Course work
In the discipline of strategic management
on the topic of:
“Product Marketing Strategy.”

Completed by: student
Checked:

Introduction………………………………………………………………………………….. 3
1. The concept of product marketing strategy……………………….. 6
1.1 The essence and role of product marketing strategy in the structure of the company’s overall strategy……………………………………………………….
6
1.2 Primary level of product marketing strategy ..... 8
2. Product profile…………………………………………………………….. 9
2.1 Definition of product profile………………………........ 11
2.1 Basic competitive product strategies……………........ 13
2.2 Secondary level of product marketing strategy ..... 16
2.3 Development of subsystems of the general strategy based on the product and marketing strategy ………………………………………………….
17
3. Marketing strategy of Mercedes………………………... 23
3.1 History of the company’s development……………………………………... 23
3.2 Research of modern trends in marketing activities………………………………………………………………………………...... 24
3.3 New marketing strategy of Mercedes………………………………………………………………………………….. 28
Conclusion……………………………………………………………....... 29
Bibliography ………………………………………. thirty

Introduction

The importance of changes in the enterprise strategy is determined by the contradiction between the practical goals of the enterprise and the existing situation. Recently, more and more enterprises have resorted to developing company development strategies and, accordingly, strategic planning.
For large enterprises with large assets, having a development strategy is considered simply a necessary condition for existence. It is strategic management that allows a company to determine its goals and what it needs to strive for, through which to develop its business or simply survive in increasing competition.
Strategic management is a management subsystem of an organization that carries out the entire range of specific professional activities related to strategic analysis, development, implementation and control of the organization's strategy.
Strategy formation is one of the management functions, which is the process of choosing the goals of the organization and ways to achieve them.
Strategy acts not only as a tool for justifying, developing and implementing long-term goals and objectives of a production, scientific, technical, economic, organizational and social nature, but at the same time as a means of connecting the enterprise with the external market environment.
Depending on the subject of implementation, the following are distinguished: portfolio strategies (strategies of individual strategic divisions); functional strategies (strategies of individual strategic divisions or functional areas); corporate strategy (strategy of the organization as a whole).
Depending on the operating characteristics of the enterprise, the following functional strategies can be developed: product and marketing, strategy for using the potential of personnel, production, financial, technological, innovation, etc. In this work, we will pay most attention to the product and marketing strategy.
The relevance of this work lies in the fact that recently product marketing strategy has become increasingly important. Just a few years ago, strategic marketing was presented primarily as determining the general direction of a company’s activities, oriented toward the future and responding to changing external conditions. Today, the main emphasis is on the formation of a market-oriented effective organizational and management system, and the distribution of management resources in accordance with this. In other words, marketing strategy is often considered to be the most important strategy of a company.
The main goal of the scientific work is to study the product and marketing strategy, which together represents the corporate strategy.
In accordance with this goal, the following tasks were set in the study:
1. Determine functional approaches to developing the components of a product marketing strategy;
2. Analyze the product marketing strategy as one of the key strategies of the main subsystems of the organization;
3. Develop subsystems of the overall strategy based on the product and marketing strategy.
4. Study the marketing strategy using the example of the famous Mercedes company.
Theoretical research in this work will be based both on the works of foreign experts in the field of marketing and strategic management, and Russian authors, as well as on information from other sources: the Internet, periodicals, and the media.

1. The concept of product marketing strategy
1.1 The essence and role of product marketing strategy in the structure of the company’s overall strategy

Product marketing strategy is a subsystem of the organization's strategy, which is aimed at analyzing, developing and making strategic decisions on the nomenclature, range, quality and volume of production of products, as well as the sale of products in relevant markets.
Product marketing strategy is a key strategy for survival, quiet existence, economic growth, and major success of an organization.
A product is an integral complex, which may consist of a separate material product and corresponding services, works, i.e. it is a certain value supplied by a given organization to the market in the form of a specific commodity unit.
Product marketing strategy is the main and key subsystem of corporate strategy.
The key role of this strategy follows from the thesis: marketing today is not a function, but a way of doing business.
Development of a product marketing strategy includes the following stages:
1. Determining the product profile of a first-level enterprise: approve a list of all types of products that production can produce. Remove low-profit species from it. Determine priorities for the production of specific products, taking into account their maximum profitability.
2. Definition of level 2 product profile: level 1 is divided into aggregated groups. Differentiation is carried out not by the homogeneity of product types, as is traditionally accepted, but by a number of factors that are significant for the consumer when choosing and purchasing (for example: form of release, i.e. packaging). This approach is determined by an analysis of the consumption structure and identified factors:
A. There are clearly expressed preferences among clients, which is expressed in preferential purchases of certain products;
B. Working with these segments has excellent specificity;
B. Consumers of a product group respond to the entire aggregated assortment, and not to a specific type of product;
D. Consumers of a product group consistently buy one product set;
The first step in developing a product marketing strategy is the official approval of two basic product classifiers.
“Product Classifier-1” is an officially approved document containing a complete classifier of all the organization’s products that it already produces and intends to produce for the period of the corporate strategy.
“Product Classifier-2” is an officially approved document containing a strategic classifier of all products of the organization, compiled by the method of aggregating all positions of “Product Classifier - 1” into consolidated positions that correspond to the tasks of strategic analysis and strategic management in general.
3. Determination of the main market segments.
4. Determination of product groups by positioning aggregated product groups in market segments.
The table for determining product groups for implementing a system of strategic analysis of the product portfolio and monitoring the results of the implementation of the product marketing strategy, in addition to the intermediate preparation of data, provides information for the initial strategic analysis of the development paths of the enterprise. In this case, options for qualitative assessment of the future strategy are possible:
concentration on the type of product (line) with an expansion of the number of consumption segments;
concentration on a market segment (column) with the expansion of product types focused on the needs of this segment;
market development - concentration on a limited number of product groups (some cells of the matrix) with the greatest market returns or the greatest competitive advantage;
diversification.
Below is a table for determining product groups (Table 1).
It is obvious that the existing market is far from being fully developed. Operational activities are aimed at promoting products to other segments (fields X of the table), developing the market, as well as introducing new products to the market (NP). The table shows that the new product P7 cannot be sold on the developed product market, therefore, a strategy of concentric (focused) diversification will have to be developed for this product.

Table 1.
To define product groups

C1 C2 C3 C4
P1 GP1 X X
P2 GP2 GP3
P3 GP4
P4 GP5 GP6 GP7
P5 NP1
P6 NP2 NP3 NP4
P7

It is necessary to take into account which group is in the decline phase of the product’s life cycle (the product is gradually leaving the market) - then there is no point in focusing on its promotion. Sales volumes will fall, and in the long term they will need to be compensated for by new products, as well as the development of other groups, but given the conservatism of consumers of the aging group and often low competition from leading manufacturers (throwing away a falling product, switching to new ones), efforts must be made Every effort is made to retain existing customers.
5. A matrix analysis of the product portfolio is carried out: the market position of each product group and its role in revenue growth. As a characteristic of each product group (horizontal axis of the matrix), parameter V is proposed - “the share of the product group in the total sales volume of the enterprise” during the base period. This is done for the following reasons:
- it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to calculate the market share (even regional) numerically and accurately enough;
- the volume of sales of an enterprise is actually the volume of its (enterprise) market in each specific period;
- for each enterprise, the key task is the absolute growth of its own sales volumes, even if at the same time the market share is declining (which, in principle, is possible);
- in conditions of dynamic and not always predictable changes, a situation is possible when market share can grow while sales volumes fall.
Parameter V is precisely devoid of the above-mentioned disadvantages, which makes it quite suitable for medium-term strategic analysis of the importance of product groups in the overall product range of the enterprise.
As the second characteristic of the product group (the vertical axis of the matrix), the T parameter is proposed - “the share of the product group in the rate of change in the enterprise’s sales volumes” during the base period.
It is obvious that during the year, monthly sales volumes fluctuate. This happens as a result of a huge number of factors - the influences of the external environment and the targeted efforts of the enterprise, random influences and seasonal trends, etc. However, it is very important to understand what the final vector of all these factors is, how confident the enterprise feels and where it is heading.
The linear trend (tendency) is intended to give an answer about the direction of movement of the enterprise during the period. A linear trend is a linear function constructed from the values ​​of data series while minimizing deviations from their values ​​(usually using the least squares method, or better yet, the Excel Chart Wizard). A linear trend represents the development trend of the sales function in its most general form, abstracted from fluctuations.
The formula for a linear trend graph of a sales function is a traditional straight line equation:
V= A*X + B,
where V is the estimated sales volume;
A - estimated change (increase or decline in sales) compared to the previous billing period;
X - billing period (month).
It is necessary to consider the criterion of decline or increase in sales, i.e. A. In general, the coefficients of the line A and B are calculated using the least squares method.
Thus, we have obtained for each product group a space of coordinates, where one of them V characterizes the share of each group in sales volume (“market share”), and the other T characterizes the share in the rate of change in sales volume (“market growth”), and coordinate values ​​for each group can be accurately calculated based on data on the enterprise’s sales for the period.
Having calculated these values ​​by substituting the values ​​for each product group into the formula and presenting them graphically (i.e., as convenient as possible for perception), we obtain a strategic matrix characterizing each product group of the product portfolio and built on the basis of internal information of the enterprise.
6. Next, a product and marketing strategy is developed. For each individual group, a decision is made (suppose, repositioning into another segment) and one of the basic competitive strategies (hereinafter referred to as BCS) is selected.

1.2 Primary level of product and marketing strategy

Any organization wants to clearly know: how many and what specific products need to be presented to specific markets in specific periods of time.
The sequence and main stages of developing the organization's product and marketing strategy are shown in Fig. 1.
In relation to a specific situation, each issue in the product and marketing strategy must be developed in detail.
How do the prices of the organization's products currently compete and will they compete with the prices of their respective peers?
How does the organization set prices for its products: is it a price leader or does it follow its competitors?
What is the organization's strategy for promoting and distributing its products in relevant markets?

Rice. 1. Stages of developing a product and marketing strategy

2 Product profile
2.1 Definition of product profile

The most important task of real management, and it also constitutes a key element of the product marketing strategy, is the optimization of the organization’s product program for the current year and the given strategic perspective.
To solve this problem, various methods and approaches are used. One of these approaches is a set of formalized procedures that summarize the results of relevant marketing research.
The second approach consists of sequentially filling out the appropriate template questionnaires.
Using the data obtained from the first approach when filling out stencils (i.e., the second approach) improves the quality and speed of decisions made.
Thus, the first approach complements and strengthens the second approach.
In a situation where the necessary formalized data is not available, the template approach turns out to be an irreplaceable and often the only possible solution.
The stencil approach is carried out using the following step-by-step procedure.
First step. When determining a product profile for the current year, for example for 2013, for a specific strategic perspective, a list of the organization’s products is first entered according to Product Classifier-1, divided into two structural groups: Traditional products and New products.

Fig 2. Product aspect of the organization’s development

Second step. The organization adopts a specific system of product priorities. For example, the following system of priorities is approved: No. 1 - maximum concentration, No. 2 - required minimum, No. 3 - residual principle (including complete cessation of activities on individual products.
Priority No. 1 means that for this specific product, the commercial organization in fact (in 2012) and/or in its plans for the future intends to implement the maximum (maximum-optimal) concentration of all its resources; those. for the organization at the time of making a specific decision, this product has the highest priority.
Priority No. 2 means that for this specific product the organization, in fact and/or in its plans for the future, intends to ensure, if possible, a certain minimum required level of concentration of its total resources: the mobilization of resources for priority No. 2 has been and/or will be significantly relative to priority No. 1 less, and relative to priority No. 3 - significantly more.
Priority No. 3 means that for this particular product the organization has in fact already allocated a minimum of resources and/or in its plans for the future intends to limit itself to the minimum resource provision, including the possibility of mothballing this product area or even completely stopping any activity in it.
Third step. First, in the column for the previous (2012) year, for each item in the complete list of products (in the corresponding column), one of three numbers (1,2, 3) is entered, indicating the real (in fact) priority that this product had for the organization in the previous year .
In the case where a specific product included in the full list was not actually used in the corresponding year (for example, a new product, the development of which the organization begins only in the current (2013) year), a dash is placed. Then the columns for the current (2013) year and for a specific strategic perspective, for example 2014, are filled in in a similar way.
In the case where a given specific product from the full list is not envisaged for the strategic perspective (for example, by 2012 some products are expected to be discontinued as obsolete), a dash is added.
Thus, a preliminary system of priorities is established for specific years in the context of all product positions.
Fourth step. The highest collegial executive body of the organization discusses the preliminary system of priorities set by each of its members in the context of all positions of the full list of products.
According to the approved procedure, various points of view are coordinated and a preliminary determination of a unified organization-wide system of product priorities for the current (2013) year is carried out.
Then the coordination and preliminary determination of the organization’s system of product priorities for a specific strategic perspective (2014) is carried out.
Before discussing product priorities for a strategic perspective, the positions of the list of “Classifier for Product-1” can be aggregated into the positions of the list of “Classifier for Product-2”, i.e. in the position of a strategic classifier. In this case, the rule of maintaining the priority system approved for the full list for the current year according to the “Product Classifier-1” must be observed.
Fifth step. All products that received priority No. 1 for the current (2013) year are entered into the table.
On this list, first a discussion and agreement of opinions is carried out, and then approval of priority No. 1 for individual items and for the list as a whole.
After approval, if the collegial body deems it necessary, within the framework of the already approved system of priority No. 1 in the context of all and/or individual positions, the following step can be taken to deepen (develop): against each product position in the table in the current year column after the unit with dot (1.) places one of the three numbers (1, 2, 3).
Thus, priority number 1 establishes its own priority system, and the corresponding products with an index of 1.1 are approved as super priority. This means that the organization plans to concentrate the maximum of its best resources on the production and sale of products that have received priority No. 1.1 in the current (2013) year and/or for a specific strategic perspective (2014).
The fifth step ends with the official approval of the full list of products that have received priority No. 1 for the current (2013) year.

2.2 Basic competitive strategies by product

The formation of a product marketing program is carried out in accordance with methodological instructions, including 9 stages.
1. An analysis of the general state of the current stage of functioning of a specific market in which the organization’s products are sold is carried out. The stage ends with an analytical document that provides a complete description of the trends characterizing the current market conditions.
2. For each product, market leaders are identified for the tactical and strategic periods.
3. A comparative analysis of market leaders is carried out according to the actual and potential product range of the organization with a mandatory assessment of their competitiveness relative to market leaders.
4. Specific market niches are identified in which the organization considers itself competitive in terms of its actual and potential products from a tactical and strategic perspective.
5. A system of priorities is established for the organization’s actual and potential products for a tactical and strategic perspective.
6. A system of specific real and potential competitive advantages is determined that need to be maintained, developed or created to ensure the competitiveness of the organization’s new product profile for a tactical and strategic perspective.
7. The main and main competitors (products, organizations) for the new product profile are established.
8. A unified product program of the organization is being developed for a tactical and strategic perspective as a program of practical actions that concentrates the resources and efforts of the organization on the implementation of its new product profile.
9. The product program is agreed upon as a subsystem of the overall development program of the organization for a given strategic perspective.
Product profiles represent the full range of products (traditional, new) and their production volumes by year for a given perspective.
When conducting analytical work on a product, it is advisable to conduct targeted (product-specific) SWOT analyzes. In addition, for the most important positions, it is recommended to take into account the data of the so-called product life cycle. The model of this cycle is presented in Fig. 3.

Rice. 3 Product life cycle model
In some situations, analysis of a specific stage of the market life cycle for specific products included in the organization’s product profile is very desirable, and in certain situations it is absolutely necessary. In particular, the period when a particular product from the “maturity” stage objectively passes into the “decline” stage is very important. The period of future dynamics of the life cycle of the relevant specific product is also important.
When developing and implementing a product and marketing strategy for an organization, it is necessary to clearly and accurately determine the basic competitive strategies (BCS). For key products, BCS must be established in the amount of each year.
Of the four BCS for a specific market segment of a given specific product, period of time (i.e. for a specific SEB), only one BCS can be selected and applied. For the entire product profile, the choice of BCS can be in the form presented in Table 2.

Table 2.
Selecting BCS by product profile position
List of profile products Basic competitive strategies
CL D FCL FD
Traditional products
………………….
New products
…………………

Note:
CL – Cost Leadership – cost leadership strategy;
D – Differentiation strategy – differentiation strategy;
FCL - Focus Cost Leadership strategy - strategies for focused cost leadership;
FD – Focus Differentiation strategy – focused differentiation strategy.
The finalized PMS program should contain the following items:
1.Product.
1.1. Competitive advantages.
1.2. Nomenclature.
1.3. Assortment (optimizing it).
1.4. Volume (optimization for each item).
1.5. Production along the technological chain creation - implementation.
2. Market.
2.1. Segmentation (optimizing it).
2.2. Product promotion (consumer, advertising, competitors).
2.3. Distribution and sales technology.
2.4. Pricing (price optimization).
For each position, answers to the questions must be given: what, how, how much? A full justification is given for each line of the program. The program is coordinated with all key divisions of the organization, then the program is approved, the finished PMS is key to the formation of the corporate (general) strategy of the organization.

2.3 Secondary level of product marketing strategy

After developing all the specific positions listed above, the data obtained and specific results are compiled into a product marketing strategy database at the so-called “secondary level”.
One of the possible options for a specific format of a secondary level product marketing strategy/program, but only in the form of main positions, is presented in Table 3.
The entire set of specific positions of the product marketing strategy should represent a system of corresponding strategic instructions
Achieving a high-quality product and marketing strategy in itself is an extremely important result of strategic management.
In addition, product marketing strategy as a subsystem is a key strategy for the entire system of the organization's strategy.
Table 3.
Product marketing strategy

Position name Key issue Type of decision (activity)
1 2 3 4
1. Product
1.1 Competitive advantages
1.1.1 Determination (qualitative, quantitative) of private competitive advantages / competitive gaps for each nomenclature position What is better? Strategic Analysis
1.1.2 Qualitative determination of the integral competitive advantage / competitive gap for each product position. What is better overall? Strategic decision
1.1.3 Quantitative determination of the integral competitive advantage / competitive gap for each product line. What is better overall and by how much? Strategic decision
1.2 Nomenclature
1.2.1 Complete list of priority products No. 1 What? Strategic decision
1.2.2 Complete list of priority products No. 2 What? Strategic decision
1.2.3 Complete list of priority products No. 3 What? Strategic decision
1.3 Assortment
1.3.1 SNW analysis for each nomenclature item What exactly? Strategic Analysis
1.3.2 Optimization of the assortment for each product item (as a strategic decision) What exactly? Strategic decision
1.3.3 Optimization of the assortment for each product item (as a software-tactical solution) What exactly? Software-tactical solution
1.4 Volume
1.4.1 Optimization (expansion, reduction, preservation) of volume for each nomenclature (assortment) item (as a strategic decision) What exactly, how much? Strategic decision
1.4.2 Volume optimization for each product item (as a software-tactical solution) What exactly, how much? Software-tactical solution
1.5 Production as the entire technological chain of creation and sale of a specific product
1.5.1 Optimization of each product item (as optimization of the scale of the corresponding production - expansion, reduction, preservation) What exactly, how much, how? Strategic decision, program-tactical decision
1.5.2 Optimization of each product item (as a qualitative development of production):
- expansion or reduction of the range due to new products, technologically

2.4. Development of subsystems of the general strategy based on the product marketing strategy

In the early period of the emergence of Russian business, one of the most pressing problems was a lack of understanding of the principles of its conduct. The first principle of our managers (then this word was not common) was “you have to spin.” After “promotion”, entrepreneurs faced the question of “where to go” or got bogged down in the routine accounting of “nails”, and then were forced out by stronger competitors or disappeared along with the formation of a market whose trends were not taken into account. A clear, thoughtful and effective strategy is a rarity in most Russian enterprises to this day.
The relevance of this issue not only has not decreased with the advent of new technologies, but has even increased. The widespread fashion for the introduction of complex automation has only exposed and aggravated management problems and the need for a systematic strategic approach to solving them.
I had to see from my own experience how problematic enterprises tried to solve all the difficulties arising from ineffective management with the help of automation companies and programmers. As a result of huge material and man/time costs for automating an unstructured house, we ended up with automated chaos, which is even worse.
Regarding the group of companies involved in the field of information technology, it should be noted that they are highly specialized. One of the negative aspects characterizing the activities of companies in this group is insufficient attention to issues of increasing the controllability and efficiency of the client’s activities. The main focus of the service in this case is the installation of appropriate software and, as a rule, insufficient attention is paid to other components (strategy, business process reengineering).
Competition management systems are focused not on information technology, but on competitive strategy, the key success factors included in it and the behavior corresponding to them. To understand all this, you don’t need to understand information technology, just an understanding of the competitive advantage that the company strives for. Managers who manage production must understand this. If there is no understanding, then not only electronic systems, but even medicine will not help. Experience tells us that what companies lack is strategic thinking, not information technology.
The main purpose of the strategy is to create a set of competitive advantages to achieve business success in the long term.
The extreme shortage of reliable market information makes assessments at the qualitative level available at best. In fact, the category “market share” presupposes, at a minimum, knowledge of the total market size (at least regional) for a given type of product. For a modern economy with a huge shadow sector, obtaining such information from available official sources is impossible, and conducting field research on its own will require exorbitant costs. Data on the market size of nearby competitors is also extremely difficult to obtain, even assuming that these competitors are reasonably well identified and knowledgeable.
Most of the classical Western methods are very relative and theoretical. Example: the method of dividing the BCG matrix into basic quadrants reasonably causes some misunderstanding among practitioners accustomed to numerical indicators. The concepts of “high” and “low” related to the definition of quadrants can differ so greatly in the subjective view of individual specialists that the presentation of the same objective picture is diametrically different.
The reasons why Russian enterprises have traditional specifics:
Low economic culture. Many leaders were nominated along the party line, without knowledge and experience.
The consequence of point 1, planning from above and complete lack of independence is the lack of goals and strategy.
There is no professional knowledge of management and marketing tools in management. As a result, any reform or consulting project begins not with diagnostics and the search for approaches to solutions, as in the West, but with structuring the task and finding out why it is needed and whether it is necessary at all. After developing a common understanding, it is not the implementation stage that begins, but the period of training top managers in those working methods that Western consultants a priori consider the very principle of doing business.
One of the reasons why analysis methods are not common among managers and even marketers is lack of knowledge of the mathematical apparatus that is used. For example, I had to develop a methodology for organizing the elements of strategic marketing at an enterprise (namely, analyzing the product portfolio to develop a product marketing strategy and controlling) in such a way that it allows independent work on elements of strategic marketing, including analysis, by people who are not They know not only the methods of mathematical analysis, but also forgot the multiplication table. It is not possible to teach them mathematics.
The legacy of gigantomania. In the Soviet economy, priority was given to the development of industry (the so-called group “A”). As a result, the legacy was a capital-intensive economy, with industry and city-forming monsters. The huge scale and low efficiency of production, on the one hand, and the unsatisfaction of household needs for basic goods (food and clothing) are only one of the consequences of this economic structure.
Another consequence is the non-market orientation and “subsistence farming” of enterprises included in large holdings. When a product is produced and consumed in one production-economic entity, without entering the market and not being valued by it. It is still difficult for many enterprises to switch to demand-flexible production and to evaluate their effectiveness by profitability, and not by the scale and range of output. To begin with, you need to learn to use quantitative information that is absolutely always available, accurate and reliable, namely, internal information of the enterprise.
These reasons allow us to assert that the extremely rare use of the strategic approach, matrix, and mathematical practical tools of analysis and planning is mainly due to the imperfection of the information and economic space.

An approach to developing corporate strategy.
The foundation and the very essence of strategic management lies in a special type of thinking. Strategic management is characterized by a high value of creativity and a small amount of routine. Creativity and the ability to abstract from routine, the gift of visioning the future enterprise (“vision”) and its modeling, the ability to present it in quantitative and qualitative terms. These are the qualities of the strategist himself that make strategic management possible or impossible, which cannot be replaced by the use of individual elements of the strategic approach.
One of the reasons why strategic management, which was booming in the United States, entered a crisis (80s, 90s) is an attempt to rigidly formalize it and replace it with a primitive algorithmic approach, more suitable for gear transmission than thought and the method of switching neurons. A common mistake in the approach to understanding and implementing strategic management, which can be seen even in the definitions used in companies and the press, is the replacement of strategic management with strategic planning.
Strategic planning itself is a subsystem, an element of strategic management. This element is incomparably more mundane, easier to understand, and is a consequence of the strategic approach, and not its method. Plans are created by planners in accordance with the strategy and internal resources, and the strategy is created by top management, which will develop it in conditions of high uncertainty, implement it and adapt it to changes in the environment, as a result of its dynamic changes.
It is important to understand the very concept of the approach to creating a strategy: this is a vision of the future and a direction for achieving a set goal - a view from the future at the company’s current resources, and not an extrapolation of the current state and internal limitations for the next period. We are not dealing with logic, but with interests.
A sign of a lack of a strategic approach is the organization’s concentration on internal resources. Thus, all possible threats from the outside are ignored (they are perceived only as a fait accompli) and favorable trends are missed. The strategic approach consists of turning any changes into positive opportunities and using them, and the plan is not a dogma, but a system of work organization that is adequately adaptive to changes in the external environment.
The company receives resources from outside, produces a final product aimed at external consumers and competes in the market. The company is forced to be externally oriented. Consequently, the most important process for the company’s activities is the analysis of the external environment, with which I began to consider my model of strategic development, which I present in Fig. 4.

Rice. 4 Analysis of the external environment

Rice. 4 Analysis of the external environment

After collecting data for analysis and obtaining information to model the future, a strategy is formulated. Here it is important to understand that each enterprise creates its own unique strategy that does not tolerate stereotypes and standard solutions (the first sign of an effective strategy: “its complete irrationality” - S.A. Popov).
The metaphor from the movie about the absence of roads in Russia, but only the presence of directions, is perfectly suited for defining strategy. This is truly the direction of development of the enterprise, and not a highway squeezed by the curb of stereotypes and rules, which leads it to achieve its goals.
Goals must be time bound. An effective strategy must have not only a quantitative and qualitative assessment of its goals, but also reflect the economic growth of the enterprise: have both the ratio of increased sales volumes and profitability, and the pace of these changes.
The second sign of an effective strategy modulo Popov is “its utmost rationality,” i.e. it must be structured and presented in the form of a detailed plan with periods, intermediate indicators for achieving tasks for the period and those responsible for them.

3. Mercedes marketing strategy
3.1 History of the company's development

The history of the world-famous Mercedes company began in 1900 - it was then that it began its activities with the production of engines for aviation and ships of various tonnage. It was at this time that the current company emblem was invented in the form of a three-pointed star, which symbolizes nothing less than success on land, water and in the air simultaneously. In 1926 the company was merged with Benz and Daimler. As a result, the emblem received a laurel wreath, as a symbol of previous victories of Benz cars at various racing competitions in the 1910-1920s. Since then, this emblem has been used by Mercedes-Benz. The company's name comes from the name of Benz's daughter, Mercedes. Since 1923, the world famous Ferdinand Porsche has been working on the development. A new stage in the history of Mercedes-Benz came with the coming to power of the Nazi Party led by Adolf Hitler. – The leadership of the Third Reich highly valued the company’s cars because of their maximum comfort, convenience and reliability of driving. Therefore, it is not surprising that in the period from 1933 to 1945. An impressive batch of Mercedes of various models and modifications was produced. Many of them went to military units of the USSR, USA and Great Britain as trophies. At the end of the war, the company's factories were almost completely destroyed by incessant bombing. After the surrender of Germany and its division into separate zones of occupation, the remaining equipment was mainly exported to the Soviet Union. Production capacity was restored by 1946. Since 1948, the company has constantly presented to the world community its various new products, which are traditionally in great demand on the world market.
History of the Mercedes brand name
The Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft company, which produces Mercedes cars, has been known since 1900. The famous Mercedes star was patented in 1909 as a trademark and has been used since 1910 also as a car symbol on its hood.
At that moment, not only cars, but also ship and aircraft engines came out from under the company’s wing. In order to celebrate the company's superiority on land, in water and in the air, in 1909 it was decided to make a three-pointed star as its logo, and after the merger in 1926 with Benz, to inscribe the star in a ring with a bay leaf (a bay leaf is a symbol of victory cars at races). In subsequent versions, the laurel curling around the ring was removed to simplify the use of the logo in advertising.
According to another version, the founders of the company - Gottlieb Daimler, Wilhelm Maybach and Emil Ellinek - quarreled terribly over the future logo. Everyone wanted their ideas to be reflected in the company’s logo. Gottlieb Daimler, for example, dreamed of seeing his portrait on the hood of every car. And Maybach generally said: “The company logo will be an orange!” And he didn’t explain the essence of the emblem to anyone.
Only Ellinek justified his position - to make a logo in the form of an elephant: “Mercedes, he says, is the elephant of the auto industry!” But his colleagues didn’t want to listen to him. “And so, they say, the company is named after your daughter! And you can also invent a logo!”
One day the founders almost came to blows; They had already grabbed their canes and crossed them, preparing to start a noble brawl. However, fortunately, the daughter of one of the fathers of the company, Mercedes, ran into the door, threw herself on her knees, wrung her hands and shouted: “Don’t quarrel! The fate of the company is in your hands!” This touched the founders so much that they looked at their hands with canes extended forward and shed tears. And they realized that this was fate.
This is how the Mercedes logo appeared - the crossed canes of the founding fathers.

3.2 Current trends in marketing activities

Initially, in Germany, the Mercedes-Benz company positioned itself as a manufacturer of cars of the highest quality and reliability, and never as a company specializing exclusively in expensive luxury cars. In the sales structure, the share of executive cars makes up less than a third of total sales. For the Germans, “Mercedes-Benz” is, first of all, a reliable means of transportation, and not a luxury item (in particular, 90% of the taxi fleet in Germany are “Mercedes Vito” A and B classes).
On the Russian automobile market, Mercedes became available to ordinary buyers in 1992, when the first official dealer of the Daimler-Benz AG concern, Logovaz-Belyaevo JSC, appeared. The company exported not only the cars themselves, but also marketing strategies, without actually adapting them to the domestic market. The consequence of this behavior was the so-called popular marketing, thanks to which a stereotype developed in the public consciousness: a car of this brand is an attribute of rich people, a way to stand out from the crowd. In the early 90s, a person who received his first big money joined the cohort of “new Russians”, whose distinctive sign was the presence of a Mercedes.
Only in 2004 did the Russian representative office of Daimler AG become concerned that most people consider Mercedes-Benz a car for the elite, which significantly narrows the potential sales market. To overcome this perception, the inexpensive C model range was introduced to the market, television advertising began to be used, and a credit system was introduced. Today, Mercedes-Benz is positioned in Russia in the same way as in Germany - the high quality of goods and related services, safety and accessibility for people with incomes of 5-7 thousand dollars per month are emphasized.
Mercedes-Benz dealers are quite free to choose a scenario for promoting a product and, in particular, communication channels, but are required to agree on the timing of marketing programs. Centralized marketing policy has a positive effect on brand positioning. Thanks to a unified style and presentation of the product, the consumer develops a unified vision of the brand. In addition, the distributor also benefits financially, since the importer financially supports the ongoing campaign and provides all analytical information regarding the development of a particular market segment.
A typical Mercedes-Benz client in Germany is a wealthy man (with higher education, most likely a manager and/or owner of an enterprise) aged 30 to 65 years, married with children, with high demands on living conditions: stability, constancy , comfort, safety of yourself and your family, etc. Essentially, since the early 2000s, the typical Russian owner of a Mercedes has been in many ways similar to the German owner of this brand.
The target audience to which advertising is addressed is quite narrow, and in order not to thoughtlessly waste the advertising budget, Mercedes-Benz conducts a thorough analysis of the market and customer preferences, resorting to advertising in cases where it plans to announce the release of a new model or a new service. What distinguishes Mercedes-Benz from its main competitors is the principle of advertising differentiation - the promotion of a specific car is not connected with the marketing of other classes.
In marketing, there is a distinction between products with a high or low degree of involvement. Low customer involvement is indicated when he, without thinking, quickly makes a purchase decision, sometimes simply out of habit (usually referring to everyday goods). Products with high buyer involvement are those products about which the buyer spends a long time and carefully collecting information, analyzing, comparing alternatives, and even consulting either with specialists or with acquaintances who have previously had experience in consuming this product or service. An example of a high-involvement consumer product is a car.
J. Rossiter and L. Percy developed a set of criteria that increase the effectiveness of advertising for high-involvement products:
emotional authenticity, adequacy and consistency with the relevant target group are important;
recipients must identify with the product in the advertisement, although they do not necessarily like the advertisement;
it is necessary to have meaningful information about the product, and some of its elements may be exaggerated;
repetition is useful because it helps to make a decision and strengthens the conviction of its correctness.
In a broad sense, the target group of the company's marketing strategy is people with a high need for knowledge, for whom thinking gives great pleasure: thus, potential customers of Mercedes-Benz are people with high intelligence, who usually earn more. One of the features of print advertising addressed to this audience is the large volume of advertising text, which provides the “highly intelligent” potential client with more opportunities for analysis.
Although Mercedes-Benz does not use commercials on Russian TV, their review on European television allows us to better imagine the specifics of the company and its values. Mercedes-Benz commercials are structured differently than competitors do - the viewer's attention is focused on some of the characteristics of the car, and not on its owner.
Mercedes-Benz websites in different countries are the same in structure, only the language changes, which, according to Galtung, reduces the effectiveness of marketing activities, because it is more difficult for people with one communication style to understand another style that is different from their own. At Mercedes-Benz, all sites are built according to the German structure; in Russia, such a structure is understandable, although it seems too formal and rigid. A person with a Gallic communication style will feel uncomfortable when perceiving the content of the site - he will be put off by the lack of humor and sincerity. The company, in our opinion, should pay more attention to adapting the website to the characteristics of each country in the market in which it is present.
One of the elements of the Mercedes-Benz marketing strategy is an active social policy - both of the company as a whole and of its divisions. The company's social responsibility is positioned as a value for all stakeholders, and it evaluates activities as meeting high quality standards. Social responsibility is manifested in donations, sponsorship, incentives for volunteer employees and maintenance of funds.
Among the most interesting charitable projects is cooperation with CYDD (Turkey) within the framework of the “Every Girl is a Star” program, aimed mainly at encouraging young women in difficult financial situations who are faced with difficulties in finding work in professions in which traditional dominated by men.
Another example of sponsorship activity is the support of the XV UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen in 2009, where Mercedes-Benz supplied a number of environmentally friendly cars, minibuses and buses with various engine systems - from diesel BLUETEC to hybrid fuel cells.
The Russian distributor ZAO Mercedes-Benz RUS also supports a number of cultural and sports projects. Over the past years, the company has sponsored the music festival “Vladimir Spivakov invites...”, the Moscow Marathon, the Kremlin Cup tennis tournament, and the World Cup of Latin American Dance. Since 2007, ZAO Mercedes-Benz RUS has been implementing the social initiative “MobilKids” in Russia, aimed at increasing the level of knowledge of children from 8 to 12 years old about correct and safe behavior on the road. As part of this project, the company cooperates with children's schools and preschool institutions.
Main competitors
Business class for three
Competition between the German trio of Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz has always been particularly hot in the segment of full-size business class sedans.
The Audi A6, BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class have long been rivals and have only grown stronger from generation to generation. With the start of sales this spring of the new generation BMW 5 Series, the struggle within the German trio intensified even more. Every manufacturer claims that their car is better than its competitors.
Thus, in the price fight, the Audi A6 has the best position, which in its basic configuration is 100 thousand rubles cheaper than the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and 420 thousand cheaper than the BMW 5 Series (see tables below).
However, with the purchase of a car, the costs do not end, but only begin. Thus, in the cost of service, Mercedes leads with a slight difference - 2,700 rubles per standard hour. At the same time, BMW offers a longer service life period - 20 thousand km versus 15 thousand km for competitors (although maintenance is often carried out as necessary).
Audi wins slightly in size. The length (the main criterion for dimensions) of the A6 is 1.5 cm longer than that of the 'five'.
The same brand has a larger selection of engines and the most powerful engine in the range - a 5-liter turbocharged engine that produces a phenomenal 580 hp.
Do not forget that competition in business class is not limited to the German troika. As an alternative, it is worth considering the equally worthy Infiniti M, Lexus GS, Volvo S80, Jaguar XF.
Advantages of Mercedes-Benz E-classe
Vladimir Chernikov Director of the sales department of the company 'AVANGARD':
Speed ​​Limit Assist and Parking Assist are unique in this segment.
Comfortable chassis with selective damping system and, on request, sporty stiffness settings. Possibility of using air suspension, which allows you to vary the chassis settings by pressing a button.
The optional night vision system, DISTRONIC PLUS with PRE-SAFE braking system and the active bonnet ensure that the E-Class takes the lead in safety.
Economical and low-noise engines, with the best performance in terms of power and torque.
The E-Class sells much faster on the secondary market and costs 5-15% more than its competitors.

3.3 New marketing strategy for Mercedes development

Mercedes-Benz is set to regain its leadership among premium cars and is embarking on a new growth strategy. The company is going to take a leading position not only in terms of brand popularity and its authority, but also in terms of the volume of cars sold.
To implement such a project, the Bavarians are going to completely redraw the entire auto business model. The company is preparing to launch 10 new models that have no predecessors by 2015, and is also going to improve the efficiency indicators of the entire company. This was noted by the company’s top manager Wolfgang Bernhard at one of the investor conferences. For example, it was decided to optimize production processes by reducing the time spent on assembling one car. This figure is going to be reduced to 30 hours per car. The assembly time of one car on Mercedes-Benz conveyors in 2008 took 43 hours. The company is also going to reduce the number of platforms for its cars. Currently, they use 4 of their own platforms for the car range and one platform for the G-Class, which is being developed by the Austrian company Magna Steyr. In the future, it is planned to reduce this number to two: Front Wheel Architecture (MFA) for small cars, which currently works on A and B class models, and Mercedes Rear Wheel Architecture (MRA), on the platform of which all other Mercedes models will be built. The first model in the development of the lines will be the new Mercedes CL class, which the company plans to introduce this year.
And an equally important direction will be the development of the Mercedes-Benz market outside Europe. Today, about 90% of all engines and machines are built at European facilities. By 2020, the company plans to assemble only 50% of cars and 40% of engines in Europe. The main directions of development will be North America and China, which is quite obvious. Development is also aimed at cooperation with the Renault-Nissan automaker. How all this will be implemented in the auto world, over which Audi, as well as the South Korean and Japanese giants, have declared dominance, is difficult to guess.

Conclusion

As a result of the research

As mentioned above, product marketing strategy is a key subsystem of the corporate strategy of a commercial organization.

Product marketing strategy is a subsystem of the organization's strategy, which is aimed at analyzing, developing and making strategic decisions on the nomenclature, range, quality and volume of production of products, as well as the sale of products in relevant markets.

A product is an integral complex that may consist of a separate material product (products) and corresponding services, works, etc., i.e., it is a certain value supplied by a given organization to the market in the form of a specific commodity unit.

Product marketing strategy is a key strategy for the survival, smooth existence, economic growth and major success of an organization. The main element of the product marketing strategy is the optimization of the organization’s product program for the current year and the given strategic perspective.

An organization’s product and marketing strategy should answer the following key questions:

* What kind of products will be produced and sold?

* Who will the products be sold to?

* Where (in which regions and locations) will the products be sold?

* How do the prices of the organization’s products currently compete and will they compete with the prices of their respective peers?

* How does the organization set prices for its products: is it a price leader or does it follow its competitors?

* What is the organization's strategy for promoting and distributing its products in relevant markets?

Development of a product marketing strategy includes the following stages:

1. Determination of the product profile of a first-level enterprise: approve a list of all types of products that production can produce. Remove low-profit species from it. Determine priorities for the production of specific products, taking into account their maximum profitability.

2. Definition of level 2 product profile: level 1 is divided into aggregated groups. Differentiation is carried out not by the homogeneity of product types, as is traditionally accepted, but by a number of factors that are significant for the consumer when choosing and purchasing (for example: form of release, i.e. packaging). This approach is determined by an analysis of the consumption structure and identified factors:

A. There are clearly expressed preferences among clients, which is expressed in preferential purchases of certain products;

B. Working with these segments has excellent specificity;

B. Consumers of a product group respond to the entire aggregated assortment, and not to a specific type of product;

D. Consumers of a product group consistently buy one product set;

D. Other identified factors.

Thus, official approval of two basic product classifiers is necessary:

“Product Classifier-1” is an officially approved document containing a complete classifier of all the organization’s products that it is already producing and intends to produce for the period of the corporate strategy.

“Product Classifier-2” is an officially approved document containing a strategic classifier of all products of the organization, compiled by the method of aggregating all positions of “Product Classifier - 1” into consolidated positions that correspond to the tasks of strategic analysis and strategic management in general.

3. Determination of the main market segments.

4. Determination of product groups by positioning aggregated product groups in market segments.

The table for determining product groups for implementing a system of strategic analysis of the product portfolio and monitoring the results of the implementation of the product marketing strategy, in addition to the intermediate preparation of data, provides information for the initial strategic analysis of the development paths of the enterprise. In this case, options for qualitative assessment of the future strategy are possible:

concentration on the type of product (line) with an expansion of the number of consumption segments;

concentration on a market segment (column) with the expansion of product types focused on the needs of this segment;

market development - concentration on a limited number of product groups (some cells of the matrix) with the greatest market returns or the greatest competitive advantage;

diversification.

Below is a table for determining product groups (Table 2. 1).

Table 2. 1

Table for identifying product groups

It is obvious that the existing market is far from being fully developed. Operational activities are aimed at promoting products to other segments (fields X of the table), developing the market, as well as introducing new products to the market (NP). The table shows that the new product P7 cannot be sold on the developed product market, therefore, a strategy of concentric (focused) diversification will have to be developed for this product.

It is necessary to take into account which group is in the decline phase of the product life cycle (the product is gradually leaving the market) - then there is no point in focusing on its promotion. Sales volumes will fall, and in the long term they will need to be compensated for by new products, as well as the development of other groups, but given the conservatism of consumers of the aging group and often low competition from leading manufacturers (throwing away a falling product, switching to new ones), efforts must be made Every effort is made to retain existing customers.

5. A matrix analysis of the product portfolio is carried out: the market position of each product group and its role in revenue growth. As a characteristic of each product group (horizontal axis of the matrix), parameter V is proposed - “the share of the product group in the total sales volume of the enterprise” during the base period. This is done for the following reasons:

the sales volume of an enterprise is actually the volume of its (the enterprise’s) market in each specific period;

for each enterprise, the key task is the absolute growth of its own sales volumes, even if at the same time the market share is declining (which, in principle, is possible);

In conditions of dynamic and not always predictable changes, a situation is possible when market share can increase while sales volumes fall.

Parameter V is precisely devoid of the above-mentioned disadvantages, which makes it quite suitable for medium-term strategic analysis of the importance of product groups in the overall product range of the enterprise.

As the second characteristic of the product group (the vertical axis of the matrix), the T parameter is proposed - “the share of the product group in the rate of change in the enterprise’s sales volumes” during the base period.

It is obvious that during the year, monthly sales volumes fluctuate. This happens as a result of a huge number of factors - influences of the external environment and targeted efforts of the enterprise, random influences and seasonal trends, etc. However, it is very important to understand what the final vector of all these factors is, how confident the enterprise feels and where it is heading.

The linear trend (tendency) is intended to give an answer about the direction of movement of the enterprise during the period. A linear trend is a linear function constructed from the values ​​of data series with minimization of deviations from their values ​​(usually using the least squares method, or better yet, using the Excel Chart Wizard). A linear trend represents the development trend of the sales function in its most general form, abstracted from fluctuations.

The formula for a linear trend graph of a sales function is a traditional straight line equation:

where V is the estimated sales volume;

A -- estimated change (increase or decline in sales) compared to the previous billing period;

X -- billing period (month).

It is necessary to consider the criterion of decline or increase in sales, i.e. A. In general, the coefficients of the line A and B are calculated using the least squares method.

Thus, we have obtained for each product group a space of coordinates, where one of them V characterizes the share of each group in sales volume (“market share”), and the other T characterizes the share in the rate of change in sales volume (“market growth”) , and the coordinate values ​​for each group can be accurately calculated based on data on the sales of the enterprise for the period.

Having calculated these values ​​by substituting the values ​​for each product group into the formula and presenting them graphically (i.e., as convenient as possible for perception), we obtain a strategic matrix characterizing each product group of the product portfolio and built on the basis of internal information of the enterprise.

6. Next, a product and marketing strategy is developed. For each individual group, a decision is made (suppose, repositioning into another segment) and one of the basic competitive strategies (hereinafter referred to as BCS) is selected.

When developing and implementing a product and marketing strategy for an organization, it is necessary to clearly define the BCS. For key products, it is necessary to install a BCS every year; for individual positions of the organization's product profile - preferably. And ideally, a specific BCS should be determined for each product line item in the product program.

There are four types of basic competitive strategies:

CL -- Cost Leadership strategy -- cost leadership strategy;

D -- Differentiation strategy -- differentiation strategy;

FCL -- Focus Cost Leadership strategy -- focused cost leadership strategy;

FD -- Focus Differentiation strategy - focused differentiation strategy.

In the practical application of basic competitive strategies for a product, it is necessary to strictly adhere to the following main rule: out of four BCS in a specific market segment of a given specific product, only one can be used in a given period of time.

The organization’s product and marketing strategy, at a minimum, must answer

to the following key questions.

What the will the products be produced and sold?

Who will the products be sold to?

Where (in which regions and locations) will the products be sold?

Rice. 3.1. Strategic management model

How the organization's product prices compete now and will compete

with the prices of corresponding analogues?

How does an organization set prices for its products: is it

price leader or sets them after competitors?

What is the organization’s strategy in the field of promotion and distribution of its

products in their respective markets?

In relation to a specific situation, each question in product marketing

The strategy/program must be developed in detail.

Sequence and main stages of product marketing development

The organization's strategies/programs are shown in Fig. 3.2. Primary methodological

In 3.1 you will find methodological approaches to the development of individual critical

elements of a product marketing strategy and the corresponding program.

3.1.2. Product profile

Definition of product profile. The most important task of real

management, and it also constitutes a key element of product marketing

strategy/program is the optimization of the organization’s product program for

the current year and the given strategic perspective.

Any organization wants to clearly know: how many and what specific products -

products must be introduced to specific markets at specific times.

To solve this problem, various methods and approaches are used. One of

such approaches are a set of formalized procedures that summarize the results

relevant marketing research is set out in Appendix 4.

The second approach consists of sequentially filling out the appropriate questionnaires -

stencils, which are presented in table. 3.1-3.3.

Using the data obtained from the first approach during filling

stencils (i.e. with the second approach), increases quality and speed

decisions made.

Thus, the first approach complements and strengthens the second approach.

In a situation where the necessary formalized data is not available,

irreplaceable, and often the only possible solution is precisely

stencil approach.

Rice. 3.2. Product aspect of organization development

Applying when working on the product profile of a specific organization

suggested stencils, it is recommended to use a maximum of specific

data, as well as other formalized and informal information on

product, which must be prepared in advance and presented in accordance with

services of the organization.

When carrying out analytical work on a product by a collegial

executive body of the organization, it is advisable to use some

other effective methods of modern management. Well recommended

themselves collegiate targets (by product) SWOT/SNW analyses.

SWOT analysis by product. Using a step-by-step procedure

template approach, an organization can set its product profile to

the current year and for a specific strategic perspective.

The procedure ends with the approval of two lists:

organizations for the current year (Table 3.2);

Complete list of specific products that make up the product profile

organization for a strategic perspective (Table 3.3).

Regarding these lists, the developers of the organization’s product profile

always face the problem of systematically evaluating each list on its

completeness and realism in general. Realism assessment is required

should include an analysis of the practical feasibility of this product

profile at relevant specific time periods.

System assessment for completeness and realism may be the last

analytical stage in the decision-making process for product approval

profile of the organization for the current year or for a strategic perspective, such

It is useful to conduct assessments according to the approved procedure at meetings

authorized collegial executive body of the organization (for example,

board), After a comprehensive system assessment, an official

decision on approval of the corresponding product profile.

A similar problem arises when developing a full-fledged business plan.

organization for the current year, which should be aimed at systemic

ensuring the implementation of the approved current product profile, as well as

when developing, within the framework of the strategy, a set of specific instructions designed to

ensure the implementation of the organization’s product profile approved for

specific strategic perspective.

At solving this problem, as practice has shown, is very useful and

a fairly effective means is the so-called targeted

SWOT analysis, those. SWOT analysis according to the product profile of the organization.

For SWOT analysis product profile for the current (1999) year

and a specific strategic perspective (2000) is proposed to be used

Product life cycle research. When performing analysis

product profile of the organization, especially according to its most important specific

product market. The generally accepted model of such a cycle is shown in Fig. 3.2.

In some situations, it is necessary to analyze a specific stage

market life cycle for specific products included in the grocery

organization profile.

Ideally, when developing and adopting strategic and program-tactical

decisions for each nomenclature item of the organization’s product profile (by

product as a whole) it is necessary to take into account the assessment of the distance traveled and the forecast

future dynamics of the market life cycle of the relevant specific

product.

In connection with this conclusion, it should be noted by way of caution that

in the practical development of analysis techniques based on the model of life

product cycle, it is necessary to analyze non-averaged (typical) trajectories

abstract product, as shown in Fig. 3.2, but only reliable ones

life trajectories of a specific product in a specific market.

In practice, conducting marketing research, obtaining the necessary

source data and constructing real graphs of reliable trajectories is

a separate and often very complex problem.

Rice. 3.3. Model of a typical product market life cycle

When developing and making strategic and program-tactical decisions on

each item of the organization's product must be taken into account

assessment of the path traveled and forecast of future dynamics of the market life cycle

the corresponding specific product.

SNW analysis by product. When developing product and marketing

strategies/programs along with SWOT analysis product information and analysis

product life cycle, techniques can be applied SNW analysis, those.

target SNW- product analysis.

SNW analysis is a kind of development SWOT analysis behind. In him

when to analyze/assess strengths and weaknesses (SW) parties/positions

of the analyzed object, an analysis/evaluation of its neutral values ​​is added (N)

sides/positions. But in general terms SNW- analysis is very universal

analytical tool, the areas of application of which can be the following

types of analysis: strategic, tactical, functional (for example,

marketing, personnel analysis, financial), structural, etc.

Target SNiV analysis by product can be either group or individual.

Technique for conducting group SNW analysis on product at meetings

the executive body of the organization is almost completely compliant with technology

implementation SWOT analysis described in this subsection. The only difference is

is that instead of certain formats SWOT- analysis (for example, in

table format 3.4) specific formats are used SNW-analysis.

Individual SNW analysis the product is usually carried out by specialists,

have long been involved in the development of product marketing strategies/programs.

To facilitate the development of the proposed stencil technique "S7\W-analysis

table is given. 3.6. (In this table in the column “Full list of products”

abbreviated names (brands) of various types of aircraft are indicated.) B

This example shows some results SNW-analysis,

obtained by filling out the table. 3.5 when researching grocery

profile of the Irkutsk Aviation Production Association.

The data presented demonstrates the technique snw analysis when working with

product profile of the organization. But a similar technique is quite applicable for

analysis of the entire product; those. for “Product Classifier-1”.

3.1.3. Basic competitive strategies

BCS as a strategy tool. During development and implementation

The organization's product and marketing strategy/program must be clearly defined

basic competitive strategies (BCS) (see 1.2).

For key products in the context of each year, it is necessary to establish

BKS; for individual positions of the organization's product profile - desirable. A

ideally, a specific BCS should be determined for each product item

grocery program.

Let me remind you that in the situation with BCS, two types of competitive advantages are distinguished.

The first is cost leadership and the second is differentiation.

Market areas for BCS are also of only two types:

first - all market niches in which this product is sold, or

global market; the second is focusing, i.e. concentration on certain

specialized market segments without the desire to cover the entire market.

As a result of combining each of the two types of competitive advantages with each

out of two types of market sphere we get four BKS.

BCS - basic competitive strategies:

1. CL - Cost Leadership strategy - cost leadership strategy.

2. D - Differentiation strategy - differentiation strategy.

3. FCL - Focus Cost Leadership strategy - focused strategy

leadership By costs,

4. FD - Focus Differentiation strategy - focused strategy

differentiation.

In the practical application of basic competitive product strategies

it is necessary to strictly adhere to the following main rule: of the four BCS

on a specific market segment for a given specific product during a given period

Only one can be applied at a time.

Main and main competitors. Regarding a specific product it

product competitors, as well as relevant competing organizations (companies)

are divided into main and basic.

The set of main competing products mainly determines this

specific market. The main ones among the main goods in relation to this

product in a particular market are those that claim to be

To identify competitors by product and company, it is important to understand

the concept of private and integral competitive advantage.

Competitive advantages product may be:

private, or separate, i.e. outperform a competing product

one or more specific properties/parameters;

general, or integral, i.e. represent a certain

comprehensive (integral) assessment of all the main parameters characterizing

this product and a competing product as comparable systems.

In table 3.9 indicates some of the main and main competitors of the Russian

fighter-bomber Su-30M on the global market of the corresponding

products. At the same time, in the columns “Competitive advantages” and “Competitive

lags" some private competitive advantages/lags are noted

Su-30M from its specific competitors.

To master the technique of analyzing the main and main competitors by analogy with

example, discussed in table. 3.9 for all specific products,

included in the organization’s product profile, to you, dear reader,

A complete “picture” of the organization’s product, which is compiled from lists

qualitative private competitive advantages/lags in terms of primary

elements of analysis, is a very important information base for the following

stages of developing a product marketing strategy/program of the organization and

to make key decisions on this strategy.

BCS for specific products. When we know the overall picture of the product

organization, which included data on all main and main competitors and

list of indicators of private and general competitive advantages, then you can

start choosing basic competitive strategies.

Table 3.9

The main and main competitors of the Su-ZOM* fighter-bomber

(relative to a competing product) (fragments)

An organization's product and marketing strategy, at a minimum, should answer the following key questions.

What the will the products be produced and sold?

Who will the products be sold to?

Where (in which regions and locations) will the products be sold?

Rice. 3.1. Strategic management model

How do the prices of the organization's products currently compete and will they compete with the prices of their respective peers?

How does the organization set prices for its products: is it a price leader or does it follow its competitors?

What is the organization's strategy for promoting and distributing its products in relevant markets?

In relation to a specific situation, each issue in a product marketing strategy/program must be developed in detail.

The sequence and main stages of developing the organization's product marketing strategy/program are shown in Fig. 3.2. Primary methodological recommendations for the main stages of work are presented in Appendix 4.

In 3.1 you will find methodological approaches to developing individual critical elements of a product marketing strategy and the corresponding program.

3.1.2. Product profile

Definition of product profile. The most important task of real management, and it also constitutes a key element of the product marketing strategy/program, is the optimization of the organization’s product program for the current year and the given strategic perspective.

Any organization wants to clearly know: how many and what specific products need to be presented to specific markets in specific periods of time.

To solve this problem, various methods and approaches are used. One of these approaches - a set of formalized procedures that summarize the results of relevant marketing research - is outlined in Appendix 4.

The second approach consists of sequentially filling out the appropriate stencil questionnaires, which are presented in table. 3.1-3.3.

Using the data obtained from the first approach when filling out stencils (i.e., the second approach) improves the quality and speed of decisions made.

Thus, the first approach complements and strengthens the second approach.

In a situation where the necessary formalized data is not available, the template approach turns out to be an irreplaceable and often the only possible solution.

Rice. 3.2. Product aspect of organization development

When using the proposed stencils when working on the product profile of a particular organization, it is recommended to use a maximum of specific data, as well as other formalized and informal information on the product, which should be prepared in advance and presented by the relevant services of the organization.

When carrying out analytical work on a product by the collegial executive body of the organization, it is advisable to use some other effective methods of modern management. Well-proven collegial target (by product) SWOT/SNW analyses.

SWOT analysis by product. Using the step-by-step process of the template approach, an organization can establish its product profile for the current year and for a specific strategic perspective.

The procedure ends with the approval of two lists:

A complete list of specific products that make up the organization’s product profile for the current year (Table 3.2);

A complete list of specific products that make up the organization’s product profile for a strategic perspective (Table 3.3).

Regarding these lists, developers of an organization's product profile are always faced with the problem of systematically assessing each list for its completeness and overall realism. The feasibility assessment must necessarily include an analysis of the practical feasibility of a given product profile in the relevant specific time periods.

A systemic assessment for completeness and realism may be the last analytical stage in the decision-making process on approving the organization’s product profile for the current year or for a strategic perspective. Such an assessment according to the approved procedure is useful to carry out at meetings of the authorized collegial executive body of the organization (for example, the board), After a comprehensive system assessment, an official decision is made to approve the corresponding product profile.

A similar problem arises when developing a full-fledged business plan of an organization for the current year, which should be aimed at systematically ensuring the implementation of the approved current product profile, as well as when developing, within the framework of the strategy, a set of specific instructions designed to ensure the implementation of the organization’s product profile approved for a specific strategic perspective.

At In solving this problem, as practice has shown, a very useful and quite effective means is the so-called targeted SWOT analysis, those. SWOT analysis according to the product profile of the organization.

For SWOT analysis product profile for the current (1999) year and a specific strategic perspective (2000) it is proposed to use table. 3.4.

Product life cycle research. When analyzing an organization's product profile, especially for its most important specific positions, it is recommended to take into account data on the so-called product market life cycle. The generally accepted model of such a cycle is shown in Fig. 3.2.

In some situations, it is necessary to conduct an analysis of a specific stage of the market life cycle for specific products included in the organization’s product profile.

Ideally, when developing and making strategic and program-tactical decisions for each item in the organization’s product profile (for the product as a whole), it is necessary to take into account an assessment of the path traveled and a forecast of the future dynamics of the market life cycle of the corresponding specific product.

In connection with the above conclusion, as a precaution, it should be noted that when practically mastering analysis techniques based on a product life cycle model, it is necessary to analyze non-averaged (typical) trajectories of an abstract product, as shown in Fig. 3.2, but only reliable trajectories of the life of a specific product in a specific market.

In practice, conducting marketing research, obtaining the necessary initial data and constructing real graphs of reliable trajectories is a separate and often very complex problem.

Rice. 3.3. Model of a typical product market life cycle

When developing and making strategic and program-tactical decisions for each nomenclature item of an organization’s product, it is necessary to take into account an assessment of the path traveled and a forecast of the future dynamics of the market life cycle of the corresponding specific product.

SNW analysis by product. When developing a product marketing strategy/program, along with SWOT analysis Product knowledge and product life cycle analysis can apply techniques SNW analysis, those. target SNW- product analysis.

SNW analysis is a kind of development SWOT analysis behind. In it, when to analyze/assess the strengths and weaknesses (SW) sides/positions of the analyzed object, an analysis/evaluation of its neutrals is added (N) sides/positions. But in general terms SNW- analysis is a very universal analytical tool, the areas of application of which can be the following types of analysis: strategic, tactical, functional (for example, marketing, personnel analysis, financial), structural, etc.

Target SNiV analysis by product can be either group or individual.

Technique for conducting group SNW analysis on the product at meetings of the executive body of the organization almost completely corresponds to the implementation technique SWOT analysis described in this subsection. The only difference is that instead of certain formats SWOT- analysis (for example, in the format of Table 3.4) specific formats are used SNW-analysis.

Individual SNW analysis Product reviews are usually carried out by specialists who have long been involved in the development of product marketing strategies/programs.

To facilitate the development of the proposed stencil technique "S7\W-analysis" table is given. 3.6. (In this table, the column "Full List of Products" shows the abbreviated names (brands) of various types of aircraft.) This example presents some of the results SNW- analysis obtained by filling out the table. 3.5 when studying the product profile of the Irkutsk Aviation Production Association.

The data presented demonstrates the technique snw analysis when working with the product profile of an organization. But a similar technique is quite applicable for analyzing the entire product; those. for “Product Classifier-1”.

3.1.3. Basic competitive strategies

BCS as a strategy tool. When developing and implementing a product marketing strategy/program, an organization must clearly define basic competitive strategies (BCS) (see 1.2).

For key products, it is necessary to install a BCS every year; for individual positions of the organization's product profile - desirable. And ideally, a specific BCS should be determined for each product line item in the product program.

Let me remind you that in the situation with BCS, two types of competitive advantages are distinguished. The first is cost leadership and the second is differentiation.

Market areas for BCS are also of only two types:

the first - all market niches in which a given product is sold, or the global market; the second is focusing, i.e. concentration on certain specialized market segments without the desire to cover the entire market.

As a result of combining each of the two types of competitive advantages with each of the two types of market sphere, we get four BKS.

BCS - basic competitive strategies:

1. CL - Cost Leadership strategy - cost leadership strategy.

2. D - Differentiation strategy - differentiation strategy.

3.FCL - Focus Cost Leadership strategy - focused leadership strategy By costs,

4. FD - Focus Differentiation strategy - focused differentiation strategy.

In the practical application of basic competitive strategies for a product, it is necessary to strictly adhere to the following main rule: out of four BCS in a specific market segment of a given specific product, only one can be used in a given period of time.

Main and main competitors. With respect to a specific product, its product competitors, as well as the corresponding organization competitors (companies), are divided into main and main ones.

The set of main competing products mainly determines this particular market. The main ones among the main products in relation to a given product in a particular market are those that claim to be leaders.

To identify competitors by product and company, it is important to understand the concept of private and integral competitive advantage.

Competitive advantages product may be:

private, or separate, i.e. superior to a competing product in one or more specific properties/parameters;

general, or integral, i.e. represent a certain comprehensive (integral) assessment of all the main parameters that characterize this product and a competing product as comparable systems.

In table 3.9 indicates some of the main and main competitors of the Russian Su-30M fighter-bomber in the global market for the corresponding products. At the same time, in the columns “Competitive advantages” and “Competitive gaps” some particular competitive advantages/lags of the Su-30M from its specific competitors are noted.

To master the technique of analyzing the main and main competitors by analogy with the example discussed in table. 3.9 for all specific products included in the organization’s product profile, you, dear reader, are recommended to fill out the table. 3.10.

A complete “picture” of the organization’s product, which is compiled from lists of high-quality private competitive advantages/lags in the context of the primary elements of analysis, is a very important information base for the next stages of developing the organization’s product marketing strategy/program and for making key decisions on this strategy.

BCS for specific products. When we know the general picture of the organization’s product, which includes data on all the main and main competitors and a list of indicators of private and general competitive advantages, then we can begin to select basic competitive strategies.

Table 3.9

The main and main competitors of the Su-ZOM* fighter-bomber (relative to the competing product) (fragments)

To successfully exist in the market, you need a detailed and well-thought-out product strategy. Product strategy is the development of the most profitable product line for effective operation in the market.

The product strategy of an enterprise forms the rules, techniques for studying and organizing possible markets for goods and services that correspond to the mission of the enterprise. The main objectives of a product strategy can be called: coordinating the long-term objectives of the enterprise with the probable market potentials and resources of the enterprise that it will be able to have in the future; studying product demand life cycles; developing the fundamentals for organizing a product range that provides a competitive advantage for the enterprise and, on this basis, allows you to maximize economic income.

New or improved products, positively received by tourists, give the tourism enterprise an advantage over its competitors for a certain period. This helps reduce the intensity of price competition.

If a company does not have a product strategy, this leads to instability in the composition of the offer due to the influence of random or natural factors, loss of control over the competitiveness and commercial benefits of products. In such situations, current decisions are often based only on instinct, and not on sound calculation, which takes into account the long-term interests of the tourism enterprise.

The product strategy is future-oriented and influences the solution of problems related to:

1) improving the composition of products offered at various stages of the life cycle;

2) development and launch of innovations to the market.

The assortment is one of the main elements that determines the readiness to work together with dealers and the likelihood of satisfying customer needs, as well as conquering the market and increasing sales. The product strategy must take into account:

1) product profitability;

2) the needs of the market and target groups;

3) large selection;

4) limited sales;

5) seasonal fluctuations.

If existing types of products fully meet all market demands, there is no need to develop new offers in the short term; you need to concentrate on promoting existing offers. Moreover, most of the effort should be devoted to selling the most profitable products. It is necessary to focus on reducing costs because... this will lower the cost and therefore lead to better competition.

In marketing, the development of a new tourism product is a single process in which a number of stages are distinguished. Travel business managers should consider the product as a complex of 4 levels: the main product, the accompanying product, the additional product and the product in the expanded sense of the word.

The main product is the product that answers the question: “What is the customer actually buying?” Each product is a combination of various services needed to solve customer problems. For example, tourists “do not buy a tour to a ski resort, they purchase the opportunity to ski down the mountain.” You need to understand what is the main benefit for the buyer of any product, and offer exactly these benefits, and not some characteristics of the product.

The accompanying product is the goods and services that consumers need to use the main product. For example, a luxury hotel is required to offer not only rooms, but also 24-hour room service, a restaurant, and taxi services. Product development requires an understanding of the target market and the accompanying services it requires.

An additional product is a product that gives the main product additional benefits and makes it possible to distinguish this product from its competitors. In a hotel, additional products that help attract customers include a gym, swimming pool, conference room, etc. The difference between accompanying and additional products is not always obvious.

The product in an expanded interpretation contains the possibility of application, a unified atmosphere, the pleasantness of communication between clients and service personnel, their place in the process of work and communication between clients. In other words, the expanded product interpretation contains what is offered to the customer and how it is offered.

Possibility of application. If tourists come mainly by car, the hotel should be located along major highways. If most often the hotel's clients are businessmen, it should be located in the business centers of cities. Possibility of application is also related to operating time. A non-working establishment is, of course, inaccessible to the client. Hotel gyms that start working at 7 a.m. are not needed by a businessman who is going to get up at 6 a.m., have breakfast and leave for his business by 8 a.m. It must be taken into account that the possibility of application is the most significant component of the expanded interpretation of the product offered in tourism.

When serving consumers, one of the main factors is unified atmosphere since it can become a determining factor in the client’s decision to use the services of this enterprise.

There are concepts of a highly charged and low-charged atmosphere affecting people. "High" and "low" in this case refer to the information provided by the environment. Typical attributes of a highly charged atmosphere are rich colors, rich light, deafening sounds, crowds of people and movement; their opposites are inherent in a low-charged atmosphere. A highly charged atmosphere creates a risky, adventurous environment, while a low-charged atmosphere creates a calm state in clients.

Tourists heading to Las Vegas tend to respond positively to the high-energy atmosphere that creates the excitement they want to find here.

Business tourists who want to be at home after a hard day are predisposed to a low-energy atmosphere.

The relationship of consumers with the service delivery system has three phases: initiation, consumption and termination.

The familiarization phase is often facilitated by deliberately exposed samples. When visiting exotic countries, tourists often do not dare order local food for lunch. To overcome this barrier, the Intel-Continental Hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia, consciously introduces local cuisine to its guests. In the space off the lobby, where customers typically sip drinks, there is a regular cart stocked with samples of local dishes. This innovation created a positive mood among customers, had a positive impact on the overall atmosphere of the hotel, introduced guests to local cuisine served in the hotel restaurant, and brought additional revenue. Consumption is the phase in which a person consumes purchased goods and services. In a restaurant - when the visitor is having lunch, in a hotel - when he lives in it. We must also take into account that employees, other consumers, and the entire atmosphere in which the process of its consumption takes place are part of the product. The discontinuation phase occurs when the consumer stops using the product and moves away. For example, at a hotel he may need the help of a porter and a taxi to go to the airport.

A well-thought-out approach to these phases helps to better understand the role of customers in the overall service delivery mix. The result of this is the development of a product that most fully satisfies the needs of consumers.

The existence of a product life cycle comes down to two big problems. The first is that all products age over time; the travel agency is obliged to find new products to replace old ones (creating a new product). Secondly, a travel agency needs to understand how its product ages and, depending on this, make changes to its marketing strategy.

There are two main ways to obtain a new product. One of them is obtaining it from the outside, that is, acquiring an entire company, a patent or a license to produce a product from some other organization. As the costs of creating and bringing new products to market rise, many firms are buying existing brands rather than creating new ones themselves.

Another way is that travel enterprises themselves create new products, organizing their own research and development department for this.

The process of developing a new product can be generally represented as follows.

Stage 1. Searching, evaluating and selecting new product ideas.

Stage 2. Development of requirements for a new product and its description.

Stage 3. Making a decision to stop development or bring a product to market.

During these periods, the company generates possible options, obtains customer opinions about them, evaluates them, eliminates the least effective options, develops trial offers and introduces them to the market. Savings in the initial stages can generate large costs and even losses in the future. Therefore, a rational policy is to scrupulously test the product concept at an early stage.

The development of a new tourism product begins with the search for new ideas. This should be done regularly. Otherwise, a travel agency can find dozens of ideas, but most of them will not be suitable due to the specifics of its activities. The tourism enterprise must clearly establish which products and which markets it should focus on. It must clearly understand what exactly it wants to achieve with the help of innovations: acquiring additional income, a dominant position within a certain market segment, or some other goals. To ensure a continuous flow of ideas about new products, a travel agency needs to use various sources of new ideas, which can be employees, clients, competitors, distributors, suppliers, etc.

When developing ideas, they describe the product, target market and competition, estimate the approximate size of the market, the cost of the product, the time and cost of its development, production costs and the rate of return. You need to know the answers to the questions: is this idea needed by the company as a whole?; is it consistent with the overall goals and strategy?; Do you have the people, capabilities and financial resources to successfully implement the idea?

The development of a product idea and its testing are significant moments in the work of a travel agency. It is necessary to clearly distinguish between the idea of ​​a product and its design. A product idea is a general judgment about a potential product that an enterprise can bring to market. A product concept is a developed version of an idea, formulated with ideas that are important to the customer. The choice of the best idea is realized by considering it from the position of profitability for the travel agency and the existence of a need on the part of the client by determining the opinion of consumers of the target market on the proposed options. Based on the results of a consumer survey, we can draw a conclusion about the prospects of different options for a potential product and the scale of likely sales. It is necessary to take into account that the choice of a tourism product is determined not only by a high degree of service at the lowest market cost, but also by the very nature of the product, its appearance, which will be difficult to reproduce or copy by competitors.

The selected ideas then need to be developed into a product concept. At the same time, you need to know the difference between the idea of ​​a product, its concept and its image. A product idea is an opinion about a product that could be offered to the market. A product concept is a detailed version of an idea, formulated in terms that are clear to the consumer. Product image is how consumers perceive a real or potential product.

After choosing the best idea for a tourism product, they begin to develop a marketing strategy, since it is necessary to have a clear understanding of certain activities to bring the innovation to the market. The strategy must contain a detailed study of the target market and identify specific groups of consumers interested in purchasing the service. Research of the target market is necessary to determine sales volumes planned for the coming period, profits received and to analyze the future development of the proposed product. In addition, it should include calculation of the cost of the product, marketing costs, and composition of expenses.

The next stage in the development of a new tourism product is research into its marketing potential. It needs to be carried out in three main directions:

1) research of the market potential opened by the innovation;

2) research into the potential of a tourism enterprise;

3) the relationship between existing prospects and the goals of the enterprise.

Having completed the study of all the components of the marketing potential, it is necessary to conduct a study of the production and sales potential. Once you have decided on your service design and marketing strategy, you can begin to evaluate the business effectiveness of the offering. To do this, it is necessary to review the planned control levels of sales, costs and income to ensure that they correspond to the goals of the company. If the results of the analysis turn out to be satisfactory, then we can proceed to the stage of direct development of the tourism product.

Development of a tourism product is the most important stage in the formation of a new product. Here the product concept must turn into something specific. The main thing is to achieve absolute compliance of the product with the characteristics inherent in its design. Only then will the new service be accepted by consumers, as planned when the idea was created.

When developing a new tourism product, it is necessary to correctly compose the proposal. For target groups with similar needs, tourism products and services are selected that can best satisfy their needs for local consumption. An initial determination of the number of services “in the package” helps the client understand the content of the vacation before the start of the cruise itself and makes it easier for him to choose.

Then comes the testing of the main idea of ​​the product on a group of target consumers. Testing a product in the market involves trial introduction and provides an opportunity to identify potential problems and find out what other information is needed before introducing the product in full. It can be combined with a free (or discounted) promotional tour, bus trip, etc. The verification period is significant from the standpoint of testing in practice the quality of the tourism product, determining the need for it, affordability, etc.

Test marketing is an impeccable means to evaluate a product, promote it and distribute it on a small scale. Test marketing areas can be different:

1) television zone (campaigns are underway using television commercial channels and distribution channels);

2) test city;

3) limited area (areas closest to the travel agency).

The decision to continue or end the work in test marketing (i.e., stopping at the results obtained or continuing the work, trying to clarify them, reduce the risk) is paramount. Such test marketing can be used to test specific characteristics of the marketing mix (product options, promotional attributes, environment, distribution channels, cost, etc.).

Test marketing brings additional information in advance of a release and can improve its reliability. It should be noted that even at a late stage, half of the products do not pass the category of suitability for large-scale release.

In case of positive results of the market test, the tourism enterprise makes the final decision on introducing the tourism product to the market on a commercial basis.

At the commercialization stage, costs arise associated with stimulating demand (this is the best time to advertise the service). This stage is characterized by high costs, low scale-up, and advertising campaigns to stimulate initial demand.

Advertising is the most effective means of informing consumers about new products and services. Well-planned advertising is the main condition for an effective market strategy of a travel agency, its indispensable component. The meaning of advertising is determined by its communicative role. Without advertising, finding a seller for a consumer and a consumer for a seller would be very difficult.

Tourism advertising is aimed at those groups of residents who have not previously purchased tourist vouchers. It focuses on increasing knowledge about places and organizations in the tourism industry and their likely applications.

A new tourism product must be introduced to the market depending on its seasonality. Travel to the land of Santa Claus is organized during the New Year holidays, and a trip to a ski resort is organized in winter. But most of the trips are made during the period of mass vacations, that is, in the summer. To ensure that advertisements appear in a timely manner, it is necessary to study when people begin their holiday preparations. The analysis showed that 60% of potential tourists begin to think about their future vacation 1-2 months before it starts, almost 30% of potential tourists make a decision 1-2 weeks before the trip. Finally, in unstable Russia, a fairly large part of citizens (about 10%) make momentary decisions about vacation, trying to buy “last minute” trips and tours.

Among the carriers of tourism advertising, the main place, of course, is occupied by various newspapers, magazines, and supplements (both national and local level, special ones dedicated to tourism, and intended for possible tourists, specialists, as well as for a wide audience).

The next medium of tourism advertising is radio. The indisputable advantages of radio advertising include large coverage and a wide audience of listeners, the ability to use audio effects and music to attract the attention of radio listeners, and maximum repetition of advertising information throughout the day.

The category of the most used advertising means includes outdoor advertising. Outdoor advertising is decorative and information structures placed on the most accessible or thoroughfare streets of cities. Outdoor advertising can have a repeated impact on potential customers with varying frequency, has a low price (compared to television or radio) and a fairly large audience reach.

The leading position today is increasingly occupied by the Internet, which provides operational communication between agents and possible clients. Today, working on the Internet has become a necessity, since electronic advertising is the cheapest type of advertising activity, moreover, it is as selective as possible (recipients of Internet advertising are only those who wish), informational, and systematic. The only drawback of electronic advertising is still its small coverage (not all agents and possible tourists have constant access to the Internet), although there is a steady increase in the number of visitors and active users.

After completing his college studies, a young food and beverage manager came to take a job on a college campus in Ohio. Soon after, campus food service employees went on strike. The management began to train students with no experience and fill all the vacant jobs with them. The town had been lobbying for some time to be able to use the Rotary Club premises for its business dinners, but when the issue was finally resolved the strike was unstoppable.

Recognizing the significance of the situation, the new food and beverage manager introduced a special dish to the menu - beef stroganoff, which had to be prepared from a special part of beef - tenderloin. The new manager learned this recipe during his studies. The famed chef demonstrated the preparation of this dish in a food class seminar, after which the students told the professor teaching the course that the beef stroganoff was excellent. True, then this young manager did not appreciate the chef’s gift and noted that anyone could cook a delicious beef stroganoff from such an excellent piece of meat.

The sauce was excellent, the salads were well prepared, and the manager looked forward to the Rotary Club becoming a casual restaurant. Along with this, he discovered that most guests leave a considerable amount of beef stroganoff on their plates. Suddenly the manager remembered that in his haste to prepare the dish, he had used stewed pieces of meat instead of excellent beef tenderloin. As a result, the University City lost a significant group of customers due to poor food preparation and imperfect quality control. This group of customers could generate a profit of $7,000 per year for the restaurant, or $35,000 over a 5-year period. So the mistake in choosing meat turned out to be an extremely expensive mistake, once again proving the importance of quality.

1. What way out of this situation can be offered to the management of the University campus?

2. Think about what product strategy could be developed for the Rotary Club now and for the future?

3. What new Rotary Club products could be developed and brought to market?

1. The Ritz-Carlton hotel is aimed at very wealthy guests and can offer them luxurious apartments equipped with the latest technology. But the services provided by the hotel seem insufficient to individual guests. Some people want computers with Internet access and satellite communications installed in their apartments. Others, no less wealthy, choose rooms without frills and less expensive service. Describe the product strategies of this hotel. Think about what exactly might be on the 4 product levels (main product, reinforcement product, etc.) of this hotel.

2. Practice confirms that more than a third of ideas for new tourism products come from consumers. Does this go against the marketing philosophy that says, “Find a need and fill it?” Why "yes" or why "no"?

3. You are an employee of a company engaged in social and cultural services. Where and how would you look for new product ideas for your company?

Develop and introduce to the market an innovation in the field of social and cultural services and tourism. Describe in detail your actions, thoughts, results obtained. Try this innovation on your colleagues. What opinion did consumers have on this product? Provide this information in the form of a progress report.