Strategic and tactical marketing
When looking at the marketing model people often get confused between the marketing of a product and the selling of a product. Marketing is concerned with identifying, anticipating and meeting the needs of customers in such a way as to make a profit for the organisation. Market research is thus an important element of marketing because this is the process involved in finding out what customers want. Meeting customer requirements then involves applying a relevant marketing mix i.e. providing the right product, at the right price, through the right distribution channels (place) and supported by the most suitable promotional and advertising activity.
Marketing operates at two levels within the organisation
2015-2024
Strategic Discipline
At one level marketing is a strategic discipline – it is concerned with major long-term decisions that affect the whole organization. In particular strategic marketing involves seeing marketing activity as being essential to everything the organization does. Given this strategic approach, everyone in the organization has responsibility for meeting the needs of internal and external customers. As well as strategic marketing, marketing activity is also concerned with tactical marketing. Tactical marketing is all about applying the marketing mix in the most appropriate way.
2011-2024
Tactical Marketing
Tactical marketing involves such activities as organizing relevant promotions, setting prices, and adjusting prices in line with customer expectations, what the competition is doing etc. positioning the product, and periodically managing relaunches and adjustments to the product in line with changing market conditions.
2007-2024
Facing Organization.
Organising the most appropriate channels through which to distribute the product. The most appropriate marketing model is one that combines marketing strategy with tactics to create a totally customer facing organization.
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The modern approach to marketing outlined above contrasts with models used twenty years ago where the organization focused more on selling existing products rather than finding out about customer needs and requirements.