Marketing Essentials: Marketing Mix and Business Objectives

This report provides a detailed analysis of marketing essentials, focusing on the key roles and responsibilities within the marketing function, particularly in the context of the transportation company 'Your Destination'. The report examines how marketing relates to the wider organizational context, emphasizing customer needs and brand values. It explores the organization's marketing mix, including product, price, place, promotion, people, and physical evidence, to achieve business objectives. The report also includes an analysis of the company's marketing plan and its impact on business success. Key areas covered include marketing strategies, customer feedback, competitive analysis, and promotional activities. The report underscores the importance of understanding customer needs, market trends, and ethical considerations in developing effective marketing strategies. This student report is available on Desklib, a platform offering AI-based study tools and resources.

MARKETING
ESSENTIAL

TABLE OF CONTENTS
MARKETING ESSENTIAL...........................................................................................................1
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
P1 Key roles and responsibilities of the marketing function..................................................1
P2 Roles and responsibilities of marketing relate to wider organisational context................3
P3 Organisation marketing mix and comparison to achieve business objectives..................4
Marketing mix of Your Destination: ...............................................................................................4
P4 Producing and evaluating the basic marketing plan for an organsiationorganisation.......6
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
The organisational success depends on the type of advertising or the techniques used in
advertising, strategies made for the practices in the development of the product. Buying and
selling activities of the product in relation with the marketing practices of the company is also
essential for the product and organisational development. This refers to study of management for
exchange of customer-oriented relationships, it is the activity or process that attracts new
customers. It helps in analysing demands and condition of market that makes it easier for the
companies for advertisement and attracting consumers (Murgante and et. al., 2011). Without a
good marketing strategy and effective advertisement it is difficult for the product to survive in
the market. Your Destination is specialised in private personal hire to industrial level
transportation facilities. It has grown in near 3 years and successfully operated in London and
Essex. They have now decided to expand nationally and develop branches in Manchester,
Newcastle, Glasgow and Aberdeen etc. Here, the key roles and responsibilities of the Marketing
Officers and its marketing mix to the marketing planning process. Analyse the interrelationship
between the marketing and other functional units of the organisation.
P1 Key roles and responsibilities of the marketing function
Marketing strategies are the essential techniques for the survival of many companies as
the marketing department has always been as an important function for the organisation.
However, the marketing strategy of Your Destination has helped it to grow successfully in the
past years and been catchy for its customer's. Company that does not have a good marketing
department lacks in reaching to its customer and attracting them (Godlee, 2009). . To deliver
their messages to customers they need to develop marketing strategy that makes it possible to
grow in the business market. Following are the duties and responsibilities of the marketing
function of the company that help to reach their customers.
 Listening to customers needs- For a good and healthy marketing strategy, it is required
to know the demands and needs of customers to enhance the organisational
performance. Getting in touch with the customers and listening to their needs and
requirement of quality services (Colomo-Palacios and Matsuo, 2013). . The activity is
performed under the supervision of marketing department to make a plan after receiving
the customer feedback.
1

1. Customer feedback: This medium helps in developing the strategies to enhance the
quality of services for better customer services and support.
2. Outside channels: To understand customer needs and demands, they perform
research and develops actions to increase their quality of service and attract
customers.
 Track trends and competitors- It is important for the organisation to track the trends
of market and competition. They have learned from it and developed their strategies
to increase their business in different destinations as well (Witkowski, , 2010).
They have successfully followed the trends and monitored it systematically and able
to retain their customers.
 Work and convey brand values- Their brand represents the quality of services and
hospitality, products and their values in the market. Their marketing department has
always been able to create companies image and values by effectively promoting
messages in their advertisements and have shared their image by providing quality
services in the market.
 Innovate- They have been successfully innovated their new tends and types of
services for customer satisfaction. It has helped them to gain trust and allowed them
to make decisions for companies promotional ideas, customer retention techniques
and has improved their ideas to share messages with the customers
(GordonMacKintosh and Moodie, 2010). . This process is based on innovation and
developing strategies for better quality services and improvement in the field of
travel and tourism.
 Enhances improvement in sales process and customer- Marketing the quality of
services effectively is the key responsibilities of the marketing department and how
they conclude in customer demands and feelings. Efficient marketing is the key to
attract new customers and improves in the sales of the tourism packages (Hastings
and et. al., 2010). To know the requirement and needs of the customers it is
required from all departments to have direct customer feedback and contact them
for improving the areas of services.
 Designing strategic marketing plans- Planning is done for long run in the business
and develop cost-effective strategies. Plan is made to increase the customer's loyalty
2

or to attract customer and provide them quality services with highly satisfactory
tour packages and comfortable stay and services (Application of marketing
principles to improve participation in public health programs, 2016).
The marketing department structure of a company is very essential for the success of the
business enterprises. The companies face many challenges while competing in the market and
need a strong marketing promotion. Marketing department structure is as follows:
 Vice president- The person in charge of the whole marketing department and is involved
in all the planning and creating marketing strategies of the company and its product and
services. He is the liaison between marketing department and upper management of the
company.
 Marketing manager- He is the in charge of the marketing plan distribution ton the down
staff. They have the responsibility of carrying out the marketing strategy of the business.
He reports to the Vice President and manages the rest marketing employees.
 Market Researcher- They find out the important information for the company and target
the audience of the company as well about the competitors of the business. The research,
information and statistics found by the market researchers are used by the marketing
manager to create the programs and messaging.
 Public Relations- The employee handle the public relation of the organisation and
advertise the companies profile. These employees are the spokes person of the business
and prepare all the executive interviews of the organisation.
3

P2 Roles and responsibilities of marketing relate to wider organisational context
The roles and responsibilities of marketing to enhance wider organisational context
requires a proper knowledge of the business running in day to day context and examining the
services quality to a wider range. There is a need for the organisation to implement these roles
effectively so to attract a huge number of customer's to get best results. The roles and
responsibilities of the manager in the marketing context of the business are implemented in the
under stated manner:
 Developing satisfaction among consumers- The focus of the company is to maximise its
marketing by providing customer's with their needs and demands to create a level of
satisfaction among them. It is required for them to assist the marketing department to
clearly make it understand to their customer in a suitable manner (Smith and Foxcroft,
2009). The development of organisational activities or increase in customer's feedback
helps in successfully attaining quality services. To achieve their desired objectives they
need to provide customers with the best services and tourism packages at the reasonable
price (Political Marketing: Principles and Applications, 2016). It is necessary to increase
4
Illustration 1: Marketing Department Structure

and maintain customer loyalty and attract them for a longer duration, so to gain identity
in the market.
 Expanding the scope of business- To enhance the scope of the business the marketing
department of the company need to conduct a customer feedback criteria and increase
their likelihood in carrying out market research (Tadajewski, 2010). They also need to
conduct survey to know the demand of the customers and survey to know their
competitors in the market. To increase the interest of the customers, they need to target
the market situations and provide business activities required at the larger extent. This
helps them in expanding business to the greater extent and increase the number of
customer's and increase their market share.
 Ideal promotional events- The company must aim to develop strategies to gain profit
from its business. For attaining a higher degree of profit they need to conduct
promotional events that enhances marketing techniques and develops the best suitable
criteria for attracting customers.
 Increasing customer loyalty and brand loyalty- To increase the loyalty of the customer
and the brand, it is required to consider the market condition and develop marketing
strategies for the satisfaction of the customer's and increasing the quality of services.
Ethical conditioning of enhancing tour and travel packages helps in attracting customers
and looks attractive to increase customer loyalty . This proves to be an advantage for the
companies as they are able to provide prices according to their needs and understanding
the competition in the market.
 Achievement of social responsibility- Besides all this, company also include activities
such as CSR, consumers benefits and connecting with all the agreements with the
government. They develop a good business relation, and ethically fulfil the customers’
demands and conditions related with the economic condition of the market so that they
are able to perform their duties effectively (Lee and Greenley, 2008. They provide
different benefits for the customers and the locality where they are operating and helps in
daily routine works, they also apply to CSR activities to enhance their brand image in the
market.
5

P3 Organisation marketing mix and comparison to achieve business objectives
Your Destination is a transportation company that deals in providing comfort and quality
services to its customer's. It has been providing its quality services to the people of London and
Essex.
Marketing mix of Your Destination:
 Product- The company must focus on developing and designing quality service as their
product is to provide satisfaction to their customer in terms of providing good services.
Each and every company focus on competition to attract customers by satisfying their
conditions effectively (Gordon and et. al., 2010b). Your Destination provide various
variety of services and effective benefits and packages to its customers.

 Price- It is the most important part of the marketing mix, companies profit variables and
revenues are generated from the pricing policies. The companies are free to account for
the pricing as they are the key producers of the product and while keeping the need and
competition in the market the further process is held (7 Smart Sales Applications of
6
Illustration 2: 4P's marketing mix
(Source:Understanding The Marketing Mix And The 4 Ps, 2015)

Marketing Intelligence, 2016). The pricing policies are detailed by the quality of service
and competition in the market.
 Place- It is also an essential part of the marketing mix for the company, as to find the
place or the destination where they can operate their business (Gordon MacKintosh and
Moodie, 2010). It requires a detailed study of the business as all the tourist places are
needed to be accounted for the same. Companies pricing stage is also considered on the
place of the business as the packages are designed according to the destination and their
strategies to attract the customer.
 Promotion- Effective advertisement is also important for the business as it develops a
supporting event for the organisational profit. The promotional activities through
television, newspaper, magazines, internet and social media and according to the
geographical area and customer preference. The company also need to spend money on
its promotional activities. They utilise effective and catchy messages to attract customers
and convey their messages in the promotional events of their product.
 People- This practice of the marketing mix reveals about the types of people and the
choice of people to choose the type of packages. It is developed for all those who are
interested to travel, and focus on the affordability of the range of type of services or
quality of the product.
 Physical evidence- It is the physical feature of the type of the service that the company is
going to provide and the behaviour of the customer in terms of the services provided.
They focus on providing quality services to their customers with identifying market
strategy (Godlee, 2009). They provide services related with effective tour packages and
attracting customers on the behalf of extra benefits.
 Process- Providing unique and good service to customers is the last function of a
companies' procedure. Quality products shows the quality of the service a firm gives to
its customers (Applications of Marketing Concepts to Candidate Marketing. 2016). It
assists them to attract more customers and gain profitability with great effectiveness.
As the tourism market is expanding and the company is also trying to expand its business in
different areas. So they have to focus on their competitors in the market and develop strategies
according to the required situations demand. They have a difficult competition in the market and
7

need to take further steps according to the situations. Their biggest competition in the new
desired areas is National Express, as it is one of the leading tour and travel agency and provides
services to the customer effectively (Bettany and Woodruffe‐Burton, 2009). It has developed
many strategies in the market and is rational as it delivers services that are hard to compete.
They are also successful because of there money value which they offer to the customers and are
a huge threat to the business. Although, Your Destination has maintained itself in the business
market and delivered services according to the needs and satisfaction of the customer's. National
Express has developed a huge name for itself but is not available in the new places as compared
to Your Destination. It is trying to move to the remote places and attract as many as customers in
relation to other travel and tourism organisation. It is available 24 * 7 online, this is an advantage
before many competitors (Anderson, 2009).
P4 Producing and evaluating the basic marketing plan for an organisation
Product and services:
Your destination has preferred lightweight and less fuel consuming vehicles.
Additionally, they have used effective furniture and well facilitated vehicles which are
comfortable for their passengers. The firm has also provided various services like air
conditioned, sleeper coaches, TV, radio in their buses. Further, they have given various discounts
and offers on the tickets for special destinations.
Objectives: To expand the market share by 10% in 6 months.
 To enhance the sales of product and services by 7% in 10 months.
 To minimise complaints of customers by 3% in 3 months.
 To enhance the customer awareness in market related to new product and services by 8%
in 4
 To increase market, share up to 12% in 12 months
Current marketing situational analysis
SWOT analysis:
Strengths:
The company is growing fast and after 3 years of successful operation within London and
Essex. This has helped them to increase their transportation facilities to the people. Your
Destination has expanded its transport business in 2100 route mills in 23 states of UK. Further,
8

it has made effective reputation between domestic industry players (Dholakia, 2009). The
company's transport network serves the largest population centre in the country.
Weaknesses:
The company has faced problem from intermodal division as it has not performed well in
this area. Its less concentration in central and western US has created big problem in maintaining
effective reputation among their customers.
Opportunities:
Due to effective growth in light vehicle market has given opportunity to purchase less
cost vehicles and offer better services to passengers. Expansion of central and western UK has
given more chances to the company to increase their business in these areas. Further, increase
demand of coal in UK has also given opportunities to the organisation to expand their business
roots effectively. The interest rates are currently fairly low (Godlee, 2009). This is encouraging
for businesses as the cost of borrowing is lower and more people have a greater spending power.
Threats:
Economic slowdown in UK is one the major threat which the organisation has faced
while establishing their transportation channel. Further, increasing in fuel prices and increase
competition has given tough competition and challenges to the firm to earn more benefits.
Increase in other means of transport like railways and airways has lowered down business of
Your Destination (Richardson, 2008). The organisation has targeted youngsters and businessman
as they have to travel daily or frequently for their business purpose (Gordon and et. al., 2010).
Another threat is from high inflation rates.
PESTLE analysis:
Political factor:
The company need to take care of the political factors and they have to consider the
situations in other regions where they are trying to open there new branches. There political
factors will affect the conditions for them to open their new branches as this issue is more
important and the legislation of the states will also matter for them.
Environmental factor:
9

The environmental factor also put pressure on the company and they need to find ways to
operate in the society and gain profit. The factors such as their requirement in the regions for the
services and the quality of the service also do matter in thee cases.
Social factor:
Due to variety of social changes and trends in the market makes it difficult for the
company to survive in the market. They need to study the situations and also the preference of
the people where they are going to operate their business.
Technological factor:
The company also need to focus the technical factors and make sure to adopt new
technology and to promote their business also it is required. Technology is the best source to
promote the business if implemented in the right direction and way.
Legal factor:
They also have to study about all the legal obligations of the states as they will be
operating their business in those localities and the rules and regulations should be adhere so to
carry business smoothly.
Economic factor:
This factor is the main point of concern for the company as they will also consider the
economic condition of the localities and make sure to consider the economic conditions of the
place and people and also keep their demands in mind while functioning their business.
Strategy:
Segmentation, targeting and positioning (STP)
Segmentation:
People in UK basically prefer trains and airways for their journey. Their geographical
location also decides which means of transportation is suitable for them. The customers always
use the mode which is convenient, less populated and lower traffic jams. Therefore, Your
destination has analysed people location, behaviour and choice to increase transportation facility
according to it (Gordon and Moodie, 2009). This has helped them to increase their passengers
10