Effective Marketing Its Not Just Tactics

Effective Marketing: It’s Not Just Tactics

What is the strategy for reaching your goals?

2009 Copyright Marketing Pathways, Inc.

Strategic Thinking. Creative Ideas. Results.

What is Marketing?

Business leaders everywhere define it differently.

Many presidents of large businesses do not understand the full scope.


Here is what the pros say…

Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large.

(Approved by the American Marketing Association- October 2007)


Components of Marketing

Sales Advertising Public Relations Market Research Direct Marketing Social/Media/Viral Many more!


Planning is important!

Do you have a marketing plan? You should. Before you start, you need to understand the

primary concepts used to develop the plan. Strategy vs. Tactic- What are they and is

there a difference?


Chain of Events in the development of a marketing plan.


Why are we discussing these concepts- Strategy and Tactics?

To be sure we are focusing on and discussing the right types of activities.

Eliminate any misunderstanding. At times, marketing professionals get them confused.


Strategy

Strategy: the set of decisions made to best ensure achievement of the desired objectives, based on an assessment of ones own situation, capabilities and shortcomings, and competitive position.

Marketing Strategy is a process that can allow an organization to concentrate its limited resources on the greatest opportunities to increase sales and achieve a sustainable competitive advantage.


Tactics

Tactics: the set of actions taken to fulfill a strategy.

The “doing” part of marketing.


Strategy vs. Tactic

We find that our existing customers have the greatest potential for increasing our sales.

Is it a Strategy or Tactic?


Answer

Strategy

This was most likely determined through Market Research.


Strategy vs. Tactic

Our greatest business opportunity is selling our product to those individuals that are in the UK, India and Russia.



Answer

Strategy

Once again, some type of research led them to believe that this was where the opportunity would be.


Strategy vs. Tactic

We will email our prospects twice monthly-once with a newsletter and the second time with a circular.



Answer

Tactic

A specific answer for reaching their market to generate leads.


Strategy vs. Tactic

Our newest product, based on research of our primary target market-small business presidents, will be rolled out in October to take advantage of the upcoming holiday.



Answer

Strategy

Planning and understanding their market helps identify a new product and the timing for the roll-out.


Strategy vs. Tactic

PR, advertising, direct marketing, and internet marketing will all be used to reach our target market. Specifically, we will send out press releases to all major trade journals, advertise in 10 of them, send out emails to our entire list of current clients, and have a special web page developed for this new product.



Answer

Both- Strategy-PR, advertising, direct marketing,

and internet marketing will all be used to reach our target market.

- Tactic- Specifically, we will send out press releases to all major trade journals, advertise in 10 of them, send out emails to our entire list of current clients, and have a special web page developed for this new product.


Two of the most important concepts in a marketing plan.

Have we fully developed our Strategy so that we can select the right Tactics?

You need to have both to reach your goals. Understanding strategy and tactics are a key

element in determining the

“effective” ways for you to

market your business.


Cindy Neky

Marketing Pathways, Inc.

www.marketingpathways.com

2009 Copyright Marketing Pathways, Inc.