-
Strategic marketing
(Wienclaw,
Ruth
A.
Research
Starters
Business:
Strategic
Marketing
,Great
Neck Publishing,
2008: 1-1)
Abstract
：
In order for an organization's
marketing effort to be successful, it
needs
to
be
based
on
a
strategic
marketing
plan
to
help
ensure
that
the
goals
and
objectives
of
the
effort
are
appropriate
to
the
needs
of
the
marketplace.
Strategic
marketing
examines
the
marketplace
to
determine
the
needs
of
potential customers,
the
strategy and market position of the competitors,
and attempts to develop a strategy
that
will enable the organization to gain or maintain a
competitive advantage in the
marketplace. There are a number of
factors that should impact the development of a
strategic marketing plan. These include
internal factors such as the assets and skills of
the
organization
and
the
organizational
culture
as
well
as
external
factors
such
as
various
market drivers, market or industry lifestyle,
strategic windows, and the nature
of
the
competition.
An
optimal
strategic
marketing
plan
will
also
follow
a
contingency approach that allows
flexibility in meeting the unique set of factors
that
govern the marketplace and the
organization's viability within.
Keywords
：
Competitive Advantage; Competitive
Strategy; Market Niche;
Market
Share;
Marketing;
Marketing
Plan;
Organizational
Culture;
Strategic
Marketing
Strategic Marketing Overview
No matter
how
good the organization's products
or services,
unless their
value
can be communicated to
potential customers, the organization will fail in
its mission.
This
communication
is
the
responsibility
of
the
marketing
function
within
the
organization. According
to the American Marketing Association, marketing
is
competitive
advantage
in
the
marketplace.
Operational
marketing
is
built
upon
the
foundation set by the strategic marketing function
and implements various plans
and
strategies (including a development of the
appropriate marketing mix) to attract
customers and foster customer loyalty.
Methods for Product & Service Marketing
There
a
number
of
ways
to
market
one's
products
or
services
including
advertising,
direct
response,
sales
promotions,
and
publicity.
However,
unless
one
understands
the
needs
of
the
customer,
the
market,
and
the
industry
as
well
as
the
strengths
and
weaknesses
of
the
competition,
these
approaches
are
unlikely
to
be
successful.
Strategic
marketing
helps
an
organization
sharpen
its
focus
and
successfully compete in the
marketplace. Strategic marketing is concerned with
two
components: The target market and
the best way to communicate the value of one's
product
or
service
to
that
market.
The
development
of
a
viable
marketing
strategy
depends
on
several
key
dimensions.
First,
as
with
any
global
strategy
within
the
organization,
a
successful
marketing
strategy
needs
to
be
endorsed
by
top
management
within
the
organization.
Marketing
strategy
is
also
political
in
nature:
Powerful
units within the organization may
disagree on the best
marketing strategy
and an
accord may need to be negotiated. Marketing
strategies may also be affected
by
organizational culture and the assumptions that
this engenders. For example, if the
organization has always marketed its
widgets to business executives, it may fail to see
the potential for marketing to lower
level personnel within the organization or even
for personal use to adults or
teenagers.
Factors that Implement
Strategic Marketing Plan Development
There are a number of factors that
should impact the development of a strategic
marketing plan for the organization.
The first of these comprises the assets and skills
that the organization already possesses
or that it can readily acquire. For example, if
an organization has a significant
programming department on the payroll, it would be
feasible for it to make and market
application software. However, if these personnel
are already involved in other work and
are not free to work on a new software project
and
the
organization
cannot
afford
to
hire
additional
programmers,
starting
a
new
software line would be inadvisable at
best. The second factor that must be considered
when developing
a marketing
strategy is the market drivers. These are various
political, economic,
sociocultural, and
technological forces that can influence the wants
and needs of the
consumer
base.
For
example,
the
need
to
be
able
to
handle
increasing
volumes
of
information
and
data
has
led
to
widespread
use
of
information
technology
in
many
industries.
Similarly,
the
need
for
a
college
education
for
an
increasing
number
of
jobs has led to a
proliferation of for-profit institutions of higher
education.
Factors Impacting Marketing
Strategy
Market drivers, however, are
not the only external force that shapes one's
market
strategy. The nature of the
competition in the marketplace is also very
important in
determining
whether
or
not
a
marketing
effort
will
be
successful.
Virtually
no