Marketing Planning and Implementation

This assignment delves into the structure of marketing, encompassing various aspects such as consumer behavior, market segmentation, strategic positioning, service marketing, global marketing, and digital transformation. It requires students to analyze key concepts, theories, and practices within the field of marketing. Furthermore, it emphasizes the practical application of marketing principles through case studies and real-world examples.

Marketing Essentials

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
PART 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1. Key duties and responsibilities for the marketing officers....................................................1
P2. The roles and responsibilities contributing to wider range of organisational objectives......3
PART 2............................................................................................................................................5
P3. Marketing Mix.......................................................................................................................5
P4. Marketing plan.......................................................................................................................7
SWOT ANALYSIS.....................................................................................................................8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Marketing means the involvement of various processes such as analysing, developing and
then marketing of the products in a way that it can help in achieving all the objectives and
outcomes at a much faster rate. Also, marketing can be classified as a way that an organisation
can involve in order to promote the selling of products in a way that it can help the company to
achieve higher rates of popularity as well as productivity. The concept of marketing is also
divided in a number of aspects and some involve strategic marketing, tactical marketing etc. The
report is about discussing about the roles of a marketing officer in marketing of Metro line. Also,
it includes the roles that can help Metro line to achieve all the objectives and to gain a
competitive advantage so that they can become capable enough of competing with National
Express. The marketing mix of the company along with a proper marketing plan for the
company has also been included in the report. The aim is to provide the self-services which will
make the customer's life easy at low price. The vision is to be most trusted so that everyone love
to work and shop. The report contains the duties and responsibilities of a marketing officer and
the way they contribute to attain organisation’s objectives. It also explains the marketing plan for
nationwide expansion.
PART 1
P1. Key duties and responsibilities for the marketing officers
A marketing officer in Metro line can help the company in supervising all the processes
and operations, whether they are based internally or externally. Also, an efficient marketing
officer in Metro line can make sure to involve various creative and innovative ideas so that the
company can be able enough to satisfy the basic requirements and needs of the customers so that
they can eb able enough to achieve a higher rate of popularity as well as productivity(Beller and
et.al, 2017). The advertising capacity is a vital piece of organization as through showcasing just
items are elevated to customers and they wound up mindful of it. It accomplishes organization's
goals in solid way. The different advertising capacities and its parts and obligations are as per the
following:
1. Cost – Marketing officer also have a major responsibility to identify capacity of
promoting is likewise related with the cost of item. Cost, which a purchaser pays for an
item, is known as cost. Cost is essential as the low quality merchandise at high costs
won't be acquired by customers. Rather than that, association needs to cite a focused
1

value with the goal that buyers can buy and firm can gain benefits. Cost is the essential
capacity of advertising since it relies upon cost of item that how many customers will buy
it.
2. Policy & Risk – The marketing officer also deals with financial and legal risks. He or she
is responsible for to check the creation of advertisement or promotional campaign as well
as monitor the terms and conditions linked with each product and promotion.
3. Expenses and Plans – Marketing offices are responsible for making effective strategies
for expenses and increasing sales. The marketing officers with an organization make
appropriate strategies related to the marketing activities of the business together with
other high level department and professionals(Purvis and et.al, 2016).
4. Technology - Technology is extremely fundamental piece of the organization promoting
capacity. The marketing office ensure that organisation is utilizing the best technology in
their business activities. As keeping in mind the end goal to satisfy the customers, It is
required that organization advances it through the different channels, for example,
through daily papers, through media and by web. Web is particularly in drift by
organization as it includes minimal effort and effect is more extensive on the customers
and therefore, association can make powerful deals and gain great measure of
income(Betz and et.al, 2011).
5. Process- There are different procedures and strategies which are to be trailed by the firm
with the goal that it can pitch its items and administrations to customers in successful,
way which will pick up them more income and viable deals and furthermore consumer
loyalty will be accomplished by it. Process incorporates different components, which are
trailed by firm to get the items convey to the customers. Firm takes after different
strategies with the goal that it can lawfully give merchandise to shoppers(Strom and et.al,
2015).
All activities of promoting assumes essential parts, are in charge of association's
prosperity, and draw in customers to purchase their items and it gains great quantum of benefits
Proposed Marketing structure for Metroline
2

P2. The roles and responsibilities contributing to wider range of organisational objectives
Organization objectives can be defined as the main goals or desired outcomes of an organization
or company. These goals outline the main aim of a business and its operational functions for
which it has been established.
Organizational objectives can be of short term or medium term. These help in designing the
policies and deciding way to allocate resources. Objectives should be clear and ambitious to
achieve success in business (Gilmore, 2013). These are necessary as they change mission and
vision in the targets which can be measured or which are realistic. Setting objectives will bound
employees to firstly understand it and then align their work with objectives(Bowhill and et.al,
2008).
1) Marketing techniques: A skilled marketing officer successfully develop strategies are
basic for growing any business and so, these are shaped by the authoritative destinations
so that targets will be converged with goals of the organizations which will help in
accomplishing them.
3
Illustration 1: Marketing structure

2) New designs and exercises: Marketing Officers create new plans and exercises that they
can satisfy the target of beat the opposition and can emerge in the market. For that
economic specialists are designated to look into market and results of the contenders with
the goal that they can make the arrangements and approaches which will help them to
beat the opposition.
3) Evaluation: Assessment of plans and techniques is done as such that it can be discover
that it is made by the associations targets or not (Hooley, Saunders and Piercy, 2009). Or
on the other hand in the event that it can't finish the targets of association at that point
required changes are made.
4) Retaining in the market is additionally the fundamental target of any association for
that you need to accompany the possibility of drawing in customers towards your items
and administrations to accomplish this organization should come up with new
showcasing plans like offers, notice and so forth.
5) For accomplishing the protest of growing in the market organization needs great
connection with customers and need to think of new plans and methodologies. For
growing great relations with customer they need to think of simple generation and deals.
Need to determine the issues looked by the customers(Malhotra and et.al, 2015).
6) Good brand name and expanded trust are the destinations of any association and to
achieve this target officer ought to manage the staff and office and their work as well. On
the off chance that organization is having great relations with customers it will
consequently build trust of customers for the organization and for enhanced brand name
one need to concoct new plans with great quality administrations (Luther, 2011).
7) Proper Communication is likewise a goal of each association and it additionally assumes
an essential part in promoting as primary work in advertising is to speak with the
customers and inform the customers concerning our administrations and items it will
enhance the correspondence amongst organization and customers.
8) Budgeting is likewise a greatest goal of each organization. Planning is likewise done by
promoting officers for advertising office and as indicated by that it disperse it among the
distinctive methodologies and it adds to the Budgeting goal of the association(Pike and
et.al, 2015).
4

Rivalry has risen like never before and as innovation is prompting acquire rivalry
between firms. Online networking roads have been interrupted by associations looking to catch
the gathering of people so they may buy it and friends can make bigger deals. Showcasing
assumes an essential part in building up and creating associations with the customer in the
market. It offers certainty to organization, as it need to attempt new item in advertise rather than
circumstances where the item enter the market without exposure. This makes promoting basic in
each firm whether it is benefit focused or not. It offers shape to association's items or
administrations and without a doubt give individuals certainty about their items or
administrations. It is very important for Metroline to focus on its competitive advantages as there
are number of competitors which are using various types of strategies in order to sustain their
position in the market. National express is a leader in the industry that uses effective strategies
such as marketing and sales to achieve its business goals and Metroline requires focusing on
developing a competitive strategy to compete with other big companies in the market.
PART 2
P3. Marketing Mix
Marketing mix is a marketing tool which is used by companies to influence the customers
to buy their products. It involves a variety of factors that are essential for successful operations
and services like price, place, promotion, etc. of the products and services. So, the marketing mix
of Metroline is discussed as under:
Marketing mix includes 7P's which are Product, Price, Place, Promotion, People, Process
and Physical evidence.
1) Product: It involves planning for providing the product which will fit in requirement of
customers. Metroline also came up with new products such as low priced tickets, new
buses and destinations. So, it can be considered as a better move if Metroline involves
some products or services that are essential as per the current requirements and trends in
market place. Also, the company can take feedbacks from the customers that what are
their current needs and requirements, so on the basis of that, they can be able to make any
further implementations in their processing of the operations (Dibb and Simkin, 2016).
2) Price: It means good value for the money. Customer wants good quality even it is not
cheap. Metroline goes for “Value for money” which improved the quality and it resulted
5

in retaining the customers so it resulted in growth in very short term. Pricing of an
organization also means a lot. Metroline can ensure to make involvement of the pricing in
a way that it can be seen affordable enough but it is important to consider the fact here is
that along with the pricing of the products, the company should also ensure to provide a
standard quality as well. This will help Metroline to achieve a great range of popularity as
well as productivity.
3) Place: It means that product should be available at a place where it will be easily
available to customers. Metroline currently operates 99 routes, mostly for London Buses
and 2 commercial routes (routes 84 and 242) from Potters Bar Garage which serve
Hertfordshire. Metroline can also make sure to provide their services where they seem is
the requirement and people cannot have it. At such area or place, Metroline can also be
able to gain a huge amount of attraction of the people. This will in turn help company to
achieve all their objectives and goals at a fast pace.
4) Promotion: Promotion mix is used to make the customers aware about products
(Lancaster and Massingham, 2017). Whereas, Metroline came up with 2 strategies i.e.
ATL and BTL to improve the brand name and also had celebrity promotion with
following live for less promotion. Also, there are enormous number of ways by which
Metroline can make the promotion of their products and services. Some very common
and well known examples include by means of social media marketing, by
advertisements etc. So, Metroline can make sure to promote a variety of their products
and services by such means and this will help company to achieve all their objectives and
targets at a much faster rate.
5) People: People are equally important as the products and services which a company
offers are the parts of business. Bus companies go for training and development for
technical skills and providing learning about the way to be friendly to the people who are
associated with delivery whereas Metroline also provides training but recently, it
introduced new buses with high quality services. So, Metroline can make sure to involve
a variety of skilled and talented people that can help company to achieve all their targets.
6) Process: Metroline can make sure to involve some process that can be able enough to
gain the attention of people to a huge extent (Lancaster and Massingham, 2017). A very
common example of this can be considered as the fact that company can make
6

involvement of online booking facilities. It can be seen as beneficial enough as it will
help customers who do not want to go to the store because of any reasons. Also, this can
be termed as a feasible option for the customers of Metroline. Also, along with this,
Metroline can make some modifications in the pricing process as well. As they can set
the pricing in the medium range so that everyone can afford it. Making some sort of
improvements or modifications in the processing and operations can actually be an
efficient option for Metroline. Thus, it can also help them in achieving the popularity as
well as productivity at higher rates.
7) Physical Evidence: Every service has something tangible even though some of its part
paid intangible. The way functions and operations are being represented means a lot. So,
for Metroline as well, it has developed and implemented various strategies and
techniques to market its services and products. This is considered as a well strategy that
Metroline can make use of because the way of presenting the products and services to the
customers is termed as an essential factor for achieving the competitive advantage.
The consideration of 7 P's of marketing as discussed above may help Metroline to gain
competitive advantage in the market. In order to compete with big names in the industry such as
National express, it needs to focus on each and every element of the marketing mix. Effective
pricing strategies, products, promotional methods can help Metorline to attract more customers
leading to increase in sales and profitability.
P4. Marketing plan
P4. Marketing plan
A marketing plan is considered as a sort of blue print that may involve all the basic
objectives through which Metro line go through for achieving all their targets and objectives
(Robin, 2014). Also, it should be developed in a way that it can help them in achieving a
competitive advantage so that Metro line can be capable enough of competing with National
Express. There are various aspects of the marketing plan of Metro line as well and these are
discussed as below :
Goal and Aim
7

The basic goal of Metro line is to ride a variety of passengers by increasing the number of
extension lines and to satisfy the customers to a huge extent. Also, a very import aspect of the
goal is to compete with National Express in an efficient and appropriate way.
Current strategies
Currently, Metro line is dealing with the market segmentation. Market segmentation is
considered as a process in which sub divisions are being made about all the processes and
operations of the Metro line company (Bowhill, 2008). The customers are termed as the
segments, whether they are potential or the existing ones. On the basis of some specified
characteristics, Metro line has sub divided the segments in an efficient and appropriate way. But
it can be analyzed that segmentation only could not help Metro line to expand its
competitiveness, thus there might be a less possibility that they can compete with the strategies
and methods of National Express.
Marketing Mix
In terms of Products, Metro line can ensure the fact that they can involve a wide variety
of those products that seems impressive enough for the customers. In terms of Price, Metro line
can implement a medium range, which cannot be termed as either high or too low. Thus, it will
help both the customers and the company. By this way, the customers can afford the traveling
through rails (Strom, 2015). In case of Promotion, through a variety of factors, Metro line can
make sure to promote their services by different means. Whether it is through the means of
social networking websites etc., it can promote their products by such ways. For the physical
evidence, Metro line can ensure taking proper feedback's from people that what are the changes
they want so that the company can focus on that and it can further help them in achieving all
their objective and goals. This will help them to compete very efficiently with the National
Express. Ensuring a proper development in products, pricing strategy, promotions etc. can ensure
Metro line in gaining a better competitiveness to deal with the National Express.
Strategy to be involved
For succeeding in achieving all the objectives and goals of Metro line, the company has
decided to make involvement of the market penetration strategy in which the company will try to
make sure that in existing markets, they will perform the operations and try to deliver an
appropriate rate of delivery to the passengers (Dibb and Simkin, 2018). Also, it will help Metro
line to gain an efficient and increased competitive advantage to compete with all the competitors
8

in the market place, specially the National Express, who is considered as the leader of the
market.
SWOT ANALYSIS
As there are some strengths of Metroline, there are some weaknesses as well. All these
are discussed as under :
Strengths
The strength of the company is that it involves a variety of functions and specialized
factors that can help them in attracting a wide range of customers.
Weaknesses
One weak factor of this can be considered as the fact that National Express is also leading
in the market place. So, Metroline lacks in the strategies to reach to that position in the market
(Steenkamp, 2017).
Opportunities
As there is a huge competition in the market place, there are various number of ways
which Metroline can involve in order to compete with the National Express and other
competitors as well.
Threats
National Express is already a leader in the market place because it involves advanced set
of factors that can help them in reaching to that position. It can act as a threat to Metroline. So,
they can also ensure to involve proper measures.
CONCLUSION
It can be concluded from the report that there are enormous number of marketing
functions that play an important role. So, in the same way, Metroline also focuses on some of
these elements in order to gain high number of satisfied customers which can further help them
in achieving higher rate of productivity as well as popularity. All the aspects of marketing mix
have been used as well. Various strategies and techniques can be involved by Metroline in order
to compete with the other brands in the market place. Marketing plan for the same has also been
included in the report.
9

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Beller, K , Weiss, K and Patler, L., 2017. The Consistent Consumer. LTS Press.
Betz, F., 2011. Managing Technological Innovation: Competitive Advantage from Change. 3rd
ed. John Wiley & Sons.
Bowhill, B., 2008. Business Planning and Control: Integrating Accounting, Strategy, and
People. John Wiley and Sons.
Dibb, S. and Simkin, L., 2018. Marketing Planning: A Workbook for Marketing Managers.
Cengage Learning EMEA.
Evans, M, Jamal, A, and Foxall, G., 2009. Consumer Behavior. 2nd ed. Wiley.
Gilmore, A., 2013. Services Marketing and Management. SAGE.
Hooley, G, Saunders, J and Piercy, N., 2009. Marketing Startaegy and Competitive Positioning.
Prentice Hall International.
Luther, W., 2011. The Marketing Plan: How to Prepare and Implement it. AMACOM Div
American Mgmt Assn.
Robin, J. B., 2014 The Effective Use of Market Research. Kogan Page.
Strom, M., 2015. An Analysis of Customer Experience in Supermarkets. Marketing
Management.
Steenkamp, J.B., 2017. Global Marketing Mix Decisions: Global Integration, Not
Standardization. In Global Brand Strategy (pp. 75-109). Palgrave Macmillan, London.
Lancaster, G. and Massingham, L., 2017. Customer care and relationship marketing.
In Essentials of Marketing Management (pp. 270-288). Routledge.
Schlegelmilch, B.B., 2016. Global Marketing Ethics and CSR. In Global Marketing Strategy (pp.
195-220). Springer, Cham.
Dibb, S. and Simkin, L., 2016. Market segmentation and segment strategy. Markefing theory: A
student text, Sage, Los Angeles, pp.251-279.
Quinn, L., Dibb, S., Simkin, L., Canhoto, A. and Analogbei, M., 2016. Troubled waters: the
transformation of marketing in a digital world. European Journal of Marketing, 50(12),
pp.2103-2133.
Christopher, M., 2016. Logistics & supply chain management. Pearson UK.
Pike, S., 2015. Destination Marketing: Essentials. Routledge.
10

Malhotra, N.K., 2015. Essentials of marketing research: A hands-on orientation. Essex: Pearson.
Purvis, J., 2016. Human Resources Marketing and Recruiting: Essentials of Digital
Recruiting. Handbook of Human Resources Management, pp.53-71.
11