal
audiences and fail to communicate adequately with them. If internal audiences are not given
the same due regard as external audiences, the entire marketing process can be damaged.
Internal communications can be handled in exactly the same way as external ones. They
can be one way or two way, and can be for information purposes or for motivational
purposes. Themes can be frivolous or serious. Communication can be intensive or
infrequent. They can be directed to one person, a selected target, or a mass audience.
Of course, within an organisation we have the benefit of being able to use formal, established
lines of communications (e.g. from operative to manager, manager to director) or informal
channels. Formal lines of communication may well give a degree of security in how or
when any relevant information is passed, but they can also be slow and unwieldy and can
result in some people feeling isolated and left out.
On the other hand, informal channels using the grapevine, word of mouth or gossip, etc.
can be a very fast method of communication but it can be dangerous to rely on these
methods as information may be distorted as it is passed from one person to another.
Strategic decisions on internal communications will generally be made on a basis of: "Who
needs to know?"; "What is the best way to tell them?"; "When should we tell them?" etc. If
you compare these questions to the aspects which any communicator needs, you will see
that they match. Internal and external communications are exactly the same except,
perhaps, that the cost of communicating internally is likely to be much lower than
communicating externally.
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Planning Communications
The organisation of this section highlights the process of planning for communications. You
can see by studying the model in Figure 10.3 that communications planning is similar to all
other types of planning in that all aspects are related, and each activity is joined in a neverending circle take one away and the circle could disintegrate. The process applies to
planning for any of the individual promotional sub-mixes as shown in the expanded
promotional mix model in Figure 10.1.
Figure 10.3: Communications planning process
MESSAGE
OBJECTIVES
STRATEGIES
CONTROL
AUDIENCE
SELECTION
TIMING AND
IMPLEMENTATION
By accepting that the process of communications planning is common to all elements of the
main promotional sub-mix, it is possible to formulate plans which are appropriate for any of
the individual elements. Objectives, target audience, strategies to be used, timing, budgets
and controls appear in every one of these plans. The differences may simply be on whether
an agency is used or when a particular promotion is to start, etc.
In promotional planning, as with all planning, strategists are concerned with setting, and
achieving, realistic objectives. Just as overall strategic marketing planners use the elements
of the marketing mix, strategic promotional planners use all elements of the communications
mix.
The elements of the communications mix are used to:
Each element of the promotional mix is used to communicate with the buyer. The success
of the communication effort will be dependent on the plans which are laid down. One thing
which is absolutely certain is that if individual plans are not integrated, they will never be as
successful as they might have been.
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C. ADVERTISING
Why Advertise?
The purposes or reasons for advertising can be many and varied. For example, the
purpose might be to:
maintain sales
catch new customers entering the market for the first time.
New products obviously need promoting and launching onto the market, but a great deal of
advertising is for products which have been in existence for some time, e.g. Coca Cola,
Cadbury's chocolate. The reasons for advertising existing products vary from one
manufacturer to another, but there are general reasons for all manufacturers to advertise
regularly and repetitively:
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
Classification of Advertisements
Most advertisements could be considered as belonging to a class, or category, and will have
aims which are relevant to the prevailing circumstances. Some examples of the various
categories are given next (this is not a comprehensive list). Note that some adverts will fit
into more than one category and some will not fit into any!
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Persuasive
This is the most obvious kind of advertising. Selling hard, trying to attract attention and
convert it into desire and, finally, purchase. Vast amounts of money are spent on this
type of advertising. This is because it is important that the consumer is properly
informed of the product, and that the suppliers or distributors are backed up by the
advertising which will create a demand for a product to which they are giving up space.
Informative
This style is often adopted for advertising more expensive products such as cars, video
cameras, etc. It will contain technical information and be presented in a readable
manner. This type of advert may not always result in a purchase being made, but may
well result in the consumer being interested enough to take up the offer of a test drive
or demonstration, etc.
Generic
Not all advertising is for individual branded products. Sometimes controlling bodies or
groups of producers will combine to advertise the benefits of using one type of
commodity, e.g. eggs, milk, apples, wine. The term "generic advertising" is also often
used by large organisations when they are referring to the advertising of their entire
product range or the product range of one of their subsidiary companies. The best way
to think of "generic" is to consider it to be referring to a "type" rather than an individual
product.
Retail
Retailers will spend money on advertising their own outlets, (e.g. Tesco, Currys) and
will give the consumers a picture of the overall benefits that can be gained, such as
opening times, range of products and services, etc. Much of this type of advertising is
done on a local basis and will often result in full page adverts in the local press.
Direct Response
This is one area of advertising where response can be checked and effectiveness
assessed. An advertisement, which includes a response mechanism designed to
either attract orders or encourage customers to write in and ask for information, gives
the advertiser an immediate indication of the degree of success. Research into direct
response advertising usually focuses on the media and the advertisement used.
Coupons are coded so that advertisers can identify which adverts and media are most
effective. Information gained from this assessment can help in preparing plans for
another campaign. The information gathered through direct response can be used by
organisations to build customer profiles, gain a deeper understanding of customers and
therefore allow them to develop more targeted marketing activities. The interactive
nature of direct response therefore assists organisations in building a dialogue with
customers leading to a closer relationship.
Corporate
This form of advertising is not designed to sell products but to enhance the image of
the company. The organisation will be trying to communicate with various audiences
customers, workforce, suppliers, shareholders, local authorities, governments,
pressure groups, etc. They will be trying to show what the company is up to behind the
scenes and how the organisation is working for "the good of all". Quite often this type
of advertising will be part of the public relations activity rather than marketing.
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advertising appears, but advertisers are finding that TV and general interest magazines
can be just as effective for this type of business-to-business advertising.
Classified
These are so called because the adverts appear in classified sections (Births, Sales,
etc.). While many adverts are placed by individuals, a considerable number are placed
by companies such as estate agents, garages, etc.
Government
This may be for recruitment (forces, police, nursing, etc.), information (explaining
legislative changes) or persuasive (encouraging loft insulation, etc.). Government
advertising tends to use shock and fear more than most other types of advertising
(drink, drugs, burglary, etc.).
(b)
marketing/communication planning
creative design/illustrations/photography
Part service agencies may provide one or more of the particular aspects given by full
service agencies. This type of agency has become much more common in today's
market-place with specialists setting up in business on their own, or in small groups.
Advertisers may decide to use an "a la carte" basis where they use several part service
agencies to cover a campaign basing the choice of agency on the particular skills available.
They may also elect to give the control of a campaign to one agency which may not have the
resources to carry out all of the activities necessary. These agencies will subcontract to
other agencies and act as managers on behalf of the client.
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The need for an agency will depend on the size of the organisation, resources
available, size of the problem in hand, time allowed, etc. Some companies will prefer
not to engage agents as they want to retain as much control as possible or they may
be unable to because of financial problems.
Above the line refers to those activities which involve a commission from the
media owners (time, space)
(ii)
Below the line refers to those that need to be charged for by some other means
(design, research).
Unfortunately although there is no "line" we still have to cope with these expressions,
which often cause confusion for students. The line concept comes from the early days
of advertising agencies when they existed by earning commission from media owners
for selling space, etc.
Originally, the media owners only gave commission to approved agencies. However, in
the early 1970s this system was deregulated and media owners were forced to give
discount to advertisers as well as to agencies. This led to agencies accepting lower
profits and offering reduced rates to clients in order to attract business. It has resulted
in the client having more power than previously, and the agencies having to work
harder to maintain their profits, etc. In some respects this deregulation was also
responsible for the growth of specialist agencies who could charge for their particular
expertise thus helping to create the a la carte system mentioned.
We now have a mixture of ways in which an agency can be paid (or charge) for
services:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
Advertising Media
"Media" covers a multitude of methods and means of advertising "anything that can be
used to convey an advertising message" but it is generally accepted that the term major
media covers five areas:
press
television
radio
cinema
outdoor advertising
internet.
Note that all major media come into the above the line category (subject to commission).
Perhaps the most difficult decision for any advertiser is the choice of medium as, no matter
how effective an advertising campaign, it will fail if it is not in the correct medium for the
particular target audience. An advertisement is subject to "wastage" the amount of
resources or opportunities lost by missing a sector of the intended audience.
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Cost Involved
The size, objectives and resources of the organisation wishing to advertise will
influence the type of media, size and frequency of the campaign.
(b)
Characteristics
The nature of the medium chosen will depend very much on the objectives of the
campaign. Is a serious presentation required? Will a popular daily do? Will it be better
to use a trade journal or a national daily? Will the media chosen reach the required
audience? Is it a believable channel for the message that is being sent?
(c)
Audience
Coverage is crucial. Advertisers will be asking: Does the medium chosen cover the
target audience? Will the audience respond in the required way? How does the
medium know what the audience will do? In other words, how well does the medium
know its own audience?
Has the creative work been done with a particular medium in mind?
We can now move on to compare the characteristics of different media for the purposes of
advertising.
(a)
Press Advertising
The "press" covers all printed papers, i.e. newspapers, magazines and directories.
They may be national, regional, specialist, trade or general publications. Basically they
are owned and operated by someone other than the paying advertiser.
The advantages and disadvantages are shown in the following table.
Advantages
High circulation with good "opportunity
to see" (OTS)
Audience can be easily identified
Information can be saved and retrieved
Adverts can include response coupons,
etc.
Relatively low costs involved (both
preparation and advert space)
(b)
Disadvantages
No sound/movement
If too many adverts some will be missed
Magazines require long lead times
Printing only as good as the staff
involved
Television Advertising
Television is seen as one of the (if not the) most persuasive means of advertising. It is
certainly effective and is, in its own right, a hugely successful industry. From early
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beginnings of limited land lines, today we have cable and satellite transmissions giving
choices of multiple channels to viewers round the world. Global advertising is now
common practice but would have been unheard of not that long ago.
Advantages
Can provide movement/colour/
sound/emotion
It is an intrusive medium
Viewers can identify with situations in
adverts
Mass, regional or specific coverage
available
(c)
Disadvantages
Short time of adverts restricts
information-passing
Can be repetitive which will result in
boredom for viewer
Costly/time-consuming to produce live
adverts
Adverts shown when many supply points
are closed
Adverts not retained for review (consider
home videos)
Can be difficult for viewer to respond
(consider telemarketing)
Radio Advertising
In common with television advertising, radio transmission has actually increased and
radio advertising (particularly for local services and business products) has gained in
popularity. This may to some extent be a direct result of the increase in the number of
cars in the world which now have radios fitted. Drivers are a captive audience which
listens to relieve the monotony of driving or being stuck in traffic jams.
Advantages
Airtime is not very expensive
Offers sound effects/emotion
Versatile in location (radios can be
carried around)
Is intrusive
(d)
Disadvantages
Non-visual
Can only transmit non-complex
information
Need repetitive adverts to ensure
coverage
High risk of listener intolerance due to
repetition
Cinema Advertising
For several years the cinema, as a form of entertainment, suffered from poor audiences
and falling revenue. However, there has been an upsurge in popularity with many
major blockbusters attracting audiences. This has revitalised the advertising activities
within cinemas. Coupled with the introduction of multi-screen complexes, the
advertising capabilities have been increased dramatically. Different advertisements
can be targeted to different audiences in accordance with the film that is being shown.
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Advantages
Pleasant/relaxed atmosphere
Captive (though small) audience
Sound/colour/movement/emotion
(e)
Disadvantages
Only one chance to show advert per visit
to the cinema
Audience cannot note telephone
numbers
Regular cinema-goers can become
bored with the adverts
Outdoor Advertising
Outdoor advertising takes many forms: posters; "adshells" (on bus shelters, etc.);
transport (buses, taxis, etc.). Outdoor advertising is often used to back up other types
of advertising in a campaign.
Advantages
Continuous display
Good memory joggers
Good impact capabilities
Colour/humour
(f)
Disadvantages
Involves long, advance planning
Difficult (not impossible) to coordinate
campaign start
Not easy to pass information as people
do not always read fully
Internet
The internet itself is a new media/way of communicating with customers. The internet
can be used for advertising, supporting sales promotions, providing customer support
services such as online ordering.
Advantages
Ability to personalise information
Allows for interaction with the customer
Can hold large amounts of information
Quantifiable
Disadvantages
Relies on other elements of the
promotional mix
D. SALES PROMOTION
This type of activity has been described as:
"Those activities which do not normally make provision for a commission to be
payable to an advertising agency." (Hart and Stapleton, Glossary of Marketing
Terms)
"A short-term tactical marketing tool which gives additional reasons or incentives
to encourage purchase."
"Any activity which supplements the promotional campaign of an organisation."
"The various techniques used to put the product in danger of being sold."
"Profitable promotion of sales through means other than display advertising
whereby additional reasons or incentives are given to encourage purchase."
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"The main purpose of sales promotion is to give the hovering customer a push in
the right direction (i.e. towards the product)." (Alison Corke, Marketing and Public
Relations)
These examples of definitions show how difficult it is to define sales promotion but also how
easy it is to show that sales promotion can be anything and everything. Sales promotion is
the sum of all effort other than advertising which a company uses to help promote its
products in the marketplace.
The accepted idea of sales promotion covers two types of promotional effort:
(a)
(b)
direct mailing
exhibitions
free samples/magazines
in-store demonstrations
reusable packaging (where containers can be used for other purposes when the
product is used up, e.g. storage jars)
self-liquidating offers
money-off coupons
Without doubt, sales promotion is widely used by many companies across the whole
spectrum of markets, catering to a wide variety of target audiences in both consumer and
industrial sectors.
help sales
attract customers to premises, which may have knock-on benefits for other products in
the range
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It tends to produce only fleeting interest in products and does not show any lasting
effect (which is why companies keep changing their sales promotional activities).
If kept on too long the customer will become bored with the campaign.
It can lead to disloyalty on the part of customers if too many promotions are on offer
(they will shop around for the best offer, rather than the product).
Sales promotions are very expensive to run and this increases costs and consequently
prices to the customer, which means that the organisation suffers in the end by
reduced sales.
Thus we can see that although sales promotion techniques can be valuable, they must be
handled with care if the customers are not to become worn out by offers, rather than seeing
offers as being incentives.
Most of the types of sales promotion offers outlined here will be familiar to you from your
experiences as a customer and consumer, but we shall take a closer look at some of the
methods which are more frequently used.
The close targeting required for effective direct mail has given rise to the term database
marketing which, in effect, means companies using "good lists" of customers in order to
communicate with them. Lists are on sale from a variety of sources and will be specific to
certain target sectors doctors, students, sports fans, readers of certain publications, owners
of particular makes of car and so on. There is an endless range of lists that you can buy
from list sellers but there is no guarantee that the list will be accurate.
Many companies create their own database of current and potential customers by quite
simple and inexpensive means. For example, when a purchase is made and a customer has
to send in details to register the guarantee, the customer's details will be added to the
database and any subsequent promotional material will be sent in the future. Potential
customers can be found by advertising in the press and inviting people to write in for a free
sample. Each has to give their name and address of course, so that goes onto the database
for future use. Not only does this produce an accurate list, but it also indicates that those on
the list have at least an interest in the product which is being offered as a sample. Gathering
lists by these means is effective, but the lists must be checked periodically to see if they are
still accurate to avoid wastage. Developments such as online purchasing, online promotional
activities and loyalty cards mean that organisations are now able to capture data about their
customers more easily and quickly than in the past, providing marketers with more detailed
and up-to-date data and information.
Developments in database technologies and analysis techniques have allowed organisations
to make increasingly effective and sophisticated use of the information they hold on
customers and potential customers. This expansion of market intelligence is based on such
developments as:
Data warehousing the storage and maintenance of large amounts of captured data
in one database (or a series of related databases), which facilitates analysis and
extraction of relevant information.
Data mining the ability to analyse very large amounts of data from a wide variety of
sources in order to identify more detailed and relevant trends and relationships within
marketing information, to support improved decision-making.
Data fusion the combining of many different data items from many different sources
into one single database (or series of related databases) in order to develop a more
detailed understanding of the market.
Database marketing the use of the enhanced market information (derived from the
previous techniques) to develop marketing strategies based upon detailed
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Disadvantages
Lists can be outdated/inaccurate
Frequent mailings lead to dismissal of
a product by the target audience
Too many advertisers chasing similar
market segments can lead to
saturation of target audiences with
resulting loss of sales
Exhibitions
Exhibitions are public events which are held by one (or several or many) organisation(s)
which are aimed at demonstrating products and/or services to an audience interested
enough to attend.
The main reasons for and problems with using exhibitions are set out in the following table.
Reasons
Problems
The expense
Poor presentation will affect image
There may be poor representation by
organisational personnel
It can be difficult to measure
effectiveness
It can be difficult to know if the right
audience was reached
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There are also permanent exhibition sites which rotate the products or trades that are on
display, e.g. National Exhibition Centre (Birmingham, UK), World Trade Centre (New York,
USA). In addition there are mobile exhibitions arranged to suit requirements at a particular
time; these mobile exhibitions may be staged by individual companies, or local or national
governments. They offer the possibility of taking the "show" to the customer rather than
using the established venues and hoping that the customer will come to the show.
Exhibitions can be large or small but they all have the same basic similarities in that they
attract interested parties. Companies spend a great deal of money on exhibitions, giving
away free literature, samples and so on. The fact that this type of activity shows little sign of
decline indicates how effective a means of promotion it is. However note that many
companies regard exhibitions as being part of their public relations activity. They would like
to obtain orders, etc. but they are far more interested in the exposure an exhibition brings.
In certain cases, particularly with industrial products and high-status products such as cars, it
is almost obligatory for a company to be seen at exhibitions or the target sectors (and
competitors) will think that the company is in financial trouble. Customers do not like to buy
from companies that appear to be in difficulty as they want the security of knowing that the
company will continue in business.
Conferences/Seminars
Conferences and seminars are smaller events than exhibitions but they are very valuable in
terms of their communications capability. They tend to be arranged by individual
organisations and are aimed at specifically selected audiences. These audiences are either
directly involved with the company, such as customers, dealers, distributors, etc. or targeted
at a wider but still relatively small target, e.g. design engineers, industry or knowledge
specialists, etc.
The main reasons for and problems with using conferences and seminars are set out in the
following table.
Reasons
You can attract the people you want
to influence (press, customers,
agents)
They are good public relations
activities for organisations as they
can be hospitality based
You do not have the interference of
competitors, so you can get your
message across in the way that is
best for you
Problems
The expense
They can be seen as a way of
"bribing" interested parties
They may take place in an artificial
atmosphere which ignores the
problems of the operating
environment
They are often carried out by more
senior personnel in the organisation
who may be too remote from what is
happening in the marketplace
Sales Literature
Leaflets and brochures can be an essential part of the product offering. Customers may be
unable or unwilling to reach a purchase decision without the support of literature which
details technical specifications, product uses, testimonials from satisfied customers,
indications of the stability of the manufacturer, etc. Manufacturers/sellers can reap extensive
benefits from well-produced sales literature and it is for this reason that so much care is
taken and so much money spent in this area.
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Once a sale has been completed, a customer may need support/guidance on operating,
maintaining or servicing a product and manufacturers will provide literature which caters to
these needs.
Obviously the more expensive or technical the product, the greater will be the requirement
for sales and/or support literature. It is for the organisation to assess customer/product
requirements and to decide what if any percentage of their budgets and efforts should be
dedicated to this type of activity.
The internet has provided organisations with the opportunity to offer sales support literature
online. The benefits of this are that the information can be easily updated by the
organisation, made easily available to customers and it is cheaper to deliver. This all leads
to improved customer service and increased customer loyalty. Finally, organisations are able
to track their customers' use of sales literature. This means they can use other elements of
the marketing communications mix to intervene, e.g. direct mail to offer a sales promotion or
use the information to inform future marketing activities and/or product development.
Merchandising
Because much selling is now done on a self-service basis, where purchase decisions are
made at the point of sale, failure to put the right product in the right place at the right time can
often mean no sale. Merchandising techniques are used to provide the final impetus and
reassurances to the customer.
Merchandising, which is sometimes known as the "silent salesman" or "selling through
techniques", covers many in-store aspects of trading such as:
in-store promotions.
Retailers must ensure that products sell, as selling space is at a premium and the need to
improve sales per unit area is critical. Therefore retailers expect manufacturers to ensure
that their product can/will:
provide advertising
House Style
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Retail chains have become aware of the benefits to be gained from standardising on
house styles and this fact alone has led to many retailers producing their own sales
material. House styles show the appropriate image for the store and can be carried
over into advertising, thus achieving a collective impact over individual advertisements.
House styles can develop in parallel with own-label packaging; a retailer puts his
reputation on the line with his own name.
Packaging
Packaging was originally used for the protection of the goods during storage and transit
or for the protection of handlers when there was danger from the goods themselves.
Security is no longer the sole requirement.
As well as protecting the product with regards to temperature or strength, packaging is
used to convey information, establish an identity, and educate buyers and users.
Packaging is therefore a powerful promotional medium and an important
communication channel. It gives the manufacturer an opportunity to convey a
message to the customer, which can be aimed at persuasion, information, reminding,
etc. Even when packaging is empty it will be promoting (i.e. the item needs replacing).
Packaging material should be selected carefully and be capable of easy and quick
disposal when it is finished with. Better still, it should be capable of being recycled for
further use.
The use of colour in packaging is very important. It can be used to convey
psychological ideas about products, e.g. cleanliness is usually portrayed by white.
Branding
We looked at branding in an earlier chapter, but we include mention of it here because
it is very much a sales promotion technique. It is one of the major aspects in attracting
customers to purchase one product rather than another. The stronger the brand is, the
greater the possibility of a successful sale.
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Brand image
It may be that certain promotional activity will debase the brand image of a product,
especially if the product has an upmarket image.
E. PERSONAL SELLING
Selling is a two-way communication which provides information in a flexible way that can be
adapted to meet the needs of a specific customer. Selling is part of the communications mix,
but it is much more focused than mass communications like advertising. Communication
here is customised by one individual salesperson or sales team in personal contact with
customers. Its objective is to get the buyer to act, to buy.
The importance of selling lies in the fact that most buyers buy from salespeople. However
selling as a communication tool does not come cheap. As such the role, tasks and
organisation of selling need to be clearly defined so that the sales effort is not diluted or
misdirected in any way.
Personal selling means informing and persuading customers through personal
communications directly associated with a particular transaction. In this respect, personal
selling and non-personal selling such as advertising are complementary activities and their
relative importance will vary dependent upon the nature of the product and the buying
behaviour associated with it. A school of thought as depicted in Figure 10.4 is that
advertising will be dominant where purchases are small, frequently purchased and of low unit
value, whilst personal selling is appropriate to high priced, technically complex products
which are bought infrequently.
Figure 10.4: Selecting the promotion mix
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Consumer Marketing
Industrial Marketing
Personal
Selling
Advertising
SELLING
TASKS
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Product Knowledge
Selling is about promoting a product or service. To do this effectively, the salesperson
must have a good understanding of what is being sold and bought. The first step in the
selling process is therefore product knowledge.
Many companies spend a lot of effort training their sales forces to develop product
knowledge in terms of product features such as assortments, sizes, specifications,
backup support services, finance, etc. However, the real purpose of the product is to
satisfy a need products are, in effect, problem-solvers. To this end, the salesperson
must not only be very familiar with what a product is, but also what the product features
can do for the customer in terms of product benefits.
The following table highlights the distinction between product features and benefits.
(b)
Product/Service
Feature
Benefits
Car
Laptop Computer
Lightweight
Photocopier
Maintenance
Immediate call-out of
Maintenance Engineer
guaranteed
Prospecting
This involves identifying qualified potential customers. In most industries the
salesperson must continue to find and sell to new prospects in order both to increase
sales and to offset the loss of customer business to the competition. Some of the best
means of prospecting are by:
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building referral sources such as suppliers, dealers, lost customers and noncompeting salespeople
using the telephone to find out who the DMU is, their name and position in the
organisation.
Approach
In all selling, first impressions count. This does not simply refer to how the salesperson
looks, but also how well prepared they are and how they meet and greet the buyer so
as to get the relationship off to a good start.
(d)
Establishing Needs
In order to satisfy a customer, a salesperson must have a clear understanding of their
needs so that they know which features and benefits of the product to promote. Too
often, the salesperson makes the mistake at the start of the sales presentation of
talking about their products instead of first finding out what it is the customer wants.
Asking questions to re-establish customer needs provides the clues as to which
product benefits to promote.
(e)
Presentation
Here the salesperson explains how the features and benefits of the product(s) will
satisfy the customer's needs. This step in the selling process calls for good listening
and problem-solving skills. What's being proposed will undoubtedly be questioned and
objections thrown up. Of course objections should be anticipated when formulating
product knowledge and building information up on prospects. In handling objections a
salesperson should use a positive approach, by asking the buyer to clarify the
objection, by taking the objection as an opportunity to provide new information and
thereby turning the objection into a reason for buying.
(f)
Closing
For many the hardest part of the selling process is closing the sale, simply because
people generally do not like rejection and so avoid asking for an order. Because of
this, salespeople often miss opportunities or buying signals, which indicate when they
should close, e.g. picking up a sample, asking a colleague for his opinion, sitting
forward and nodding approval, or asking about prices, credit terms and delivery.
(g)
Follow-up
The last step is very important if the salesperson wants to ensure customer satisfaction
and repeat business. On closing a sale, a salesperson should follow through by
completing all details of the transaction, and schedule a follow-up call for when the
order is received to ensure there is proper installation, instruction and servicing.
Follow-up is about continuing customer satisfaction in identifying any problem and
reducing the buyer-concern about the sale.
The steps outlined here are naturally more akin to the higher value sales which can be found
when a personal visit to a customer is necessary. However, this is not to say that the "spirit"
of the steps in selling does not apply equally to lower value sales it does.
Many companies today recognise that they earn a higher return from money spent getting
repeat orders from existing customers than they do from resources invested in attracting new
customers. There are also benefits to be gained from cross-selling opportunities with
existing customers. As such, a professional approach to selling is essential irrespective of
the value of the order from the customer. It is customer satisfaction that should be
paramount. If customers are satisfied with all aspects of a company's sales techniques and
approach they are more likely to investigate other products being sold. This can result in
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cross-selling (other items in a product range) or selling-up (higher value purchases than
the original intention) for the selling organisation.
Consider your own purchasing. Have you ever bought a pair of shoes and because a sales
assistant was helpful you also bought shoe cleaner (cross-selling)? Or in the case of more
expensive products have you ever gone to buy something only to be persuaded by a
salesperson that a more advanced (and expensive) model would meet your requirements
better (selling-up)? These techniques work in every kind of selling but are only possible if a
salesperson is good at their job and can arouse the interest of a buyer.
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Geographical Area/Region
This is perhaps the most common form of organisation and it is the one most people
would be aware of. A company is likely to be split into several functional areas such as
sales, production, finance and personnel and it is the sales department that is
organised on an area basis. Sales force personnel will normally deal with customers in
their particular area. The possible advantages of a single salesperson assigned to
cover all company products in a particular area are savings in travel expenses, better
local and customer knowledge and avoidance of multiple calling on the same customer.
The products offered do need to be fairly homogeneous and within the technical
competence of the sales force.
Market/Customer Type
When a sales force is organised by market it is, in effect, by customer types. Product
specialisation selling may lead to duplication of calling on the same customer but
specialised selling has the advantage that qualified sales personnel can be employed
to deal with the special product applications and attitudes. Knowledge of the
organisation may also be important. Sales forces are thus calling on particular market
segments. Computer manufacturers often do this by having distinct sales staff to call
separately on retailers, engineering and construction companies, and banking and
finance institutions. So there are thus three sales forces and each would be dealing
with the specific needs of each customer group. Sales staff involved with retailers are
unlikely to be able to apply the computer's attributes to the needs of bankers,
engineers and so on.
Stirling Health, who marketed Andrews Liver Salts, Milk of Magnesia and Delrosa had a
sales force organised in this way but this was subdivided into areas.
Product
Sales forces may sell particular products. Thus one sales force may sell patent
medicines, another may sell food and drink and a third may sell pharmaceutical
products. Sales force structures of this nature have the advantage that highly qualified
salespeople can be employed to deal with technical explanations and problems.
Sometimes the product range may benefit from this type of organisation. Note that in
the example just given, the staff from each may call on the same customer selling a
different product range. However this may not always be the case. The structure is
favoured by larger companies who have highly diversified specialised product lines
each making substantial profit contributions.
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Matrix
Planning and new product development are problem-solving activities for which a
functional structure is not suitable and some form of compromise is necessary. One
solution is the setting up of project teams comprised of representatives from each
functional department and this is sometimes referred to as matrix organisation. They
are not a common form of structure but are nevertheless used in heavy engineering
industries in particular. Each project could, for example, be a different type of aircraft.
A sales drive on one particular line, which is not matched by increased production
of that line, will fail.
An intention to improve customer service levels may well fail if the sales plan
does not allow for increased involvement of the sales force.
Increasing the number of distribution outlets without reviewing the sales force can
lead to wasted resources or overstretched personnel.
The plan itself is not really any different to any other plan involved in the marketing
effort. There will be objectives, strategies and programmes, but where the sales plan
may differ is in the amount of detail. By their very nature sales plans tend to be
operational and as such may well include detailed targets and budgets for individual
salespeople. Strategic sales planning (at higher levels) will outline the overview of
what is to be done, e.g. increased sales staff, methods to use, etc. but the operational
levels will be quite specific and detailed.
F. PUBLIC RELATIONS
What is Public Relations?
There can be no doubt that public relations activities span the entire organisation, taking in
the very highest level of management as well as the operational levels. Despite this the term
"public relations" is often misused and misunderstood, with many managers failing to
appreciate the importance of the activities involved.
It does not help that various authorities give different definitions of public relations, as this
can lead to even more uncertainty. Who should we turn to for a sensible definition?
Consider the following:
" all activities and attitudes intended to judge, adjust to, influence and direct the
opinion of any group or groups of persons in the interest of any individual, group
or institution" (American Public Relations Association)
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Although I am convinced that this is not the case, the above definition could be taken to imply
a degree of coercion in the interests of the person or group undertaking the public relations
activities. To some extent, I prefer the comments of a previous president of the American
Association who described public relations as:
"everything involved in achieving a favourable opinion."
However, even this comment could imply a lack of responsibility and a sense of "anything
goes" as long as it achieves the end result.
"Public relations practice is the art and social science of analysing trends,
predicting their consequences, counselling organisation leaders and
implementing programmes of action which will serve both the organisation's and
the public interest." (World Assembly of Public Relations Associations, 1978).
You can see that this definition was actually formed as an aid to guide the actions of public
relations specialists specifically. It does not address the meaning of "public relations" itself,
but seeks to define what the specialist does.
"the planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain goodwill and mutual
understanding between an organisation and its publics" (Institute of Public
Relations, UK)
To me, this definition gives a much clearer view of public relations in that it contains the key
words:
"mutual understanding"
"between".
Whichever definition of public relations you prefer (and there are plenty more around) you
should find that they all have a common underlying principle. Public relations is about
understanding the needs of an organisation and its publics, and working towards satisfying
those needs.
Thus we can see that public relations is something which needs to be worked at and does
not just happen because someone wants it to. No organisation can work for its own
objectives and disregard the needs of its publics. Likewise, the attitude that all we have to do
is "be nice" to people carries no leverage in today's sophisticated business world. Public
relations is a discipline which demands a careful approach if it is to be successful.
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those who neither know you nor care (often the majority).
The first category is easy to deal with as long as you do nothing to upset them and thus
maintain good relationships. It is the second two categories that give cause for concern. If
we are to "create understanding" we must try to change the attitude of others towards us.
We know that different people can have different attitudes to the same thing whether it be
an idea, an organisation or even an individual and that these attitudes do not change
easily. In fact, changing the attitude of someone can be very difficult indeed. For the
organisation, this is where public relations becomes so important.
When we try to influence attitudes towards or within an organisation we are really seeking to
achieve a more favourable position. A model produced by Frank Jefkins, a renowned
British writer on public relations, encapsulates this "transfer process" that we are trying to
achieve (Figure 10.7).
Figure 10.7: Jefkins' Public Relations Transfer Process
Current attitude
Negative
Hostility
Prejudice
Apathy
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Desired attitude
to be
converted
to
Positive
Sympathy
Acceptance
Interest
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Ignorance
Knowledge
Every organisation should use some form of public relations in order to establish itself in the
marketplace. This may simply be to gain advantage over competitors or for some other
reason such as reassuring shareholders and customers that the company is financially
sound.
It is not only profit-making organisations that are concerned with public relations. Charities,
local and national governments, political parties and pressure groups all have valid reasons
for presenting themselves favourably to their respective target audiences or "publics" as they
are known in public relations. Consider the organisations concerned with public safety and
well-being (transport, pharmaceuticals, etc.): it is essential that they acquire a degree of
public confidence and credibility if they are to carry out their role effectively. Public relations
is the means by which these organisations acquire their public standing.
At best, public relations does not only tell an organisation's story to its publics and foster
good relationships, but it also helps to shape the organisation and the way it performs.
Taking this further we must accept the fact that there are varying levels of public relations
activity within any organisation. The strategic or higher management level of the company
will be concerned with corporate public relations, which encompasses issues such as
company positioning in the market place, the corporate image and how business is carried
out.
The operational levels will be influenced by whatever the higher levels decree, but they will
be responsible for the day-to-day activities that need to be carried out. It is quite common for
these aspects of public relations to be dealt with by the marketing department in a separate
section known as the "public relations function" (or department, division, etc.).
Although corporate public relations tends to be the most visible to the external publics, it is
the operational level that does the necessary background work which leads to success. By
research, a public relations practitioner can establish the needs and concerns of any
identified public, as well as assess opinions on various matters. After analysis of the
research, information can be fed back to the relevant managers for consideration which,
hopefully, will be taken into account when actions are taken. This does not just involve the
drawing up of plans for the future, but also means that current activities can be amended if
they are causing any problems. So it follows that if public relations is to be successful, it
must be organised in such a way that activities can be undertaken in a logical and sensible
fashion.
Product
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Information gathered in the public relations function may have a direct impact on
product policy within an organisation provided the information is fed back to the
relevant section of the production process. This may be at any stage design,
production, packaging, etc. Complaints received from customers can often act as a
catalyst which will result in a new version of a product being produced. Criticisms in
trade press reviews or even snippets of information overheard at an exhibition can all
bring new ideas into a company. The trick is to see that the public relations function is
capable of both gathering this type of information and getting it to the right people. We
could argue that intelligence gathering such as this is a task of the product manager,
but it is equally a responsibility of the public relations function. Anything which helps to
create better relationships cannot be overlooked.
Price
You could argue that the added cost of having a public relations function can only serve
to increase the prices charged to customers, but this is a short-sighted point of view.
Good public relations will enhance the image of the company in the eyes of the buying
customers and thus confer a degree of security in the company and its offering. If a
company is seen to be lacking in some way (aggressive stance, production policies,
ethics, etc.), the buyers may well object to its pricing structure. On the other hand, a
company with a good market standing and image is less likely to have problems when
setting prices as buyers will accept them more readily. Public relations, working
towards achieving this good standing, certainly helps in controlling price levels and
fluctuations.
Place (Distribution)
It is likely that the main effect public relations can have on the distribution channel will
be with the channel members distributors, warehouses, retail outlets, etc. Marketing
planning will take care to see that the distribution channel chosen is suited to the needs
of the actual buying customer or end-user, but public relations will help to keep the
distribution channel members satisfied. It is not enough to simply issue product
literature to a member of a distribution channel they may need something more. If a
channel member is kept informed it means ultimately that customers too will benefit.
Public relations can help in this by providing additional information and support as and
when necessary, thereby helping to maintain the marketing effort.
Promotion (Communications)
Public relations is very much concerned with communications in that it adds to and
enhances the other promotional efforts. We have already seen that public relations at
its highest level will seek to ensure that the company has a good image which is
communicated to the public. At its operational level, public relations will see that the
promotional tools used are in keeping with the image that the company wishes to
project. The relationship between "promotion" and "public relations" is one of the
stronger linkages that we can see where the marketing mix is concerned. If these two
aspects do not match you will soon have a company that is struggling either with its
image or in its advertising campaigns. However, for the company that gets them
balanced success is guaranteed.
For example, take a high profile organisation such as the Virgin group of companies.
The group includes a diverse assortment of companies but, broadly speaking,
advertises itself and its products as being go-ahead and keeping up to date with
people's requirements in the modern world. All the promotional literature is presented
in glowing warm colours, with messages meant to reassure the buyers that they are
dealing with a company that cares. Promotion is geared very effectively to all sectors
young and not so young and in all types of media. In addition to this the group has
Richard Branson as its founder and chief executive. He is a highly visible and well-
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publicised personality who is very much presented as a "man of the people", with a
caring and modern attitude.
There can be no doubt that Richard Branson is an extremely astute businessman and
yet he commands tremendous liking and respect from many quarters. Because of this
he himself is one of the best public relations tools that Virgin could have. Every time he
is seen in public his Virgin group of companies reaps the benefit of publicity. But this is
no accident. He and his executives know very well that all the advertising they do, and
the product literature they produce, will not be as effective on their own. They fully
utilise the public liking for Branson in a very effective way. Consider only one of the
products they have personal equity plans. Can you think of another financial
company where you would instantly recognise not only the name of the company, but
the chief executive too? A very difficult task for most people! Virgin are to be
congratulated on their effective use of promotion and public relations as joint marketing
tools.
Soft Elements
People one of the so-called "soft" elements of the mix actually refers to one of the
most important resources of any organisation, its personnel. Good internal public
relations means happy people. Happy people usually means good customer relations
so it follows that public relations is a definite help in respect of employees who are
working towards satisfying customer needs. This type of internal public relations is
relatively easy to arrange and effect, providing the company recognises the need for
it.
The existence or otherwise of a public relations function within an organisation may, at
first glance, appear not to have a great deal of impact on the two remaining elements of
the mix physical evidence (concerned with appearances, ambience etc.) and
processes (concerned with systems used to deal with customers and business in
general). But consider for a moment the company which has to provide waiting areas
for customers. If there is no public relations policy these waiting areas could be poorly
designed and uncomfortable and give a completely wrong impression to the customers.
Likewise, if a company presents itself as being customer friendly, the processes or
systems used should reflect that.
Intelligence gathered by those in the public relations function will be added to that
gathered by those in the marketing function. This intelligence will then help to ensure
that both the physical evidence and processes elements of the mix are amended in
accordance with the company's attitude to its customers and in line with the strategic
policies which have been decreed, as well as in keeping with the customer needs as
identified by the marketing people.
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This type of message is often used in public relations for corporate issues when
reassuring the various publics on some issue (such as when Perrier had to reassure
the general public that they had solved the problem of the traces of benzene which had
been found in some of their bottles) or in the event of any major problems (such as
product recalls because of a technical failure in one or more components).
Persuasive messages play on the personality of the recipient or target public. They
will concentrate on needs, wants, aspirations and desires and will use emotional
aspects to win support.
Messages can be designed to play on emotion and manipulate public opinion in
particular ways, even though they may really be aimed at achieving a completely
different objective. This practice is quite common and is acceptable in the public
relations field as long as the message does not mislead and give false information.
The nature of the problem and of the public(s) will largely determine the type of message
which needs to be sent and the messages might be adapted somewhat if circumstances
change.
The type of message which is to be communicated to the public will be dependent upon what
needs to be said in the prevailing circumstances. However it is worth mentioning that people
are more likely to accept messages which meet with their own beliefs, e.g. political leanings,
type of newspaper read, and public image of the communicating organisation. In addition,
the message must be capable of being sent out in a suitable format and by an appropriate
channel or medium which will reach the target public.
direct mail
sales literature
exhibitions
merchandising
conferences/seminars.
All of these methods are seen as being below the line in that, although they could be used to
supplement the advertising effort, they are not using media controlled by others and do not
attract commission from any media owners. Thus, they are not advertising in its truest
sense. We have also seen that public relations is not advertising, so it follows that
communication methods used must also be below the line. From there, we can see that
many of the methods we have already considered in respect of marketing to the target
audience are also suitable for us to communicate with our publics. Not all will apply in every
case, but some of them certainly will be of use. The difference is that instead of trying to
"effect a sale" we are trying to "get the message across" in order to influence attitude and
opinion.
Some of the more typical channels for public relations are considered next in relation to the
audience which it is the objective to reach.
(a)
Internal Publics
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employees with their employer. If people are kept informed they become
involved and are more likely to be loyal and supportive to their company.
Briefing Meetings
If briefing meetings are held as a regular event, or in the case of some important
development, they give employees the opportunity to ask questions and to see
that the company is not trying to hide anything. Announcements can be made on
changes in company policy, new product launches or impending mergers. These
meetings are also very useful for quelling any rumours that may have started to
circulate and, even more so, to reassure on the future stability of the company
and its employees.
(b)
External Publics
The Media
When people refer to "the media" they are often thinking in terms of those which
give national coverage, but there is much to be gained from local media. Local
newspapers, radio and television are all interested in news items relating to local
organisations. Another aspect to consider is that often local reporters have links
with national or even international newsgroups and will pass on a story. It is
amazing how often a simple little story concerning a company can soon be
reproduced in media around the world.
I was once very impressed to read an article in a newspaper about an
achievement of one company which is based near where I live in the UK. What
made it so impressive was that this is a very small company and I was in the
Middle East at the time! The article had been reproduced in a local English
language paper, for the region I was visiting, only two days after it had first
appeared in the company's local paper in the UK. Gaining international exposure
in this way must be an advantage to companies.
News items may be good or bad, but the relationships between the organisation
and the media may well determine how they are presented to the public. For
instance, if a company regularly refuses to give interviews to reporters, or refuses
to comment on something that has been reported, it will gain the reputation of
being secretive or obstructive.
The local media (national and international, too) will soon be presenting articles
which reflect this attitude, and the company can lose a great deal of goodwill.
Conversely if the company works with the media it is more likely to have
favourable reports published. Good media relations mean that an organisation
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can have its successes publicised and its failures treated gently. The public
relations officer who fails in media relations does not deserve to succeed.
Press Releases
It is common practice for press releases to be issued to the media giving
information on a range of topics. These can include current or intended activities,
some particular achievement of which a company is very proud, or even to
counteract bad press which has arisen for some reason. Such press releases do
not necessarily get published. Publication will depend on just how newsworthy
the item is and whether or not any particular medium wants to use the release.
Many companies use what are known as syndicated press releases. A
syndicated press release is one which is drawn up at head office by the chief
public relations officer and is then distributed to regional offices for publication in
the local press under the name of the local manager. This method gives the
advantage of a common or consistent press release, but with the added benefit
that local names and contact telephone numbers can be added. Of course, great
care must be taken to ensure that there is no overlap of publications. For
example, if the same release was then used in the national or international press
the company could look very foolish.
Press Conferences
Perhaps the most important question that needs to be asked in the case of press
conferences is: "Do we need one?" Press conferences should really only be
used when there is a major announcement to make or a major problem to
overcome; holding a press conference when it is not needed will often prove to
be counterproductive. Press conferences involve inviting media representatives
to a suitable location and then "presenting a case".
The people who are entrusted with speaking at a press conference must be well
briefed on what they have to say and they must prepare in advance. If reporters
and commentators are given a free hand with regard to the topics and questions
they can put, the end result may be something akin to chaos with a resulting loss
of face for the organisation.
Quite often the organisation hosting a press release will take the opportunity of
courting the press by providing information packs, refreshments, and so on.
However, media people may be suspicious if the hospitality is overdone so, once
again, great care must be taken.
Open Days
If customers and members of the local community are invited to visit the premises
of an organisation it gives the opportunity to publicise future activities, give
reassurances on current financial strength, and highlight the trial of testing of new
products, etc. More than anything, it gives the organisation a chance to show
that they do care about their publics and their opinions. Hospitality need not be
expensive, but the goodwill it fosters can be incalculable.
Sponsorship
You only have to watch a sports event on television, or visit a theatre, to see just
how important sponsorship has become in the modern world. Vast sums of
money are paid out in a variety of ways: sponsoring a sports personality for
training; a team of racing cars; a snooker championship; a football competition; a
drama festival; an individual theatre and numerous other events.
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The main reason behind this form of support is to gain corporate exposure,
particularly when the sponsored event is televised throughout the world. For
example, in some countries where tobacco or brewing companies are restricted
in their promotional activities, they can sometimes use sponsorship to good
effect. However, there are also other reasons for sponsorship.
If a company can be seen to be sponsoring something which is regarded as
being "worthwhile" or "good for society" it benefits greatly as far as its publics are
concerned. The company gains image, prestige and standing in the marketplace,
all of which increase the power and influence of the company.
An added benefit of this heightened stature is the "spill over" effect of the image.
Subconscious impressions will be imposed upon the minds of the latent publics
which, if ever the public becomes active, may work to the advantage of the
organisation.
After BT's Global Challenge (a sponsored round-the-world yacht race), the head
of BT's global marketing commented that the investment in the sponsorship had
"pound for pound, delivered three and a half times more exposure than
advertising". And, as he said, "that is just the beginning."
You can see from this comment alone that sponsorship can be a powerful tool to
use in marketing and public relations.
Sponsorship in many cases is related to advertising. Consider the use of the
sponsored personalities in adverts for hotels, sports equipment, soft drinks, car
tyres, and so on. But the underlying reason for sponsorship is the increased
exposure that companies gain and the add-on benefits of increased stature in the
eyes of the public at large.
It is worth mentioning the dangers that exist when a company sponsors a
personality rather than an event. If the personality falls foul of the law or public
opinion in some way, the image of the sponsoring company may be affected
rather badly. In such cases companies usually react very quickly and drop that
particular personality.
Even though a lot of companies spend vast amounts of money on sponsorship, it
need not be expensive to have your name publicised. It depends on who you are
trying to reach and influence.
A lot of companies do not recognise the importance of local sponsorship,
although it is fair to say that many companies do. Local sponsorship is an
important aspect of community relations and can be very effective in gaining
public goodwill. Whether it is support of a local rugby team, a hospice, a scout
group or even a local mother and baby group, there is a great deal to be gained
by any organisation that involves itself with the community in this way.
Lobbying
In dictionaries you will find lobbying defined as:
"to attempt to influence legislators in the formulation of policy"
"to apply pressure or influence the passage of a piece of legislature"
and a lobbyist as:
"a person employed, by a particular interest, to lobby."
These definitions suggest that lobbying is very much a political activity which
some companies may be involved with infrequently, if ever. But there are many
companies which have representatives who are engaged in dealing with
politicians on a full-time basis. These representatives may be actual employees
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of the company or they may be agencies who deal in this sort of activity. Their
intention is twofold:
(i)
(ii)
influence to see that the interests of the company are maintained and
protected.
Being aware of what is happening and is likely to happen means that a company
can make preparations for any eventuality (e.g. the transport companies and
duty-free issues). Having influence on whether a politician will vote for or against
some proposal can be very important to the future stability of a company which is
why so much lobbying takes place.
Governments recognise that lobbying does take place and in many cases
facilities are made available for this purpose, e.g. offices set aside where people
can meet. In Washington, USA, many companies have set up their own offices
so that they can have easy contact with politicians and be ready to mount (and
monitor) campaigns aimed at achieving both positive and negative shifts of
attitude on a wide range of issues.
In itself lobbying can work for the good of society as it means that the interests of
some major organisations are being listened to. We must not forget that those
huge organisations which do lobby politicians have an impact on the public at
large with jobs and financial security often being affected in some way. Public
relations in this respect is quite legitimate and is a useful tool for companies. The
danger lies in allowing influence which does not reflect the view of society as a
whole.
Needless to say, predominantly because of the wealth of some organisations,
accusations of corruption and bribery abound. There have been many instances
of public hearings against politicians being accused of taking bribes of money,
goods or services, in exchange for presenting a company's interests.
Public accusations, denials and hearings may or may not mean that corruption is
controlled. A cynic might argue that these public hearings only come about
because a politician has refused to support (or stopped supporting) a company.
For example, in late 1997 one British politician accused of taking money for
putting questions to Parliament (on behalf of the owner of a world-famous
department store in London) said, at his hearing: "I am here not because I am
corrupt, but because I refuse to be corrupt." Others would have you believe that
allegations of corruption are a direct result of the jealousy of some other party.
Yet more will tell you that these allegations are to "protect society". Who knows?
Whether or not we approve of it, and whatever our opinion of the level of honesty
involved, lobbying is going on daily in every part of the world; it is a recognised
and established part of corporate public relations.
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Figure 10.8: Halifax Bank Staff for Stars Integrated Communications Activities
Target
All adult customers of banks and Halifax colleagues
The Communications Idea
Halifax designed a campaign that would permeate and inform everything that Halifax
did both externally and internally. In order to avoid the normal bank branding they
wanted something different to the normal staid and conservative bank style advertising.
They wanted to develop an integrated campaign that would be talked about. The
creative idea was to use real Halifax staff and they would be singing in their own pop
video. A new strap line was also introduced Always giving you extra.
Launching the communications idea internally
The campaign was launched internally by Jonathan Ross appearing on Halifax TV, a
weekly internet broadcast to all 35,000 employees, with a request for staff to come
forward and star. A total of 1,169 people applied and were auditioned in eight regional
castings and 20 appeared in a national final in London.
Internal communications - People
Halifax believed that focusing on the human organisation was a powerful platform as
it was motivating to consumers and employees alike.
The campaign was very positively received by employees and so powerful and flexible
internally that it was adopted in all internal communications. Research carried out
internally showed that employees believed that the campaign represented them in a
positive way and that it had made Halifax a real competitor to the other high street
banks. In fact, in following campaigns, the number of staff applying to star in the
campaign increased to 1,851 in 2002.
As Halifax role models, the stars are the perfect vehicle for recruitment advertising.
The stars featured in internal magazines and were the focus of all internal public
relations branch openings, special appearances, competitions and are used on all
product literature. They are also used as the stars at annual Halifax sales
conferences.
As a result of the success of the campaign, after the merger, Bank of Scotland
launched its own Staff for Stars campaign using a member of staff from their Glasgow
branch.
Advertising
The first advertisement featuring Howard promoting the current account was flighted
in 2000. Yvonne promoted the credit card. Matt promoted mortgages. There was
an aggressive campaign of advertising which compared prices to those of other banks.
The advertising message and form of the promotion stood out from other banking
institutions and was liked it communicated clearly. It achieved one of its goals in as
much as it changed the target groups mind about the Halifax brand since Halifax had
changed from a building society to a bank.
Advertising recall was also impressive and research carried out by Marketing
magazines Adwatch survey showed that the Howard ads achieved a 71% recall with
the public.
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Direct Marketing
The communications idea was also used in store as well as in direct marketing and
online.
Internet click-through rates were higher after the introduction of the Staff for Stars
campaign.
Brand building
The advertising campaign differentiated Halifax from other clearing banks.
The advertising led to immediate changes in the perception of the Halifax brand and
had a significant effect on non-customers which was the primary external target
audience.
The campaign has sent out the message and disseminated the brand proposition
internally far better than any branding workshops that could have been used instead.
The fact that Halifax and Bank of Scotland have similar campaign ideas has a positive
effect on the merger, not to mention economies of scale, and both brands were able to
use and benefit equally from the communications idea.
Effective in Public Relations
Staff for Stars created more public relations than any other campaign in UK at that
time without the use of a PR agency since Halifax generated its own campaign.
Benefits of an integrated campaign
A single communications idea has saved significant internal and external resources for
Halifax. Unlike other banks, now, Halifax does not require different concepts and
different photography for branch window displays, product literature, sales conferences
and presentations.
The most significant effect of the communications idea was how well it synergised
employees in such a short space of time which is very difficult to achieve in such large
organisations. This demonstrates the effectiveness of an integrated communications
campaign acknowledging the power of internal marketing.
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G DIRECT MARKETING
We will start this section by summarising the advantages and disadvantages of direct
marketing:
Advantages
Disadvantages
Precise targeting
One-to-one communication
Relationship building
Encourage high level of interaction
with customers
Measurable
Messages can be "personalised"
High conversion rates
Ability to gather detailed customer
information and understand customer
buyer behaviour.
Direct Mail/Email
Direct mail/email means exactly what it says: mail (using some kind of postal or email
service) sent direct to the target audience. It may be only a reminder or newssheet
communication, in which case it could be considered as part of the public relations activities
of an organisation. However, direct mail tends to be the first step in a chain of activities
which a seller hopes will lead to an eventual sale.
In the majority of cases, direct mail is used to arouse interest in a possible or targeted
customer, leading to a request for further information, or a visit from a representative, or for a
sample of a product. Once this stage has been reached the advertiser can give more
precise information or actually use more intensively persuasive material and/or follow-up
activities.
Mail order is often linked with direct mail but they are not the same thing! Mail order is
simply "ordering by mail" usually from a catalogue of products. The actual product may not
be delivered by mail, depending on the requirements of the product, buyer and/or seller.
Changes in advertising techniques and in technology have helped to introduce other forms of
"mail order". These activities, which can be described as direct response marketing, can
include such activities as selling off the page (where an advert in the media will include a
response coupon) or selling from a TV advert (where viewers are invited to ring up with their
order). Direct response marketing tends to be aimed at mass markets, whereas direct mail,
which may result in a form of mail order, is targeted at a very specific market segment.
Telemarketing
Telemarketing means the use of the telephone to target customers directly. The telephone
allows organisations to create an immediate dialogue with customers and gain immediate
responses. It also allows the marketing activity to be flexible to the needs of the customer,
for example by answering questions and providing them with specific information.
Telemarketing has suffered from a lack of credibility in recent years and organisations must
be careful not to alienate customers. The cost of telemarketing can also be high, although
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use of online catalogues for customers to seek information and evaluate products
electronic payment through the internet EDI systems which allow for the transfer of
monies between banks.
Relationship Marketing
It is worth closing this section with a paragraph on relationship marketing. All marketing
communications activities are aimed at communicating with customers; the more interactive
the communication, the stronger the relationship with those customers will be. Good
customer relationships lead to good customer service and strong customer loyalty.
The use of database marketing and direct marketing techniques (particularly via the internet)
has greatly improved the ability of organisations to build profiles of their customers.
Databases allow organisations to store and retrieve data (data warehousing) and analyse the
data (data mining) in order to gain a deeper insight into customer preferences. For example,
website analytics can provide information on the types of purchases a consumer is making
thereby alerting the organisation to other products that the customer may be interested in.
This type of analysis means the organisation can be more successful in targeting customers.
This detailed targeting can lead to one-to-one marketing activities (such as making
recommendations/offers to individual customers) and thereby build customer relationships.
The internet itself provides a mechanism for conducting and building one-to-one relationships
by allowing organisations to target customers in a more flexible and effective manner.
Databases generated from internet use are self-generating and all the contacts and
information are from customers who have already shown an interest in the product and/or
service, so communications are much more targeted. The internet has the capability of
interacting and building a dialogue with customers; customers can select the information they
want, provide feedback to the organisation and organisations can follow through customer
enquiries individually and speedily with email responses. Products can also be tailormade/ordered via the internet allowing customers to choose their own colour, design etc.
One of the advantages of building close relationships with customers is the ability to
generate more sales revenue from each customer. This can be done by encouraging repeat
purchases and cross-selling with other products from the product portfolio. An example of
this can be seen in the banking industry where banks will try to sell other products such as
life assurance, savings plans etc. to a customer who uses the online banking service.
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improved communications
advances in technology
differing styles of corporate identity and brand image in different countries which are
confusing for consumers
insensitivity to the different ways people interpret messages (there is a tendency for
marketers to use their own self-reference criteria rather than establish how international
consumers might interpret the message).
It is therefore apparent that marketers need to understand their markets in other
countries if they are planning to expand internationally, which means conducting
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marketing research to understand the culture and consumer behaviour in the chosen
countries.
beliefs mental and verbal processes which constitute knowledge and assessment of
products and services
values indicators that consumers use for appropriate behaviour which are enduring
and stable over time
There are eight components of culture identified by Terpstra and Sarathy (1997) which form a
framework for examining a culture from a marketing point of view (Figure 10.9).
Figure 10:9: The eight components of culture
Language
Religion
Values and
Attitudes
Aesthetics
CULTURE
Education
Law and
Politics
Technology and
material culture
Social
organisations
Language
Language has various components spoken and silent body language, silence and social
distance. Language links all the components of culture. Many countries have dialects and
some countries have other "first" languages (such as French and English in Canada). Silent
language has a powerful place for communication and can encompass such factors as time
keeping, conversational distance between people and friendship.
Religion
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Religion can be a major cultural factor and an awareness of it is critical for an understanding
of an international market it can have a significant effect on behaviour such as the food
eaten and clothing worn. In some countries it is the most dominant cultural force and
therefore rules affecting religious laws require empathy on the part of international
companies.
Values and Attitudes
The values consumers place on factors such as achievement, work and wealth will affect not
only the products offered but also the packaging and communication activities. The ways in
which an organisation might motivate its staff will also be influenced by the local culture. For
example, achievement and success acts as a justification for the purchase of goods.
Individualism, being oneself, stimulates acceptance of customised or unique products that
enable an individual to express their own personality.
Aesthetics
Aesthetics covers the local perception of music, art, architecture and so the organisation
should ensure that any communication strategies are acceptable to the local culture from this
point of view. For instance, colour can mean different things to different individuals and
brand names do not always travel across borders well (CocaCola). Those involved in
personal selling should be aware of the impact of formal or informal dress codes as well as
gestures in greetings.
Education
The level of literacy within a country will have an impact on the sophistication of the
community and therefore the level of education will affect, for instance, the labelling on
packaging of products. In developing countries it would be necessary to consider the method
of communication and perhaps consider the validity of verbally based communication
activities. The balance between visual and non-visual components in messages should also
be considered.
Law and politics
Quite often the legal and political environment of a country will be influenced by the cultural
traditions of the community, since they reflect the norms of behaviour.
Technology and material culture
Technology and material culture will relate to the extent of a country's technological expertise
and advancement and the attitude of individuals towards it. For example, some cultures may
not consider servicing a car important if it is still working, so it may be necessary to educate
consumers through communication activities.
Social organisation
Social organisation relates to the way the people within a country approach status and social
institutions. An example of this would be the role of women marketing to women would be
very difficult in cultures where women have little social status. There are many other
examples: in some countries such as Switzerland home ownership is not important and
people tend to rent rather than purchase a home; in South Africa it is expected that a house
will have a cooker provided in the kitchen.
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Benefits of Standardisation
Easier coordination
However, with the need to demonstrate cultural sensitivity and empathy with a wide range of
international customers and avoid the type of mistakes discussed earlier, it is necessary to
adapt the international communications to local needs. Let us examine these two strategies
more closely.
Standardisation
The drivers for standardisation come from the organisation's wish to improve efficiency
and to achieve economies of scale in areas such as media buying and advertising.
They also come from experience, with the aim of repeating past successes.
Standardisation provides customers with perceived added value through consistently
recognised branding. Consistency in the brand and corporate identity will encourage
feelings of trust, confidence and loyalty, e.g. it will be reassuring for a visitor to another
country to see a familiar logo for a bank or hotel chain. As a result of increased travel,
television communications and the written media, consumers often prefer the brands
they have become accustomed to.
The internet allows customers to access products from organisations in far locations
and it also allows smaller companies to compete on equal terms with their larger
competitors.
Advertising standardisation is best used in visual messaging for the main part of the
advertisement and when well-known celebrities are used to feature products. Music is
an important aspect of the communication as well as the use of well known trademarks
and symbols, such as the use of significant landmarks (e.g. the Eiffel Tower in Paris).
Advertising does not travel well to other countries when the use of the spoken or the
written word predominates or if humour is used, since humour is generally unique to a
culture.
Adaptation
The main drivers for communication adaptation are the cultural differences that need to
be managed when communicating with customers in different countries. Hofstede
(1990) has highlighted the differences between countries in his expansive research.
For example, the US and UK are "individualistic" which emphasises individual goals
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and the need to empower and progress. Hofstede also identifies "collectivism" where
there is group membership and family support, as seen in Latin countries.
It is believed that advertising is most effective when it is relevant to the target audience. In
this respect it should be noted that in some countries there is a significant difference in the
portrayal of women. However, the perception of the role of women in many countries is
changing as many more women enter the workforce. According to Doole and Lowe (1999),
research carried out in China found that women were depicted as product users, but men as
having the product authority (purchasers). Research carried out in Singapore showed that
women were used as spokespeople for the product as well as having the product authority,
and they were also the providers of help and advice regarding the product in advertisements.
There are other reasons why communications need to be adapted such as political
considerations and legal regulations. Many organisations need to change their names or
brand names because of the different meanings they have when moved to other countries,
e.g. "Price Waterhouse" was allegedly translated in some countries as "Expensive Water
Closet". The New Zealand Dairy Board, which exports dairy products such as its brand
name Anchor, had to change the name to "Fern" when marketing in Malaysia. The Anchor
brand in that country was a well-known beer and there would be a negative reaction to this
brand name in the context of housewives buying (Anchor) dairy products for their children.
the target group requirements and the best way to reach them
It will be necessary for the marketer to decide which elements of the promotional mix will be
best suited to the particular market.
I.
EVALUATING PERFORMANCE
Evaluation is a key part of marketing communications. The findings and results of the
evaluation process feedback into the next campaign and provide indicators and benchmarks
for further management decisions. Marketing communications as a management activity
requires the use of research and testing procedures in addition to continuous evaluation.
Continuous evaluation of the impact of the communications is vital to improve the
effectiveness of the methods, but also to assess the extent to which the different aspects of
the communication can be standardised across international markets.
The success of a promotional strategy and the associated plan is measured by the degree to
which the objectives set are achieved and the strategy has been effective. It is also
necessary to ensure that the strategy has been executed efficiently and that the full potential
of the promotional tools has been extracted and resources have been used economically.
These should be assessed regularly through the application of marketing research methods.
For instance, holding focus groups with customers and consumers to monitor the
development of the communications strategy will give the organisation key information as to
the success of its communications.
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A survey may be designed and distributed in order to establish the internal and external
attitudes towards the communications campaign before rolling out any future communication
messages. It is important that marketing research techniques be used before commitment to
a particular communications campaign to test how well it will be received.
Performance measures must examine the personnel and human resource aspects as well as
the impact of any written or visual communications directed towards target groups.
Pretesting
Advertising and communication methods can be researched prior to their release. The most
common methods used to pretest advertisements are concept testing, focus groups,
consumer panels and physiological tests (these measure the involuntary responses to stimuli
and avoid any bias in other tests and include eye tracking and pupil dilation tests). These
methods can determine, rank and prioritise proposed messages. Once the communications
messages and advertisements have been developed then management require reassurance
and guidance regarding which of the alternatives should be developed further. It will be more
effective for a marketer to terminate an advertisement before costs become high and
commitment too final.
Post-testing
Testing communications campaigns that have been released is time consuming, but the
advantages are that the messages are evaluated in their preferred environment. Methods
used to evaluate the effectiveness of these advertisement messages utilise the following
criteria:
Recall tests these are designed to assess the impression a particular advertisement
or campaign had on the memory of the target group. This type of testing requires
interviews to take place, e.g. "Do you remember an advertisement for air travel?" If the
respondent says "Yes, Virgin", then the respondent would be asked what they recalled
about the advertisement and what did it say about Virgin Airways. The reliability of
recall scores can be high but validity can be low, although this method is widely used.
Sales tests this type of test is without doubt very useful, but only direct response has
validity because market-based tests tend to be historic. Sales occur mainly because of
past actions and past communication strategies and so the results of this method are
difficult to evaluate.
Financial Analysis
The amounts of resources that are directed at communications require that the organisation
reviews both these amounts and manner in which they have been utilised. Variance analysis
provides an ongoing picture of spending and can give an early warning should unexpected
levels of spending be incurred. Rapidly rising media costs have contributed to marketers
using centralised media buying to achieve cost savings. Thus advertising economies of
scale can be achieved by organisations spending large amounts of their resources on media.
Likeability
According to Gordon (1992) the term "likeability" reflects the following issues:
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stimulation of interest or curiosity about the brand; creates warm feelings through
enjoyment of the advertisement.
This means that post-testing should include a strong measure of how well a message was
liked at its deepest level of meaning. There is a linkage here regarding the concept of
"value", i.e. the degree to which the advertisement works is a measure of the impact the
message makes on a customer. For advertising to be successful it must be effective and
therefore of personal value to the members of the target audience.
The evaluation of a marketing communications plan, once implemented, is an essential part
of the total system and provides a rich source of material for the next campaign and the
ongoing communications that all organisations design and deliver to their target markets.
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Chapter 11
Services Marketing
Contents
Page
A.
344
B.
Characteristics of Services
Intangibility
Inseparability
Variability/Heterogeneity
Perishability
Lack of Ownership
344
345
345
346
346
346
C.
347
347
347
347
D.
Creating Value
Service Encounters
Customer Relationships
Internal Marketing
Quality and Relationship Marketing
348
348
348
349
349
E.
350
350
352
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B. CHARACTERISTICS OF SERVICES
According to Lovelock and Wirtz (2004) there are basic differences between goods and
services:
Customers do not obtain ownership of services they usually derive value without
ownership. An example is car rental the period of the rental determines the price.
Other people may form part of the product the type of customers who use a
particular service can shape the nature of the service experience for others. If you
attend a sporting event, then the behaviour of other fans can add to or detract from the
excitement.
Many services are difficult for customers to evaluate the experience is only
evaluated after or during consumption and becomes particularly difficult to do when the
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customer lacks expertise in that particular area of the service delivery. Service
providers are able to allay fears of customers by helping them and educating them as
to what to expect both during and after service delivery, e.g. for a package holiday.
The time factor assumes great importance many services are delivered in real
time with customers present. Busy people expect the service to be available to them at
times that suit them rather than when it suits the organisation. In response, more and
more organisations are offering extended opening hours.
Services are said to have five key characteristics which impact on marketing programmes:
intangibility
inseparability
variability/heterogeneity
perishability
lack of ownership.
Intangibility
Services are intangible: they cannot be seen, heard, touched, tasted or smelled and this can
cause a lack of confidence for consumers in the decision-making process. Consumers
therefore make decisions based on a range of quality-based cues or stimuli (advertising
messages). This may involve making an assessment about the people delivering the
service, the location, equipment, messages used, branding or price. Thus the organisation
offering the service should determine and design a service process blueprint that leads to
customer satisfaction. For example a bank will determine what would be the ideal
experience for its customers and provide what is necessary to deliver that service
experience. This would include communication tangibles such as brochures, leaflets and a
website that positions the bank as a desirable bank to be with. Staff should be trained to
achieve a seamless and consistently high standard of service delivery.
Inseparability
Services are produced and consumed at the same time, unlike goods that may be
manufactured and stored for later distribution. The service provider becomes an integral part
of the service. For instance, the teller at the bank is an inseparable part of the service
offering and can affect the outcome. So services are consumed at the point they are
produced and thus the interaction of production and consumption is of particular importance
for the quality of service and also the experience enjoyed by the customer.
There can be mass service experiences such as a rock concert, or solo experiences such as
a visit to the doctor. The differences will impact on the nature of the service experience and
the process provided to enhance the experience. In a mass service experience other
customers will influence the perceived quality of the service. So the audience at a rock
concert will create the atmosphere which will be positive for some or negative for others. In a
solo experience such as interaction with a doctor, there is greater control to the service
provider who needs to manage the immediate encounter. If there is a broad mix of
customers for a service delivery this will impact on the needs of different groups that are to
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be considered by the provider. It may in fact reduce the impact of the service being
delivered, e.g. catering for different target groups visiting a bank.
Variability/Heterogeneity
As I have said, a service is produced and consumed at the same time. Because people
make up the service offering the service will be unique, and it is a problem for the
organisation to try and achieve consistency in service delivery. Training and monitoring
customer satisfaction can help to maintain the standards of delivery, but it is very difficult to
standardise the delivery around the process blueprint. After all, the brand service promise
given in the communication messages serve to form and frame customer expectations. If, for
instance, demand increases unexpectedly e.g. a sudden influx of customers to a restaurant
coinciding with a special event locally there may be insufficient capacity to deal with the
excess number of customers and service efficiency may breakdown. It is therefore for
managers to consider and anticipate situations when service may be stretched, and calculate
staffing needs at varying times when service breakdown might occur.
Perishability
Services are perishable because they cannot be stored an empty seat on a plane is a lost
opportunity. Once the plane takes off the seat cannot be sold. Dentists charge for missed
appointments because a missed appointment could have been filled by another patient. So
during times of demand fluctuation, perishability also means that service organisations can
have severe problems. In the case of aircraft seats, a task for marketers is to ensure that the
number of empty seats is minimised and vary the service provision accordingly, e.g. smaller
planes or reduced flying times. Demand can vary unpredictably which challenges the
provision capability. One way in which organisations may address this problem is through
pricing strategy. Lowering prices in times of low demand, e.g. visits to museums during
winter months, and raising prices during high demand periods such as summer months. This
will help to level the demand and increase revenue over the year. Another area for
marketers to consider is developing additional services, such as long weekend breaks
offered by coastal hotels to attract retired people outside the holiday season. Leisure
attractions such as Leeds Castle in Kent offer family discounts and one year tickets to
stimulate demand and encourage customers to return to enjoy the facilities throughout the
year.
Lack of Ownership
Services cannot be owned. As we have seen, there is no tangible element involved in a
service and so the service terminates once the experience comes to an end. At the end of a
plane journey the passenger alights from the aircraft and the experience, positive or
negative, becomes a memory. The seat on the plane has been "rented" for a period of time
for the price of the ticket. The seat remains the property of the airline and is available to be
rented by other customers at other times. However service providers encourage the further
use of the service through frequent flyer programmes to increase customer involvement in
the service. As a result customers will also develop a perception of the brand through
familiarisation with the service and the level of the experience enjoyed. It is for the marketer
to ensure that this experience is positive in order to achieve good customer relationships and
retention and manage these relationships effectively.
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People
Many services depend on direct interaction between customers and an organisation's
employees. The nature of these interactions strongly influences the customer's perception of
service quality. This is often based on the interaction of the customer with front-line staff in
situations such as hairdressing, dining in a restaurant or talking to call centre staff on the
telephone. Successful service organisations devote time and resources to recruit, train and
motivate their employees.
Customers often interact with employees over an extended period of time and they are quite
likely to be in contact with other customers with whom they also interact, e.g. in a college
class, train or bus. When other people become part of the service then their behaviour and
appearance will either enhance or detract from it. Customers will evaluate the employees'
appearance and social skills as well as their technical skills. Thus, many organisations
provide staff with uniforms to standardise dress. Manuals are developed which will help staff
to understand how to deal with customers under certain circumstances in an effort to
standardise communication.
Process
The ability to deliver a product to customers requires the efficient and effective design of
processes from input to output or delivery. A process is a method and sequence of actions in
delivering the service performance. Service processes that are not well designed can lead to
slow, ineffective service delivery and dissatisfied customers. Organisations should devote
time and resources to perfecting the service delivery process; this will encourage customers
to repeat the experience and become loyal customers. If the service process is inadequate,
then this makes it difficult for front-line staff to do their jobs well and results in low productivity
and the likelihood of failure in service delivery. For example, it is necessary for a restaurant
to monitor its approach to customers from the time they enter the restaurant through to the
time they leave.
Physical Evidence
Service organisations should manage the physical evidence elements carefully because they
will have an effect on customer impressions before, during and after the experience. The
physical appearance of buildings, shops, gardens, vehicles, interior decor, and equipment, as
well as signage, stationery and other visible aspects all provide a tangible perception of the
organisation's quality of service and can be an enticement or a discouragement for the
customer. The organisation's premises should be decorated and furnished to a standard that
reflects the desired positioning of the organisation. For example, the type of decor that
reflects a fine-dining restaurant would not be appropriate for a coffee shop.
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D. CREATING VALUE
Managers should be concerned with how they give good value to customers, treating them
fairly in all elements of the extended marketing mix. Customers regularly make decisions
about whether to invest time, money and effort to obtain a service that will satisfy needs.
This could be a decision about where to have a meal or an investment in a longer-term
benefit such as education. If a customer feels that they have had to pay more than
expected, received fewer benefits than expected, or felt badly treated, then the perceived
value will be diminished.
Customers can easily perceive the behaviour of unhappy employees during the service
encounter whether it be verbal or body language. It is in the management's best interests to
develop strategies and procedures that seek long-term relationships with both their
customers and employees. In doing this they will need to consider the different nature of
service encounters.
Service Encounters
Shostack (1985) describes a service encounter as the time during which the customer
interacts with the service itself. Such times will vary according to the service in question, and
there may be differing levels of encounter such as high, medium and low contact (Glyn and
Lehtinen, 1995).
High Contact
Customers visit the service provider for personal involvement throughout the delivery
process (e.g. banking).
Medium contact
Customers visit the service provider but do not remain for the service delivery (e.g. dry
cleaning, accounting services).
Low contact
There is little or no contact between the customer and service provider due to
remoteness of delivery (e.g. radio and television programmes).
Customer Relationships
Organisations need to focus not only on their relationships with customers. They also need
to focus on relationships with the industry in which they operate and with society, because
such relationships can impact on the organisation's long-term success. Quality service is the
key to customer retention through customer satisfaction.
Channel Members
Channel members are a particular group that should be considered for building good
relationships with, as they represent both the supply and distribution side of the business.
For example, package tour operators must have good relationships with their suppliers
(hotels, airlines) and with their distributors (travel agents). The objective of relationship
building with these groups is to develop cooperation between all parties who can impact on
the overall satisfaction of the consumer. Quality of service is paramount and suppliers and
channel members play an important role in service quality.
Customers
Relationship marketing is also about building relationships with customers rather than just
creating exchange processes. Customer contact should be maintained after the sale has
been completed, and the focus should be on retaining customers rather than just trying to
attract new ones.
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Referrals
Another important influence on an organisation's performance is the amount of business
achieved through customer referrals. This is particularly important in services marketing
where word of mouth recommendation is a key factor in the customer decision-making
process. Referrals which influence decisions are frequently informal and come from
experiences of friends and family of consumers. Most organisations receive a proportion of
their business through referrals. As an example, pharmaceutical companies spend a large
amount on promoting their products to doctors who might recommend the product to their
patients. Consumers can be reluctant to try a service without first acquiring opinions from
peers and family members; a good experience at a restaurant recommended by friends can
be very effective.
Internal Marketing
The concept of internal marketing has been developed within the service sector, although it is
relevant to all organisations. The organisation needs to have equal regard for its internal
customers the employees as for its external customers and markets.
Specially formulated internal marketing programmes designed to communicate, train and
motivate internal market members are very important if the relationship is to be a positive
one. Relationship marketing emphasises building and maintaining a good group of
employees. Service quality depends on people and so developing long-term relationships
with internal customers is just as important as building relationships with external customers.
The values portrayed to consumers through marketing communications should be expressed
and reinforced by employees who interact with the customers. It is necessary to highlight the
fact that employees offer the functional delivery of the service as well as the emotional
elements whilst interacting with customers. It is therefore important that employees "buy in"
to the organisational values and strategies and take ownership of their own contribution and
become committed to the achievement of management goals. A good example of this is the
way the John Lewis Group has embraced its employees as partners within the business,
which has engendered the required commitment and belief in their performance within the
service encounter. Therefore employees should be trained to communicate with customers
so as to provide a positive experience.
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Personal needs
Past experience
Expected service
GAP 5
Perceived service
Service delivery
GAP 1
GAP
4
GAP 3
External
communications
to customers
Service quality
specifications
GAP 2
Management
perceptions of
consumer
perceptions
PROVIDER
GAP 1: The gap between the customer's expectations and management perception
Management needs to understand customers' needs correctly otherwise resources could be
directed into the wrong areas of service. For example, a restaurant would have to know its
customers perception of the expected experience quick service at lunchtime, or long and
leisurely dinners to enjoy the relaxed ambience.
GAP 2: The gap between management perception and service-quality specification
Management have gauged customer needs and wants correctly but have not managed to
achieve corresponding performance standards to meet these needs, or have set standards
that are not achievable by the providers. The restaurant understands the need for quick
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Services Marketing
delivery during the lunch hour, but has not provided enough staff to handle the rush which
has lengthened waiting times at table.
GAP 3: The gap between service-quality specifications and service delivery
The service delivery does not match the specification which may be due to lack of training or
lack of provision from other sources. For example, the restaurant waiters are not sufficiently
trained in the process of delivery or supplies have not arrived on time in the kitchens.
GAP 4: The gap between service delivery and external communications
The service that has been promised through promotional communications and campaigns
will influence customer expectations and therefore customers will be disappointed if these
expectations are not met. Very often an advertisement picture and message will be
misleading in terms of the actual environment and service provided in order to encourage
customers to use of the service. This will lead to a distorted view of what can be expected.
GAP 5: The gap between perceived service and expected service
Customers misunderstand the quality of the service in relation to what is expected. This type
of gap can come from lack of communication on the part of the service provider who fails to
give detailed information that will reassure the customer in the case of a difference in this
area. For example, a station announcing cancellation of trains without explaining why there
will be a delay.
The following five dimensions of service quality have been identified:
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Chapter 12
Marketing and New Technologies
Contents
Page
Introduction
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A.
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B.
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C.
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D.
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INTRODUCTION
If there is anything that we can be certain of in life, it is that there will be change. What the
change will be is often a matter of conjecture. Consider the following examples of aspects of
life which we now accept as commonplace, but which could not have been realistically
envisaged in the past.
There are people still living today who were born when the car was not the main form
of transport it has become for many. There was a time when only relatively rich people
could travel widely, whereas now people think little of taking a plane to some exotic
location for a holiday or for business.
It is not so long ago that telephones in the home were the exception rather than the
norm. Now we carry our mobile phones and can speak to anyone anywhere in the
world whenever we want to.
We can eat seasonal foods at any time thanks to new storage and growth techniques
and air transport.
But it is perhaps in the business world where we can most readily see the dramatic effects of
change. In respect of marketing, and taking the elements of the marketing mix in turn, some
of the changes we now accept as being standard are as follows:
Product
Price
Place
Products are available for sale over telephone and computer links.
Promotion
One-to-one communication through the internet and email, and the use of data and
databases is common.
People
Physical evidence
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Product and company information material is more honest and easier to understand.
Processes
Information Technology
Advances in technology are allowing companies to manage huge volumes of information in
databases. For marketing the main impact of this has been to enable closer targeting of
potential customers and more specific promotional activities aimed at them.
The greatest growth has been in the world of e-commerce, made possible by the
development and almost universal availability of the internet. As everyone knows, the
internet is an open system that enables anyone with a personal computer and internet
access to connect to the worldwide computer network World Wide Web (WWW). No one
person, organisation or government controls or owns the internet. It was initially developed
as a military system in the USA, but was soon used as a means of transferring large volumes
of information between academic and government research centres. As the personal
computer developed and more universities and commercial companies became involved, so
did the software to facilitate searching for information and relaying messages and information
quickly between users.
Initially the system was used by technical experts to send data, and then messages.
Commercial companies began to post web pages on the internet so those interested could
browse through the information. Soon websites were developed which provided more
information and eventually led to two-way interaction with those accessing the web pages.
With the development of protocols for encoding financial and other sensitive information, the
internet can now be used to purchase services and products using a credit card.
Developments mean that screen access can be integrated with a telephone call, so that the
web page can be viewed at the same time as using the phone to talk to the telesales
operator. The system is now proving popular with business-to-business users and individual
consumers. It is unaffected by national boundaries and cheap to use, access costing no
more than the price of a local phone call.
Such a deregulated system operating across international boundaries poses new challenges
as it develops from an information service to a promotional tool and a sales and distribution
channel. Concerns have been expressed in four areas:
The rapidly changing business environment of e-commerce is making it very hard to predict
what will happen in the near future. Pure service industries such as banking, insurance and
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travel agents are likely to experience a major restructuring of their industries. Simple items
such as books, CDs and videos can be sold easily through the internet. Without the high
costs of the high-street store, price discounts can be offered. However if shopping is seen as
a leisure activity and impulse purchases are a way of life then the best high-street stores are
likely to survive.
While the number of transactions over the internet continues to grow, the bulk of activity is
still concerned with the search for information. The most likely scenario for consumer
purchases is that the internet will become an additional channel to market for many
companies, providing the customer with an alternative means of purchase. Some new
companies will be created and operate as niche providers in the electronic marketplace.
Some of the most pronounced changes will be in business-to-business sales and service,
where contacts are ongoing and where exchange of information and data is intense. Here
the internet is likely to continue to develop at a fast pace.
Over the longer term, a major difficulty arises in forecasting technological developments.
This is a key issue for the health of a nation's economy. Those nations and companies who
are first to develop a technological lead tend to grow as the technology is embedded in new
industries and products.
Although men may say they believe household tasks should be shared, only one per
cent say they always do the washing and ironing. Household cleaning is carried out
mainly by women in nearly two-thirds of households, though this proportion has been
falling gradually.
Just over a quarter of all men and a fifth of women agreed with the view that "a
husband's job is to earn money; a wife's job is to look after the family and home." This
is about half the level of agreement noted in 1987.
The number of women stating that the home and children are more important than a
job fell from 15 per cent in 1987 to 7 per cent in 1997.
The main evening meal is made mainly by women in just over a third of households,
this proportion having halved in two decades.
There has been much debate about the fragmentation of families into cellular households
in which family members essentially do their own activities independently of other members.
This is reflected in individually consumed meals rather than family meals, and leisure
interests that are increasingly with a family member's peer groups rather than other family
members.
Marketers have responded to the needs of the cellular household with products such as
microwave cookers and portable televisions which allow family units to function in this way.
However it can also be argued that new product developments are actually responsible for
the fragmentation of family activities. The microwave cooker and portable television may
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have lessened the need for families to operate as a collective unit, although these possible
consequences were not immediately obvious when they were launched.
The family unit can expect to come under further pressures as new products, such as online
entertainment and information services, allow individual members to consume in accordance
with their own preferences rather than the collective preferences of the family.
Information is at a Premium
Knowing about customers has become crucial to business success, so many
companies have put a lot of effort into collecting, analysing and disseminating
marketing information to their managers. Some people call this "knowledge
management" and doing this well can give a firm a great competitive advantage.
Think about companies that you most admire for their knowledge management. Are
these companies that you would go back to repeatedly? Is this likely to make them
profitable? Also think about the consequences for companies who do the opposite
collect inadequate information and never have the right knowledge available to the right
people in the right place at the right time.
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household income, taxation levels and interest rates. These variables had traditionally
been associated with changes in consumer spending. A more in-depth analysis of
consumers' attitudes suggested that feelings of greater insecurity (brought about by the
casualisation of many jobs), and the memory of the fall in house prices, had served as
a warning to consumers which rendered many previously developed models of
consumer spending obsolete.
It is a challenge to combine scientific analysis with creativity, and the attempt can
sometimes be quite idiosyncratic. The scientific approach to marketing planning has a
tendency to minimise risks, yet many major business successes have been based on
entrepreneurs using their own judgment in preference to that of their professional
advisers examples include Virgin airlines and the Sony Walkman. On the other hand,
the reformulation of the taste of Coca Cola in the late 1980s had followed the scientific
process of conducting large-scale research into consumers' preferences and product
testing, but when it was relaunched it was a major failure, forcing the company to
reinstate its original formulation as Classic Coke.
It is a challenge for marketers to use both scientific and more creative processes to
understand and respond to their environments.
To cope with these, and any other likely changes, marketing managers must:
make the best use of research information gathered to keep abreast of change
In other words, marketing managers of the future will have to behave in much the same
manner as the marketing managers of today. They need to identify and anticipate in order
to satisfy customer requirements profitably. They must continue to practise marketing!
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The implications of electronic resources for marketing lie in how they can be used to improve
management and implementation of marketing activities in an effective and efficient way.
Page-Thomas (2005) outlines five activities that are influenced by technology:
There are many new technologies which make it easier to conduct marketing activities in a
creative and quicker way.
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Consumer Behaviour
Research conducted by Professor Sunil Gupta of the Harvard Business School discusses the
effects of viral campaigns (promoting information or products that other customers are
"compelled" to give to other friends, colleagues and family). He believes that marketers have
choices: either buy advertising or start viral campaigns in this high technology environment
(Gilbert, 2009). It is believed that consumer behaviour will be better understood by
marketers through studying social network users themselves.
Research carried out on data from Cyworld (a social networking site in South Korea with
close to 21 million members) found that some users are influenced by the purchases of
friends and social pressure. The breakdown of the users shows that 48 per cent are not well
connected to others and are unaffected by the purchases of others, however 40 per cent
have a strong connection and are influenced by purchases of their peers. The remaining 12
per cent, whilst being very active in networking, prefer to remain more individual but indulge
in non-purchase activities. This research has shown that the 40 per cent that are influenced
increase revenue by 5 per cent for marketers. This research also showed that the clickthrough rate of advertising on social networking sites is quite low because consumers don't
necessarily visit the sites for product information. The research showed that an effective
means of gaining browser interest is through a viral campaign. For example, Honda offered
750,000 Facebook members a heart-shaped virtual gift with the Honda logo that could be
sent to other members on Valentines Day. This type of campaign could be a high source of
revenue and sales.
Customer Service
The new technologies are having a strong influence on one-to-one encounters through
personal selling and exchanges between customers this of course is the increasing
popularity of social networking sites. It is now clear that technology is being used to manage
all customer communications and manage customer service. With the development of
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customer interaction centres (call centres), the use of computer-telephone integration has
aided help desk operations and helped in the consistency of service delivery. Differing tools
are being used in this regard and are shown in the table following.
Many companies are now using SMS technology as a marketing communications tool. It is
also being used as a "reassuring" service for AA customers waiting for roadside help after
breakdown assistance has been registered at headquarters.
Classification of customer service technologies
Application
Customer-facing
Customer-touching
Customer-centric
intelligence
Online networking
Description
Example
Customer interaction
centres (CIC) using
computer-telephone
integration
Automated email
responses
Self-service technologies
Personalised/customised
web pages
E-commerce applications
Automated/interactive
voice response (AVR/IVR)
systems
Forums
Chat
Newsgroups
Blogs
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Direct Marketing
Websites
A website can attract customers from the local area or from other countries around the world.
If the site has good rankings in the internet search engines (e.g. Google) under appropriate
categories or links from key words that consumers might use to search, it is possible to gain
many enquiries that the organisation might otherwise not have received. Web technology is
an affordable way to reach prospective customers easily.
Email
Before the advent of email and the internet newsletters were printed on paper and sent by
post. The use of the internet has had a significant role in marketing campaigns. Instead of
only being able to afford a few hundred newsletters, marketers can now send tens of
thousands for little cost. The large number of people around the world using the internet is
driving the use of email marketing. As a result marketers will reach a large audience of
potential customers. It is also cost effective and cheaper than some other more traditional
methods of communication, and can use interactive media such as videos, audio files and
graphics. The use of email means that marketers are able to tailor and personalise their
messages and send them at any time of day. It is also easy to analyse any data obtained
through the internet through email software that measures how much has been gained
through a campaign, and this can inform further strategy. The use of email enables
marketers to reach certain target groups that require a particular service or product rather
than the consumer having to reach the organisation through more difficult and resourceconsuming methods. Email can be an efficient solution for following up with potential
customers who already have knowledge of the organisation or its products.
SMS and podcasting
"I can see the day when the grocery store is full of promotional offers you can access
using your cellphone." (Jeff Mason, Cadbury Schweppes, 2010)
Mobile phone marketing is increasing as an effective tool for communication between an
organisation and consumers. This allows for a direct marketing communications strategy for
the organisation and marketing spend is increasing in this channel; it reached 208 million in
2004 (Smith, 2005). It is a quick and effective medium with the benefit that the organisation
can reach the consumer at any time of the day or night (as opposed to the computer where
access for more than say 12 hours a day is unlikely). Podcasts, which are audio feeds
downloaded at consumer request to portable media players such as the iPod, are another
potentially successful means of reaching customers who are able to access information such
as news, travel guides and entertainment. Advertising messages can now be delivered
across varying electronic channels. There is also the fact that there is a vast number of
consumers who are not comfortable with typing messages on phones or receiving messages
from stores that know a consumer's location (such as Gap sending a message as a
consumer walks past the store).
Mobile marketing relies upon text messaging, downloading images or game playing but it is
not in widespread use as yet. Fast approaching is the time when consumers will be able to
watch films, see commercials and interact in real time with the visuals, in a similar way to
what can now be done by computer. This opens up a tremendous opportunity for creative
applications.
Given the frequency with which personal mobile phone numbers change, it will be necessary
for marketers to ensure that the information content on databases is relevant and up to date.
Mobile phone marketing is likely to be most associated with organisations and brands (e.g.
drinks markets) that engender a high volume of use with a younger target market at ease
with the technology. As a relatively new medium it is likely to have much appeal and could
be the ultimate in personal communication marketing.
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Social Networking
Participating in online discussions and message boards allows individuals to network with a
large group of people in the target market without leaving home or office. The use of live
chats or "webinars" allows individuals to become public speakers without having to travel and
speak to a national or global audience. The internet attracts many business people to
promote their businesses online. Social network marketing is growing; some of the most
easily recognised social networks are Facebook, Myspace, and LinkedIn (business
information for older users) and Twitter. These channels provide an excellent avenue for
promoting a brand online.
Social networking channels need to be managed and monitored effectively since
communication is 24/7 and the brand can become damaged easily. For example, the recall
of cars by Toyota in 2010 is a prime case of an organisation's slow response to consumer
communications on the internet. Social networking needs to be treated with respect as a
medium since it is a source of information and gossip employees could become
ambassadors of the organisation rather than condemning.
Consumers demand openness and honesty and seek to become a voice on various issues.
It is therefore imperative that, in a crisis, organisations meet the demands of direct and
informative communication swiftly, to show that they care. This can be seen with regard to
the Madeleine McCann tragedy. The social media was used very effectively and information
about the case was publicly known within twenty-four hours due to Facebook pages being
posted, as forum debates took place and multiplied. Examples of effective Facebook pages
are Coca-Cola and Gap. Facebook now has 500 million users.
Blogs
Blogs are additions to the communication toolbox and have become very popular. They
enable individuals to express their opinions to a wide online audience which encourages
online feedback. The range of opportunities is vast and the written word of a blogger is
accessible to a large audience. Individuals are able to use blogs as diaries, e.g. celebrities
who also "tweet" on Twitter to keep followers informed of their activities. Blogs are also used
by organisations internally to communicate between project teams to give updated
information; often such blogs are publically available, e.g. Microsoft. It is estimated that ten
per cent of consumers use blogs once every week (Li, Bernoff and McHarg, 2004).
Channel Management
The new technologies are having an impact on the logistical function and order processing
as well. Electronic technologies have increased the efficiency and effectiveness in this area
and the key technologies can be classified as:
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Many online retailers use delivery channels which permit retail customers to track the status
of anticipated deliveries through the internet. For instance DHL customers can track their
parcel whereabouts in this way and DHL alerts customers by email as to expected departure
from the warehouse and estimated delivery time. It is much more cost-effective for
organisations to exchange information by electronic means such as the extranet (an intranet
partially accessible by authorised external users). The Federal Express COSMOS customer
service system tracks every movement of every package in the network through hand-held
computers carried by all employees who handle packages. This is the basis for the
organisation's ability to differentiate its service. The organisation provides customers with
terminals so that they can also link into the system directly and this allows Federal Express
to manage its own shipping department. This process has the effect of diminishing the
possibility of their customers switching to other service providers (Glazer and Rashi, Journal
of Marketing, 1991). Similarly, McKesson (a pharmaceutical wholesaler) has a system called
ECONOMOST which means that computer terminals are given to outlets that link with the
central system; it has added a service for customers whereby McKesson sells back
summaries of information collected daily.
As goods and services move along Porter's value chain (1985) a significant contributor is the
exchange of information; from this viewpoint the model could be seen as a communications
channel. In recent times the effect of the expanding capacity for the channel-to-retail-outlet
process is the increase in speed with which information is transmitted and the increase in the
amount of information that can be stored and processed at any given time: innovation in
information processing is a result.
Pricing
One of the key factors in the changes with regard to pricing strategy has been the influence
of the internet technologies and information brokers offering pricing comparisons for
consumers. Price comparison websites are common. The website moneysupermarket.com
provides this type of information and has developed a large following. This site offers
comparisons on services such as utilities (gas and electricity) insurance, cars, travel etc. This
makes the wider environment a more transparent place in which to operate, and one in which
organisations can see that their product or service may be more highly priced than that of
competitors.
The way consumers are able to choose how they conduct transactions and pay for goods is
changing. For example, in supermarkets it is possible either to check out through the EPOS
system with the help of a checkout assistant or go through the procedure in a self-service
capacity. Alternatively, payment online for orders is possible over the website. The choices
for banking have also changed. Customers can visit a "brick" site or obtain cash and
balances on accounts through ATMs; they can use online and telephone banking facilities to
move money from one account to another and make payments. Electronic technologies are
greatly assisting consumers in transaction activities.
Online auctions are becoming increasingly popular with websites such as eBay whereby
consumers are able to post items for sale for a set fee. The seller decides the price they
wish to have and then the item is sold with no extra charge from eBay (Baines, Fill and Page,
2008). Consumers are able to bid and compete to purchase items for prices above those
posted with the highest price completing the sale. According to research carried out by
Forrester Research, online auctions in Europe will reach 623 bn by 2011.
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Developing and maintaining a good website with high search engine rankings can be
an expensive and time-consuming process. Technology makes it easy for people to
hide and this tends to make organisations feel they do not have to be contacted in
person. However a website or an impersonal email is not equal to one-to-one contact.
A consideration for marketers is the volume of enquiries likely to be received from the
organisation's website. Many of these might be from people unknown to the
organisation but all will require time to deal with. As in more conventional marketing
and word-of-mouth referrals, individuals who are referred to the organisation are more
likely to buy the product or service than those who find it by accident. From this point
of view, it may be better to put more time and money into building referrals than into
building a bigger web presence.
Online privacy is an ongoing concern as many consumers using websites provide vast
amounts of personal information. This leaves them open to abuse should
organisations use this information in an unauthorised way, e.g. delivering database
information with other companies without permission.
Other concerns are the safety of children and teenagers who regularly use social
networking sites such as Facebook and Myspace. These young people are exposed to
marketing activities directed at an older target group, and are thus open to abuse from
adults and their peers. An effort to control these problems is being led by INSAFE, an
organisation endorsed by the EU. This is necessary in order to control the activities of
those who seek to evade legal controls, e.g. for the purchase of alcohol online by
underage people. TRUSTe is a non-profit self-regulatory organisation which is working
with large corporations such as Microsoft; it looks into the privacy of organisations and
helps consumers use the internet safely.
Consumers are also subject to internet fraud such as theft of identity, with fraudulent
websites being set up to deceive consumers into giving their personal details. This
fraud is known as phishing (Kotler, Harker and Brennan, 2009) and can of course be
quite damaging for brands. ENISA (the European Network Information Security
Agency) is an EU-wide body that is operating to eradicate this type of practice.
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