Marketing implementation, organizational change and internal marketing strategy 545
articulate it in a few key points. If we cannot
do this, it raises the question of whether we
really have a strategy for this market.
2 Translate the marketing strategy into the
practicalities of operational marketing policies, and
what this is intended to achieve in strategic
position in the market in question. This should
be done in each area of the marketing
programme. The question to address is: For
our marketing strategy to be effectively
implemented in this market, what do we have
to achieve with:
Ourproducts and services, in terms of such
issues as quality compared to our
competitors, fullness of range, image and
brand identity compared to alternatives,
design attributes, functional features and
‘extras’, reliability of service, and so on.
Ourpricing and value, in terms of the real
position in price level against the
competitors and alternatives, and how we
are seen in ‘value for money’ compared to
others in the market.
Ourmarketing communications, in terms of
the quality and role of our selling efforts
and coverage of the market, the image and
awareness created by advertising, the
effectiveness of our sales promotions, and
so on, all as compared to the competition.
Ourdistribution, in terms of the availability
of the product in the marketplace, the
quality of the service provided in customer
waiting time, service provision,
maintenance, and so on; and
Ourstrategic positioning, in terms of the
stage of the product life cycle reached, the
strength of our market position, our
success in achieving differentiation in the
customers’ eyes and what we have
achieved in customer satisfaction levels
compared to the competition.
This analysis defines the strategic intent– what
our marketing strategy has to achieve in prac-
tical terms to become a reality in the market-
place. The goal is to reduce this intent to a few
major points under each heading.
1 Evaluate the strategic reality– address each of
above questions again, but now in terms of
what we have actuallyachieved on each issue
of marketing programme and strategic
position. This is normally quite a lot different
from the strategic intent. The richness and
insight produced here is also greatly enhanced
by asking a new and different group of people
for their perceptions. If the strategic intent is
defined by the marketing planners or
marketing and general management, then the
strategic reality may be best identified by the
salesforce, by the distributors or even by
customers themselves.
2 Identify the strategic gaps– at this stage we are
simply comparing the strategic intent and the
strategic reality, and noting or summarizing the
differences as strategic gaps.
3 Interpret the strategic gaps– the most
important stage of this technique is where we
stand back from the analysis of intent and
reality and the differences between them, and
see what insights we have gained into the real
problems of marketing implementation in the
situation we are studying. To see what
conclusions we can draw, we may address the
following types of questions:
How serious are the gaps we have found
between the marketing strategy and the
real marketplace situation (and how
confident are we that we have genuinely
uncovered that reality)?
Why do the strategic gaps exist – what
could be done to move the reality closer
to the intent, but would this be possible,
and would it be economical?
Are some of the strategic gaps actually
impossible to close on any sensible basis;
for example, is the marketing strategy
hopelessly out of line with the resources
and capabilities of this company at this
time?
Where (if anywhere) have management and
the marketing planners confronted the
strategic reality in this marketplace, as it is
described to us by the salesforce, the
distributors and the customers?