How to develop the right marketing strategy. Marketing strategy: development examples

The marketing strategy determines the direction of product promotion in which the enterprise receives maximum profit in the long term. Development marketing strategy includes a plan aimed at specific actions that help increase demand for a product and reduce risks regarding the activities of competitors. The objective of the project is to prevent the company from straying from the path determined by experts to increase profitability, product competitiveness and efficient operation of the enterprise.

Marketing strategy concept

Competent helps to bring the company to a certain market level in accordance with its internal capabilities. Numerous models of this strategy are known, here are the main ones:

• Increasing the level of business activity (promoting a new product to existing customers on the market, building new market relations).
• Improvement general structure companies.
• On the contrary, a decrease in business activity (withdrawal from the market of a product that is not popular, exit from the old market and directing greater efforts towards creating new, more productive relationships).
• Formation of a joint foreign organization with foreign partners on the territory of other countries.
• Creation of an enterprise with foreign partners on the territory of our country.
• Cooperation with several foreign partners to promote goods in markets where you were previously unable to work productively.

Depending on the goals set, the direction in which promotion is planned is selected, stages are developed, and the features of brand implementation are highlighted. With help mathematical models market, a strategy is selected that needs to be drawn up:

• “Mini-max” – more efficiency, ignoring all sorts of risks.
• “Maxi-min” – reducing risks, despite the fact that profits may decrease.
• A combination of the first two options.

To write a strategy correctly, you need to pay attention to many factors. First of all, you need to do the following:

• Determine the group of buyers present in the market where it is planned to place the product, find out their attitude towards it and their needs.
• Select buyers for whom the products manufactured by your company will be an ideal option, regardless of the activities of competitors.
• Select the most effective time at which the sale of goods can maximally satisfy the demand of consumers present in this market. Don't forget about advertising and seasonality if this may affect the process.

It is important to create a product that will meet the buyer’s requirements, and not least in this project is the price, which should not be inflated to attract customers.

Examples of strategies and additional tactics

As an example of a marketing strategy, one can cite the actions of Japanese forms. Their direction of development is called the “laser beam strategy.” Its goal is to conquer the consumer market foreign countries a product that is not produced on their territory, and then promoting it to the markets of other countries.

This is clearly visible in the automobile business. At first, Japan launched its cars only in Ireland, Norway, Finland and Denmark, and only some time later, when a positive reputation had already been developed, Japan entered the more complex markets of Western European countries: Sweden, Germany and France. The specialists were able to calculate long-term approaches that brought the manufacturer significant profits, a positive reputation, access to new markets, and new customers.

In addition, some companies use defensive methods that show good results in the event that the company does not plan to receive additional income, and they are quite satisfied with the current market situation. The goal is to confidently defend your position from competitors. In some cases, it is possible to combine offensive processes with defensive ones. For example, if an enterprise leaves the market to develop new segments, then it is more effective to use these two strategies together to achieve its goals.

The tactics used must produce positive results throughout the entire planned process. Consider the following methods if you need to increase your sales:

• Increase the volume of advertising and events when promoting products.
• Analyze professional level persons responsible for product sales.
• Stimulate sales by reducing prices.
• Introduce a system of incentives for specialists responsible for selling goods.
• Monitor the quality of products (be sure to write about this in the media).

If it is necessary to change the volume, which noticeably lags behind demand, then:

• Expand your production scale.
• Raise the price of the product.
• Reduce the number of sales staff.
• Don't direct additional features for advertising and sales promotion.

Here we describe the main directions of marketing strategies that entrepreneurs use to attract profit in their enterprise. Choose which option suits you best and take action. Good luck to you in your endeavors!

There are many marketing strategies, and as a result of cooperation between marketers and entrepreneurs, new subtypes are born all the time. Each of them provides a different level of approach to the volume of investment. The outstanding marketer Philip Kotler proposed four basic strategies that form the basis of any strategic management. Relying on the strategies of marketing titans, we offer:

1. Think one step ahead

The purpose of this strategy is to grow the company's market segment. To achieve results with this system, we need to involve a large amount of investment. The money invested may cause a short-term decline in income, but will ensure stable growth for the company in the future. For example, having purchased new equipment, you may suffer temporary losses caused by restructuring new system and, as a rule, the price of equipment. Such a system covers all costs over time, paying off by optimizing the workflow.

2. Retain at all costs

This marketing strategy involves maintaining customer loyalty as much as possible. for a long time. In this case, we pay a lot of attention to following popular trends and creating various interactive experiences for consumers. Do you still remember the brilliant PR move of Coca-Cola with names on the bottles? Product personalization is the way to the buyer’s heart.

3. Harvest

Market marketing strategies are designed to quickly increase a company's income without the prospect of its further increase. For those who want to make a profit here and now - perfect option. It involves increasing cash flow in the short term without long-term prospects. This system is suitable for a startup that is focused on rapid growth and exit of creators from the project.

4. Say goodbye if necessary.

The disqualification (or disinvestment) strategy is to change the direction of the business or eliminate it completely. We use it when existing resources do not bring the expected profit and can be used more effectively in other areas. For example, Nokia was a tire manufacturer in the past, but then the founders decided to gather all their strength to create cellular mobile phones.

Marketing strategy concept

Definition 1

A marketing strategy (or marketing strategy) is a process that ensures the creation of conditions for concentrating resources on opportunities to increase sales volumes of products, goods and services, as well as obtaining sustainable market competitive advantages.

According to the modern economic dictionary, marketing strategy should be understood as the marketing measures of an enterprise aimed at the sustainable promotion of its goods and services and including:

• goal setting,
• analysis,
• planning and monitoring of marketing activities.

A number of representatives of Russian science perceive marketing strategy as a means of influencing consumers and satisfying their needs with the help of a marketing mix. One way or another, a marketing strategy is a long-term plan for the marketing activities of an enterprise and combines various elements of the marketing mix, through which the implementation of effective marketing activities aimed at achieving the organization’s marketing goals is ensured.

The marketing mix is ​​a marketing mix, otherwise known as the 4Ps. Its basic elements are presented in Figure 1.

Picture 1. Basic model marketing mix (“4P”. Author24 - online exchange of student work)

In fact, the model presented in Figure 1 reflects the set of marketing decisions made by the company to implement the market positioning strategy and achieve its marketing goals.

The ultimate goal of any marketing strategy is to determine what products should be produced, the needs of which consumers it will satisfy, which markets and market segments should be selected, which counterparties should be worked with, which distribution channels should be used, what type of pricing should be chosen, etc. Ultimately, marketing strategies are aimed at identifying market needs, both existing and latent.

Features of building a marketing strategy at an enterprise

Building a marketing strategy is a decision-making process regarding where, when and how a company should compete. The fundamental basis for making such decisions is the analysis of the external and internal environment of the business entity. In other words, this is the choice of a set of consumer-oriented actions that can provide the enterprise with stability, development and prosperity in the long term.

Building a marketing strategy allows you to answer questions about whether the business will either New Product production is in demand, who the service will be aimed at, who the target audience is and how to reach them. In the process of its development, the following tasks are solved:

• determining the mission and goals of a business entity;
• carrying out diagnostics external environment direct and indirect influence (macro- and microenvironment);
• analysis of internal potential;
• segmenting demand, identifying and studying the target audience;
• development of strategic alternatives and selection of the most appropriate strategy, including forecast economic efficiency its applications;
• identifying tools for monitoring results and making changes after receiving results.

Ultimately, the choice of marketing strategy is determined by the interaction of three factors: the competitive position of the business, the strategic goals and objectives facing the company, as well as its stage life cycle.

IN modern world The importance attached to the development of an enterprise's own marketing strategy is steadily increasing. There is no single marketing strategy suitable for all business entities. Each individual enterprise, organization, firm is essentially unique, and therefore the process of developing a marketing strategy must be unique and depend on the market position of the enterprise, its internal potential, the behavior of competitors, the characteristics of the products produced, etc.

Algorithm for developing a marketing strategy

Note 1

Developing a marketing strategy is one of the key stages of strategic planning. The results of the activities of an economic entity largely depend on the quality of its elaboration.

Developing a marketing strategy requires the need to sequentially go through a number of stages. The algorithm for its construction is summarized in Figure 2.

Figure 2. Algorithm for developing a marketing strategy. Author24 - online exchange of student works

Thus, the development of a marketing strategy involves the sequential passage of 8 stages, starting from an analysis of the organization’s external marketing environment and ending with a preliminary assessment of the effectiveness of the strategy and the identification of tools and methods for monitoring the progress of its implementation.

This approach is not the only one. There are other ways to develop a marketing strategy. So, for example, according to D. Crevens, the continuous process of developing and implementing a marketing strategy can be divided into 4 stages:

• situational analysis;
• development of marketing strategy;
• development of a marketing program or marketing mix;
• implementation of strategy.

In accordance with the generally accepted approach, the process of developing a marketing strategy includes defining the mission and goals of the enterprise, determining the basic strategy or strategic direction of its development, forming competitive positioning, as well as directly introducing (implementing) the marketing strategy.

In their meaning and content, all approaches are quite close to each other. One way or another, they imply the need to analyze the external and internal environment of the organization, identify opportunities and prioritize its development, set goals, choose a method of competition and detail the measures to achieve the goals.

marketing strategy market restaurant

Essence, goals and objectives of marketing strategy

In the process of their creation and operation, enterprises cannot do without using the basic principles of marketing. The term marketing refers to market activities. In a broader sense, this is a comprehensive, versatile and targeted work in the field of production and market, acting as a system for coordinating the capabilities of the enterprise and existing demand, ensuring the satisfaction of the needs of both consumers and the manufacturer.

The development of a marketing mix, including product development, its positioning with the use of various measures to stimulate sales, is strictly related to strategic management. Before entering the market with a specific marketing strategy, a company must clearly understand the position of competitors, its capabilities, and also draw a line along which it will fight its competitors.

Marketing strategy is a set of long-term decisions regarding how to satisfy the needs of existing and potential clients company through the use of its internal resources and external opportunities. The purpose of developing a strategy is to determine the main priority areas and the proportions of the company’s development, taking into account the material sources of its support and market demand. The strategy should be aimed at optimal use capabilities of the company and preventing erroneous actions that could lead to a decrease in the efficiency of the company. Strategic marketing targets a company at economic opportunities that are tailored to its resources and provide potential for growth and profitability. The task of strategic marketing is to clarify the company's mission, develop goals, formulate a development strategy and ensure a balanced structure of the company's product portfolio.

In my opinion, developing a marketing strategy is necessary to ensure the effectiveness of ongoing marketing activities. Developing and implementing a marketing strategy in consumer markets requires any company to be flexible, able to understand, adapt and, in some cases, influence the actions of market mechanisms using special marketing methods.

Most of the strategic decisions that any company makes lie in the area of ​​marketing. Creating a new business, mergers and acquisitions, developing a new market niche, dealer policy, narrowing or expanding the product line, choosing suppliers and partners - all these and many other decisions are made as part of a marketing strategy. The success of the business depends on the adequacy of the company's marketing strategy.

As part of the development of marketing strategies, it is assumed:

Development of a marketing policy for the enterprise as a whole;

Development of a marketing plan;

Identification of competitive advantages;

Development of a strategy for promoting products and services to the market;

Formation of policy in the field of sales promotion;

Development of a consumer motivation system;

Solutions to attract and retain profitable customers.

The marketing strategy of an enterprise, firm or company is developed by specialists taking into account a set of factors, such as the current market situation, the influence of the external environment, the company’s development priorities, the company’s internal resources, etc. After collecting and analyzing the necessary data about the external and internal environment of the company, several possible scenarios for strategic business development are proposed. Each scenario may include: consumer segmentation, SWOT analysis, necessary core competencies company, assessing the scenario in terms of risk and return. For the most promising scenario, a marketing strategy and a strategic plan for transition to the chosen strategy are developed.

Marketing strategy contains:

The company's long-term plans in consumer markets

Analysis of the structure of the markets under consideration;

Forecast of market development trends;

Pricing principles and competitive advantages;

Selection and justification of effective positioning of the company in the market.

I believe that the stages of developing a marketing strategy will be the following steps:

1) assessment of the current state of the market;

At this stage it is necessary to give an accurate or at least expert assessment(in the absence of research) market share, conduct an analysis of quarterly sales volumes and establish what it depends on: the receipt and processing of raw materials, seasonal demand, determine how the market for a given type of product will change, and whether it will undergo significant changes, assess the changes related to the further development of the service sector. (What will this cause a corresponding increase in demand and how to use this expansion of the market), conduct an analysis of price changes, analyze the market of suppliers.

2) Market segmentation and determination of consumer interest;

The choice of the target segment determines what needs the company aims to satisfy and what products or services it will present to customers.

That is, the company actually needs to answer the question: Who are our consumers?

For the most successful work firm in the market, it needs to focus on unoccupied market niches, as well as on those consumer needs that are still not satisfied. For example, in 1850, the Levi's company was created, which produced jeans, which later became an integral attribute of the American way of life. And the company became a leader in this market segment and to this day remains a strong and profitable company that easily adapts to changing opportunities market.

3) Analysis of the activities of competitors and, in general, determination of the competitiveness of your enterprise;

That is, at this stage it is necessary to determine how your company differs from all others, that is, to identify strengths and weak sides that have the greatest impact on the success of the organization. They are determined in relation to competitors. Strengths and weaknesses are relative definitions, not absolute ones. It's good to be strong at something, but if your competitors are stronger at it, it will become your weakness.

For example, the Mercedes company was strong in the production of reliable, luxurious, durable cars, however, the Honda company launched the production of the Acura car, and Toyota - Lexus, which were superior to Mercedes in the American market, the company lost its advantages.

4) Formation of marketing development goals;

Setting clear goals helps you develop effective strategy and allows you to transform the company's mission into concrete actions.

Determine what the company wants to achieve as a result of its development? This could be an increase in sales volume, making a profit, satisfying public opinion ( good attitude suppliers, buyers, government, shareholders, etc.), image formation.

5) Research possible alternatives in terms of strategy;

6) Creating a certain image of the company on the market;

7) Assessing the strategy in terms of its financial viability.

At this stage:

Analysis and forecasting of the quality and resource intensity of the company’s future products;

Forecasting the competitiveness of the company's existing and future products;

Forecasting price and sales levels for the company's existing and future products;

Forecasting revenue and profit volumes;

Determination of benchmarks and intermediate stages of control (terms and control values).

There are situations when the developed strategy has to be adjusted or changed altogether. This occurs when there is a sharp change in the market situation, for example, the appearance on the market of significantly more competitive products than those produced by the enterprise, or when the enterprise’s own capabilities change, or opportunities expand as a result of the emergence of additional sources of financing.

Thus, the development of a marketing strategy will allow the company to:

Choose an effective pricing and product policy;

A marketing strategy is needed when the company is already doing well, since the market situation is not constant; timely actions of competitors can dramatically change the company’s position and importance in the market. Therefore, timely action and strong marketing are necessary. A marketing strategy is not only something that will be needed tomorrow when it becomes even stronger, but it is also something that is needed today. Marketing strategy - necessary stage preparation and implementation of any business plan. A marketing strategy allows you to answer these vital questions and provide company management with an effective development plan.

The main goals of a marketing strategy are usually: increasing sales volume; identification and satisfaction of consumer needs; increase in profits; increasing market share; increase in client flow; increase in the number of orders. The goals and objectives of planned activities can be set abstractly, without taking into account current circumstances; these are usually the goals that management sets for the performer. As for the task, it is the goal given in specific conditions, namely:

Portrait of the target audience to attract which information and advertising events will be carried out. There can be many characteristics when drawing up a portrait; of course, moderation must be observed, sometimes restraining the excessive zeal of psychologists, sociologists, etc.;

Analysis of the presence of the target audience on the Internet. Here the consumer category of the audience is determined (buyers of cars, clothing, furniture, etc.). After this, we establish the fact of presence and the size of the audience of presence on the Internet. Open statistics and commercial research may be used to prepare this section;

Description of types and formats of advertising. The selected methods of presenting information to target audiences should be described here. This can be PR events, search advertising, graphic blocks (banners), advertising on thematic Internet sites, as well as offline advertising;

The expected effect of information and promotional activities. The most correct assessment is an increase in sales (primary, secondary, etc.), although it is not always possible to track this indicator. It is easier to estimate the number of phone calls and website visits, but it is not recommended to focus only on these indicators.

The main problems that must be solved in the process of justifying and developing a marketing strategy for an enterprise are presented in Fig. 1.

The task of strategic marketing is to clarify the company's mission, define goals, develop a development strategy and ensure a balanced structure of the product portfolio. In accordance with this, in the process of justifying and developing an enterprise’s marketing strategy, three interrelated tasks are solved:

1) development of a set of marketing activities (development of new types of products; creation of alliances, differentiation of market policies; diversification of production; overcoming barriers to entry into the market, etc.);

2) adaptation of the enterprise’s activities to changes in the external environment (taking into account cultural specifics in contacts with the public, the social situation in the country, economic conditions, etc.);

3) ensuring the adequacy of the enterprise’s marketing policy to the changing needs of customers (changes in the range of goods and services produced; knowledge of customer needs; detailed market segmentation, etc.).

In my opinion, developing a marketing strategy will allow the company to:

Significantly expand the customer base and increase sales volume;

Increase the competitiveness of products/services;

Establish a regular mechanism for modifying existing and developing new products;

Create a tool for mass customer attraction;

Develop an effective pricing and product policy;

Create a mechanism for monitoring marketing activities;

Improve the quality of customer service.

The importance of marketing strategy is due to the fact that marketing provides information, strategic and operational connections between the enterprise and the external environment. As a result, the direct functioning of marketing is closely related to other subsystems of enterprise activity management. Marketing activities enterprises makes it possible to better navigate a specific market environment.

Hello! In this article we will talk about integral element any modern enterprise– marketing strategy.

Today you will learn:

• What is a marketing strategy;
• What levels and types of marketing strategies exist;
• How to create a marketing strategy for your business.

What is an enterprise marketing strategy

Let's turn to the etymology of the word "strategy" . Translated from ancient Greek it means "the art of a commander" , his long-term plan for the war.

The modern world dictates its terms, but strategy today remains an art that every entrepreneur must master in order to win the battle for profit and market share. Today, strategy is a long-term action plan aimed at achieving the global goals of the enterprise.

Any organization has a general strategy that corresponds to its global goals and strategy by type of activity. One of these is the marketing strategy of an enterprise.

Despite the fact that the number of companies in various markets is constantly growing, store shelves are crowded with a variety of goods, and the consumer is becoming more and more whimsical and picky, many Russian companies Marketing is still neglected. Although it is the marketer who is able to highlight your product on the store shelf among competitors, make it special and bring profit. Therefore, developing a marketing strategy is one of the key issues in planning an organization’s activities.

Marketing strategy – a general plan for the development of each element (physical product - product, distribution, price, promotion; service - product, distribution, price, promotion, physical environment, process, personnel), developed for the long term.

The marketing strategy, as an official document, is enshrined in the company's marketing policy.

The practical importance of marketing strategy for an enterprise

Marketing strategy, being integral part the overall strategy of the enterprise, directs activities to achieve the following strategic goals:

• Increasing the enterprise's market share in the market;
• Increasing the company's sales volume;
• Increasing the profit of the enterprise;
• Gaining leading positions in the market;
• Other.

The goals of the marketing strategy must be consistent with the mission of the enterprise and overall global goals. As we see, all goals are related to competitive or economic indicators. Achieving them without a marketing strategy is, if not impossible, then very difficult.

To achieve any of the above goals, it is necessary to include the following elements in the company’s marketing strategy:

• Target audience of your company/product. The more detailed you can describe your target customer, the better. If you have chosen several segments for yourself, then describe each of them, don’t be lazy.
• Marketing complex. If you offer physical product, then describe each of the four Ps (product, distribution, price, promotion). If you are selling a service, you will describe the 7 Ps (product, distribution, price, promotion, physical environment, process, people). Do this in as much detail as possible and for each element. Name the core benefit of your product, indicate the key value for the client. Describe the main distribution channels for each product, determine the price of the product, possible discounts and desired profit per unit. Think about what marketing activities will be involved in the promotion. If you offer a service, then determine who, how and where (in terms of room design, work tools) will implement it.

Each of the elements must also form its own strategy, which will be included in the overall marketing strategy of the business.

• Marketing budget. Now that you have a detailed marketing strategy, you can calculate your overall budget. It doesn't have to be exact, so it's important to include a reserve here.

Once you have identified each of the listed elements, you can begin to realize your goals through a series of tasks:

• Formulation of a strategic marketing problem (this point needs to be given the greatest attention);
• Needs analysis;
• Consumer market segmentation;
• Analysis of business threats and opportunities;
• Market analysis;
• Analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the enterprise;
• Choice of strategy.

Levels of an enterprise's marketing strategy

As we can see, the overall marketing strategy includes strategies for marketing elements. In addition, the marketing strategy must be developed at all strategic levels of the enterprise.

In the classical reading, there are four levels of enterprise strategies:

• Corporate strategy(if your company is differentiated, that is, it produces several products, otherwise this level will not exist);
• Business strategies– strategy for each type of activity of the enterprise;
• Functional strategy– strategies for each functional unit of the enterprise (Production, marketing, R&D, and so on);
• Operational strategy– strategies for each structural unit of the company (workshop, trading floor, warehouse and so on).

However, the marketing strategy will only cover three levels of the strategic hierarchy. Experts in the field of marketing recommend excluding the functional level, since it involves considering marketing as a narrowly functional type of activity. Today, this is not entirely true and leads to short-sighted decisions in the field of marketing.

So, marketing strategy must be considered from the point of view of three levels:

• Corporate level: formation of assortment marketing strategy and market orientation strategy;
• Business unit level: development of a competitive marketing strategy;
• Product level: product positioning strategy on the market, strategies for the elements of the marketing mix, strategies for each product within the product line strategy.

As we can see, we should develop 6 types of strategies as part of the overall marketing strategy of the enterprise.

Choosing the type of marketing strategy for your business

Let's start moving towards a common marketing strategy from the very top level– corporate. It will be absent if you offer only one type of product.

Corporate level of marketing strategy

At the corporate level, we need to consider assortment strategy and market orientation strategy.

Assortment strategy of the enterprise

Here we need to determine the number of product units of the assortment, the width of the assortment, that is, the number of products various categories in the assortment (for example, yogurt, milk and kefir), the depth of the assortment range or the number of varieties of each category (raspberry yogurt, strawberry yogurt and peach yogurt).

As part of the assortment policy, the issue of product differentiation (changing its properties, including taste, packaging), developing a new product and discontinuing the product is also considered.

The listed issues are resolved based on the following information about the market and the company:

• Size and pace of market development;
• Size and development of the company's market share;
• Size and growth rates of various segments;
• The size and development of the enterprise's market share in the product market.

It is also necessary to analyze information about the products that are included in the product line:

• Trade turnover by product;
• Level and change in variable costs;
• Level and trends in gross profit;
• Level and change in fixed non-marketing costs.

Based on this information, the assortment strategy of the enterprise is drawn up.

Market Orientation Strategies

As part of this strategy, we need to determine target market and identify target segments. Both questions depend on your range and individual products.

In general, at this stage the decision comes down to choosing one of the following market segmentation options:

• Focus on one segment. In this case, the seller offers one product in one market.
• Market specialization. It is used when you have several product categories that you can offer only to one consumer segment. Let’s depict this schematically (“+” is a potential consumer)

• Product specialization suitable for you if you have only one product, but can offer it to several segments at once.

• Electoral specialization. This is the case when you can adapt your offer to any of the segments. You have enough products to satisfy the needs of each segment.
• Mass Marketing. You offer one universal product that, without any changes, can satisfy the needs of each segment of your market.

• Complete market coverage. You produce all products available on the market and, accordingly, are able to satisfy the needs of the entire consumer market

Before defining a market targeting strategy, we advise you to carefully analyze the needs of the customer segments that exist in your market. We also do not advise you to try to “capture” all segments at once with one product. So you risk being left with nothing.

Business unit level

Choosing a competitive marketing strategy is a fairly broad issue. Here it is necessary to consider several aspects at once, but first it is necessary to carry out analytical work.

First, assess the level of competition in the market. Secondly, determine your company's position among competitors.

It is also necessary to analyze the needs of your target audience, assess the threats and opportunities in the external environment, and identify the strengths and weaknesses of the company.

It is necessary to carry out analytical work with the product: identify its key value for the target consumer and determine its competitive advantage. Once you have done your analytical work, you can begin choosing a competitive strategy.

From the point of view of marketing practitioners, it is advisable to consider competitive strategies from two angles: competitive advantage and the role of the organization in a competitive market.

Competitive strategies by type of competitive advantage

Here it would be advisable to immediately present these strategies in the form of a diagram, which is what we will do. The possible types of competitive advantage of the organization are located in the columns, and the strategic goal of the product (company) is located in the rows. At the intersection we get strategies that suit us.

Differentiation strategy requires you to make your product unique in terms of quality, which has highest value for the target client.

This strategy is suitable for you if:

• The company or product is at a stage of its life cycle called maturity;
• Do you have a fairly large number Money for the development of such a product;
• The distinctive property of a product constitutes its key value for the target audience;
• There is no price competition in the market.

Cost leadership strategy assumes that you have the opportunity to produce a product at the lowest cost on the market, which allows you to become a leader in price.

This strategy is right for you if:

• You have technologies that allow you to minimize production costs;
• You can save money on production scale;
• You are lucky with your geographical location;
• You have privileges when purchasing/extracting raw materials;
• The market is dominated by price competition.

Focus on costs and differentiation implies your advantage over competitors only in one segment of your choice, in terms of costs or distinctive product properties. The choice factors that we discussed above regarding each strategy will help you choose what exactly to focus on (costs or differentiation).

The focusing strategy has the following factors:

• You can identify a clearly defined segment in the market with specific needs;
• In this segment low level competition;
• You don't have enough resources to cover the entire market.

Competitive strategies based on the organization's role in the market

At the very beginning, we recalled that the concept of “strategy” entered our lives from the art of war. We invite you to return to those ancient times and take part in a real battle, only in our time and in a competitive market.

Before you go to the battlefield, you need to determine who you are in relation to your competitors: a leader, a follower of the leader, an industry average, a small niche player. Based on your competitive position, we will decide on a “military” strategy.

Market leaders it is necessary to hold the defense so as not to lose your position.

Defensive war involves:

• Staying ahead of competitors' actions;
• Constantly introducing innovations into the industry;
• Attack on oneself (own competing products);
• Always be on the alert and “jam” the decisive actions of competitors with the best solutions.

Follower of the leader it is necessary to take an offensive position.

First of all, you need:

• Identify the leader’s weaknesses and hit them:
• Concentrate your efforts on those product parameters that are a “weak” side for the leader’s product, but at the same time important for the target consumer.

Industry average Flank warfare will do.

It involves the following combat actions:

• Search for a low-competitive market/segment;
• Unexpected attack from the flank.

If you are a niche player, your war is guerrilla.

You should:

• Find a small segment that you can reach;
• Be active in this segment;
• Be “flexible”, that is, be ready at any time to move to another segment or leave the market, since the arrival of “large” players in your segment will “crush” you.

Product level of marketing strategy

The marketing strategy of a product is represented by three types of strategies at once: a strategy for positioning the product on the market, strategies for the elements of the marketing mix, strategies for each product within the marketing strategy of the product line.

Positioning strategy

We propose to highlight the following positioning strategies:

• Positioning in a special segment(for example, young mothers, athletes, clerks);
• Positioning on product functionality. On functional features The focus is mainly on companies specializing in high-tech products. For example, Iphone seeing the target audience's need for excellent quality photo, positions itself as a smartphone with a camera no worse than a professional one;
• Positioning at a distance from competitors(the so-called “blue ocean”). There is such a positioning strategy as the “blue ocean” strategy. According to this strategy, the competitive market is a “red ocean”, where companies fight for every client. But an organization can create a “blue ocean,” that is, enter the market with a product that has no competitors. This product must be differentiated from competitors on key consumer factors. For example, Cirque du Soleil proposed a completely new circus format, which differed in price (it was much more expensive), did not have performances with animals and clowns, changed the format of the arena (there is no longer a round tent), and was aimed mainly at an adult audience. All this allowed Cirque du Soleil to leave the competitive market and “play by its own rules.”
• Positioning on a branded character. There are quite a lot of such examples: Kwiki the rabbit from Nesquik, Donald McDonald from McDonald's, cowboy Wayne McLaren from Marlboro. True, sometimes a character also has a negative impact on the image of a company or product. So Wayne McLaren died of lung cancer and in the period of time from diagnosis to death he sued Marlboro, publicly telling how harmful their cigarettes were. Cartoons also sometimes cause harm. Thus, “Skeletons” from Danone were not popular among mothers due to the inflammatory images of cartoon characters used in advertising.
• Discoverer. If you were the first to offer a product, you can choose a pioneer strategy when positioning;
• Positioning based on a specific service process. This is especially true for the service sector. Everyone has already heard about the restaurant “In the Dark”. He will be a great example of this positioning.

Strategies for elements of the marketing mix

As part of the marketing mix strategy, there are four marketing mix strategies to consider.

Product marketing strategy

In addition to the assortment strategy, which we have already discussed, it is necessary to determine a strategy for each product unit. It will depend on the stage of the product life cycle.

The following stages of the life cycle are distinguished:

1. Implementation. The product has just appeared on the market, there are not many competitors, there is no profit, but sales volumes are quite high, as are costs. At this stage our the main objective– inform the target audience. The actions should be as follows:

• Analysis of existing demand;
• Informing the target audience about the qualities of the product;
• Convincing the consumer of high value goods;
• Construction of a distribution system.

1. Height. You see rapid growth in sales, profits and competition, costs are falling. You need:

• Modify the product to avoid price competition;
• Expand the range to cover as many segments as possible;
• Optimize the distribution system;
• The promotion program should be aimed at stimulation, and not at informing, as it was before;
• Reducing prices and introducing additional services.

1. Maturity. Sales are growing, but slowly, profits are falling, and competition is growing rapidly. In this case, you can choose one of three strategies:

• Market modification strategy, which involves entering new geographic markets. In addition, as part of this strategy, it is necessary to activate promotion tools and change the positioning of the product.
• Product modification strategy involves improving the quality of the product, changing the design and adding additional characteristics.
• Marketing mix modification strategy. In this case, we have to work with the price, it needs to be reduced, promotion, it needs to be intensified, and the distribution system, the costs of which need to be reduced.

1. Recession. Sales, profits, promotional costs and competition are reduced. Here, the so-called “harvest” strategy is suitable for you, that is, the gradual cessation of production of the product.

Pricing Strategies

There are pricing strategies for new enterprises and “old-timers” of the market.

Pricing Strategies for New Businesses

• Market penetration. Relevant if there is sufficiently elastic demand in the market. It consists in setting the lowest possible price for the product.
• Strategy of functional discounts for sales participants. If we want large chains to promote our product, we need to give them a discount. Suitable for large companies.
• Standard pricing. Nothing special. The price is calculated as the sum of costs and profits.
• Following the market involves setting the same prices as competitors. Suitable for you if there is no fierce price competition in the market.
• Price integration strategy applicable when you can agree to maintain the price level at a certain level with other market participants.
• A strategy for balancing the quality and price of a product. Here you need to determine what you will focus on: price or quality. Based on this, either minimize costs (lower the price) or improve the quality of the product (raise the price). The first option is acceptable for elastic demand.

Pricing strategies for market watchdogs

• Open competition on price. If you are ready to reduce the price to the last player on the market, then this strategy is for you. Don't forget to estimate the elasticity of demand, it should be high.
• Refusal of "price transparency". In this case, you need to make it impossible for consumers to compare your price with your competitors' prices. For example, make a non-standard volume of product, for example, not 1 liter of milk, but 850 ml. and set the price a little lower, but so that your liter of milk is actually more expensive. The consumer will not notice the trick.
• Strategy for offering a package of goods. The strategy of offering a package of goods is to provide the consumer with the opportunity to purchase a “set of products” for more favorable price than buying them separately. For example, in the McDonald's restaurant chain, such a package of products is a Happy Meal for children. When purchasing it, the consumer receives a toy at a reduced price, and the company receives an increase in sales.
• Stepped pricing strategy for the offered assortment. Break down the entire range by price segments. This will allow you to reach most market.
• Price linking strategy. We all remember the “makeweight” that was attached to scarce goods. This is a great example of this strategy.
• Price differentiation strategy. If your core product needs complementary products, then this strategy is for you. Set the price low for the main product and high for the complementary product. After purchasing the main product, the consumer will be forced to purchase a complementary one. A good example is a capsule coffee machine and coffee capsules.
• Introduction of free services. This strategy is similar to the strategy of abandoning price transparency. In this case, the consumer will also not be able to compare your prices with those of your competitors.

The next step in determining a pricing strategy is to determine a price differentiation (or discrimination) strategy; their use is not mandatory for the company.

There are two price differentiation strategies:

• Geographical price differentiation strategy. It is divided into zonal price, uniform price, selling price, basis point price and manufacturer's delivery cost strategies.

If your company has a presence in several areas (multiple geographic markets), then use the strategy zonal prices. It involves establishing different prices for the same product in different geographical regions. The price may depend on the average salary in the region, differences in delivery costs, and so on.

If you set the same prices for products in all regions, then your strategy is single price strategy.

Selling price strategy applies if you do not want to transport the goods at your own expense to the consumer (point of sale). In this case, the consumer bears the cost of delivery.

Basis point price involves fixing a certain point from which the delivery cost will be calculated, regardless of the actual location of shipment.

Manufacturer's delivery cost strategy speaks for itself. The manufacturer does not include the cost of delivery of the goods in the price.

• Price differentiation strategy for sales promotion. Suitable for you if the product is at the maturity stage of its life cycle. There are several other strategies that can be highlighted here.

“Bait Price” strategy. If your range includes sufficient quantity goods, you can apply this strategy. It consists of setting prices much lower than market prices for one particular product. The rest of the goods are offered at the average market price or above the average price. The strategy is especially suitable for retail stores.

Pricing strategy for special events – promotions, discounts, gifts. We won't stop here. Let's just say that there are discounts for timely payment of goods in cash ( wholesale), volume discounts, dealer discounts, seasonal discounts (if you sell seasonal goods, you need to stimulate sales during the “off-season”).

Product distribution strategy

As part of the distribution strategy, it is necessary to determine the type of distribution channel and the intensity of the distribution channel. Let's deal with everything in order.

Distribution channel type

There are three types of distribution channels:

• Direct channel– movement of goods without intermediaries. Used when a company offers high-tech or exclusive products to a small segment.
• Short channel with the participation of a retail trader. In this case, an intermediary appears who will sell your product to the end consumer. Suitable for small companies.
• Long channel with the participation of a wholesaler (wholesalers) and a retail trader. If you have a high production volume, then this channel will provide you with a sufficient number of outlets.

Distribution Channel Intensity

The intensity of the distribution channel depends on the product and production volume.

There are three types of distribution intensity:

• Intensive distribution. If you own large production and offer a mass product, then this strategy is for you. It assumes the maximum number of retail outlets.
• Selective distribution. Selection of retail traders based on any criteria. Suitable for those who offer a premium, specific product.
• Exclusive distribution. Careful selection of traders or independent distribution of products. If you offer an exclusive or high-tech product, you should choose this type.

Having considered these elements, we will obtain a product distribution strategy that will be part of the company's overall marketing strategy.

Product promotion strategy

There are two main promotion strategies:

• Pulling promotion involves stimulating demand in the market by the manufacturer independently, without the help of distributors. In this case, the consumer himself must ask the distributors for your product. This can be done using promotion tools (advertising, PR, sales promotion, personal selling, direct marketing). In this case, the promotion strategy must specify all the tools used and the timing of their use;
• Push promotion. In this case, you must make it profitable for distributors to sell your product. You must “force” him to promote your product. This can be done through discounts for sales representatives.

At first glance, choosing a marketing strategy seems to be a very labor-intensive and lengthy process. However, after going through all the described stages of defining a marketing strategy for each level of the strategic pyramid, you will understand that it is not so difficult. Let us give you an example to prove our words.

Marketing Strategy Example

Step 9 Calculation of the total marketing budget. We repeat again, these are only approximate figures.

Step 10 Analysis of marketing strategy.

That's it, our marketing strategy is ready.