Developing a Marketing Plan for a Luxury Hotel: Marriott

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Marriott International's marketing strategies, focusing on the application of marketing principles within the hospitality industry. It begins with an introduction to marketing trends and concepts, followed by an examination of current and future marketing trends, including content marketing, security, and personalization. The report outlines different marketing processes, including mission definition, situation analysis, and marketing mix implementation. It then delves into the roles and responsibilities of marketing functions, such as market research, customer awareness, brand management, and customer relationship management, within the organizational context. The report also explores how marketing interrelates with other functional departments like sales, R&D, and finance. It analyzes the roles and responsibilities of marketing within the marketing environment, including dealing with competition and market division. The report includes a discussion of the 7Ps marketing mix and its tactical application, along with the evaluation of different tactics used by hospitality organizations to achieve business objectives. The report concludes with a basic and detailed marketing plan for a hospitality organization, incorporating measures for monitoring and evaluation to achieve overall marketing objectives. The report highlights Marriott International's specific strategies, making it a valuable resource for understanding marketing in the hospitality sector.

Correction
Unit Name: Marketing Essentials
Submitted by
1

Table of Content
Title Page Number
Introduction to the marketing trend and concept adopted by the chosen
organization
03
Current trends of marketing 04
Future trends of marketing 04
Overview of different marketing processes 05
An explanation of the role and responsibilities of a marketing functions
in the context of the organisation
06
Analysis of how marketing influences and interrelates with other
functional departments of the organisation
07
Analyze the roles and responsibilities of marketing in the context of the
marketing environment
08
Explain the different ways Hotels (hospitality organisations) use the
marketing mix(7Ps) to achieve company objectives and include the
different tactical methods used in achieving set goals
10
Evaluate different tactics applied by hospitality organizations to
demonstrate how business objectives are achieve
12
Produce a basic marketing plan for a hospitality organization to meet
marketing objectives
14
Produce a detailed, coherent, evidence-based marketing plan that applies
the marketing mix to meet marketing objectives for a hospitality
organization
17
Design a strategic marketing plan that tactically applies the use of the
7Ps and includes measures for monitoring and evaluation to achieve
overall marketing objectives
19
Conclusion 22
2

Introduction
Marriott international is the top lodging service provider company in UK. Marriott operates its
business in worldwide and provide lodging services in various segments including premium,
select and time share categories. Beside this Marriott offers residence and timeshare properties.
This report is going to develop a marketing plan for launching a brand-new luxury hotel for the
travelers. For this environmental factor of Marriott international are analyzed here and 7Ps
marketing mix has been used for the successful implementation of plan.
“Introduction to the marketing trend and concept adopted by the chosen organization.”
Marketing is the promotional activities of an organization used for the promoting of their
products or services for selling or buying. Marketing function design their activities which are
performed by the others department of the organization to achieve the design goals of the
organization.
According to Garcia (2020) marketing concept is the application of marketing data to give
concentration on the consumer needs and requirements for developing marketing strategies
which used for satisfying the consumers’ needs along with accomplishing the organization goals.
There are five concepts of marketing. These are production concept, product concept, selling
concept, marketing concept and social marketing concept.
Production concept: customer favor the products or services which are better, affordable and
accessible. This is one of the oldest marketing concepts which provide guide to the provider.
Moreover, production concept of marketing lead to the marketing myopia.
Product concept: customers need the products or services which are better, highly affordable
and accessible. Beside this the quality of the services, product performance and products features
are most important for appealing customers. Continuous improvement of the services is the
main focusing center of marketing strategies.
Selling concept: Selling concept defines that customers won’t taking the organization products
or services unless the organization take sufficient renting and promotion activities of the
services. Both products. Marriott international use different promotional strategies for their
service promotion.
3

Marketing concept: marketing concept defines that success of the hospitality organization rely
on the identification of the travelers needs and delivering the products or services according to
traveler needs better than their business competitor does for their customer.
Social marketing concept: this is the most progressive marketing concept at present which
believes on the providing back to the society by offering quality products or services. Marriott
international deliver their products and services which are good for both of the community and
community peoples.
Current trends of marketing
Content is everything: this is an effective communication way by which hospitality organization
build trust and accomplish advertising of their products or services. To engage new travelers
with the organization it is important for the organization to identify the traveler’s emotion and
the things which encourage or discourage the travelers.
Security: lodging provider organization need to assure their travelers abouts their information or
opinion. At present travelers in the European union are very conscious how hospitality
organization treat and handle their opinion or data. This information enables the business
organization to defines their customer emotion and choices and fulfil their demand.
Marketing funnel: it defines the conversion of marketing system from traditional to digital. It
also defines the journey of the travelers with the business organization. Travelers want to create a
sustainable relationship with the business organization. To create an effective relation
organization should also provide the services which contain update features and that meet their
customer requirement.
Future trends of marketing
Change in customer segment: at present traveler are more conscious and fastidious about their
choice and requirement. For this hospitality organization should develop both online and offline
promotional activities for their services to capture more customer.
Develop mobile communication: organization need to develop their mobile communication
facilities for their products or services promotion. Beside this mobile communication develops
4

organizational alignment, improve efficiency, improves staff engagement and increase
productivity.
Personalization of products and design: personalization and customization are important part of
marketing stem. It defines the modification of the products or services based on the past
customer behavior or response.
Personalized data: personalization defines the investment which make better customer
experiences. Organization should communicate with their customer in effective way to get more
information about customer choice and taste and works for meeting customer satisfaction.
“Overview of different marketing processes”
According to Dibb and Simkin (2013), marketing process is a series of activities which enables
the business organization to identify their consumer problems, analyze opportunities of the
market and develop essential marketing materials for reaching desired segment of customer.
There are five basic steps in marketing process. these are described below.
Source: Dibb and Simkin (2013),
Mission: mission is a statement which represent that why a business organization is in business
and how it can have benefited consumers (Dibb and Simkin, 2013). To enhance the lives of their
5

consumers by making and empowering fantastic get away and relaxation experience is the
mission statement of Marriott international.
Situation analysis: this is the next step of mission. situation analysis is the analysis of external
and internal factor of an organization. This analysis provides the information about the market
condition and customer patterns.
Marketing strategy: Marriott international believes that hospitality industries should focus on
the social media strategy. Marriott use twitter as a marketing flatform to solve customer queries
and to share their new service or existing services.
Marketing mix: Marriott international hotel use marketing mix for analyzing their brand or
company and this marketing analysis analyze their marketing strategy (Lim, 2018). Marketing
mix of 4Ps cover the products, price, place and promotion of Marriott international. Marriott
international hotel use 4Ps marketing mix strategy for their organizational growth and
development.
Implementation and control: this is the last steps in marketing process which determine the
designed plan launching time, implement the plan into action. It also adds allocation of the
resources in right place. It helps the organization to find out the actual results of their marketing
plan.
“An explanation of the role and responsibilities of a marketing functions in the context of the
organisation”
According to Reid and Bojanic (2009) marketing is the promotional activities of a business
organization used for the promoting of their products or services for selling or buying. Marketing
department of organization plays an important role for the growth of their organization or
company. Marketing function design their activities which are performed by the others
department of the organization to achieve the design goals of the organization. Key roles and
responsibility of marketing function of Marriott international hotel is given below.
Conducting market research: customer choose their hotel based on different factors including
location, access to road, its meeting facilities, reputation or prices of products or services. It is
6

responsibility of the marketing function to define the factors which gives the shape of hotel to
appeal the customers (Cavusgil and Riesenberger, 2009). Monitoring review on their website or
hotel booking sites to define the strength and weakness of their hotel is another responsibility of
marketing function.
Customer awareness increase: it is the role of marketing function to develop their website for
appealing customers and include up to date information about their hotel facilities and prices,
travel and location information for the new customer. Marriott develops their Post hotel details
and online booking site to reach new target audience.
Brand management: to make royal & reliable customer and brand management marketing
function gives their best effort. Brand portfolio includes all the things which are offered by the
organization in a products category. A good brand portfolio increases brand equity.
Customer relationship management: to make a stable revenue and to ensure high level of
business repeat marketing department need to develop solid relationship with the customer. A
customer program of loyalty which offers reward the customers who regularly book the hotel.
Promoting facilities: in hotel marketing developing promotions is an important part. Marriott
international hotel use promotion mix strategy for their products or services promotion. Marriott
use internal or social media flatform for their promotion. It also develops its website which gives
clear information about their products or services, price and position.
“Analysis of how marketing influences and interrelates with other functional departments of the
organisation”
According to Garcia (2020) marketing is the promotional activities of a business organization
used for the promoting of their products or services for selling or buying. Promotional activities
increase customer’s numbers and attach more consumer with the organization. Thus, sales and
revenue of the business organization is increase and it’s also develops brand image of the
organization. Marketing function interrelates with the several functional units of the organization
including sales unit, finance unit, research & development unit and customer service unit. All of
this units works together to achieve a sustainable organization goal. Interrelationship and
influence on several functional units of the organization is described below.
7

Sales unit and Marketing
Marketing department of Marriott internationals develops sales forecast for the company and
sales department design sales strategies to achieve those goals. Marketing department of Marriott
internationals develops long term strategy and sales department split those strategies in small
segments to achieve ultimate goals. Marketing department of Marriott internationals makes a
solid bond with their customers and assist the organization to gain their business goals and gain
customers loyalty. In Marriott organization sales department provides information to the
marketing department to set product pricing
Research and development department
R & D unit and marketing unit works together for expanding their business in new territory.
Marriott international develops and build their new hotel in a place which is highly accessible
and affordable for their customer.
Finance department
8

Relationship and coordination between marketing unit and finance unit is important for operating
activities accordingly. Financial unit provides financial support and helps the organization to
relay on the track. Beside this marketing department requires sufficient financial support to run
the organization properly.
“Analyze the roles and responsibilities of marketing in the context of the marketing
environment.”
According to Varadarajan, Jayachandran and Malhotra (2018), An innovative marketing strategy
is important for the hospitality industry to building a brand, appealing new customers and
maintaining with of the consumer. These marketing activities includes printing and digital
collateral which is used to target former guests and attracting new consumers. Due to complex
marketing condition different organization use different marketing strategy. Marketing
department coordinate with others functional department of the organization for offering quality
goods to their consumers and to retain their position in market. In the context of marketing
environment roles and responsibility of marketing function for Marriott international hotel is
given below.
Dealing with competition: Marriott international has several strong market competitors
including Four season, Hilton worldwide and Hyatt hotels etc. it is a global operator and has
9

timeshare properties. For dealing with the competition Marriott need to conduct several activities
which are given below.
Research market division: advertising officer divide marketplace to meet the requirement
appropriately and to gain organization core business goals. Information about the customer’s
choice helps the organization to meet their consumer request.
Environment monitoring: promoting situation increases the requirement for respective
advertising officers to analyze the existing variables present in the outside of the environment
which influence the advertising activities of Marriott international hotel.
“Explain the different ways Hotels (hospitality organisations) use the marketing mix(7Ps) to
achieve company objectives and include the different tactical methods used in achieving set
goals”
According to Palmer (2012) the hospitality industry is a large category of inside the
administration business that incorporates housing, food and drinks facilities, occasion arranging,
amusement parks, and transportation. It incorporates hotel and restaurants.
According to Bowie et all (2016) marketing mix a set of tactics used by the business organization
to promote their brands or services. 7Ps marketing mix comprised by seven vital mix elements
including product, place, promotion, price, packaging, people and politics.
Comparison between Marriott international and Hilton hospitality industry about their marketing
mix strategy.
Elements Marriott international Hilton
Products Marriott international provides
lodging services in various segments
including premium, select and time
share categories. Beside this Marriott
offers residence and timeshare
Hilton provide lodging facilities to
the customer.
10

properties
Place Marriott is a location specific
organization. Maximum of its hotels
are near to the airport, highways and
near to the central market
Hilton hotels are near to the airport,
highways and near to the central
market.
Promotion Marriott focused on the digital
promotion system for their promotion
and advertising strategy
Hilton use promotion mix strategy
for their hotel promotion. Its also
use pubic relation, personal selling
and advertising strategy.
Price Marriott is offering quality products at
the right price. Marriott use demand
and supply pricing strategy for their
products or service pricing. Beside
this Marriott follow competitive
pricing strategy.
Hilton use midscale to luxury
pricing strategy to their customers.
People Sales team of Marriott play a
important role for customer
engagement and retention. Peoples
involved in the customer service
department conduct with the
customers and resolve their issues.
Hilton has 69000 workers and
maintain excellence work
environment for their people. It also
offered several benefits to their
people.
Process Marriott international ensure the
products availability in their stores. It
also provides online delivery service
Hilton provides website or app
facilities to the customers can book
11

to their customer their hotels.
Physical
evidence
physical evidence of Marriott
international represents their
properties and amenities.
Bills is the physical evidence of
Hilton hotel.
“Evaluate different tactics applied by hospitality organizations to demonstrate how business
objectives are achieve”
According to Bowie and Buttle (2013) defining and application of effective strategy is
important for the hospitality organization to gain business goals. To perform
organizational activities effectively organization could follow several techniques for
achieving business goal.
Senior managers: According to Lindell (2016) senior manager basically define the goals
and objectives of the organization according to their planning process. They show the
direction and implement the strategy and maintain communication & coordination with all
other units of the organization and analyze the functional activities to achieve their set
goals.
People: skilled and innovative peoples are the asset for the organization. They contribute
effectively and gives their best effort for successful functioning of the industry. hospitality
Organization like Marriott use several tactics to encourage their employee and offer proper
training facilities to their stuff. This facility enables the employee to know and works for
achieving the organizational set goal.
Group: General business and joint ventures have different specific business objectives.
Joint ventures could help each other to use formal methodology. This helps the
organization to reach their desired destination. For launching new services or hotel
Marriott should works with joint venture to use their methodology.
12