Marketing Report: Evaluating Marketing Plans for Mark & Spencer

This report provides a detailed analysis of marketing functions, responsibilities, and their interrelationships within an organization, using Mark & Spencer as a case study. It examines the key roles of marketing, including promotional activities, planning, customer relationship building, financial considerations, and the use of marketing information systems. The report further explores the connections between the marketing department and other departments, such as human resources, finance, research, and sales. Additionally, it delves into the application of the marketing mix (product, price, promotion, place, physical evidence, people, and process) in the planning process to achieve business goals and objectives, comparing Mark & Spencer to its competitor, Tesco. Finally, the report evaluates a basis marketing plan for an organization, providing insights into strategic marketing practices.

Marketing
Essential

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1 key roles and responsibilities of marketing function............................................................1
P2 Roles and responsibilities of marketing related to wider organisation context.....................2
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
P3 Application of marketing mix in planning process to achieve goals and objectives.............4
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................7
P4 Evaluating a basis marketing plan for an organisation.........................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION
In toady's era, marketing refers to the activities undertaken by many organisation in
promoting, buying and selling of product and services in competitive market place. Basically, it
is a management process through which goods and services move from the origin to
customers(Baker, 2016). It includes identification of product and services, determining demand,
deciding pricing strategy as well as selecting appropriate distribution channels. In this report an
organisation chosen is Mark & Spencer, a British Multinational retailer headquarter in London.
It is specialized in selling clothes, home products and services as well as luxury food items at
world wide. This report is going to analyse key roles and responsibilities of marketing function
and its interrelationship with other department of organisation. Moreover, adopting marketing
mix and planning process as well as evaluating marketing plan for an organisation in order to
achieve business objectives in competitive market place.
TASK 1
P1 key roles and responsibilities of marketing function
In today's context, marketing is an activity that consist of buying and selling of goods
and services. Its main objective is to create awareness about product and services in competitive
marketplace. Marketing help an organisation to increase its growth and success by identifying
the current and future trends as per need and demand of consumer (Beck and Reichert,
2012).Moreover, with the adoption of effective marketing strategy, mangers of Mark & Spencer
are able to increase their sales in competitive market place of same industry line. The roles and
responsibilities of marketing function are determined below:
Promotional function: In marketing context, promotional function helps in creating an
image in customer's mind regarding product and services. Herein, mangers of Mark & Spencer
are conducting various promotional activities in order to create awareness of their product and
services. Thus, it is role of marketing department to adopt various promotional activities in order
to have appropriate market share in same product line.
Planning function: In an organisation, plans are formulated in advance so that
objectives can be attain in future . Their are various types of plans which involves both long and
short term planning activities by focusing on certain aspect. Herein, manger of Mark & Spencer
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need to plan about introducing new concept in their offerings with the adoption of advance tools
and techniques so that they can meet up their current and future desired gaols.
Building customer's relationship: It is one of the main role of a marketing function to
build up strong relationship with their customer's so that an organisation can attained
sustainability for longer period of time (Biggemann, 2012).Additionally, mangers of Mark &
Spencer are able to build up strong relationship with their customers by satisfying them with
appropriate offerings as per their need and wants. Basically, they are focusing on customer's
services, listing to their feedbacks and accordingly making efforts to overcome such issues in an
effective manner.
Marketing information system(MIS): Marketing information system help an
organisation to maintain records of data and information of their product and customers in an
accurate manner (Davis, 2017). Mangers of Mark & Spencer are evaluating marketing
information system so that they can maintain records of their product as well as customer's data.
Moreover, it is acquired by an organisation in knowing viewpoints of their potential customer's
so that according they can serve their customer's.
From the above discussion it has been identified that marketing function play's several
role and responsibilities in operating business. Moreover, mangers of a respective organisation
make sure that all the function are carried out in an effective and expeditious manner so that
gaols and objectives can be attain within stipulated framework of time.
P2 Roles and responsibilities of marketing related to wider organisation context
In an organisation, marketing is an essential department that play's an equivalent role
while carrying out the roles and responsibilities of business in an effective manner. The
marketing department of an organisation is connected with each department with an organisation
in performing business operation and activities. Herein, marketing function help in creating
strong relationship between a particular company and external environment. Herein, the roles
and responsibilities of marketing department are interrelate with each other which are determined
below:
Marketing and human resource department: In an organisation, human resource
department plays and important role as it is responsible for hiring, selecting and recruiting a right
candidate for an organisation (Finch, Nadeau and O’Reilly, 2013). Herein, both marketing and
human resource of Mark& Spencer are interlinked with each other such as with appropriate
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candidate with excellent skills and knowledge, an organisation can focus on growth of sales and
profit. Thus, both are essential for attracting right candidates that work towards goals of an
organisation.
Marketing with finance department: Within an organisation, marketing department
cannot perform its roles and responsibilities without finance department as fund is needed for
performing marketing activities. Herein, the finance and marketing department of Mark &
Spencer are connected with each other such with appropriate allocation of fund marketing
department can conduct survey and research for a particular product. Moreover, fund are need to
create promotional activities in order to attract larger number of customer's. Thus, both
department are interrelated with each other in attaining goals and objectives of an organisation.
Marketing with research department: In an organisation, marketing research includes
monitoring and evaluating market very keenly in order to know the taste and preference of
consumer. Research and marketing department of Mark & Spencer are connected with each
other as it is essential to understand the needs and wants of customer's so that they can attain the
desired target market group. Hence both are interrelated with each other in performing their
roles and responsibilities so that an effective output can be created within a stipulated period of
time.
Marketing with sales department: In an organisation, sales department is responsible to
maximise sales so that profits can be increased. Herein, sales department of Mark & Spencer
need to identify what factors are helping in increasing demand of a particular product rapidly so
that high efforts can be done for increasing sales.. Thus, both the department are interrelated with
each other so that they can capture more market share in competitive market place.
Thus, from the above discussion it has been determined that marketing department is
interrelate with other departments so that an organisation's predefined goals and objectives can
be accomplished within a stipulated framework of time.
TASK 2
P3 Application of marketing mix in planning process to achieve goals and objectives
Marketing mix is a strategy which a company uses to formulate product or services
offering for its customers (FISK, 2013). It is the source through which mangers can ensure
business growth and profitability in competitive market place. It consist of 7 components that are
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product, price, promotion, place, physical evidence, people and process. The main competitor of
Mark & Spencer is TESCO and comparison between both the companies are determined below:
Elements of Marketing Mix Mark & Spencer OXFAM
Product Mark & Spencer is one of the
popular brand in clothing,
home product and luxury food
items.
Where as Oxfam refers to
brand of charity services that
maintain poor people and
solution to people who are
related with injustice. Its
products are donation,
voluntary to improve lives of
less fortunate.
Price Mark & Spencer are following
competitive pricing strategy in
its marketing portfolio. They
are following this strategies as
customer's have many option
to choose in variety of products
and services in order to
increase competition.
Moreover, they are also
following dynamic pricing
strategy during season as it
offers more discount on
products in order to attract
large number of customer's.
Where as Oxfam are offering
its product and services free to
is target market . It is one of
the fair strategy as it dose not
deal with quality driven
customer's. Moreover, they
can adopt pricing strategy that
compromise setting prices on
products according to
customer's perception.
Place Mark & Spencer is one of the
international brand at
worldwide. They are operating
in more that 50 countries.
Herein, they have formulated
Herein, Oxfam are delivering
its product and services
through worldwide. Moreover,
it is essential for them to
improve their agency in other
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their website from where a
customer can buy their
necessary products and get
home delivery.
countries in order to improve
access towards poor and needy
people.
Promotion Herein, Mark & Spencer are
carefully align with
advertisement campaign with
digital marketing and in store
marketing. Along with this
they are promoting its seasonal
sale to its loyal customers by
giving them attractive discount.
Herein, Oxfam are one of the
leading charitable organisation
who usually advertise in
charity NGOs industry. It
promotes its product and
services through newspaper,
television and magazines.
They are involving in
marketing campaign in social
media by posting their product
picture.
Physical evidence Mark & Spencer are selling
their product at wider range of
offerings from accessories,
gifts and luxury food items.
Moreover, they have got their
own website from where
customer's can do shopping
when ever they feel it.
Herein, its product and
donation activities are found
of organisation websites which
help people living in poverty
and treated with justice.
Process Mark & Spencer stores are
beautiful and properly
organised as compared to other
retailing store. Moreover, there
store are designed in such a
manner that customers can
select their stuff with check
Oxfam services are delivered
to poverty and justice victims
through affiliates located in
different countries. The firm
need to improve its processes
by creating more
communicating platforms for
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out counter where they can pay
their bills easily.
general people in order to
make delivery process much
easier.
People For Mark & Spencer its
employees are its strength as
they pay special attention
towards its employee and staff
members. Apart from this they
also reward to their employees
on their best performance in
order to boos up their
performance level. Along with
this they also provide certain
benefits such as life insurance
scheme, health insurance
scheme for its employees.
Additionally, they are also
providing flexible working
hours in order to support to
working parents or who wants
to build career elsewhere .
Oxfam are creating
importance of correct people
in right place in order to
support people. Moreover, it
requires more innovation in
developing solution
accordingly with preference of
victims according to culture
and community values.
As per the above comparison it has been examine that both the organisation have its own
operating criteria. With the adoption of marketing mix and effective marketing strategies, Marks
& Spencer is able to attain sustainability for longer duration of time. Thus, in this way an
organisation can attain market share and increase its productivity and profitability in competitive
market place of same product line.
TASK 3
P4 Evaluating a basis marketing plan for an organisation
Marketing plan is basically a framework that outline marketing strategies for new product
and services. It is essential to be implement within stipulated time period which involves action
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plan, cost and target segment (Huotar and Hamari, 2012). Herein, the mangers of Mark &
Spencer are responsible to make effective marketing plan so that need of customer's can be
acquire in an appropriate manner. Herein, Mark & Spencer can come up with new product that is
traditional wear in competitive market place. For such purpose they need to focus on market
where they want to come up with its new product.
Vision and Mission: To offer best quality of traditional clothes as per norms and
traditional of a particular country.
Core values: To satisfy the desire of customer by providing superior quality of product
and services.
Objectives: It main objectives is to attain high market share by providing better quality
of product and services in order to attain maximum profits. Moreover, its smart objective is to
increase market share by 20% in next 2 years with availability of its offerings in competitive
market place.
Strategic action: The strategy of Mark & Spencer is provide premium quality of product
and services with tradition clothes in Indian market Thus, it will create huge opportunities for an
organisation in order to beat to competition in marketplace.
Market analysis: Herein, an organisation need to focus on market place where they are
launching their product. As people of India are more concern about traditional wear as per
different culture and occasion. Thus, it will help Mark & Spencer to attain huge market share in
competitive marketplace.
Marketing budget: Budget allocation is essential for completion of project within
stipulated period of time.
Particulars Amount(£)
R&D 12000
Promotions 5000
Online marketing 3000
Total 20000
Segmentation: Segmentation help an organisation to divide its market place so that they
can target specific area so that profit can be maximised. Herein, manger of Mark & Spencer are
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segmentation its product and services as per need and want of customers on the basis of festival
or occasion. Such as now new year eve as well as on other function as per the taste of customers.
Targeting: The organisation is targeting young youth who are looking towards attractive
and comfortable design in traditional wear as per their taste and preference.
Positioning: Herein, Mark & Spencer is creating an unique brand image of its product
and services in mind of customer's. Firm is creating unique selling preposition by offering
premium quality of product and services with equivalent pricing strategy. Thus, in this way,
company can maximise its sales in competitive market place.
CONCLUSION
From the above discussion it has been concluded that marketing plays an effective role
for an organisation to attain sustainability for longer period of time. In an organisation, there are
various roles and responsibilities of marketing function that help it to attain its targets
effectively. Moreover, marketing department is connected with other departments so that it can
accomplish predefined goals and objectives within stipulated frame work to time. Eventually,
with the help of marketing mix, respective organisation is able to maintain themselves within
dynamic environment. Furthermore, effective marketing plan helps an organisation to promote
its product effectively in market and satisfy needs and wants of customers.
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Marketing Mix. 2019. [Online]. Available Through:
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