Comprehensive Marketing Plan for Marks and Spencer (M&S) Analysis

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the marketing plan for Marks and Spencer (M&S). It begins with an introduction to marketing planning, followed by an examination of key aspects such as changing perspectives, organizational capabilities, and techniques for organizational auditing, including a PESTEL and SWOT analysis. The report then identifies and assesses the main barriers to marketing planning faced by M&S and suggests ideas to overcome these challenges. A full marketing plan is developed, outlining objectives, strategies, and the importance of marketing planning, including product development techniques and recommendations for plan approval. Furthermore, the report discusses factors affecting plan implementation and ethical considerations. The report concludes with recommendations to improve M&S's market presence, sales, brand value, and customer satisfaction.

MARKETING PLANNING

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................5
TASK 1 KEY ASPECTS OF MARKETING PLANNING PROCESS..........................................6
1.1 Changing perspective in marketing planning........................................................................6
1.2 Organizational capabilities for planning future marketing activities....................................6
1.3 Techniques for organizational auditing.................................................................................7
1.4 Internal factors for marketing planning.................................................................................8
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................9
2.1 Explain and assess the main barriers to marketing planning faced by your organisation and
explain ideas to overcome each barrier for marketing planning..................................................9
TASK 3 MARKETING PLANNING...........................................................................................14
3.1 Full marketing plan..............................................................................................................14
3.2 Importance of marketing planning.......................................................................................18
3.3 Product development and techniques..................................................................................19
3.4 Recommendations for approval of marketing plan.............................................................20
3.5 Factors that affect the implementation of plan....................................................................21
TASK 4 ESSAY............................................................................................................................22
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................23
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................24

LIST OF TABLE
Table 1 SWOT analysis for M&S...................................................................................................8

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Company logo..................................................................................................................5
Figure 2: Marketing mix................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Marketing planning is a comprehensive blueprint that helps to outline organizational
marketing efforts. Marketing process can be realized by the marketing mix that used according to
conditions of business environment. Marketing plan is generally based on the emerging trends
and impact o f internal and external factors that have significant impact on the planning. The
present report will provide the information about the changing perspective of that marketing
planning and evaluate the organizational capabilities for planning the activities as well as analyze
the impact of external factors that affects the planning of Marks and Spencer (M&S). This is
British multinational retailer headquartered in the City of Westminster, London. Organization
has specialization in the selling of cloth, home products and luxury food products. M&S is public
limited company that operating the business in world wide area with more than 84000
employees. The report will develop the market plan and analyze the essential elements of
marketing planning process. Moreover, it discuss the factors that affect the implementation of
marketing plan as well as explain the ethical issues that requires to be consider for implementing
the marketing plan to achieve the objective. Implementation of proposed marketing plan will
help to encourage the performance of organization in target market.
Figure 1: Company logo
(Source: About Mark and Spencer, 2016)
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TASK 1 KEY ASPECTS OF MARKETING PLANNING PROCESS
1.1 Changing perspective in marketing planning
According to the current scenario of the business environment, marketing is the critical
element that has a direct impact on the business operation, branding and positioning of the
organization. Marketing is a process that influences the brand value and target customer group
decisions. M&S is one of the leading brands in the British market of retail. However the
marketing plan of organization is working effectively to create the awareness but the changes in
the process of marketing planning are influencing the global approach (Ellsworth and Ellsworth,
2012). The changes in the global advertising and planning like the use of digital and internet
services, endorsement, sponsorship and promotional pricing have significant impact on the
planning of marketing. The changing perspective in the global marketing process is leading the
strategically changes in the marketing process. Apart from that use of 4 P’s in the global scenario
has adopted additional elements like features, benefits, packaging, and branding.
The top management of the organization has to anticipate the changes according to the global
market to sustain the market position as well achieve the objectives. In addition to this,
marketing planning has rejected the traditional approach and using the Push and Pull strategy to
influence the decision of customers. This perspective is focused on creating the ways for the
customer to provide the feedback and participate in marketing planning. For example, M&S is
collecting the feedback from customers by conducting a survey or through the website to
anticipate the changes. This kind of approach is beneficial for an organization to analyze the
changes in the global marketing process as well perform the situational analysis to evaluate the
changes in the perspective of marketing (Fjell, 2009). This process involves the customer
perception, emerging trends, technological and social development and the vision of M&S.
These are major changes in current marketing trends that have positive and negative both impact
on the marketing planning of the organization.
1.2 Organizational capabilities for planning future marketing activities
The role of the manager is to analyze the current conditions and effectiveness of
resources to plan the future strategy for marketing. Being a marketing manager of M&S,
evaluation of existing capabilities is essential to make changes and craft improvement in
advertising activities. According to evaluation, the major strength of the organization is human
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resource, financial planning and use of external marketing sources. M&S is having skilled and
knowledgeable human resources that offering the quality services and helping the management
to identify the issues and opportunities to craft further improvement. For planning the future
marketing activities it is important for management to conduct the market research to analyze the
cost of marketing activities (Fjell, 2010). However the M&S has strong financial conditions but
the changes in the marketing perspectives are necessary to analyze.
According to the analysis of organizational capabilities, it is been carried out that M&S has
good human, financial power and information for developing the marketing plan. In spite of that
organization have to work on the market research to understand the emerging trends of
marketing, new perceptions of customer and issues that affecting the sales. By working on these
issues the organization would able to plan the future strategy more professional manners.
Moreover, training of staff members is also lacking that required to improve for encouraging the
internal capabilities. M&S need to increase information resources for planning the marketing
activities by using the data of past as well new trends in the market (Fritz, 2013). This kind of
approach is required for planning the internal operations and external activities for advertising.
1.3 Techniques for organizational auditing
There are different techniques and tools that can be used for analyzing the current level of
operation and identified the issues that affecting the process of the company. The management of
M&S would use the PESTEL analysis for external audit. Following is the PESTLE analysis of
M&S:
 Political factors: The current political environment of UK is stable and positive towards
the business organizations. The government is offering support to business organizations
by providing access to resources. Political changes are not having the much impact on the
business and marketing of M&S.
 Economical: This is one important external issue that has major impact on the operational
and market performance of the organization. According to analysis, the marketing
activity of M&S has highly depended on the tax and currency exchange rate. The current
conditions of the economy are not much in favour of consumers which has a direct
impact on the sales of the company.
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 Social: The social conditions of target market of M&S are as usual which is encouraging
the market planning (Anderson. et.al. 2009). Organization is using the needs and
requirements of customer groups for managing the resources and develop marketing plan
that influence the decision.
 Technological: This is one area where M&S has to work on to improve the marketing and
promotional activities. Organization is not using the digital marketing that hindering the
process of marketing. For improvement organization has to implement the online system
for offering information and collecting the views of customer or other stakeholder
regarding the marketing.
 Environmental: For retail organization, waste management and development of eco-
friendly products and services is essential. Management requires involving the
environmental development issues in marketing that will help to encourage more trust in
people as a brand. This kind of approach will influence the marketing process of M&S.
 Legal: According to analysis, ethical and legal regulations have significant impact on the
marketing of M&S. The organization is following code of conduct but a change in the
global marketing approach has affected the existing plan (Arbelaez. et.al. 2011). M&S
has the review process and consider the new marketing rules to develop more
professional approach in advertising.
In order to make effective results following auditing tools can be used at workplace of
M&S:
Inspection
In this element, the chosen company need to analysis business performances
through verifying different documents. It is analysis documents and many other records
to ascertain effective results and performances. It assists to ensure that transactions of
M&S are authorized.
Observation
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Auditor also observe particular procedure which carried by the firm. In this way,
they are analysis internal control measures that are adopted in the transactions which
ascertain cash, procedure and issue of material, etc.
Inquiry and confirmation
Inquiry and confirmation are two different parameter which taken by the company
to analysis their reports and outcomes in systematic way. It assists to take reliable
information which related to the business functions. In addition to this, confirmation
information available with records of the business which M&S analysis as inquiry. It will
create profitability and outcomes
1.4 Internal factors for marketing planning
SWOT analysis of M&S
Table 1 SWOT analysis for M&S
Strength Weakness
 High reorganization of brand
 Wide range of products
 Large market area
 Legal and ethical approach
 Effective use of resources
 Less use of advance technology
 Lack of market research
 Lacking in collecting the feedback
 Poor communication
 Manual working (Cachon and
Swinney, 2014)
Opportunities Threat
 Online market
 Joint venture with e-commerce site
 Marketing through social media
 Launch of new stores
 High competition
 Changes in the needs
 Entry of e-business sites
 More taxes
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 Implementation of global marketing
approach
 Strict legal regulations
When the company create marketing plan, there are various internal factors which create
impact on respond to outside factors. Understanding these elements require perform effective
functions and operations require for effective product mix and services introducing in market. It
includes following elements:
Product development
Competition within the market add various features and outcomes that introduce products
within the market. In this way, target demographic groups and new technology take place which
create effective results and performances within the business environment of M&S. With the
help of SWOT analysis, products and services can be determines ahead from competition.
Price
Price has ultimate control on which price that demonstrate competitors and low elements
which need to be ascertain for maintains business profits. It creates major impact on benefits
which ascertain uniqueness at workplace.
Distribution
In this aspect, products are critical maximize sales volume and profits at workplace. In
this way, M&S need to choose right distribution channel through performing SWOT analysis
within the company. It will assist to monitor performance and provide training and advice at
workplace.
Communication
Marketing team is also responsible to make effective communication and results as per
the business requirement. In this way, they have to concentrate on providing training and
development programs to each employee at M&S. As results, return on investment can tracking
the results which determines via coupons, website statistics and sales report.
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TASK 2
2.1 Explain and assess the main barriers to marketing planning faced by your organisation and
explain ideas to overcome each barrier for marketing planning.
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