The concept of "strategy" refers to the method of action or plan presented in general form for a significant period of time. It can be developed in any direction. The main thing is that pre-thought-out actions contribute to the most efficient use of available resources and lead to the set goal.

Regarding marketing strategy, then it represents one of the constituent parts of the company’s overall strategy. At the same time, it contains a description of the methods that should be used by the company to increase sales profits in the long term. It is worth noting that the marketing strategy does not offer users any specific actions. She only describes them.

The Importance of Marketing

Any economic plan allows you to get an idea of ​​the company’s development prospects in the market, as well as the theoretical and practical aspects of its activities. And this can be done by marketing, which is the science of setting tasks and goals, achieving and solving them, as well as ways to overcome existing problems in an organization across the entire range of products over a certain time period. Why does a company need such a strategy? It allows you to achieve the maximum possible correspondence between available resources and the current economic situation. This is what will help the company conduct successful financial and production activities.

What are the features of a marketing strategy and what needs to be taken into account when choosing the most suitable one?

The essence of pre-planning

What is the main point of a marketing strategy? If we consider a specific market environment, then creating the right direction in it allows the company to develop as efficiently as possible. When forming such a strategy, an executive plan is drawn up that allows the organization to carry out its activities taking into account the chosen policy.

There is a very important element in marketing work. It is called marketing planning, thanks to which the company is able to constantly analyze the market, as well as learn about the needs of customers.

The business strategy developed by marketing makes it possible to offer products that would fully satisfy the demand of a certain group of consumers. In this regard, the main task that such a document sets for itself becomes clear. The action plans developed by the company are designed to identify both existing and potential markets for products.

When developing long-term plans in any economically successful state, it is always worth remembering that marketing products most often causes certain difficulties. Given the fierce competition in the market, the majority of enterprises prefer to produce and sell their goods themselves. They consider this method the most reliable for maintaining their leading positions.

Marketing tactics and strategies for successful businesses involve outperforming competitors, as well as strengthening their position in the future. You can only change initially created plans in situations where:

For several years, the company did not achieve good results in terms of sales of goods and revenue generation;

There has been a change in the strategies of competing companies;

Some external conditions affecting the operation of the enterprise have been transformed;

A chance has arisen to implement new reforms that would be able to increase benefits and bring profit to the organization;

The company has achieved the goals outlined by the current sales strategy.

Marketing plans can also be adjusted due to changes in the market, which has begun to focus on other indicators. This may be the emergence of fundamentally new products, as well as the use modern methods bypassing competitors. An example of a company's marketing strategy can make it clear that the company, in its desire to sell a product, actively uses various directions at the same time.

Marketing Strategy Goals

Why are long-term sales plans created? From the example of a company’s marketing strategy, it becomes clear that they are intended to implement external program or market goals, namely for:

Increasing the organization's market share;

Growth in the number of clients;

Increasing the level of sales, taking into account their natural and cost indicators.

The marketing strategy also presupposes the achievement of certain internal program (production) goals. They serve as a continuation of the market ones. These plans reflect everything that the enterprise needs to achieve program goals. At the same time, the strategy does not take into account organizational resources, but takes into account the issue of ensuring the required production volumes. It is worth keeping in mind that this indicator consists of the number of sales, from which existing inventories are subtracted, summing the result with planned inventories. This also includes issues of creating new workshops, introducing the latest production technologies, etc.

Marketing planning also sets organizational goals for the enterprise. It looks at the structure of the firm, as well as its management and staffing. If we consider the example of a specific company, a marketing strategy may, for example, plan to increase staff salaries to the level available in the organization that occupies a leading position in the market, and also provide for the hiring of several specialists with knowledge in a particular industry. In addition, long-term plans sometimes include the introduction of a system that allows for project management, etc.

An example of an enterprise's marketing strategy allows one to judge the company's financial goals. This section of the plans indicates all the expected indicators in their cost terms. They include in their list: the amount of costs, gross and net profit, volume and profitability of sales, etc.

Types of Marketing Strategies

The company's long-term sales plans are classified according to various criteria. But the most commonly used categories are:

1. Integrated Growth. An example of developing a marketing strategy suggests that the company wants to expand its own structure, using “vertical development”, which involves the release of new services or products. If the integrated growth strategy is successfully implemented, then the company begins to exercise control over the branches of the enterprise's suppliers and dealers, trying to influence the end consumer.
2. Concentrated growth. An example of an enterprise's marketing strategy in this case indicates that within the framework of these long-term product sales plans, a change in the market is possible. In addition, such a strategy also provides for the modernization of goods. The main objective of the plans describing the concentrated growth of the company is the fight against competitors, as well as the desire to occupy positions in an expanded market share. This process is called “horizontal development”. This strategy allows you to improve the quality of existing products and find new markets for them.
3. Diversified Growth. An example of a marketing strategy in this area, as a rule, occurs in cases where a company currently does not have the opportunity to develop in a market environment with a certain type of product. The enterprise can make maximum efforts aimed at producing new products using its existing resources. At the same time, the received product sometimes has only slight differences from the old one, and sometimes it is completely different.
4. Reduction. An example of a marketing policy in this area may clearly indicate that the company is setting itself a goal aimed at increasing the efficiency of its work after a significant period of development. Here, for example, you can plan to reorganize a company by cutting down certain departments. Another option for such a strategy could be the liquidation of the company, which involves gradually reducing its activities to zero, which makes it possible to obtain maximum income.

Main directions of marketing strategy

After determining one direction or another, the company has the opportunity to focus not only on certain elements of the market environment, but also on its entire volume. At the same time, it becomes possible to implement the main strategic directions. Among them:

1. Mass (undifferentiated) marketing strategy. It is focused on the entire market environment without taking into account the differentiation of consumer demand. As a result of applying this direction, it becomes possible to reduce production costs, which gives the product serious competitive advantages.
2. Differentiated marketing strategy. Its use allows us to judge that the company is trying to take positions in more market segments. To achieve this goal, it begins to produce products with attractive designs, high quality etc.
3. Concentrated marketing strategy. When using it, the company focuses its efforts on only one market segment. The products produced are intended for a certain category of consumers. In this case, the emphasis is on originality. This type of marketing strategy is ideal for those companies that have limited resources.

In addition to all of the above categories, product sales plans can be price and product, branded and advertising. In this case, they are classified according to the means of marketing products that are mainly used by the company.

Let's consider the most modern examples marketing strategies.

Positional defense

As you know, in order to protect yourself from enemies, a defensive fortress must be built. However, it is always worth remembering that a static defense that does not provide for any forward movement is the right way to defeat. And if the marketing strategy adopted by a company is purely defensive, then it can be called short-sighted.

If we consider such enterprises as Coca-Cola or Bayer, then it can be argued that even in their work it is impossible to guarantee stable income. A successfully developed marketing strategy (using the example of the specific Coca-Cola company) clearly follows the line of expansion assortment list its products and the development of new types of production. And this despite the fact that this company produces its products in huge quantities! Coca-Cola's share of the global soft drink market is almost 50%. But the marketing strategy that the company adheres to leads to the fact that it is actively buying up companies that produce fruit drinks. And this is in addition to expanding the range and introducing the latest technologies.

Flank protection

Companies that occupy leading positions in the market need a special marketing strategy. Its main goal is to create a “border service” and concentrate “combat-ready units” on the most vulnerable borders. But flank protection is considered the most effective, which provides for the conditions for the detailed development of all operations and their phased implementation. And in this case, we can give examples of failures of marketing strategies. For example, the main mistake of General Motors and Ford was the lack of proper training. At the moment when European and Japanese manufacturers began attacking the market, these firms did not take them seriously. As a result, American automobile companies lost part of the domestic market. After all, Japanese manufacturers offered the American consumer vehicles, characterized by compactness. Such products have attracted interest from a wide range of car enthusiasts.

Pre-emptive strikes

How to develop a marketing strategy? An example of the organization of proactive actions can be found in the history of various companies. They come down to the use of several methods.

The first of them is similar to combat reconnaissance. For example, some firms affect one competitor in their market, attack another and pose a threat to a third. This disrupts their activities.

The next method is to attack on all fronts. An example of a project's marketing strategy using such actions is the decisive step of Seiko, which offered 2,300 models of its watches to distributors from all over the world. Texas Instruments can also be mentioned here. She successfully used price attack tactics. One of the most basic objectives of such a marketing strategy is to maintain a high competitive level of the company's products.

International Marketing Strategy

Marketing strategy in banking

When developing long-term plans for the implementation of services by financial and credit institutions, their inextricable connection with IT areas is primarily taken into account. Thus, the development of a marketing strategy using the example of Cetelem Bank indicates a constant increase in the use of information technology.

This process will require an increase in the number of sales points, as well as the number of employees. The bank's marketing strategy also assumes a significant increase in costs for equipment, telephony and telecommunications. At the same time, issues of effective use are considered financial investments. Despite the complexity of the task, most of the most key aspects of the bank’s developed strategy are being implemented within the scheduled time frame.

The modern economy is characterized by increased risk and uncertainty in decision-making conditions. In this state of affairs, increasing profits and market share is impossible only by optimizing distribution and saving production resources. As I. Ansoff notes, in addition to operational (resource allocation) and management problems (organizing the acquisition and distribution of resources), strategic ones have been added (selection of goods and markets and the distribution of resources among them).

Currently, the concept of “strategy” is used in various fields, including economic, marketing, financial, innovation, etc.

F. Kotler defines marketing strategy as "a rational, logical structure by which an organizational unit expects to solve its marketing problems. It includes specific strategies for target markets, marketing mix and level of marketing costs."

Global directions of marketing strategy are:

• o internationalization strategy - the development of new foreign markets, including the expansion of not only the export of goods, but also the export of capital, when enterprises, plants and factories are created abroad that produce goods locally in former importing countries, bypassing restrictive trade barriers and taking advantage of cheap labor force and the wealth of local raw materials;
• o diversification strategy - mastering the production of new goods, commodity markets, as well as commodity services, including not just differentiation of product groups, but also distribution entrepreneurial activity for completely new and not related to the main activities of enterprises in the region;
• o segmentation strategy - deepening the degree of saturation of all consumer groups with offered goods and services, choosing the maximum depth of market demand, including its smallest shades.

If we combine the main directions of marketing strategies proposed by marketer F. Kotler and economist M. Porter, who build their model on the basis of two planning concepts marketing activities- choosing the target market (within your industry or individual segments) and strategic advantage (uniqueness of the product or its price), - the following main strategies of the enterprise can be distinguished.

Undifferentiated (mass or standardized) marketing strategy associated with advantages in production costs. In this case, the selling company ignores differences in segments and addresses the entire market at once with the same product, i.e. engages in mass production and sale of the same product to all customers at once.

A significant advantage of this strategy is the low level of costs due to mass production(minimum unit costs and low prices) and a unified marketing concept. The company strives to create a product designed for the largest market segments.

Differentiated Marketing Strategy - the enterprise produces various types of one product, differing in consumer properties, quality, design, packaging, etc. and intended for various consumer groups in the market, i.e. for many segments. The company decides to operate in many segments and develops a separate offer for each of them.

This strategy involves significant expense and targets a large market by offering many customized, differentiated products designed to satisfy multiple market segments.

Concentrated (targeted) marketing strategy - The selling company concentrates its efforts on one or more small market segments, develops marketing approaches and produces products to meet the needs of these particular groups of buyers.

According to this strategy, the product must meet the needs of the relevant group of buyers to the maximum extent possible. For each market segment, the enterprise designs a separate marketing program, although this is associated with the construction of long-term strategic goals and increased costs.

The concentrated marketing strategy is quite attractive for enterprises with limited resources, small businesses, when, instead of concentrating efforts on a small share of a large market, the enterprise prefers to pay attention to a large share of one or more market segments.

However, such a strategy is vulnerable and risky, since it is focused on a small number of segments or one segment that may not live up to the hopes and expectations of the enterprise or may be subject to a similar policy of a competing company.

A special place in strategic development The enterprise plays the implementation of the growth strategy proposed by F. Kotler. It can be developed based on analysis carried out at three levels.

On first level identify opportunities that the enterprise can take advantage of given the existing scale of activity - opportunities for intensive growth. Intensive growth is justified when a company has not fully exploited the opportunities inherent in its existing products and markets. To identify them, I. Ansoff proposed using a “product and market development grid”, indicating three main types of intensive growth opportunities:

• o deep market penetration - increasing sales of its existing products in existing markets through more aggressive marketing;
• o expanding market boundaries - increasing sales through the introduction of existing products into new markets (regional, national or international) or new segments;
• o product improvement - increasing sales by creating new or improved products for existing markets.

On second level opportunities for integration with other elements of the industry's marketing system are identified - opportunities for integration growth. Integration growth is justified when an enterprise can obtain additional benefits by moving within the industry. Three types of integration growth can be distinguished:

• o Regressive integration implies the ability to take ownership or place greater control of its suppliers;
• o progressive integration is the ability of an enterprise to take over or place greater control over the distribution system;
• o horizontal integration is the ability of an enterprise to gain ownership or put under tighter control a number of competing enterprises.

Pa third level opportunities for diversified growth are identified for the enterprise outside the industry. Diversified growth is justified when an industry does not provide the enterprise with opportunities for further growth or when growth opportunities outside the industry are significantly more attractive.

Concentric diversification strategy - a search is underway for new products that, in technological and market terms, would be “consonant” with the company’s already produced goods and would attract new customers.

Horizontal diversification strategy - a new product is a “continuation” of an already produced one, is designed for an established circle of buyers, its production is carried out without major changes to the technology adopted at the enterprise.

Conglomerate diversification strategy - a new product is being released that is not related to previously produced enterprises, therefore the development of new technologies and the development of new markets is required. This is the most labor-intensive strategy that requires significant resource costs.

There are many classifications of competitive strategies in product markets. The so-called classical classifications, based on the approach developed by M. Porter, identify five main types of competitive strategies:

• o cost leadership strategy;
• o broad differentiation strategy;
• o optimal cost strategy;
• o focused strategy based on low costs (market niche strategy);
• o a focused strategy based on product differentiation.

Cost leadership strategy based on reduction full cost production of goods or services and on this basis - the use of low prices.

Broad differentiation strategy is aimed at giving products specific features that distinguish them from competitors’ products, which helps attract a large number of buyers.

Optimal cost strategy enables customers to get more value for their money through a combination of low costs and broad product differentiation. The goal is to provide optimal (lowest) costs and prices relative to manufacturers of products with similar features and quality.

Focused strategy or market niche strategy, based on low costs, focused on a narrow segment of buyers, where the company is ahead of its competitors due to lower production costs.

Focused strategy based on product differentiation, its goal is to provide consumers of a selected segment with goods or services that best meet their needs.

The economic literature also distinguishes between offensive and defensive strategies of competition. In this case, creating competitive advantages achieved through successful offensive strategic actions. At offensive strategy The timing to create competitive advantage depends on the nature of competition in the industry.

In the economic literature, there are six main types of offensive strategy:

• o the company’s actions are aimed at countering the strengths of the competitor;
• o actions aimed at exploiting the weaknesses of competitors;
• o simultaneous attack in several directions;
• o capturing unoccupied market segments;
• o guerrilla warfare;
• o system of pre-emptive strikes.

First type strategy involves the following actions. Market share is captured from weaker opponents and the competitive advantage of a strong opponent is eliminated. The success of action is determined by how much the benefit gap is reduced. To be successful, a company needs a sufficient amount of resources to take at least part of the market away from its competitors. An attack on a competitor’s strengths can be carried out in any direction: price reduction; implementation of a similar advertising campaign; giving the product new characteristics that can attract competitors’ buyers, etc. A classic case is when competitors are attacked by a company offering a similar product at a lower price. This can win market share if the target has good reasons not to cut prices and if the challenger can convince consumers that its product is the same as the competitor's.

Another way to increase the price challenge is to gain a cost advantage and then exploit low prices. Price reductions based on low costs are the strongest basis for a flail offensive.

Second type The offensive strategy is carried out in several options:

• o concentration on geographic areas where the competitor controls a small market share and does not make serious efforts to compete;
• o special attention is paid to customer segments that the competitor neglects or is unable to serve;
• o working with competitors’ consumers whose products are of low quality;
• o capturing segments of competitors who advertise their products little and do not have well-known brands;
• o mastering new models or product modifications, thus capturing gaps in the parametric ranges of the main competitors’ products.

A simultaneous attack in several directions consists of lowering prices, increasing advertising, introducing new products to the market, applying discounts, etc. A large-scale offensive has a chance of success when the attacker, offering an attractive product or service, has the financial resources sufficient to outpace competitors in conquering the market.

The capture of unoccupied market segments is carried out in order to avoid open competition, i.e. aggressive price reductions, increased advertising, or costly attempts to outdo a competitor in differentiation. Instead, it is proposed to maneuver around competitors and work in an unoccupied market niche.

The strategy includes the following actions: movement into geographic territories where closest competitors do not operate; attempts to create new segments by offering products with performance characteristics that better meet the needs of consumer groups; reorientation to next generation technology.

Guerrilla warfare makes sense for smaller businesses that don't have the resources to launch a large-scale attack on industry leaders.

There are the following methods of waging guerrilla warfare:

• o occupying a segment of buyers who are not of particular interest to the main competitors;
• o attracting buyers with a weak commitment to competitor’s products;
• o development of market segments that are too broad for a competitor, and therefore have the lowest concentration of its resources;
• o carrying out small, separate, temporary attacks on competitors’ positions using one-time price reduction tactics (to win a large order or lure away a promising client);
• o an attempt to overwhelm major competitors with a single but intense burst of activity to market products in order to attract customers who might otherwise become customers of competitors.

Pre-emptive strike strategy represents measures to maintain a profitable competitive position in the market, discouraging competitors from copying the company's strategy. The following methods of this strategy are known:

• o establishing connections with the best suppliers of raw materials, concluding long-term contracts with them, carrying out vertical integration;
• o maintaining the best geographical position;
• o providing yourself with a prestigious and regular clientele;
• o creating a strong psychological image of the enterprise among the consumer, which is difficult to copy and has a strong emotional impact;
• o maintaining an exclusive or preferential right to work with the best distributors in the region.

When using defensive strategies To protect competitive advantage in a market economy, all enterprises can be targets of attack from competitors, both newcomers wishing to enter the market and existing enterprises seeking to strengthen their position in the market. The goal of a defensive strategy is to reduce the risk of attack from competitors. In turn, businesses must put constant pressure on challenging competitors to refocus them on fighting other competitors. A defensive strategy does not enhance competitive advantage, but allows you to maintain existing competitive positions.

There are several ways to protect your competitive position. Using some of them, you can try to prevent competitors from launching offensive actions and take the following actions:

• o expand the range of manufactured goods in order to fill free market gaps from potential competitors;
• o develop models and varieties of products with characteristics that competitors already have or may have;
• o offer models that are closest in their characteristics to competitors’ products, but at lower prices;
• o guarantee significant discounts to dealers and distributors;
• o suggest free training users;
• o increase the volume of sales of goods on credit for dealers or buyers;
• o patent alternative technologies;
• o protect your own know-how in the development of goods, technologies, etc.;
• o purchase raw materials in larger quantities than necessary to prevent competitors from purchasing them;
• o refuse suppliers working with competitors;
• o maintain constant control over the products and actions of competitors.

A defensive strategy presupposes the ability to quickly adapt to the changing situation in the industry and, if possible, proactively block or prevent the attacking actions of competitors.

The first approach to a defensive strategy is to convey to competitors that their actions will not go unanswered and the enterprise is ready to attack based on public statements of management's commitment to maintain existing market share; advance dissemination of information about new products, technological breakthroughs, planned development of new models and product varieties; creating a cash reserve and highly liquid assets for conducting “combat” operations, as well as conducting sharp counterattacks on not very strong competitors to create the image of a well-protected enterprise.

Another approach is to counteract competitors' offensive efforts to reduce their profits. In this case, the strategic approaches of the enterprise may be as follows:

• o constant development and product updates;
• o organizational building marketing services;
• o drawing up a budget and marketing plan in general;
• o marketing control.

Marketing is not the same as sales management. Its essence lies in the fact that it is implemented primarily as market-oriented management and has system-forming and integration qualities. By using marketing it is possible to reduce the entropy of exchange, and through marketing influences to influence the market and the consumer. It allows you to establish feedback connections with the market that give the control object a signal about the state of the market, the results of the enterprise’s activities and competitors. With the help of regulators, the management apparatus makes effective marketing decisions, and the enterprise increases the speed of adaptation to changes in the external environment and accelerates capital turnover.

Depending on the specific operating conditions of the company, marketers offer various directions of strategies for entrepreneurial, production and marketing, and scientific and technical activities. Let's look at the main ones.

Strategies for expanding the market activities of firms also include the fourth dimension of market actions - the rhythm (those, speed) of these processes. Naturally, faster than others equal conditions gives great results and brings significant success.

There are different so-called vectors for expanding the business activity of an enterprise (Fig. 4.2).

Rice. 4.2.

When using deep market penetration strategies (“old market - old product”), a relative minimum of expansion of entrepreneurial activity is assumed, when a known, mastered product continues to be sold within the unchanged existing market. In this case, it is planned to increase the market share by reducing production and distribution costs, enhancing advertising campaigns, changes in pricing policy, etc., as well as expanding the areas of use of the manufactured product: increasing the frequency and volume of its consumption, identifying new ways of using it, expanding the range of services associated with the sale of the product.

New product development strategy (“old market - new product”) involves the expansion of entrepreneurial activity mainly due to product policy within the framework of the previous, known sales market, i.e. by improving, modernizing the manufactured product, improving its consumer properties, expanding the range of manufactured products, creating new models and types of products, developing, mastering and releasing qualitatively new products for of this market.

Market expansion strategy (“new market - old product”) provides for the intensification of business activity mainly through the development of new sales markets, the inclusion of new markets in the scope of the company’s work both in its own country and abroad, although the goods sold remain the same. There is a constant search not only for new markets in a geographical sense, but also for new market segments, i.e. The groups of consumers of this product are deepened, which also makes it possible to significantly increase the company's sales.

Active expansion strategy or diversification strategy (“new market - new product”) - the most dynamic and complex, since it requires significant efforts on the part of the company’s management and personnel, as well as significant amounts of financial resources for implementation.

It allows you to search for markets in new regions that have demand for new products, their types and models, a new range of products, and search for new segments in old markets that also have demand for new products, models, and a new range of products. To a large extent, this strategy is associated with groups of consumer innovators, complex and risky innovations.

According to M. Porter's model, the relationship between market share and profitability is “U-shaped” (Fig. 4.3).

A firm with a small market share can succeed by having a clearly focused strategy and concentrating its efforts on one specific “niche”, even if its overall market share is small (this distinguishes M. Porter’s model from the findings of the Boston Advisory Group (BCG) matrix).

A company with a large market share can carry out successful business activities as a result of its advantage in total costs or differentiated strategy.

Depending on market share, three types of marketing strategy are known:

1) attacking, creative strategy, or offensive strategy, assumes an active, aggressive position of the company in the market and pursues the goal of conquering and expanding market share. It is believed that in every product market or service market there is a so-called

Rice. 4.3.

the optimal market share, providing the rate and mass of profit necessary for the effective operation and existence of the company. For example, the optimal segment is considered to be one where there are 20% of buyers in a given market who purchase approximately 80% of the goods offered by a given company.

However, if the share falls below the optimal level, the enterprise faces a dilemma: either take measures to expand it or leave the market.

A company can choose an attack strategy in several cases: if its market share is below the required minimum or has sharply decreased as a result of the actions of competitors and does not provide a sufficient level of profits; if it launches a new product on the market; if it expands production, which will pay off only with a significant increase in sales; if competing firms lose their positions and a real opportunity is created to expand market share at relatively low costs.

Practice shows that expanding market share and implementing an aggressive marketing strategy in markets with a high degree of monopolization and markets whose products are difficult to differentiate is very difficult;

2) defensive or holding strategy involves the company maintaining its existing market share and maintaining its position in the market. Such a strategy is chosen if the firm's market position is satisfactory, or it does not have enough funds to carry out an active aggressive policy, or the firm is afraid to carry it out due to undesirable responses from strong competitors or punitive measures from the government. This policy is often pursued by large firms in markets known to them.

This type of strategy is quite dangerous and requires the closest attention on the part of the company implementing it to the development of scientific and technological progress and the actions of competing firms, etc. The company may find itself on the verge of collapse and will be forced to leave the market, since it was not noticed in time scientific and technical invention competitors will lead to a reduction in their production costs and undermine the position of the defending company;

• 3) retreat strategy, as a rule, forced, not chosen. In a number of cases, for certain products, for example, those that are technologically and structurally obsolete, the company deliberately reduces its market share. This strategy involves:
  • o gradual winding down of operations. In this case, it is important not to disrupt communications and business contacts in the business, not to strike at previous partners, and to ensure employment of the company’s employees;
  • o liquidation of business. In such a situation, you need to try to prevent leakage of information about the impending termination of the business.

The retreat strategy usually involves reducing the market share in a possible short term in order to sharply increase profits (their norms and mass). The firm may find itself in a position where it urgently needs significant cash(to cover debts, pay dividends), and it sells part of its market share to competitors. According to French marketers at the Bordeaux Business School, offensive and defensive strategies include nine types of strategic options in the case of concentrated and dispersed market entry (Table 4.1).

When entering the market, firms prefer to go from simple to complex, developing methods of penetration and implementation in a more accessible or developed market,

Table 4.1.

and then go to the complex and hard-to-reach ones. In particular, it is first recommended to work in the domestic market, then penetrate foreign markets of a neutral nature, where there is no high competition from local producers of a given product, and only then enter markets with a high degree of competition from national firms. This rule is observed in both concentrated and dispersed market entry.

This strategic line for expanding entrepreneurial activity is called by marketers "laser beam strategy".

When searching for the optimal market segment or market niche, it is recommended to use two methods: concentrated or the “ant” method (Fig. 4.4), when marketers carry out sequential search work from one segment to another.

This method is not so fast, but does not require significant investment. One market segment is developed, then the next, etc. dispersed, or “dragonfly method (Fig. 4.5), “arrow throwing method,” which is a trial and error method.

Rice. 4.4. Concentrated method of searching for the optimal market (“ant method”)

Rice. 4.5. Dispersive method of searching for the optimal market ("dragonfly method")

The dispersed method of searching for the optimal market involves the enterprise immediately entering the maximum possible number of market segments, in order to subsequently gradually select the most profitable, “fruitful” market segments.

When implementing concentrated offensive strategies, firms can use three types of strategies in the following sequence:

• o "accumulation of combat equipment" - preparation of an attack on foreign markets, a wait-and-see attitude and development of “trading technology” in the developed domestic market, concentrating all one’s entrepreneurial efforts on it;
• o "gaining a springboard" for subsequent market actions - the company is gradually mastering the foreign neutral market of countries where there is no competition from local, national firms (for example, to penetrate the Western European market with cars, it is preferable to start a trade attack in the neutral markets of Northern Europe, where there is no active national production of cars);
• o "attack", "assault" - violation of the boundaries of hard-to-reach markets with active competition of national firms, the use of harsh methods of market struggle; investment of large amounts of money, provided that the penetration market does not adhere to a rigid defensive strategy (an example of such a strategy is the trade war between the American company "Vest" and the French company "Big" or the actions of Japanese automobile companies in the US market).

In the case of a concentrated defense strategy in the market activities of firms, two strategic directions are possible:

• o "fortress defense" implying a small level of internationalization of domestic production and the active use of protectionist measures to protect the local market from the penetration of foreign firms with both goods and capital, which is usually typical for developing countries;
• o "holding the defense perimeter" - a certain level of international economic relations of the company with other countries and the expansion of defensive actions beyond the boundaries of the market of its own country to the borders of the so-called neutral markets of its main competitors, where the company has already consolidated its position and is actively operating, i.e. the neutral market turns into a kind of cordon sanitaire (for example, for France these are the markets of African countries, its former colonies, where it is difficult for non-French firms to penetrate).

With a dispersed type of market penetration, the offensive strategy includes the following types:

• o "vice" - the enterprise takes attacking actions simultaneously in a large number of markets on the approach to the markets of its main competitors (but without entering them). This strategy assumes a relatively high level of internationalization of its activities;
• o "rake" - active offensive and aggressive actions of the enterprise in the markets of its main competitors. This strategy can also be called a global leadership strategy - the most common among most businesses.

With a dispersed type of market actions of a defensive strategy, the following subtypes can be distinguished:

• o "rearguard fight" those. the nearest rear areas, when a defensive trade war comes to the closest, neutral species;
• o "guerrilla warfare" involving the implementation of trading “forays” and planned “disturbance” of competitors in their own markets, i.e. in their rear, thereby giving them a kind of warning about their economic strength, so that competitors do not have the desire to attack in neutral and domestic markets, encouraging them to make agreements (compromises, coordination of trade actions, division of sales markets).

The choice of strategy also depends on the state of market demand.

Conversion Marketing Strategy is provided in case of negative, negative demand for a product on the market. Marketers must turn negative demand into positive demand by developing and implementing measures aimed at changing the consumer's negative attitude towards a given product.

Creative (developmental) marketing strategy And incentive marketing strategy are used if market demand is low and needs to be revived.

Remarketing Strategy used when demand is declining and measures should be taken to revive and restore it.

Synchromarketing strategy, or stabilizing marketing, is appropriate if demand in the market is subject to sharp fluctuations, and it is necessary to take measures aimed at stabilization.

Supportive Marketing Strategy involves maintaining the optimal level of market demand for the enterprise.

Demarketing strategy is used when demand in the market is excessive, significantly exceeding supply. The marketer’s task is to achieve its reduction, for which, in particular, they use the policy of increasing the price, reducing the level of service, etc.

Countermeasures Marketing Strategy involves the elimination of demand that is irrational from a social, health, legal or other point of view.

Thus, marketing strategy is a combination of activities to create demand with activities to suppress competing firms.

Having chosen priority activity goals for a certain period, the enterprise formulates a strategy depending on the position of the product on the market, the level of marketing costs, including their distribution among target markets, as well as a set of marketing activities to implement the strategy.

An enterprise changes its strategy if:

• o for several years it has not provided satisfactory sales volumes and profits;
• o Competing firms have dramatically changed their strategy;
• o others have changed external factors for the activities of the enterprise;
• o prospects have opened up for taking measures that can significantly increase profits;
• o customer preferences have changed or new ones have emerged, or trends towards possible changes in this area have emerged;
• o the tasks set in the strategy have already been solved and completed.

The strategy can change due to market reorientation, the creation of new products, the use of new methods of competition, etc. The company can simultaneously adhere to various types marketing strategies depending on the types of goods, the market situation, the behavior of competitors or the types of markets and their segments.

Hello! In this article we will talk about an integral element of any modern enterprise– marketing strategy.

Today you will learn:

• What is a marketing strategy;
• What levels and types of marketing strategies exist;
• How to create a marketing strategy for your business.

What is an enterprise marketing strategy

Let's turn to the etymology of the word "strategy" . Translated from ancient Greek it means "the art of a commander" , his long-term plan for the war.

The modern world dictates its terms, but strategy today remains an art that every entrepreneur must master in order to win the battle for profit and market share. Today, strategy is a long-term action plan aimed at achieving the global goals of the enterprise.

Any organization has a general strategy that corresponds to its global goals and strategy by type of activity. One of these is the marketing strategy of an enterprise.

Despite the fact that the number of companies in various markets is constantly growing, store shelves are crowded with a variety of goods, and the consumer is becoming more and more whimsical and picky, many Russian companies Marketing is still neglected. Although it is the marketer who is able to highlight your product on the store shelf among competitors, make it special and bring profit. Therefore, developing a marketing strategy is one of the key issues in planning an organization’s activities.

Marketing strategy – general plan development of each element (physical product - product, distribution, price, promotion; service - product, distribution, price, promotion, physical environment, process, personnel), designed for the long term.

The marketing strategy, as an official document, is enshrined in the company's marketing policy.

The practical importance of marketing strategy for an enterprise

Marketing strategy, being integral part the overall strategy of the enterprise, directs activities to achieve the following strategic goals:

• Increasing the enterprise's market share in the market;
• Increasing the company's sales volume;
• Increasing the profit of the enterprise;
• Gaining leading positions in the market;
• Other.

The goals of the marketing strategy must be consistent with the mission of the enterprise and overall global goals. As we see, all goals are related to competitive or economic indicators. Achieving them without a marketing strategy is, if not impossible, then very difficult.

To achieve any of the above goals, it is necessary to include the following elements in the company’s marketing strategy:

• Target audience of your company/product. The more detailed you can describe your target customer, the better. If you have chosen several segments for yourself, then describe each of them, don’t be lazy.
• Marketing complex. If you offer a physical product, describe each of the four Ps (product, distribution, price, promotion). If you are selling a service, then you have to describe the 7 Ps (product, distribution, price, promotion, physical environment, process, people). Do this in as much detail as possible and for each element. Name the core benefit of your product, indicate the key value for the client. Describe the main distribution channels for each product, determine the price of the product, possible discounts and desired profit per unit. Think about what marketing activities will be involved in the promotion. If you offer a service, then determine who, how and where (in terms of room design, work tools) will implement it.

Each of the elements must also form its own strategy, which will be included in the overall marketing strategy of the business.

• Marketing budget. Now that you have a detailed marketing strategy, you can calculate your overall budget. It doesn't have to be exact, so it's important to include a reserve here.

Once you have identified each of the listed elements, you can begin to realize your goals through a series of tasks:

• Formulation of a strategic marketing problem (this point needs to be given the greatest attention);
• Needs analysis;
• Consumer market segmentation;
• Analysis of business threats and opportunities;
• Market analysis;
• Analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the enterprise;
• Choice of strategy.

Levels of an enterprise's marketing strategy

As we can see, the overall marketing strategy includes strategies for marketing elements. In addition, the marketing strategy must be developed at all strategic levels of the enterprise.

In the classical reading, there are four levels of enterprise strategies:

• Corporate strategy(if your company is differentiated, that is, it produces several products, otherwise this level will not exist);
• Business strategies– strategy for each type of activity of the enterprise;
• Functional strategy– strategies for each functional unit of the enterprise (Production, marketing, R&D, and so on);
• Operational strategy– strategies for each structural unit of the company (workshop, trading floor, warehouse and so on).

However, the marketing strategy will only cover three levels of the strategic hierarchy. Experts in the field of marketing recommend excluding the functional level, since it involves considering marketing as a narrowly functional type of activity. Today, this is not entirely true and leads to short-sighted decisions in the field of marketing.

So, marketing strategy must be considered from the point of view of three levels:

• Corporate level: formation of assortment marketing strategy and market orientation strategy;
• Business unit level: development of a competitive marketing strategy;
• Product level: product positioning strategy on the market, strategies for the elements of the marketing mix, strategies for each product within the product line strategy.

As we can see, we should develop 6 types of strategies as part of the overall marketing strategy of the enterprise.

Choosing the type of marketing strategy for your business

Let's start moving towards a common marketing strategy from the very top level– corporate. It will be absent if you offer only one type of product.

Corporate level of marketing strategy

At the corporate level, we need to consider assortment strategy and market orientation strategy.

Assortment strategy of the enterprise

Here we need to determine the number of product units of the assortment, the width of the assortment, that is, the number of products of different categories in the assortment (for example, yogurt, milk and kefir), the depth of the assortment range or the number of varieties of each category (raspberry yogurt, strawberry yogurt and peach yogurt).

As part of the assortment policy, the issue of product differentiation (changing its properties, including taste, packaging), developing a new product and discontinuing the product is also considered.

The listed issues are resolved based on the following information about the market and the company:

• Size and pace of market development;
• Size and development of the company's market share;
• Size and growth rates of various segments;
• The size and development of the enterprise's market share in the product market.

It is also necessary to analyze information about the products that are included in the product line:

• Trade turnover by product;
• Level and change in variable costs;
• Level and trends in gross profit;
• Level and change in fixed non-marketing costs.

Based on this information, the assortment strategy of the enterprise is drawn up.

Market Orientation Strategies

As part of this strategy, we need to identify the target market and identify target segments. Both questions depend on your range and individual products.

In general, at this stage the decision comes down to choosing one of the following market segmentation options:

• Focus on one segment. In this case, the seller offers one product in one market.
• Market specialization. It is used when you have several product categories that you can offer only to one consumer segment. Let’s depict this schematically (“+” is a potential consumer)

• Product specialization suitable for you if you have only one product, but can offer it to several segments at once.

• Electoral specialization. This is the case when you can adapt your offer to any of the segments. You have enough products to satisfy the needs of each segment.
• Mass Marketing. You offer one universal product that, without any changes, can satisfy the needs of each segment of your market.

• Complete market coverage. You produce all products available on the market and, accordingly, are able to satisfy the needs of the entire consumer market

Before defining a market targeting strategy, we advise you to carefully analyze the needs of the customer segments that exist in your market. We also do not advise you to try to “capture” all segments at once with one product. So you risk being left with nothing.

Business unit level

Choosing a competitive marketing strategy is a fairly broad issue. Here it is necessary to consider several aspects at once, but first it is necessary to carry out analytical work.

First, assess the level of competition in the market. Secondly, determine your company's position among competitors.

You also need to analyze your needs target audience, assess the threats and opportunities of the external environment and identify the strengths and weaknesses companies.

It is necessary to carry out analytical work with the product: identify its key value for the target consumer and determine its competitive advantage. Once you have done your analytical work, you can begin choosing a competitive strategy.

From the point of view of marketing practitioners, it is advisable to consider competitive strategies from two perspectives: the type of competitive advantage and the role of the organization in a competitive market.

Competitive strategies by type of competitive advantage

Here it would be advisable to immediately present these strategies in the form of a diagram, which is what we will do. The columns contain possible types of competitive advantage of the organization, and the rows contain strategic goal product (company). At the intersection we get strategies that suit us.

Differentiation strategy requires you to make your product unique in terms of quality, which has highest value for the target client.

This strategy is suitable for you if:

• The company or product is at this stage life cycle, like maturity;
• Do you have enough large number funds for the development of such a product;
• The distinctive property of a product constitutes its key value for the target audience;
• There is no price competition in the market.

Cost leadership strategy assumes that you have the ability to produce a product at the lowest cost on the market, which allows you to become a leader in price.

This strategy is right for you if:

• You have technologies that allow you to minimize production costs;
• You can save money on production scale;
• You are lucky with your geographical location;
• You have privileges when purchasing/extracting raw materials;
• The market is dominated by price competition.

Focus on costs and differentiation assumes your advantage over competitors only in one segment of your choice, based on the cost factor or the distinctive properties of the product. The choice factors that we discussed above regarding each strategy will help you choose what exactly to focus on (costs or differentiation).

The focusing strategy has the following factors:

• You can identify a clearly defined segment in the market with specific needs;
• There is a low level of competition in this segment;
• You don't have enough resources to cover the entire market.

Competitive strategies based on the organization's role in the market

At the very beginning, we recalled that the concept of “strategy” entered our lives from the art of war. We invite you to return to those ancient times and take part in a real battle, only in our time and in a competitive market.

Before you go to the battlefield, you need to determine who you are in relation to your competitors: a leader, a follower of the leader, an industry average, a small niche player. Based on your competitive position, we will decide on a “military” strategy.

Market leaders it is necessary to hold the defense so as not to lose your position.

Defensive war involves:

• Staying ahead of competitors' actions;
• Constantly introducing innovations into the industry;
• Attack on oneself (own competing products);
• Always be on the alert and “jam” the decisive actions of competitors with the best solutions.

Follower of the leader it is necessary to take an offensive position.

First of all, you need:

• Identify the leader’s weaknesses and hit them:
• Concentrate your efforts on those product parameters that are a “weak” side for the leader’s product, but at the same time important for the target consumer.

Industry average Flank warfare will do.

It involves the following combat actions:

• Search for a low-competitive market/segment;
• Unexpected attack from the flank.

If you are a niche player, your war is guerrilla.

You should:

• Find a small segment that you can reach;
• Be active in this segment;
• Be “flexible”, that is, be ready at any time to move to another segment or leave the market, since the arrival of “large” players in your segment will “crush” you.

Product level of marketing strategy

The marketing strategy of a product is represented by three types of strategies at once: a strategy for positioning the product on the market, strategies for the elements of the marketing mix, strategies for each product within the marketing strategy of the product line.

Positioning strategy

We propose to highlight the following positioning strategies:

• Positioning in a special segment(for example, young mothers, athletes, clerks);
• Positioning on product functionality. Functional features are mainly emphasized by companies specializing in high-tech products. For example, The iPhone, seeing the target audience’s need for excellent photo quality, positions itself as a smartphone with a camera no worse than a professional one;
• Positioning at a distance from competitors(the so-called “blue ocean”). There is such a positioning strategy as the “blue ocean” strategy. According to this strategy, the competitive market is a “red ocean”, where companies fight for every client. But an organization can create a “blue ocean,” that is, enter the market with a product that has no competitors. This product must be differentiated from competitors by key factors for the consumer. For example, Cirque du Soleil offered absolutely new format circus, which differed in price (it was much more expensive), did not have performances with animals and clowns, changed the format of the arena (there is no longer a round tent), and was aimed mainly at an adult audience. All this allowed Cirque du Soleil to leave the competitive market and “play by its own rules.”
• Positioning on a branded character. There are quite a lot of such examples: Kwiki the rabbit from Nesquik, Donald McDonald from McDonald's, cowboy Wayne McLaren from Marlboro. True, sometimes a character also has a negative impact on the image of a company or product. So Wayne McLaren died of lung cancer and in the period of time from diagnosis to death he sued Marlboro, publicly telling how harmful their cigarettes were. Cartoons also sometimes cause harm. Thus, “Skeletons” from Danone were not popular among mothers due to the inflammatory images of cartoon characters used in advertising.
• Discoverer. If you were the first to offer a product, you can choose a pioneer strategy when positioning;
• Positioning based on a specific service process. This is especially true for the service sector. Everyone has already heard about the restaurant “In the Dark”. He will be a great example of this positioning.

Strategies for elements of the marketing mix

As part of the marketing mix strategy, there are four marketing mix strategies to consider.

Product marketing strategy

In addition to the assortment strategy, which we have already discussed, it is necessary to determine a strategy for each product unit. It will depend on the stage of the product life cycle.

The following stages of the life cycle are distinguished:

1. Implementation. The product has just appeared on the market, there are not many competitors, there is no profit, but sales volumes are quite high, as are costs. At this stage our main goal– inform the target audience. The actions should be as follows:

• Analysis of existing demand;
• Informing the target audience about the qualities of the product;
• Convincing the consumer of the high value of the product;
• Construction of a distribution system.

1. Height. You see rapid growth in sales, profits and competition, costs are falling. You need:

• Modify the product to avoid price competition;
• Expand the range to cover as many segments as possible;
• Optimize the distribution system;
• The promotion program should be aimed at stimulation, and not at informing, as it was before;
• Reducing prices and introducing additional services.

1. Maturity. Sales are growing, but slowly, profits are falling, and competition is growing rapidly. In this case, you can choose one of three strategies:

• Market modification strategy, which involves entering new geographic markets. In addition, as part of this strategy, it is necessary to activate promotion tools and change the positioning of the product.
• Product modification strategy involves improving the quality of the product, changing the design and adding additional characteristics.
• Marketing mix modification strategy. In this case, we have to work with the price, it needs to be reduced, promotion, it needs to be intensified, and the distribution system, the costs of which need to be reduced.

1. Recession. Sales, profits, promotional costs and competition are reduced. Here, the so-called “harvest” strategy is suitable for you, that is, the gradual cessation of production of the product.

Pricing Strategies

There are pricing strategies for new enterprises and “old-timers” of the market.

Pricing Strategies for New Businesses

• Market penetration. Relevant if there is sufficiently elastic demand in the market. It consists in setting the lowest possible price for the product.
• Strategy of functional discounts for sales participants. If we want our product to be promoted large networks, you need to give them a discount. Suitable for large companies.
• Standard pricing. Nothing special. The price is calculated as the sum of costs and profits.
• Following the market involves setting the same prices as competitors. Suitable for you if there is no fierce price competition in the market.
• Price integration strategy applicable when you can agree to maintain the price level at a certain level with other market participants.
• A strategy for balancing the quality and price of a product. Here you need to determine what you will focus on: price or quality. Based on this, either minimize costs (lower the price) or improve the quality of the product (raise the price). The first option is acceptable for elastic demand.

Pricing strategies for market watchdogs

• Open competition on price. If you are ready to reduce the price to the last player on the market, then this strategy is for you. Don't forget to estimate the elasticity of demand, it should be high.
• Refusal of "price transparency". In this case, you need to make it impossible for consumers to compare your price with your competitors. For example, make a non-standard volume of product, for example, not 1 liter of milk, but 850 ml. and set the price a little lower, but so that your liter of milk is actually more expensive. The consumer will not notice the trick.
• Strategy for offering a package of goods. The strategy of offering a package of goods is to provide the consumer with the opportunity to purchase a “set of products” for more favorable price than buying them separately. For example, in the McDonald's restaurant chain, such a package of products is a Happy Meal for children. When purchasing it, the consumer receives a toy at a reduced price, and the company receives an increase in sales.
• Stepped pricing strategy for the offered assortment. Break down the entire assortment into price segments. This will allow you to cover a larger part of the market.
• Price linking strategy. We all remember the “makeweight” that was attached to scarce goods. This is a great example of this strategy.
• Price differentiation strategy. If your core product needs complementary products, then this strategy is for you. Install low price for the main product and high for complementary ones. After purchasing the main product, the consumer will be forced to purchase a complementary one. Good example– capsule coffee machine and coffee capsules.
• Introduction of free services. This strategy is similar to the strategy of abandoning price transparency. In this case, the consumer will also not be able to compare your prices with those of your competitors.

Next step in determining pricing strategy– determination of a price differentiation (or discrimination) strategy; their use is optional for the company.

There are two price differentiation strategies:

• Geographical price differentiation strategy. It is divided into zonal price, uniform price, selling price, basis point price and manufacturer's delivery cost strategies.

If your company has a presence in several areas (multiple geographic markets), then use the strategy zonal prices. It involves charging different prices for the same product in different geographic regions. Price may depend on average wages in the region, differences in delivery costs and so on.

If you set the same prices for products in all regions, then your strategy is single price strategy.

Selling price strategy applies if you do not want to transport the goods at your own expense to the consumer (point of sale). In this case, the consumer bears the cost of delivery.

Basis point price involves fixing a certain point from which the delivery cost will be calculated, regardless of the actual location of shipment.

Manufacturer's delivery cost strategy speaks for itself. The manufacturer does not include the cost of delivery of the goods in the price.

• Price differentiation strategy for sales promotion. Suitable for you if the product is at the maturity stage of its life cycle. There are several other strategies that can be highlighted here.

“Bait Price” strategy. If you have a sufficient number of products in your assortment, you can apply this strategy. It consists of setting prices much lower than market prices for one particular product. The rest of the goods are offered at the average market price or above the average price. The strategy is especially suitable for retail stores.

Pricing strategy for special events – promotions, discounts, gifts. We won't stop here. Let's just say that there are discounts for timely payment of goods in cash ( wholesale), volume discounts, dealer discounts, seasonal discounts(if you are selling seasonal product, in the “off season” it is necessary to stimulate sales).

Product distribution strategy

As part of the distribution strategy, it is necessary to determine the type of distribution channel and the intensity of the distribution channel. Let's deal with everything in order.

Distribution channel type

There are three types of distribution channels:

• Direct channel– movement of goods without intermediaries. Used when a company offers high-tech or exclusive products to a small segment.
• Short channel with the participation of a retail trader. In this case, an intermediary appears who will sell your product to the end consumer. Suitable for small companies.
• Long channel with the participation of a wholesaler (wholesalers) and a retail trader. If you have a high production volume, then this channel will provide you with a sufficient number of outlets.

Distribution Channel Intensity

The intensity of the distribution channel depends on the product and production volume.

There are three types of distribution intensity:

• Intensive distribution. If you own a large production facility and offer a mass product, then this strategy is for you. It assumes the maximum number of retail outlets.
• Selective distribution. Selection of retail traders based on any criteria. Suitable for those who offer a premium, specific product.
• Exclusive distribution. Careful selection of traders or independent distribution of products. If you offer an exclusive or high-tech product, you should choose this type.

Having considered these elements, we will obtain a product distribution strategy that will be part of the company's overall marketing strategy.

Product promotion strategy

There are two main promotion strategies:

• Pulling promotion involves stimulating demand in the market by the manufacturer independently, without the help of distributors. In this case, the consumer himself must ask the distributors for your product. This can be done using promotion tools (advertising, PR, sales promotion, personal selling, direct marketing). In this case, the promotion strategy must specify all the tools used and the timing of their use;
• Push promotion. In this case, you must make it profitable for distributors to sell your product. You must “force” him to promote your product. This can be done through discounts for sales representatives.

At first glance, choosing a marketing strategy seems to be a very labor-intensive and lengthy process. However, after going through all the described stages of defining a marketing strategy for each level of the strategic pyramid, you will understand that it is not so difficult. Let us give you an example to prove our words.

Marketing Strategy Example

Step 9 Calculation of the total marketing budget. We repeat once again, these are only approximate figures.

Step 10 Analysis of marketing strategy.

That's it, our marketing strategy is ready.

John Jantsch, creator of the applied marketing system, shows how to develop and implement it in the new edition of his best-selling book Marketing Without a Degree. marketing plan, which will bring new customers and increase the company's profits. We tell you about three rules for developing a marketing strategy.

A marketing strategy is a clear explanation of how you are going to get from point A to point B, not exactly where you are trying to get to or where point B is. The essence of an effective marketing strategy is to succinctly explain the approved plan of action to achieve goals.

Goals, objectives and mission are great. But it is important how exactly you plan to implement them. This is the strategy. Combined with a logical set of tactical actions, it will provide you with a path to success.

Perhaps the best way to become a market leader is to pick a very narrow niche and dominate it. To serve your clients with honor and dignity, the best strategy is to start with staffing. To double the number of new clients, it is more effective to create a formal network of strategic referral partners.

Each of these strategies has its own list of tactical steps. But for all plans and campaigns, your established strategy will be the filter for decision making and planning.

Based on my experience working with thousands of small business owners, I have developed a three-step process for creating a marketing strategy. But I must warn you that the “wild card” in this process may be market conditions, the competitive environment, and new opportunities. A company implementing its marketing strategy in a mature market with experienced players is in a very different position than a company trying to introduce new technology in a market with not yet formed rules.

When developing a promotion strategy, the following factors must be taken into account:

1. Determine who is important to you.

For a strategy and its corresponding set of tactical actions to work, they must be addressed to someone specific. First you need to determine the addressee (sometimes this is the main thing). Your marketing strategy should be aimed primarily at a narrow target group of ideal customers (more on this in the following chapters). Even this step may turn out to be your strategy - to become the best in a certain market niche.

Using your ideal customer persona as the basis of your promotion strategy also allows you to be more specific about how you serve people and what tactics you use to attract them. Otherwise, your marketing strategy will lack focus.

2. Be different from the rest.

Once you've defined your ideal client profile, it's time to find a way to attract them. In my experience, the only 100% way is to find or create an approach or product that clearly sets you apart from the rest of the players in the market. Consumers need criteria to compare and contrast, and if you don't provide them, people will choose based on price.

You have to look inside the situation and find a way to do it in a way that your customers will appreciate. What's in your professional field irritates people and causes dissatisfaction? How can you turn the familiar into an opportunity for innovation? Sometimes you do something truly unique, but fail to communicate your marketing message effectively.

If you don't take this step seriously, the rest will be much less effective. Being different from the rest is really very important.

3. Bring it all together.

The final step is to bring together everything you have done so far and turn it into an approved strategy. When I developed the concept of applied marketing, my strategy was to create a recognizable small business marketing brand by making small business marketing a system and a product. The ideal client and specific characteristics were clearly defined there.

I was looking to fundamentally change the way small business owners perceived marketing, and my Marketing as a System strategy was the answer to how to do it. As with most things, gaps in offerings and positioning became an obvious opportunity. Your strategy, among other things, should include a thorough study of the competitive environment - in your professional field and in others not related to it. You need to satisfy an existing need by innovative idea or distinctive property.

I will again quote Sun Tzu’s treatise “The Art of War”: “All warriors know the form [of forces] by which we achieve victory, but no one knows the form [of forces] by which we control victory.”

So, before you decide whether Facebook or LinkedIn is better for your business (or maybe direct mail is easier), start with what matters most: strategy!

Marketing as a concept of market orientation of management is determined by the need for a rapid response of an enterprise to a changing situation. At the same time, as the ancient Greek philosopher Epictetus noted, “we should always remember that we cannot control events, but must adapt to them.” This approach must be used when developing marketing strategies and plans, which are one of the main stages of an enterprise’s marketing activities.

Marketing Strategies– methods of action to achieve marketing goals.

The sequence of development of marketing strategies is presented in Fig. 7.1.

Rice. 7.1. Sequence of development of marketing strategies

Situational analysis is carried out to clarify the situation of the enterprise at the moment and determine the possibility of achieving its goals, taking into account the relationship with environmental factors.

Table 7.1

Analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the enterprise

External situation analysis– consideration of information about the state of the economy as a whole and the economic situation of a given enterprise. Involves the study of factors such as the country's economy and politics, technology, legislation, competitors, sales channels, buyers, science, culture, suppliers, infrastructure.

Internal situational analysis– assessment of enterprise resources in relation to external environment and resources of major competitors. It involves studying factors such as goods and services, the company’s place in the market, personnel, pricing policy, and channels of promotion to the market.

SWOT analysis is a short document in which:

v reflects the strengths and weaknesses of the enterprise’s activities that characterize it internal environment. An example of a possible form for analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of an enterprise is presented in Table. 7.1;

Real possibilities are analyzed;

The reasons for the effectiveness (unprofitability) of work are revealed;

The ratio of advantages and disadvantages of the enterprise and competitors is analyzed;

The degree of susceptibility to environmental factors is determined.

Based on the SWOT analysis data, a SWOT matrix is ​​compiled (Table 7.2). On the left there are two sections - strengths and weaknesses identified from the results of compiling the table. 7.1. At the top of the matrix there are two sections – opportunities and threats.

Table 7.2

SWOT Matrix

At the intersection of sections, four fields are formed, for which all possible pair combinations should be considered and those that should be taken into account when developing an enterprise strategy should be highlighted:

–> “SIV” – strength and opportunity. For such couples, a strategy should be developed to use strengths enterprises in order to obtain results from opportunities identified in the external environment;

–> “SIU” – power and threats. The strategy should involve using the enterprise's strengths to eliminate threats;

–> “SLV” – weakness and opportunities. The strategy must be structured in such a way that the enterprise can use emerging opportunities to overcome existing weaknesses;

–> “SLU” – weakness and threats. The strategy must be structured in such a way that the enterprise gets rid of weaknesses and overcomes the existing threat.

To assess opportunities, the method of positioning each specific opportunity on the opportunity matrix is ​​used (Table 7.3). Recommendations based on the data in this matrix:

Table 7.3

Opportunity Matrix

–> opportunities that fall into the “BC”, “VU”, “SS” fields are of great importance for the enterprise, and they must be used;

–> opportunities that fall into the “SM”, “NU”, “NM” fields practically do not deserve attention;

–> for other opportunities, management must make a positive decision to pursue them if sufficient resources are available.

A similar matrix is ​​compiled to assess threats (Table 7.4). Based on this matrix, we can recommend the following:

– » threats falling into the fields “VR”, “VK”, “SR” pose a serious danger to the enterprise and require mandatory elimination;

–> threats that fall into the “VT”, “SK”, “HP” fields must be in the field of view of the enterprise management and are eliminated as a matter of priority;

–> threats that fall into the “NK”, “ST”, “VL” fields require a careful and responsible approach to eliminating them.

Table 7.4

Threat Matrix

Marketing Strategies allow you to determine the main directions of marketing and specific marketing programs.

Marketing strategies are formed on the basis of combinations of activities carried out within the marketing mix: product, place of sale, price, distribution, personnel. Examples of generated marketing strategies are presented in table. 7.5.

Table 7.5

Enterprise marketing strategies

Marketing strategies have certain requirements. They should be:

Clearly formulated, specific, consistent;

Designed to meet market requirements;

Divided into long-term and short-term;

Designed with resource constraints in mind.

The various levels of enterprise management are presented in table. 7.6.

Table 7.6

Levels of enterprise management

The system of marketing strategies for various levels of management is presented in Table. 7.7.

Table 7.7

System of enterprise marketing strategies

Briefcase– a set of independent business units, strategic units of one company.

Portfolio strategies– methods of distributing limited resources between business units of an enterprise using criteria for the attractiveness of market segments and the potential capabilities of each business unit.

Management of enterprise resources based on economic directions of market activity is carried out using the matrices of the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and GI-Mackenzie.

1. Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Matrix developed in the late 1960s.

In Fig. 7.2 shows the indicators:

– market attractiveness– an indicator of the rate of change in demand for the enterprise’s products is used. Growth rates are calculated based on product sales data in a market segment (can be a weighted average);

– competitiveness and profitability– an indicator of the relative share of the enterprise in the market is used. Market share (Dpr) is determined in relation to the most dangerous competitors or market leader (Dkonk).

Rice. 7.2. Two-dimensional growth/share matrix

The matrix describes a situation that requires a separate approach in terms of investment and development of a marketing strategy.

Possible strategies:

–> “stars” – maintaining leadership;

–> “cash cows” – obtaining maximum profit;

–> “difficult children” – investment, selective development;

–> “dogs” – leaving the market.

The task of the enterprise management is to ensure the strategic balance of the portfolio by developing economic zones that can provide free cash and zones that ensure the long-term strategic interests of the enterprise.

Advantages of the BCG matrix:

The matrix allows you to determine the position of the enterprise as part of a single portfolio and highlight the most promising development strategies (fast-growing areas require capital investments, slowly growing ones have excess funds);

Quantitative indicators are used;

The information is visual and expressive.

Disadvantages of the BCG matrix:

It is impossible to take into account changes in the situation, changes in marketing costs, and product quality;

The conclusions are objective only in relation to stable market conditions.

2. G-I-Mackenzie Matrix(“market attractiveness/strategic position of the enterprise”) is an improved BCG matrix, completed by McKinsey for General Electric. The matrix allows you to make more differentiated strategic marketing decisions on the effective use of the enterprise’s potential, depending on the level of market attractiveness (Fig. 7.3.).

Rice. 7.3. Two-dimensional G-I-Mackenzie matrix

Table 7.8

Elements of the Mac-I-Mackenzie matrix

The elements of the matrix are discussed in table. 7.8.

The value of market attractiveness (MAV) can be calculated using the formula:

PRR = PR x PR x PS,

where PR is the growth prospect. It is assessed using a forecast of economic, social, technical, and political market conditions. Various forecasting methods are used. The object of forecasting is demand; Pr – prospect of profitability growth. Evaluated by experts (changes in demand, aggressiveness of competitors, etc. are analyzed); PS is the prospect of enterprise stability.

The quantitative value of the strategic position (SPP) can be determined by the formula:

SPP = IP x RP x SP,

where IP is the investment position of the enterprise. It is defined as the ratio of the real and optimal amounts of investment to ensure the growth of the enterprise (investments in production, R&D, sales); RP – market position. Defined as the ratio of the actual market strategy to optimal strategy; SP is the state of the enterprise's potential. Defined as the ratio of the real state of the enterprise to the optimal one from the point of view effective management finance, marketing, personnel, production.

If any of the three elements (IP, RP, JV) is equal to 1, the enterprise has a high strategic position in the market.

If even one element is 0, the enterprise has little chance of success.

When using the G-I-Mackenzie matrix, it is necessary to take into account its disadvantages:

A large amount of information;

Different approaches to assessment.

You can highlight the average level of market attractiveness and strategic position of the enterprise and use in this case the multidimensional G-I-Mackenzie matrix (Fig. 7.4).

Rice. 7.4. Multidimensional G-I-Mackenzie matrix

Using the matrix shown in Fig. 7.4, three strategic directions can be identified (Table 7.9).

So, the portfolio approach to developing strategic marketing decisions is based on:

Clear structuring of activities by markets, products, divisions;

Developing specific indicators to compare the strategic value of areas;

Matrix representation of the results of strategic planning.

Table 7.9

The main strategic directions of enterprise development, identified on the basis of the G-I-Mackenzie matrix

Enterprise growth– manifestation of types of business activity of the enterprise, which is based on the following capabilities:

Limited growth – intensive development at the expense of own resources;

Acquisitions of other enterprises or integrated development, including vertical and horizontal integration;

Diversification – organization of other areas of activity.

Growth Strategies– a model of enterprise management by choosing the types of its business activities, taking into account internal and external opportunities.

Growth strategies are determined by the Ansoff matrix, the external acquisition matrix and the new BCG matrix.

1. Ansoff matrix allows you to classify products and markets depending on the degree of uncertainty in the prospects for the sale of products or the possibility of penetration of these products into a specific market (Fig. 7.5).

Fig.7.5. Ansoff matrix

The probability of success for the “Penetration” strategy is that every second attempt can be successful.

The probability of success for the Diversification strategy is that every twentieth attempt can be successful.

The marketing attractiveness of a growth strategy is assessed:

Sales value ( V potpr). Calculated as the capacity of a given market segment;

The magnitude of the probable risk (R). It is established by experts and measured as a percentage.

The forecast value of sales volume (Pprogn) can be determined by the formula:

The obtained indicator values ​​are correlated with the expected costs of implementing the strategy.

Table 7.10

Directions of an enterprise's marketing activities using the Ansoff matrix

2. Matrix of external acquisitions(area of ​​activity/type of strategy) allows you to:

Choosing an integrated or diversified path for enterprise growth;

An assessment of the enterprise’s place in the production chain depending on how different areas of the market correspond to its potential capabilities (Fig. 7.6).

Rice. 7.6. External Acquisition Matrix

Diversification justified if the enterprise has production-wise little opportunity for growth. It allows you to solve the problems noted in Fig. 7.7.

Rice. 7.7. Problems solved with the “Diversification” strategy

Figure 7.8. Types of acquisitions during diversification

Integration justified if the company intends to increase profits by increasing control over strategically important elements in production, allowing it to solve the problems noted in Fig. 7.9.

Rice. 7.9. Problems solved with the “Integration” strategy

In the case of integration growth, two possible options(Fig. 7.10).

Rice. 7.10. Types of Integrated Enterprise Growth

3. New BCG matrix(Fig. 7.11) allows you to consider the possibilities of enterprise growth based on strategic decisions made taking into account two indicators:

Rice. 7.11. New BCG matrix

Cost/volume effect – based on the “experience curve” (when production speed is doubled, costs are reduced by 20%);

The effect of product differentiation is based on taking into account the “product life cycle”, when the product must undergo constant changes and improvements.

Strategy for specialized activities is based on the strong manifestation of two effects. It is possible to make a profit by increasing the output of standardized products and simultaneous differentiation of design. This strategy is typical for the automotive industry, which is characterized by maximum standardization of basic mechanisms and differentiation of external design.

Concentrated strategy takes into account the high cost/volume effect with a weak level of product differentiation effect. In this case, two strategic decisions are possible:

Building up production capacity and absorption of competitors;

Transition to specialization in order to achieve stable differentiation.

Fragmented activity strategy takes into account the possibility of a strong differentiation effect. Used in two cases:

At the beginning of the production of potentially promising products based, for example, on biotechnology, superconductivity, etc.;

When fulfilling orders focused on the development of highly differentiated products.

This strategy is typical when performing individual consulting, engineering, software, organization of modern forms of trade.

Strategy for unpromising activities is based on the weak manifestation of two effects. Improving the situation is possible by changing the nature of the enterprise's activities and mastering new directions in its work.

Task competitive strategies– establish the competitive advantage of the enterprise or its products and determine ways to maintain superiority.

Competitive advantage– those characteristics of the enterprise’s market activity that create a certain superiority over competitors, which is achieved through competitive strategies that help the enterprise retain a certain market share.

The following strategies are used to solve this problem.

1.According to M. Porter's general competitive matrix, The competitive advantage of an enterprise in the market can be ensured in three ways (Fig. 7.12).

Rice. 7.12. General competitive matrix

Product Leadership based on product differentiation. Particular attention is paid to the sale of branded products, design, service and warranty service. At the same time, the price increase must be acceptable to the buyer and exceed the increase in costs. This is how the “market power” of a product is formed. When using this strategy, marketing plays a major role.

Price leadership is ensured if the enterprise has a real opportunity to reduce production costs. Particular attention is paid to investment stability, standardization, and strict cost management. Cost reduction is based on the use of the “experience curve” (unit production costs fall by 20% whenever production speed doubles). When using this strategy, production plays a major role.

Niche leadership associated with focusing a product or price advantage on a narrow market segment. This segment should not attract much attention from stronger competitors; such leadership is most often used by small businesses.

2. Competitive advantage can be achieved based on the analysis of competitive forces using competitive forces model, proposed by M. Porter (Fig. 7.13).

Rice. 7.13. Competitive Forces Model

Competition among existing companies is aimed at achieving a more advantageous position in the market, taking into account the range, packaging, price, advertising, etc.

Strategic actions to prevent threats from new competitors involve the creation of various obstacles for them: reducing costs as production volumes grow, product differentiation, stimulating intermediaries, and the use of patents.

The threat of the emergence of competing products can be contrasted with the constant search and implementation of ideas for “market novelty” products, the use of new technologies, expansion of R&D, service, etc.

Threat from consumers is manifested in their ability to influence the level of competition through changing requirements for products, prices, and trade services.

Supplier Capabilities influence the level of competition by raising prices or reducing the quality of supplied materials.

3. Possible strategies for achieving and maintaining a competitive advantage of an enterprise in the market are presented in matrix of competitive advantages(Table 7.11).

Table 7.11

Competitive Advantage Matrix

The type of strategy chosen depends on the company’s position in the market and the nature of its actions.

Market leader occupies a dominant position with significant strategic capabilities.

Pursuers of the market leader do not currently occupy a dominant position, but wish, as they accumulate competitive advantages, to take a place close to the leader and, if possible, overtake him.

Avoiding direct competition enterprises agree with their position in the market and exist peacefully with the leader.

Enterprises, occupying a certain position in the market, can choose a proactive or passive strategy to ensure their competitive advantages (Table 7.12).

Table 7.12

Characteristics of proactive and passive strategies

4. The reaction of competitors to the actions of the enterprise can be assessed using competitor reaction model, proposed by M. Porter and taking into account the elements presented in Fig. 7.14.

Rice. 7.14. Competitor reaction model

There are three areas in the functional market segmentation strategy:

Strategic segmentation;

Product segmentation;

Competitive segmentation.

basis strategic segmentation is the allocation of strategic management zones (SZ) at the corporate level, as a result of which the basic markets in which the enterprise intends to operate are determined.

Strategic segmentation allows for economic, technological and strategic growth of an enterprise.

The economic growth of SKhZ is determined by:

– the attractiveness of the agricultural plant (possibility of sales growth and increased profits);

– input and output parameters of the marketing system (costs, stability of the enterprise in the market).

Technological growth is associated with the use of modern technologies to meet the needs of agricultural producers. There are three types of technology:

–> stable – similar products are produced that satisfy market needs for a long time (for example, production pasta based on “extrusion”);

–> fruitful - over a long period, new generations of products successively replace one another (for example, the production of modern products computer technology);

–> changeable - some are replaced technological processes others, which leads to the emergence of fundamentally new products (for example, the creation of biotechnology, laser technology, e-mail, etc.).

Strategic growth is determined by the level of use of the potential capabilities of the enterprise and depends on:

Capital investments in agricultural chemical plant;

SKhZ competitive strategy;

Mobilization capabilities of the enterprise.

basis product segmentation is to identify market segments based on consumer, product and competitive characteristics identified in clause 3.4.

basis competitive segmentation is to find a market niche not occupied by competitors in order to gain advantages when using innovations.

Characteristics of other functional and instrumental strategies are given in the corresponding chapters of the manual.

1. Determine what the business activity of the enterprise is based on in the following situations:

– the Komus company focuses on development without the involvement of external creditors;

– the Novaya Zarya factory organized the acquisition of dealer networks;

– Lukoil company organized other types of activities.

2. Determine what types of integration take place in the following examples:

– Russian manufacturers beer are considering the possibility of creating vertical alliances with bottle and label manufacturers in response to the tax burden;

– Russian beer producers are considering the possibility of creating horizontal alliances with “nearby” producers: owners of bars and restaurants, producers of salty snacks, etc.

3. In due time production association Bytkhim, which produces paints, focused only on the professional market, selling paint in 5-liter containers. Later, a strategic decision was made to produce products for the consumer market, selling paint in liter containers and under a different brand in order to ensure further growth of the enterprise.

Determine, using the Ansoff matrix, the previous and new strategies of the enterprise. Develop strategic decisions functional and instrumental nature of a relatively new direction of the enterprise’s activity.

4. Analysis of competitive threats revealed a potential threat from a new company entering the product market. What are its motives for entering the market?

5. Develop strategic plan marketing for a certain enterprise, using a matrix approach to defining strategy.