What Market Do SS1 Marketing Lesson Note

Marketing activities also include behind-the-scenes tasks, like market research and planning. These marketing activities include all the various ways that companies, government entities, non-profit organizations and cities communicate the intended message. 

Marketing activities are the actions that ultimately sell every product and service, as well as every organizational agenda.
The following are the actions taken by the organization before marketing: 

1. Mobilization Of Workforce: Mobilization is “the process of forming crowds, groups, associations, and organizations for the pursuit of collective goals”. Organizations do not “spontaneously emerge” but require the mobilization of the workforce. 

For effective marketing activities, the workforce needs to be mobilized. Successful companies can mobilize the right people to achieve the organization’s goal.

2. Production of Quality Goods and Services: Production of quality goods and services is another action taken by organizations before the marketing process.

Since customers are primarily interested in product quality and they know the quality and feature differences of competing brands, the organization needs to produce goods and services that will meet the needs of their customers. Customers make their choice from many brands available based on getting the best quality for their money. 

3. Managing Distribution Network: Sales and distribution is an integral part of any industry. Distribution, also known as placement, is one of the classic “four Ps” of marketing (product, promotion, price, distribution). Distribution channels play a key role in your entire marketing strategy

As marketers realign their operations to adjust to a lower level of demand, they will face several difficult choices. Decisions taken today will have a major impact on customers and channel partners both in the near term and in the long term. Marketers must get these decisions right and can execute them cost-effectively while avoiding lapses in customer service.

Maximizing the potential of distribution channels and marketing programs in today’s economic environment involves taking these actions:

i. Identify the best partners: The first step involves taking a hard look at the current channel design. Companies need to understand their most profitable and highest potential customer segments and how well those segments align with existing channels. This understanding requires a clear perspective of how units, revenue and profitability flow across sales channels, products and regions. 

In evaluating channel partners, first, determine how well each partner aligns with the company’s value proposition and the most profitable customer segments. Secondly, given the current environment, also pay particular attention to a potential partner’s financial strength and strategic position. All else equal, companies will want to place their bets with channel partners that will be around for the long term.

ii. Get the most out of your marketing: The second step consists of a review of marketing programs in the context of key target segments. Determine which specific demand generation programs and promotions (e.g. direct mail, trade advertising, broadcast advertising, incentives) have worked better than others at generating and converting qualified customer leads. 

Evaluate the performance of various marketing programmes in different regions, segments and markets and how well sales results have correlated with those efforts. Based on a careful review of what has worked best, opportunities will emerge to rationalize some of the marketing programmes.

iii. Manage the transition: Once channel design and resource allocation have been addressed, implementation needs to be carefully planned. In many cases, local market variations will require significant adjustments to the overall direction. Some channel partners are likely to require more support than others as they take on new customers with potentially different service requirements.

Throughout any transition, communicating closely with target partners is essential to manage channel conflict and minimize negative customer impact.

iv. Advertisement and promotion: The four Ps of marketing are product, price, place and promotion. All four of these elements combine to make a successful marketing strategy. Promotion looks to communicate the company’s message to the consumer.

One of the benefits of advertising is that it allows you to communicate a message to a large audience at one time, reducing the cost per contact.

You may have the finest product and the most attractive prices, but if potential customers don’t know about your business, your chances of success are limited. Advertising and promotion refer to activities undertaken to increase sales or enhance the image of a product or business. 

Advertising is used primarily to inform the potential customer of the following:

a) The availability of products or services;

b) When they are in season;

c) Where you are located and;

d) Anything special about your product.

Promotional activities are important for maintaining customers’ traffic throughout the market season used early in the season to draw customers to your business and during the season to maintain customers’ traffic levels during slow periods. Deciding on a marketing communications strategy is one of the primary roles of the marketing manager and this process involves some key decisions about who the customer is, how to contact them, and what the message should be.

ASSIGNMENT 

1. Explain the following actions before marketing:

i. Mobilization of workforce

ii. Production of quality goods and services

iii. Managing distribution networks.

2. List and explain the four elements of the marketing mix.