University Marketing Principles Assignment: Vodafone UK

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of marketing principles, using Vodafone UK as a case study. It begins with an introduction to marketing and its importance, followed by an examination of the elements of the marketing process, including market research, strategy, activities, promotion, sales, customer feedback, and effectiveness. The report then explores the benefits and costs of market orientation for Vodafone UK. Task 2 focuses on environmental analysis, including macro and micro environmental factors, segmentation, targeting, and positioning strategies. Task 3 delves into product development, pricing, and promotional strategies. Finally, Task 4 examines the marketing mix and contrasts marketing products and services, as well as domestic and international marketing, concluding with an overview of the findings. The report offers valuable insights into Vodafone UK's marketing practices and strategies.

Marketing Principles
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Marketing Principles
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Marketing Principles
Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................3
Task 1..........................................................................................................................................................3
Elements of the marketing process..........................................................................................................3
Benefits and cost of market orientation for a selected organization.........................................................6
Task 2..........................................................................................................................................................8
Environmental analysis............................................................................................................................8
Segmentation strategy............................................................................................................................10
Targeting strategy..................................................................................................................................10
Positioning strategy...............................................................................................................................10
Task 3........................................................................................................................................................11
Development of the products.................................................................................................................11
Pricing strategy......................................................................................................................................11
Promotional strategy..............................................................................................................................12
Additional elements in marketing mix...................................................................................................13
Task 4........................................................................................................................................................14
Marketing mix.......................................................................................................................................14
Differences in marketing products or services.......................................................................................15
Difference between domestic marketing and international marketing...................................................16
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................18
References.................................................................................................................................................19
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Introduction
Marketing of the products of a company is very essential from the company's point of view. It
can be said that if a company want to expand the business venture, then it must take serious steps
to promote the products of the company. There are various stages of the markets where the
promotions and marketing can be done and by which the products will be able to reach the target
customers in the market. A proper marketing of the organisational products helps to rebuild the
reputation of the company in the marketing scenario. It is to say that proper marketing of
products helps the organization to achieve the organizational goal more effectively than any
other processes in the field. There are some crucial aspects of marketing that is needed to be
followed in a proper mannerism. It will help the organization to make positive impacts in the
minds of the customers. Here, in this case, Vodafone UK is trying to rebuild the reputation
among the people of UK in all new ways. Vodafone UK has been a renowned company and has
been giving the servitude to the people of UK for many years. The assignment is about the
marketing process and its importance to remind the customers about the present situation of
Vodafone UK in the current market.
Task 1
Elements of the marketing process
There are various elements in the marketing process by which a company can promote the
product and reach the target audience by different kinds of activities. The different elements are
as follows,
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Marketing Principles
Market research
Market research is a simple process by which the company can know about the condition of the
market and the activities those are needed to launch new products in the markets. It recognizes
the target customers in the market and depending on which the company can produce the
products. In this scenario, if Vodafone UK tries to launch new offers in the market then they
must go through the needs and the demands of the customers. This will help the management
department to know about the exact market condition and based on which they will take all the
business strategies(Abkowitz, 2008).
Market strategy
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Marketing strategies are the reflection of the market research. If Vodafone UK finds the exact
demand and need of the customers of the market, they will set their strategies based on the
demands and criteria only. Any organizations in this globe plan their strategies based on the
demand and needs of the customers only. So if Vodafone UK wants to be effective in the market,
they must make the strategies depending on the results of the market research only.
Marketing activities
This is related to the strategies that are set based on the market research. The company's
marketing strategies define the activities of the company in the target market. Vodafone UK, in
this case, must make a list of their marketing activities, and the activities must be in link with the
strategies. For example, if they come to know that the customers of London are focusing on the
internet facilities in the mobiles more than calling or texting then they must make some attractive
internet packs to increase the attraction of the customers in that particular region.
Marketing promotion
The marketing activities are done based on the marketing strategies, and the promotions of the
products are mainly done based on the activities of the market. In this scenario, if the company's
strategies mention launching a new offer for the customers then the company must promote the
offer in various promotional platforms. It means the offer must get the proper promotion so that
the target audience comes to know about the offer and approach to buy it(Abkowitz, 2008).
Sales activities
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Marketing Principles
After the promotion of the product sales activities is very crucial from the company's point of
view. Vodafone UK must do different surveys to know about the trends of shopping. They must
know if the customers favour online transaction or they prefer buying the product directly from
the retailer. Depending on which they will make all the strategic movements to sell the product
to the desired customers(Abkowitz, 2008).
Customer feedback
The company must not sit back and relax after selling the product. They must keep all the
information about the servitude of the products and the satisfaction level of the customers to
know about the pros and cons of the offers. It will help the company to know about the
performance of the product and depending on it they will try to produce more offers like this.
Marketing effectiveness
The company must know about the effectiveness of the product in the market. Here, in this case,
Vodafone UK must go through the entire market and the minds of the customers to know how
much impact the offer has put in the minds of the customers(Burns, 2012). They will also try to
know about the possibilities of the customers whether they will approach to buy the product in
the future or not.
Benefits and cost of market orientation for a selected organization
There are many benefits and costs of marketing orientation for Vodafone UK. To what extend
market orientation has benefitted the organization is described below,
 It helps the company to shift the customers in different stages of the communication
effect pyramid.
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Marketing Principles
 It helps Vodafone UK to understand the present market share of the company.
 Market orientation helps the company to know about the point of views of the customers
about the product, and it also helps the company to make necessary improvements in the
products.
 It is very essential to attract the customers by packaging and labelling process.
 Helps the company by providing free transport and warehouse storage.
The costs of marketing orientation can be described by the following way,
 Promotional cost, in which the main costs are 1. Advertising cost and 2. Sales promotion
costs
Sales promotion cost includes three types of costs like,
i) Consumer promotion
ii) Trade promotion
iii) Business and sales force promotion
Last but not the lease there is another promotional cost, and that is 3. Public relation cost.
 Marketing research costs
 Design, labelling and packaging costs
 Outsourcing costs
 Discounts provided to the distributors sometimes cost the company.
Task 2
Environmental analysis
For any business, the environment of the place in which the management of the company is
running their business is one of the most important and soul aspect of the company(Burns, 2012).
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Marketing Principles
In this case, as mentioned earlier Vodafone UK being one of the most successful and established
company, it is quite clear that the management of the company is aware of the various aspects of
the environment. The environment of the business or the mentioned company contains many
important factors which are mentioned in the further report.
Macro analysis
The macro environment analysis is one of the most important and useful analyses for the
betterment of the company. In this process, the management of the company analyse the external
factors of the company such as the political factors, the economic factors, the social factors, the
technical factors, the environmental factors and the legal factors. This process is also known as
the PESTEL analysis. The mentioned company, Vodafone UK has successfully conducted the
macro analysis or the PESTEL analysis. The political factors are the most important for running
the company. In this process, the management of the company gets all the information on the
impact of politics or the local or the national government on their business. The economic factor
is also a very important factor for the company. In this process, the company or the management
of the company gets all the information about the economy of the country in which they are
running their business(Coleman, 2012). In the case of the Vodafone UK, the economy, as well as
the political factors, is both beneficial for the organization. The social factor is again an
important factor. The company or the management of the company must be accustomed to the
society or the culture of the place of their business. This will help the management of the
company to get more involved with the people of the nation, and the management would be able
to know about the basic needs and preferences of the customers of their company. The technical
aspect is one of the most important factors that the management of the company must be
concerned about for the betterment of the company or the organisation. If the management of the
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company can provide technical support and help to the customers, the customers would be
pleased with the service of the company and the company o the business of the company will
ultimately be benefited(Coleman, 2012).
Microanalysis
In the micro analysis, the management of the company naturally depends on the porter's five
forces theory. In this process the management of the company analyze the internal aspects of the
company for the betterment or improvement of the organizational factors such as the production
procedure, the employee performance the working environment of the workplace, the
communication between the management o the company and the employees of the company and
the communication between the employees of the company and the customers of the company.
In this process, the management of the company must be aware of the performance and strategies
of the rival organisations on the same field. If the company or the management of the company is
not aware of the rival companies, they would never be able to compete with those rival
organisations with success. In this case, Vodafone UK, being one of the most successful
companies, the management of the company has managed to maintain all the needed guidelines
for the betterment of the company. This is one of the prime reasons behind the success of the
company. Other than these, there are also some other aspects that the company or the
management of the company must be aware of which are mentioned in the next passages.
Segmentation strategy
Segmentation of The Company is one of the most important and useful ways to run the business
of the company. In this process, the management of the company divides the various aspects of
the organization in different segments. This process helps the management of the company as
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well as the employees of the company to look after all the aspects of the company with equal
care and skill. Segmentation can be regarded as one of the soul aspects of the marketing
principle.
Targeting strategy
Whatever organization it is, the first thing that the management of the company do is to set a
target customer and then prepare their product or service according to the needs of the customers.
Vodafone UK being one of the renowned services providing company, they have to deal with the
customers of different ages or different culture(Giuliani and Kurson, 2007). Thus the management
of the company must have all the information about the needs and the preferences of the
customer irrespective of their age, sex, religion or culture. In this process, the management of
the company should also have to perform a successful and strong customer analysis. This will
help the man management of the company to get the entire required informational bout the
customers of the company.
Positioning strategy
When the company or the management of the company is done with their target customers, then
it is the responsibility of the management of the company to place their product or service in the
right place in which it will gain most profit. Or that the management of the company would have
to depend on the positioning strategy. In this process, the management of the company analyses
the place in which the product or the service should be launched. As per as the success of the
Vodafone UK, it can easily be assumed that the management of the mentioned company is also
impressive with their poisoning strategy and it has enabled them to get more profit in less
time(Giuliani and Kurson, 2007).
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Task 3
Development of the products
For the betterment of the company or the business of the company, it is the responsibility of the
management of the company to develop the product or the services provided to the customer.
Whatever organization it is the prime target of any organization is to attract as much as
customers are possible. For that, the management of the company would have to satisfy the
needs of the customers. The first thing that the company or the management of the company
should do for the betterment of the company is to provide better quality products to the
customers(Lambin and Schuiling, 2012). If the customer gets better quality service at low price,
then it would be easy for the management of the company to get success in less time. Thus the
development of the product or the services are the most important and beneficial part of the
company or the business of the company. In this case, for Vodafone UK, it is quite clear that the
management of the company is frequently developing their services and that is the reason behind
the positive feedback of the customers of the company. If the management of the company as
well as the employees of the company manages to maintain the basic guidelines, then it would be
easier for the company to get success.
Pricing strategy
Pricing strategy is another important point that the company or the management of the company
should always be concerned of. When the management of the company is done with their
determination of the product, it is the time for the management of the company to determine the
price of the product or the service. For that, the company or the management of the company
must perform a strong and successful competitor analysis. (Lambin and Schuiling, 2012)In
accordance with the pricing strategy of the other rival organization, the management of the
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mentioned company must prepare their pricing strategy. Vodafone UK being one of the most
important and successful services providing company, they have a brilliant and successful
pricing strategy. The company is providing good quality service at an affordable price to the
customers, as a result more customers are willing to buy the service of the company. This is
another important point for the betterment of the company. The low price strategy has always
been beneficial for the up gradation of the company. This is how an organization or the
management of the organization can attract more customers. Not only that, the management of
the company sometimes give offers or various schemes to the customers for their mental
satisfaction. These are the prime pricing strategy of the mentioned company which has turned up
to be very much beneficial for the betterment of the company or the business of the company as a
whole.
Promotional strategy
After the promotional strategy, the most important point is the promotional strategy of the
company. The management of the company must be aware of the fact of the promotion for the
betterment of the company. If the management of the company is not planning to promote their
product or their service they would never be able to reach to their target customers. This is
another way to attract more customers(Pinto, 2015). For the promotion of the product or the
service that the mentioned company is providing to the customers the management of the
company can be dependent on various factors such as advertisement through television, through
radio, through posters or banners and some campaign and surveys. This is the main and the
prime ways of promoting the product that the company or the management of the company is
producing. The mentioned company is one of the most successful and multinational companies
in the world for a reason. The creativity in the television advertisement has successfully pleased
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