Marketing Essentials: Roles, Responsibilities, and Planning Report

This report delves into the essential roles and responsibilities of a marketing function within an organization, using Wilkinson, a British retailer, as a case study. It explores how the marketing department contributes to achieving business objectives by understanding customer needs, tracking market trends, monitoring competition, and building brand values. The report outlines the marketing team's functions, including coordination with partners, innovation, and budget management, and highlights how marketing relates to the wider organizational context, such as finance, HR, and operations. It also examines the marketing mix and the importance of a well-defined marketing plan for business success. The analysis covers topics like customer understanding, competitive analysis, and brand building, emphasizing how these elements drive sales, enhance brand awareness, and contribute to overall business growth and economic development.

Marketing Essentials

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
LO1..................................................................................................................................................1
P1 Key roles and responsibility of marketing function...............................................................1
P2 Roles and responsibility of marketing relate to wider organizational context.......................4
M1...............................................................................................................................................5
M2...............................................................................................................................................6
D1................................................................................................................................................6
LO2..................................................................................................................................................6
P3 Usage of marketing mix while planning process to achieve business objectives .................6
M3...............................................................................................................................................8
LO3..................................................................................................................................................8
P4 Marketing plan.......................................................................................................................8
M4.............................................................................................................................................10
D2..............................................................................................................................................10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Marketing is a study of exchanging relationships and it is a set of processes which are
used by an enterprise to promote their product in the marketplace. Main motive of marketing
activities is to fulfil the desired demand of customers by considering their tastes and preferences.
Wilkinson is a British store that is famous for its housewares and household products which were
found in the year 1930 by James Kemsey Wilkinson. This report is mainly segregated into three
parts for explaining the roles and responsibilities of promotional team towards success of an
organization. In addition, it highlights the functions of marketing towards enterprise by making
effective or impressive plan which is used by company while promoting their goods and
services. Therefore, this assignment is all about essential role of marketing activities in attaining
objectives and targets of organization.
LO1
P1. Key roles and responsibilities of marketing function
Marketing department plays an eminent role in exchange of goods and services in the
marketplace as well as helpful in achieving vision and mission of a company. Basically, they
perform number of functions to fulfil their roles and obligations towards development of
organization (Aad and et. al., 2012). Wilkinson is an enterprise which sells housewares and all
the household products. Therefore, it is essential for them to throw light on their marketing
function so that they can easily capture the minds of domestic as well as foreign clients. Apart
from this, major purpose of marketing department is to support whole organization while
establishing their goodwill in international market. Along with this, marketing sphere of
Wilkinson accomplishes number of roles and responsibilities which are stated as follows:-

Illustration 1: Roles and responsibilities of marketing department
(Source: Roles and responsibilities of marketing department, 2017) Understanding customer’s needs: - For preparing a marketing strategies, it is very
indispensable to create a friendly relations with different consumers for understanding the
taste and preferences (Al-Hasan, Thomas and Mansour, 2011). One of a major tool for
understanding the requirement of society is to plan feedback process by which marketing
department of Wilkinson get updates about demands of their desired consumers. Tracking recent trends: - Another role which is played by marketing team is to track the
recent trends available at a marketplace so that they can manufacture or design their
household products on the basis of customer choice. This method is very much beneficial
for organization because by knowing the available trends they can easily shape their
products for seeking the attention of maximum clients. From this, customer satisfaction
can also be achieved (Babin and Zikmund, 2015). Monitoring and reviewing competition: - According to this, they are also liable for
monitoring strategies or schemes used by competitors of Wilkinson because it influence
their products. Apart from this, assessment of rivalries is essential for understanding
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strategies of competitors which must be considered by cited company while designing
their products. Work and transmit brand values: - Basically, brand is a representation of a company
which shows image of an organization as well as customer loyalty towards their goods
and services (Baines, Fill and Page, 2013). In fact, sales manager is responsible for
creating awareness of brand in whole society by adopting various impressive techniques
of a promotion. Coordination with marketing partners: - Healthy relations with marketing partners and
shareholders is helpful in generating maximum revenue by expanding are of operations of
company across national boundaries. Therefore, head of the marketing department is
trying to create a mutual understanding between partners and every shareholder because
they all act as a very indispensable part of a company. Innovation: - Manager of a marketing department is responsible to bring new and
innovative ideas of promoting products at a marketplace (Baker and Saren, 2016). Main
reason behind introduction of different thoughts is to seek an attention of customers by
fulfilling their demand as well as to establish their position in different markets. Interaction with whole enterprise: - An organization is a chain or cluster of individuals
pursuing a similar objectives. Therefore, it is essential for them to communicate with
overall enterprise for creating a mutual understanding between every department of
Wilkinson (Banerjee, 2013). Improvement in sales process: - Sales manager is liable for enhancing the process of
sales so that they can maximize their profit by increasing sales. It means they are trying
to come up with different ideas of improvement for example implementing marketing
campaign, develop the skills of sales executive, create impressive strategies etc. Managing marketing budgets: - One of mandatory role which is played by manager of
marketing department is to make or estimate accurate budget for overall promotional
programmes because it helps them in minimizing their losses. Planning of budget is an
essential part for Wilkinson due to its benefits and advantages (Beatty and Samuelson,
2014).
 Calculation of ROI: - For maximizing profit of an endeavour sales manager of an
enterprise trying to calculate maximum return on investment for achieving break-even
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point. It means they are responsible for generating maximum revenue with the help of
break-even analysis.
Instead of all the above roles and responsibility of a marketing department one of
essential obligations is that they need to define their strategy of marketing plans and policies
which is adopted by Wilkinson for promoting their products across national boundaries
(Braslow, 2015).
P2. Roles and responsibilities of marketing in relation to wider organizational context
Marketing department of Wilkinson is responsible for development of whole organization
as well as upliftment of entire society. It means sales manager is liable for generating maximum
revenue by increasing their sales with the help of impressive strategies for promoting goods and
services across national boundaries (Caporaso, and et. al., 2010). Basically directly and indirectly
success of an enterprise is depending upon plans and policies of marketing department. Along
with this, all the other department is depending upon of marketing activities. Therefore basic
roles and responsibilities for marketing sector related with organization is mentioned below: - Estimate budget: - One of a major obligation of this department is to figure out the future
cost for preparing appropriate plans and strategies. In fact, it is very useful for
organization because estimation of budget helps in identifying hidden revenues and loss
of a company. Wilkinson is an organization which required this computation process
because they sell daily usable products. Therefore, sales manager implemented this
process for accurate determination of capital (Chamorro-Mera, Miranda and Rubio,
2014). Establishment of goodwill: - Another duty of department is to support and assist
company towards enhancement of their product and force them to create durable
commodity which may attract number of clients. Therefore, if sales manager gets
succeeded in seeking attention of domestic as well as foreign customers then they can
easily set up their goodwill at a marketplace by fulfilling demands of desired customers
in a given time frame (Clow and James, 2013). Attainment of vision and mission: - According to this responsibility marketing function
support an organization in achieving their long term and short term objectives by making
effective schemes. In other words, promotional tools aids an enterprise towards their
development and growth with introduction of different ideas and thoughts.
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 Defend organization from close substitutes: - One of major responsibility of selling
department is to prevent enterprise from products of their competitors or close substitutes
because goods offered by rivals influence sales of a company (Cohen and et. al., 2010).
Thus manager of marketing is trying to guide production department towards
enhancement of their product by using qualitative raw materials, attractive designing etc.
It means that finance, marketing, production departments are interlinked with each other.
Therefore, development in single sector means overall growth of an organization. Expansion of business: - Expansion of a company is not an easy task because it requires
suggestion of specialist as well as manager of every department because they all are
interdependent upon each other. Thus marketing department of enterprise act as a useful
tool in attaining objectives of a company by supporting them during expansion process
(Cua, Reames and Chai, 2013). Conduct market research: - Marketing department also conduct investigation
programmes for acquiring relevant facts and figures which is used by employees while
performing their job role. Main reason behind research sessions is to gather essential
information and data used by enterprise for manufacturing attractive products different
from their competitors.
 Developed economy: - Growth in overall company automatically develop economy of a
nation by increasing employment opportunities at a marketplace. In fact expansion in a
company provides chances to many unemployed people to raise their standard of living
which affect economy of a nation.
Furthermore, marketing department perform major roles and responsibilities towards
different sectors which are explained as follows:- Research and development:- According to this factor commercial team plays a very
eminent role towards gathering of information by conducting various impressive
campaigning. In fact marketing department act as a promotional tool for entire
organization and helps them in acquiring relevant facts and figures.
 Human resource:- Marketing team help HR department by conducting advertisement
for recruiting and selecting best candidates so that they can appoint talented employees
to fill their vacant position. First and foremost role of a personnel manger is to assign
right person at a right job as per their skills and eligibility.
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Apart from all the above functions marketing department of a Wilkinson plays a very
eminent role in attaining long term vision of an enterprise by considering relevant facts and
figures (Dioko, 2016). Therefore it has been understood that success of a company is mainly
based on selling department because final process is executed by them only which means sales
executive is responsible for transferring goods and services from manufacturer to consumer. Last
but not the least every organization is establish just to earn maximum profit by satisfying needs
and demands of customers which is attained with the help of marketing sections.
Instead of all this above marketing is fully related with other functions of Wilkinson due
to its influence on other factors as well as interrelation with them which is stated as follows:-
 Finance :- According to this, fund is provided by accounting department which means
marketing team acquire capital from financial department for accomplishing their long
term and short term mission. As capital is a backbone for every organization either small
and large.
 HR:- Marketing plays a very eminent role in human resource department because they
are liable to conduct advertisement for recruiting best candidates to fill the vacant
position of a company. It means sales manager is liable to promote vacancy at
marketplace for seeking the attention of a number of individuals.
 Operational department:- After manufacturing attractive products marketing section is
responsible to transfers commodity to end user with the use of different techniques of
distribution.
M1
Marketing function plays a major role in developing a commercialism environment by
performing all the task and activities in a proper manner. In fact department of selling tries to
distribute goods and services at right person at right time (Harris, Schwartz and Brownell, 2010).
Basically they have few major roles and responsibilities towards environment which is
highlighted below:-
 Creates brand awareness.
 Understand the taste and preferences of different customers.
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 Analyse the strategies of competitors.
 Developed economy of a nation by raising the living standard of a society with the
introduction of new ideas.
 Introduction of innovative products.
 Emerging with different ideas.
 Create employment opportunities for unemployed individuals so that they can live their
livelihood in a better way which resulted in a upliftment of overall nation.
M2
Wilkinson is a very famous organization performing number of task and activities by
performing numerous of products. Roles and responsibilities accomplish by marketing section of
a company have a greater impact on a success of whole enterprise because all the departments
are interlinked upon each other. Therefore change in a single sections influence every sphere of a
company. Basically all the department are interlinked with each other because of their roles and
responsibilities towards development of entire association. Therefore it has been understood that
referred organization try to implement strategies for managing every department of an
organization in a proper manner by attaining their set objectives. For example capital is one of a
mandatory part for conducting marketing plans and strategies. Thus financial team have to
provide sufficient fund to marketing department for promoting their products and services at a
marketplace.
D1
According to Hoványi, (2013) marketing departments are liable for promoting products at
the marketplace by adopting different techniques and methods of publicity. Therefore, there are
number of key elements which are present in a commercial field like product, price, promotion,
process and all p's which were used by sales manager to promote their products across the
national boundaries. On the other hand as per Jain, (2013) departments dealing with promotional
team needs to consider all the essential facts and figures which plays a very vital role in
attainment of goals. Basically traditional as well as modern p's act as a indispensable tool in
distributing goods and services across national boundaries by considering relevant information.
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Therefore it has been understood that both the authors have little bit similar viewpoint towards
promotional strategy but at some extent they have different opinions of seeking attention of
millions of consumers.
LO2
P3 Usage of marketing mix while planning process to achieve business objectives
Commercialism mix is a combination of traditional and modern P'S which is used by
company while planning their marketing techniques for attaining their set business goals or
objectives. In fact all the P’s have a greater impact on a success of a company because they help
in identifying necessary elements of marketing. Therefore, comparison between usage of
marketing mix by two organizations named IKEA and Wilkinson is mentioned as below:-
Wilkinson IKEA
Product This organization offers household
appliances, stationery and seasonal
products.
Whereas IKEA is consider as a
multinational organisation which
designs ready-made products as well as
home accessories for fulling the basic
demands of foreign and domestic
customers.
Place It is headquartered in workshop,
England UK with having almost
387 locations over the world.
Minimum consumer as per IKEA.
But at the end of 1980s chain of
this enterprise is having nearly 78
stores which increases in coming
years (Jain, Ahuja and Medury,
2013).
Whereas this company have its
headquartered in delft, Netherlands by
having approximately 400 locations
over the seas. In fact this company is
serving maximum customers as
compare with Wilkinson.
Price Reasonable price and cost of a
product is based on their quality or
raw materials used by an
They are also having affordable price
and set their pricing strategies by
considering relevant facts and buying
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organization while manufacturing
process.
potentiality of a consumer.
Promotion Adopt various techniques for
promoting their products in
different countries for example
newspapers, pamphlets, door to
door publicity etc.
IKEA is also uses various methods of
transferring goods and services at
international level for example e-
commerce which is a one of most used
technique of promotion.
Process Appropriate process is used by
company to distribute their product
from one country to another and
trying to transfer it as soon as
possible.
They can also modern methods of
transferring of goods and services in a
minimum time period.
Physical evidence They implement various policies
and plans for understanding the
opinion of different customers.
Feedback process is executing for
getting aware about consumer views
towards company.
People One of indispensable asset for
organization because all the
activities are managed by them.
Therefore, Wilkinson pay full
attention on development of their
employees.
Whereas IKEA is also popular for
housewares due to which they also
improve the knowledge and skills of
their employees.
M3
There are number of tactics are available which is used by marketing department for
attaining their target and goals in a minimum time period. Basically tactics is adopted by
company for resolving issues faced by company in a minimum time period.
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LO3
P4 Marketing plan
Planning is a process by which an organization may estimate their future by considering
relevant facts and figures for attaining their set goals or objectives. Main reason behind preparing
a marketing plan is to identify hidden problems and make sure that target of a company must
achieved in a given time frame. In fact main motive of marketing plan is to prepare a strategy for
marketing activities in a proper manner. Therefore overall schemes is going through proper steps
and procedures by defining essential elements which is described as follows:- Executive summary: - It is very indispensable manager of merchandise plan of
Wilkinson to come up with impressive ideas for attaining set goals and objectives in a
given time frame. In fact it covers all the essentials factors which comes under planning
process for example overview of a company, assessment of external and internal,
understand the objectives, schemes adopted by company as well as budget, and at last
how to control available issues. Basically it act as a blueprint of official document which
shows the advertising and commercialism efforts of a company for satisfying consumer
demands. Company overview: - Wilkinson is leading retail limited in UK which is popular for its
housewares and household products across national boundaries. It was founded in
approximately 1930 as a Wilkinson cash stores by one of a talented person whose name
is James Kemsey Wilkinson in Leicester. Initially they offer household essentials for
example cleaning products, healthcare and cosmetics, stationery, pet goods, and all the
kitchen appliances. Apart from this they also offers seasonal products like goods related
with gardening provided in summer whereas products of Christmas or games range offers
from September to January.
 Situational analysis: - After understanding the background of a company, now it’s time
for conduct internal and external assessment process so that planner of a marketing can
easily understand the overall scenario of a company. Therefore analysis of a plan is
explained below-
Internal analysis: - Initial step is to assess the inner factors which influence success of an
enterprise for example employees, shareholders, customers, financial structure etc. In fact it is
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