MARKETING MANAGEMENT - WRITTEN ASSIGNEMENT

Kotler describes marketing as ‘the process by which companies create value for customers and build strong relationships in order to capture value from customers in return.’ To do this successfully, firms need to embrace a culture of market orientation and put the customer at the forefront of everything they do. Communication of the marketing strategy and plan across the organization plays a vital part in making this happen.

The Marketing plan is generally defined as the division, separation in time of the marketing strategy of a company. This so-called « marketing strategy » is also an important part of the company’s global Policy. This Marketing plan is a plan identifying concrete operational actions planned for a given period of time (one year for example). It thus describes the targeted clientele, the means to put in motion, the actions and operations to be conducted, the sales activity and turnovers to me achieved and the corresponding deadlines.

This precious marketing plan is overall a document which defines the application of the marketing strategy at various business units levels, going from production to marketing in a given period of time. It consequently stands as a reference to the marketing service which role is to specify marketing objectives and contribute to coordinate and follow the implementation of these objectives.

The Marketing Plan is applied by taking into account knowledge on not only the market but also on the goals and resources that the company possesses. Its content could for example take into account the following data: * the marketing targets (by coupling segmentation and product range) * the marketing channels (point of sales, account managers, retailers, direct sales through mail sending or telemarketers). Often they are also divided into segments and/or range. * Sales or Promotion Actions (advertising, canvassing, possible organized shortages, gondola...), that