Contents
Introduction
‘The core elements of marketing strategy involve decisions related to marketing segmentation, targeting and positioning’
(Fahy and Jobber, 2015, p.15)
A clear marketing strategy is essential for a company to build both their brand and their name. In order to do this they will have to make decisions in regards to a range of factors. This report will clearly outline an academic discussion of the advantages of market segmentation, targeting and positioning. Following this will be a profile of the chosen organisation which is Hollister, an American lifestyle brand launched in 2000 with almost 600 stores and a brand nettled more than two billion dollars in sales. (Eggers, D. 2015) After this will be an
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culture. Profile segmentation will include factors such as geographic, demographic or socio-economic group.
Segmenting a market brings many advantages for a company. Companies will be able to make more profit as if products match a consumers wants or needs they will be more inclined to pay a premium price. Segmentation gives companies the opportunity to see growth opportunities in the market thus giving them a chance to expand their product line and potentially become a leading name in the market. Thirdly it ensures companies are able to identify which segments they are best suited to compete in; as companies will not be able to compete effectively in all segments. Potentially giving companies the opportunity to differentiate from their competitors. (Fahy and Jobber 2015). Having a knowledge of different segments will benefit companies financially as they will be able to allocate their marketing budget more appropriately. Segmentation will help marketers set realistic aims and objectives in regards to selling. (Chand, S. 2017)
Targeting
Target Marketing refers to, “the choice of specific segments to serve, and is a key element in marketing strategy.” (Fahy & Jobber, 2015, p.128) Companies will have to examine and evaluate different segments in order to make a choice on which and/or how many different segments
The three major players in the soft drink market are PepsiCo, Inc., the Coca-Cola Company, and the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group (Change Lab Solutions, n.d.). All of them use effective market segmentation to target specific markets. Effective target marketing requires that marketers, segment the market, by identifying and profiling to find a distinct group of buyers who differ in their wants and needs (Kotler & Keller, 2012). They target their specific product to one or more market segments they have identified, and for each target segment establish and communicate the distinctive benefit of the company’s products to position themselves in the market. Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola retain the first and second
There are different reasons that business need to segment their markets carefully, this is because customers vary, so creating various segments will provide customers with better solutions. It can bring better opportunities and growth for the business.
Grewal and Levy (2010: p32) state that ‘a marketing strategy identifies, (1) a company’s target market(s), (2) a related marketing mix - their four P’s and (3) the bases upon which the firm plans to build a sustainable competitive advantage’.
The target market is generally the most lucrative choice from among different market segments – each segment being identifiable, measurable, sizable, reachable. For best results, include a fair amount of demographic information (income range, education level, family situation, etc.).
By using Marketing strategy, organizations concentrate their resources on the greatest opportunities to increase sales and maintain a competitive advantage in its market (Wickipedia, pg1).Market segmentation is the process companies use to divide their market into groups of buyers and establish marketing tailored to individual groups. Market targeting is the process of actually choosing the market which poses the greatest profitability. Positioning involves product placement and helps marketers highlight their product over a competitor. The
Target Market – a specific group of customers on whom an organization focuses its marketing efforts.
Target market is the market segment to which a particular good or service is marketed. It is generally studied and mapped by an organization through lists and reports containing demographic information that may have an effect on the marketing of key products or services.
Improving marketing has become a top priority of successful inventors and corporations. Most corporations’ research different groups and needs in the marketplace, satisfy the consumers in a superior way by targeting their wants and needs. All marketing strategies are built on segmentation, targeting, positioning, and then position its offering so that the target market recognizes the company’s image and terrific offerings. There are many different business areas which will sometimes play a huge factor such as, finance, accounting, information systems, marketing, and strategic management.
Target market refers to a group or customer segment that a firm is interested in selling its product or services. This is a two way relationship as the potential must
In order to market the product into the market successfully, marketers need to have some marketing strategy to enter the desired market and make profit. Market segmentation is the process of dividing a market into subsets of consumers with common needs or characteristics (Schiffman et al., 2011). Understanding the market size and segmentation is valuable, but the keys to effective targeting is to know just how valuable specific consumer groups are, and being able to quantify the impact of consumer trends ( Berry, 1999).
In business marketing, market segmentation and targeting specific markets aids organizations by reducing the risks involved in decisions of how, where, when, and with whom the brand, product, or service will be advertised, directed, or promoted to. Positioning the product or service to the accurate target while controlling the marketing budget are tactics used by marketing professionals to assure reaching the largest target group and controlling costs (Boundless, 2014). Attracting the right customer is the ultimate objective of targeting specific markets by directing the research and efforts in a manner
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.
Market segmentation is the key strategic concept in marketing today (Michael N. Tuma, 2011). It is shows as the attempt to distinguish 'homogeneous groups of customers who can be targeted in the same manner because they have similar needs and preferences'. (Wedel & Kamakura, 2002). Good market segmentations helps in understanding the
Market segmentation is an approach used by a company to select their target market and provide data for a marketing plan. “Market segmentation consist of a two-step process; naming broad product markets and segmenting these broad products-markets in order to select target markets and develop suitable marketing mixes” (Perreault, Cannon, & McCarthy, 2014, p.97). There are 4 categories pertaining to market segmentation; behavioral, geographic, demographic, and behavioral.
According to Blythe (2010), segmentation, targeting and positioning are fundamental to the concept of meeting customer need. This essay will outline and analyse these fundamental tools of marketing in an academic setting, in addition to, assessing how an organisation of my choice applies them in a working environment. Included in this essay, will be an academic discussion of the advantages of market segmentation, targeting and positioning drawing upon views of various scholars. Furthermore, I will provide a profile of my chosen organisation as well as an assessment of their market segmentation, targeting and positioning strategies. The essay will finish with a summary of the main points and will draw conclusions based on the evidence which has been presented.