The Marketing Book 5th Edition

Marketing

in Context

Adaptation of

Marketing

Innovative

Marketing

Competency

Marketing

Network

Marketing

Marketing for small-to-medium enterprises 773

Conclusion: a model of SME marketing

This chapter has been framed around a prag-
matic model of SME marketing. This model is
illustrated in Figure 29.4. It incorporates the
dimensions of adaptation of marketing tech-
niques, competency marketing, networking
marketing, and innovative marketing. These
approaches are centred around the notion that
all SME marketing is done in a unique context
and that cognisance of this context must be
carefully taken into account.
The unique context of SME marketing is
built upon recognition of the huge influence of
the inherent characteristics of SMEs, partic-
ularly the limitations of resources, and the
inherent characteristics of the entrepreneur/
owner/manager upon marketing and related
decision making.
This model is not intended as an alter-
native theory of marketing which inherently
rejects other established theories trusted and

recognized by the marketing establishment.

Instead, it should be viewed as a model of

marketing ‘application’ in SMEs. The model

requires students of marketing to adopt an

‘experienced’, ‘real-world’ perspective of mar-

keting. It represents ‘how-to-do-marketing’

rather than ‘what-marketing-is’, and as such is

highly compatible with SME entrepreneurs/

owners/managers’ way of thinking, indeed,

way of ‘doing business’.

Such a model construct will be in a

constant state of flux. It will change shape and

emphasis according to the requirements of the

market environment, and the aims and desires

of the entrepreneur/owner/manager and the

SME. Whatever, can we speculate about how

marketing for SMEs will look in the future?

It is easy to ride the bandwagon of techno-

logical change and development, especially

since such developments are happening with

increasing rapidity and increasingly impacting

upon SMEs way of doing business and market-

ing. Is this technological development a threat

or opportunity to SMEs and to what extent will

Figure 29.4 A model of SME marketing