1. Introduction: Whether it is marketing within franchised restaurants or major retail banks, marketing plays a large role in providing assistance for companies to reach goals such as high profit. Subway sandwiches, a world-wide franchised restaurant, uses marketing and marketing tools not only for increased sales but to create an image in the consumers mind. This essay will define and discuss positioning, as well as a case study on how the Subway franchise has positioned their product. As one cannot climb a mountain from the top, market segmentation and market targeting will be looked at in order for better understanding on positioning. 2. Market segmentation: Market segmentation allows marketers to easily categorise customers in order to identify target markets and products for certain types of customers. Elaborating on this, Pine, Peppers and Rogers (1995) mention that market segmentation is a set of broad characteristics that focus on a group of customers. Furthermore, Kotler (1988) states that segmentation is the act of separating a specific set of customers, that open up markets, with apparent needs, behaviours and characteristics that require specific products. With this being said, marketers use this foundation in order to build and gain more information to target certain markets. 3. Market targeting: Once segments of customers have been defined, marketers need to select and evaluate which segments will be worth targeting. Cui and Choudhury (2003) define market targeting as marketing a product to a segment of customers due to the magnetism, for example size or growth, of the group. Marketers are able to select segments using undifferentiated, differentiated and concentrated marketing. By ignoring segment differences ... ... middle of paper ... ... P.H. (1988). Marketing Management: Analysis, Planning, Implementation and Control. (6th ed.). Prentice-Hall: Englewood Cliffs. Pine, B.J., Peppers, D. & Rogers, M. (1995). Do you want to keep your customers?. Harvard Bussiness Review. March-April. pp. 103-104. Ries, A. & Trout, J. (1972). The positioning era cometh. Advertising Age. pp.35-38. Sinclair, S.A., & Stalling, E.C. (1990). Perceptual Mapping: A Tool for Industrial Marketing: A Case Study. Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing. 5(1). pp. 55 – 65. Subway Student Guide. (2010). The Student andEducator Resource Guide. Doctor’s Associates. Youngentrepreneur. (2011). Famous Marketing Quotes. Retrieved October, 03, 2011, from http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/forum/f38-marketing-and-pr/famous-marketing-quotes-36332.html
Segmentation, targeting and positioning are the fundament of modern marketing (Proctor, 2002, p. 188, as cited in Harris and Schaefer, 2015).
There are a range of segmentations that allows a company to target potential customers effectively.
...s SLK obviously clarifies how essentialness of recognition is important for a brand. In Oman how many number of consumers are eager to spend 15,000 O.R to purchase a Toyota SUV? Not that many. Anyhow many individuals might pay 15,000 O.R for Lexus SLK if it was available at that rate. Interestingly the recognition of Toyota are conservative, competitive, and common sense. However the Lexus is an image of extravagance, prevalent quality, and tastefulness. In this manner the insightful progressions of individuals' brain and perspective of brand quality influence the purchase decision making. One average sample of sensor promoting, might be Lexus with their strap line, 'The loudest sound you hear inside the Lexus is yourself considering'. It is locked in to shopper's sound sense, communication of the buyer remains in hush to test how tranquil a Lexus motor truly is.
market is a set of buyers sharing common needs or characteristics that the company decides to serve (Bethel, 2007). When identifying the target market it is important to know who buys your product and who your customers are. Smart targeting benefits the consumer as well as the company. It allows the company to be more efficient and effective by focusing effort toward that segment; therefore maintaining the most profitable outcome. The consumer is rewarded by receiving the product or service that is customized for them.
Terrell, E. (n.d.). Market Segmentation. (Business Reference Services, Library of Congress). Retrieved April 6, 2014, from http://www.loc.gov/rr/business/marketing/
The author of the textbook affirms, “In the marketplace, customers seek solutions, not technologies or products.” (Vitale 174). So how do we determine what the customers consider valuable or in this case, a solution? This is where the strategic market segmentation and targeting come into place. Since not every customer has the same perception of value, business marketers must determine, first, who are those potential customers and break them
Etzel, Michael J., Stanton, Bruce J., Stanton, William J. (2004). Marketing. (13th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill.
It has been observed since the inception of Marketing that marketers target to only specific market and how they identify such market. There are certain criteria or base they use to identify the consumers who they would be serving to. Customers do have unique requirements satisfaction levels and aspirations. Some customers however are similar with respect to their requirements of goods and services. In such case if their needs are identified and they can be grouped in quantities of a specific size then it can be segmented. Now each customer group have specific expectations and businesses must cater to the needs of the segmented that has been targeted.
Once a business has successfully completed segmentation based on the market into various groups the targets will be chosen. As we all know no one unique strategy will be able to appeal to all consumer segments therefore being able to come up with different strategies for specific targets are a vital aspect of marketing.
Caroline and Jennifer said that ‘Market segmentation is a crucial marketing strategy. Its aim is to identify and delineate market segments or set of buyers which would then become targets for the company’s marketing plans.’ (Tynan and Drayton, 1987) There are many ways to segment the market, such as age, region, environment, psychology and wages (Hall, Jones and Raffo, 2010).
Dickson, P. R., & Ginter, J. L. (1987). Market segmentation, product differentiation, and marketing strategy. Journal of Marketing, 51(2(April 1987)), 1-10. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/1251125
To begin with, it is crucial to appreciate the meaning of segmentation and targeting because these two terms lay the foundation for this report. Consequently, segmentation is dividing a market, into groups of consumers with homogenous traits in order to provide each group with the desired product. What is the meaning of targeting? It is where an enterprise evaluates every segment with an objective of identifying segments with promising business opportunities. Considering the nature of the product in question, it sufficed to mention that liquor- filled chocolates are to be sold to adults.
Volterman’s product is unable to meet the need of people from all age group so they need to use market segmentation to meet the customer requirement with the common needs and characteristics. (3) Volterman organization are able to determine exactly who is their targeted market such as
Market segmentation means dividing the market into distinct groups that have common needs and will respond similarly to marketing action. Each segment must be unique, have common needs, and respond in a similar manner to marketing efforts. Target market is the group of potential customer that has been selected by business to focus its marketing efforts towards. This is the group the business wants to sell its products/services to. Positioning refers to the image created in the minds of customer of its product or brand. It is a perception created in the minds of the consumer relative to that of its competitors.
Cravens, D. W., & Piercy, N. F. (2009). Strategic marketing (9th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.