MODULE 3

MARKETING PRINCIPLES AND STRATEGIES

Lesson 1: Strategic Marketing vs Tactical Marketing

LESSON OVERVIEW:

This lesson can help the student identify and understand the difference between strategic
marketing and tactical marketing. Since marketing planning is required for the marketing
plan, it is essential for the students to learn the process of strategic planning.

LESSON OBJECTIVES:

At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:

a. The learners shall be able to distinguish between strategic and marketing planning in
terms of objectives and processes.
b. The learners shall be able to appreciate the process of strategic planning.
c. The learners should be able to create a strategic plan for businesses that they can think
of.

LEARNING ACTIVITY
Discussion Board:
Instruction: Complete the statement below:

I want to achieve my goal because _____.

If I achieve my goal, I will feel ____.
I want to achieve my goal, but I know I will have
to be strong when ____.
To conquer the obstacle, I will ____.

Topic 1: STRATEGIC MARKETING VS TACTICAL MARKETING

Strategies and tactics seem to be synonymous. Both are often interchangeably used when
discussing reaching an objective. However, both mean different things, especially in
marketing.

To make it clearer, strategy is the direction towards the goal. Tactics are the action taken to
support the strategy. Simply put, strategy refers to the plan to achieve a goal while the tactic
is how you execute the plan.

Strategic and tactical marketing do not oppose each other; they complement the other.
Essentially, strategic marketing is the concept while tactical marketing is the action.
TOPIC 2: STRATEGIC MARKETING
Strategic Marketing is a process of planning, developing, and implementing maneuvers to
obtain a competitive advantage in your chosen field. This process is necessary to outline and
simplify a direct map of the company’s objectives and how to achieve them. Strategic
marketing involves recognizing the threats and opportunities presented by the industry.
Identifying the strength, weaknesses in manufacturing is also included. Strategic marketing
considers the long-term goals of your company.

TOPIC 3: THREE PHASES OF STRATEGIC MARKETING PROCESS

Always remember that the central objective of any company will be customer satisfaction.
By this, there is a high probability that the business may dominate the market and become a
leader in the industry. Adding to this, a successful marketing strategy also contributes to
substantial business satisfaction. For businesses to achieve that, there are three phases of
marketing strategy that must be created to delight in their customers and beat out the
competition.

Three Phases of Strategic Marketing Process:

1. Planning phase – The planning phase is the most important as it analyzes internal
strengths and weaknesses, external competition, changes in technology, industry
culture shifts and provides an overall picture of the state of the organization. This
phase has four key components that will provide a clear diagram of where your
company is and what it is doing.
• SWOT Analysis – Defines the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and
threats of your business and reveals your company’s position in respect to the
market. To maximizes strengths and minimize weaknesses an organization
must perform the following:
o Analyze competitors
o Research company’s current and prospective customers
o Assess company
o Identifying trends in the company’s industry
Once this analysis is complete the results should be used as a basis for developing the
company’s marketing plan, which should be measurable and attainable.
• Marketing program – Once the needs of the customers have been
determined, and the decisions have been made about which products will
satisfy those needs, a marketing program or mix must be developed. This
marketing program is how the aspect of the planning phase, which focuses on
the 4Ps and the budget needed for each element of the mix.
• Set marketing and product goals
o Once the customer needs are understood, goals can be set to meet
them, thus increasing the chances of success with new products.
o Find points of difference: like your company’s unique selling point,
each product should also have a certain set of traits or characteristics
that makes it superior to the competitive substitute. For example, your
product could be longer-lasting, more accessible, more reliable or very
 user-friendly so the buyers will choose it over the competition each
time.
o Position the product: market so that in people’s minds your product is
the “go-to” for their problem. Through emotional and mental marketing
customers will associate your brand with their solution and eliminate
choice. For example, many mothers use “Pampers,” when referring to
diapers, as this brand has been positioned as the go-to in baby
diapering needs.
o Select target markets: based on the research and their commonalities,
that way needs and goals are both met.
• Market-Product focus and Goal Setting – Once the questions of where the
company stands and what it wants to achieve are answered, the next step in
the planning process is determining where the resources will be allocated, and
how to turn plans into focused action. To do this, customers should be divided
into segments to determine what specific marketing technique will reach each
targeted group and what each group needs. Next measurable goals should be
set to get the needed products to the various groups, thus fulfilling the
marketing objectives. For example, if customers are divided into groups of
common needs it’s easier to market them and provide what they have proven
to need at the time. And as well, if customers are grouped by their common
response to marketing, then the cooperation will know the right decisions to
make to reach that specific market segment.
o Price strategy: focuses on the list price, price allowances (reductions),
discounts, payment periods, and credit contracts.
o Place (Distribution) Strategy: the final ‘P’ in the marketing mix
should focus on distribution channels, outlets, and transportation to
get the product to the customer when they need it.
o Promotion Strategy: this element of the program should focus on
direct marketing, advertising, public relations, and sales promotions
that create brand awareness.
o Product Strategy: this element focuses on the features, packaging,
branding, and warranty of the product.
2. Implementation Phase - The implementation phase is the action portion of the
process. If the firm cannot carry out the plan that was determined in the early stages,
then the hours spent planning were wasted. However, if the planning was adequately
and competently structured, then the program can be put into effect through a sales
forecast and a budget, using the following four components.
• Obtaining Resources – sums of cash to develop and market new products.
• Designing marketing organization – there should be put in place a
marketing hierarchy to properly see the plans to fruition.
• Developing planning schedules – time needs to be allocated to specific tasks
so they can be accomplished.
 • Executing the marketing plan – effectively executing the marketing plan will
take attention to detail and focus on the strategy and tactics defined in your
marketing plan.
3. Evaluation or Control Phase - The evaluation phase is the checking phase. This
process involves ensuring that the results of the program are in line with the goals
set. The marketing team, especially the manager will need to observe any deviations
in the plan and quickly correct negative deviations to get back on course; for example,
fluctuations of the dollar create a lesser need for the product than in the past, then
the production of the said product should be repurposed for a new more desired item.
And they should exploit the positive divergences as well, for example, if sales are
better than predicted for certain products then there could be more resources
allocated to greater production or distribution of the same item.

A few ways to evaluate the effectiveness of your marketing strategy include paying
attention to:
• Strategy versus tactic – strategy defines goals and tactic defines actions to
achieve goals.
• Measurable versus vague – have milestones that define when you’ve
achieved your goals.
• Actionable versus Contingent – According to Inc.com: “A strategic goal
should be achievable through the tactics that support it, rather than dependent
upon uncontrollable outside forces.”
• Marketing strategy should be backed by a business plan with tactical moves
to accomplish goals, or it is useless.
AUDIO/VIDEO CONFERENCE:

REFERENCES:

TrackMaven. (2020). Retrieved from TrackMaven.com: https://trackmaven.com/marketing-

dictionary/marketing-opportunity/

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