Market Analysis : Customer Segmentation Essay

10. Conducting a Market Opportunity Analysis (MOA) is the first step in developing a marketing strategy.

Market segmentation as a term came up to describe the concept that all customers are not alike. Because in hospitality industry marketing money and resources are limited, it has to concentrate on specific groups of people, or target market, to avoid waste in time, money and quality. As a result, it’s ensuring the highest returns. [1 pp19] The reasons why segmentation is so important for hospitality industry are – more successful use of marketing money, clearer perceptive of the needs and wants of special customer groups, more effective developing of service, greater correctness in selecting promotional vehicles and techniques. [1 pp173]

According to Horner and Swarbrooke (2005: 39), Segmentation may be defined as the process of dividing a whole market into subgroups or segments for marketing management purposes. Market segmentation is the division of the overall market for a service into various categories with common characteristics. In response to different segments, organisations facilitate the available resources to achieve greater efficiency, in order to satisfy specific needs of customers.

Organizations usually employ market segmentation in competitive markets for appropriate targeting of customers. This paper provides an analysis of how market segmentation can be utilized for competitive advantage as well as the need for ensuring diversification for sustainable growth.

What is Market Segmentation? According to Investopedia (n.d), market segmentation is a term used in marketing that refers to the aggregating of a potential buyer into groups, or segments, that share common needs and would respond similarly to a particular action in marketing. By utilizing market segmentation it enables Victoria’s Secret to target different categories of consumers who recognize the full value of certain products and services differently from one another. Furthermore, market segmentation is an extension of market research for the purposes of identifying targeted groups of consumers in order to tailor products and branding in a way that it is attractive to that group. There are three general criteria used to identify different market segments: homogeneity, distinction and reaction (Investopedia, n.d).

The segmentation has been done on the basis of buying behavior of the customers. Knowledge of segment buying behavior can help redirect marketing resources for profit gain.

As every customer has unique needs and expectations towards certain products, the ultimate goal of market segmentation is to organize customers into groups which allows targeting of customers with similar needs of and response to the products. The key is to minimize differentiation within each segment

Relying purely on socio-economic and demographic data only provides a partial glimpse into the needs, preferences and wants of a given target market. Psychographic-based segmentation research is often used for determining how potential customers' self-assignment to groups, unique interests and preferences for retail products and services influence and often predict their purchasing behavior and long-term loyalty (Bearden, Teel, Durand, 1978). Psychographics is the study of how customers assign

Market segmentation is the division of a market into different groups of customers with distinctly similar needs and products or service requirements (Croft, 1994). Its major purpose is to pull scarce resources and ensure that the elements of the marketing mix, price, distribution trends, products and promotion are premeditated to satisfy the particular needs of the different customer groups. City Grill’s main approaches to market segmentation, could include using the breakdown method where they can view the market as to consist of consumers who are in essence the same, having similar tastes, and so forth. Their duty could only be to identify groups which share particular differences. Alternatively they

Segmentation consists on dividing the market into distinct group reflecting different target with homogeneous needs, characteristic or behavior (Armstrong and Kotler, 2005). Before opting for a segmentation strategy it is crucial to consider the attractiveness of the segment, its homogeneity and stability, as well as the accessibility of the target group.

The marketing segmentation concept allows a company to focus on a specific group of customers that it is best prepared and suited to satisfy. Rather than trying to be all things to all people, selecting a target market enables a company to tailor its offerings to more specific customer needs and preferences (Schewe & Hiam, 1998, p. 200). When a company focuses its efforts and capital (both tangible and intangible) on a more narrowly defined set of needs, it is more likely that the customers will get the product they desire. Companies that use the marketing segmentation concept typically have a more intimate knowledge of the customers they target, and customers usually relate better with companies that understand their interests. As such a relationship is built.

The world is made up of different people, therefore segmentation provides consumers products that fulfil their individual needs. Martin (2011) states that companies have to try different segmentation variables either alone or in combination because often the best choices arise from using various strategies. There are few ways to segment a market, therefore, companies must think innovatively and be willing to re-segment if needed.

‘Market segmentation represents an effort to identify and catergorise groups of customers and countries according to common characteristics’ (Keegan and Green 2016, p.228). For any business, it is crucial that they segment their market accordingly or they will risk forgoing sales opportunities. Fahy and Jobber (2015) identify the objective of market segmentation as distinguishing groups of customers with similar requirements so

Despite companies segmentation practices, customers decide for themselves what their required needs are, once this was realized by Dow Corning, evident from their self-audit, and 5 years of customer surveys and discussions with sales force. They reviewed their segmentation to a needs-based segmentation scheme (Xiameter Case Study).

The process of communicating the value of a product or service to customers, for the main purpose of selling that product or service is known as marketing. The science of choosing target markets through market segmentation and analysis, and understanding consumer behavior while providing superior customer value to the customers is termed as Marketing Management. It can be looked at as one of the most important of the organizational functions and a set of processes for creating, communicating and delivering the value to their customers or potential customers, and a customer relationship management that benefits the organization in a variety of ways.