Strategy is vital for any business, large or small because it enables a company to achieve its business objectives. A marketing strategy refers to the systematic process by which organizations create and implement their marketing programs. Marketing strategy and planning are an essential component of a marketing strategy. Marketing strategies are based on a variety of factors, including the products and services that a marketing strategy targets, the location of the marketing agencies, and the budgets of the marketing agencies.
A marketing strategy refers to the strategic process of planning and setting out specific business policies in line with the organization’s vision. Marketing strategies include several specific plans for marketing, such as product differentiation, price reduction for competitive market segmentation, and market segmentation.
Purpose
The primary objective of a marketing strategy is to create and transmit a message to the customer that the product or service offered by the organization is of a particular quality or that the organization has a specific marketing plan that addresses the needs of the target market. Besides, the marketing strategy communicates to the customers of the organization’s vision and purpose, the products or services that it offers, and its position in the industry. These messages are intended to influence consumers to buy from the marketing agency rather than a competitor. These strategies must therefore be very carefully formulated and strategically tested.
A marketing strategy generally is designed to achieve certain objectives. One objective of a marketing strategy is to enhance customer loyalty and repeat purchases. Marketing agencies develop marketing campaigns that address these objectives. Marketing agencies then execute these objectives through various channels such as print, radio, television, and other advertising media.
The objectives of a marketing strategy will depend on the type of product line being served by the organization. It also depends on the size and scope of the organization, and the marketing mix that it has in place. A successful marketing mix involves the use of a variety of marketing practices and the consistent application of a single marketing strategy throughout the product line. For example, it is not uncommon for an automobile manufacturer to include advertisements regarding the sale of inexpensive automobiles within a marketing campaign that features expensive automobiles. The consistent application of a marketing strategy across product lines allows a company to effectively promote its products and services.
Activities
A marketing strategy also consists of several specific activities. These activities include research and development, financial marketing and selling, promotions, pricing, public relations, distribution, promotion, and publicity. It also consists of a series of activities that are undertaken to improve the quality of service provided by a company. These activities are part of the planning stage of a marketing strategy and are usually performed by marketing departments, such as advertising, sales, public relations, and distribution. Each of these activities has a direct or indirect effect on the bottom line of a company.
Success
A marketing strategy is only effective if it is part of a broader overall strategy, which in turn is part of a company’s overall business plan. A company’s overall business plan lays out the plans and objectives that a company will attempt to achieve in a specified time. Each of the components of the plan will be based on information that a company gathers from its customers and consumers. A marketing strategy should be based on the objectives, a company wishes to accomplish, which will then dictate the tactics that a marketing department will attempt to implement. However, regardless of whether a marketing strategy is implemented through a broader strategy or a marketing department only, a marketing strategy consists of several fundamental elements.
Some of these elements include: identifying a customer base, developing a product, crafting a marketing strategy, attracting funding, and testing a product. These tactics are combined to form a more complex picture of a marketing strategy and are then used to achieve specific objectives. The methods that are used in the execution of these tactics are often determined by the scope of the overall objectives of a marketing strategy. For example, if a company’s overall goal is to increase sales, then different tactics including advertising may be required than if the primary objective is to increase profit. Marketing managers will likely consider a wide range of factors when determining which marketing strategies are best implemented for a particular company.