Ensuring Success for a FMCG Company

When examining competitive advantage, it is also important to consider the market and take into account the existing competition against larger firms.

A business must be highly competitive in the business markets today. For a business to grow successfully, remain sustainable, and competitive a business needs a good understanding of a marketing plan, and the knowhow to put the concepts to work for the business achieving a successful marketing strategy. Remaining successful when an economic growth has leveled out shows a sustainable business. Competitors that follow the same marketing concepts will need to develop a good marketing plan, and implement the concepts into a marketing strategy to remain a competitive business. A good marketing strategy contains a marketing plan describing the products offered, and taking into account

In the context of global expansion and competition of numerous businesses, effective marketing management is one of the key factors of success, playing an essential role in obtaining competitive advantage. Hence, the success of a company is determined by its ability to identify customers’ needs and offering products and/or services to satisfy them.

In summary, marketing is very important for a business to achieve success. Many businesses have a difficult time in this area. With the stiff competition, businesses struggle to stand out among others. Other companies resort in unethical and unfair schemes just to win the competition. But eventually find themselves in great loss and failure. As businesses all over the world enter into a gigantic marketplace, every business owner is faced with convoluted market competition. Nevertheless, any entrepreneur can be different and become successful in this matter. In every product sold and in every service provided, patience and hard work should take precedence to ensure quality. Products and services should be marketed honestly, planning should not be done with evil

Marketing is essential for every business, be it a small household business or a large multinational group. All businesses depend on marketing in one way or the other. Setting of goals according to entrepreneur’s visions marks the starting o f the plan. It is better to do proper research and documentation before launching a product in the market or else the results will not be according to one’s thinking. Raymond Morose is the owner of Pet Palace and has been running this business for the last 44 years (Manta, 2010). Raymond Morose is running the business with a small staff but is very clear about his goals, as he has set his goals according to SMART approach. SMART stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-based and

Before proceeding with the next section (objectives), it is recommended that you complete the Marketing Plan Worksheet. Ask the academic mentor in the learning community for this if you do not have it.

FMCGs are products that have a quick turnover, and relatively low cost. FMCG products are those that get replaced within a year and they constitute a major part of consumers‟ budget in many countries. The FMCG sector primarily operates on low margin and therefore success very much depends on the volume of sales (Sarangapani & Mamatha 2008).

3. Defining the firms marketing scope – basing it on customer satisfaction; comparisons to competitors; and maintaining strategy development

Mariotti & Glackin (2013) provide that development of marketing strategy and competitive advantage is from the "Four P's". The "Four P's" include product, price, promotion, and place. This paper further outlines each of the "Four P's". Mariotti& Glackin (2013) recommend continually referring to the mission statement and vision statement while developing the marketing strategy. This reference helps to build the marketing strategy and form the core competency for the business. The first part of the business plan, the mission and vision statements, are stated below:

Marketing plays the most important role for the success of a business. In this chapter, the business’ marketing objectives are laid out together with the plans or actions that will be needed to achieve these objectives. Furthermore, this chapter includes the profile of the respondents which aided the researchers to create this part of the feasibility study.

The developed marketing goals and objectives will determine how the company runs its business. This marketing objective can:

To be successful in business, "a consumer does not buy a whole of physical components of the product but it is usefulness, function, satisfaction of consumer's needs, solving the problem, etc" (Dubrouski, , p.1). "That is why the product is a whole of tangible and intangible components which means satisfaction of consumer's needs and desires, solving the problem"(Dubrouski, p.1). Companies and managers must learn to utilize marketing research, as well as, strategy skills to fulfill customers' satisfaction. Management has to focus on exclusive marketing challenges presented by the new era of the 21st century. Management has to be able to utilize inventive, dominant, and cost effective marketing techniques that will support the future success of the organization. Companies must meet,"the increasing importance of services as part of a product (offer, offering package) which cannot be neglected" (Dubrouski, p.1). Exploring the purpose of market research, as well as, evaluating the importance of such research, facilitates managers in realizing the importance of marketing to an organization's success and to be globally competitive.

On the other hand, the managing marketing implementation is the process that helps customers to keep in mind the strengths of the company. In order to accomplish this, three stages are required to be followed such as an analysis of the markets and trading environment, determination of core markets and brand positioning and last, but not least, setting up flexible programmes for implementation. Controlling the marketing plan should include the flexibility of objectives, empowerment for environmental changes and monitoring, in order to allow new opportunities for the business.

One of the toughest challenges of new businesses is attracting new customers. Having an effective marketing strategy in place is a vital implementation in increasing the awareness of your product or service. The marketing strategy section should

“Competitive strategy involves positioning a business to maximize the value of the capabilities that distinguish it from its competitor’s” (Porter 1980:47). A successful business plan requires first and foremost the formation of an appropriate strategy. Through the implementation of a suitable strategy, the company is able to obtain its own industry niche and gain an understanding of its customers (Porter 1985). Whichever strategy is adopted it must be adequately integrated within the firms goals and missions to achieve a competitive advantage (Parker and Helms 1992).