Strategic Marketing: Planning and Control, Third Edition

5 Realistic expectations

We cannot be all things to all people. Expectations have to be realistic

and matched to capabilities, resources and external conditions. We may

well need to make ‘trade-offs’ to ensure we focus on activities that add

value.

■ What is marketing strategy?

In a strategic role, marketing aims to transform corporate objectives and

business strategy into a competitive market position. Essentially, the con-

cern is to differentiate our actives/products by meeting customer needs

more effectively than competitors. Marketing strategy can by characterised

by: (a) analysing the business environment and defining specific cus-

tomer needs, (b) matching actives/products to customers segments and

(c) implementing programmes that achieve a competitive position, superior

to competitors. Therefore, marketing strategy addresses three elements –

customers, competitors and internal corporate issues (see Figure 1.4).

12 Strategic Marketing: Planning and Control

Internal

corporate factors

Customer Competitors

Marketing strategy

Achieving a superior competitive position

within a defined market.

• Segmentation


• Targeting


• Positioning

Figure 1.4
Basis of marketing
strategy

Firstly, we consider customers. How is the market defined, what seg-

ments exist and who should we target? Secondly, how can we best establish

a competitive position? A precursor to this is a detailed understanding of

our competitors within targeted market segments. Finally, we need to

match internal corporate capabilities with customer need. The successful

achievement of these factors should enable the organisation to develop, and

maintain, a strong market position.