MKTG1001: Reflective Essay on Marketing Strategies and Personal Traits

This reflective essay examines the evolution of marketing strategies and the characteristics of effective marketers. The student reflects on their own strengths and weaknesses in relation to these traits, particularly in the context of their MKTG1001 course. The essay explores the importance of ...Read More

Planning the
Marketing Strategy
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Reflective essay
Marketing strategies has changed significantly in last few decades and accelerating
these changes for internal as well as external developments in firms have raised many
questions for marketing managers while implementing marketing process. Several well-
understood forces like technology, globalization, intense complexity in understanding
customer demands and competitive environment have changed marketing concepts and
activities in practices (Gok & Hacioglu, 2010). Today’s marketers have become more diverse
as they have to undertake tasks in different functional areas and with various companies
which make their work more critical and analytical. However, outstanding marketers do share
certain characteristics and ability to inspire others while recognizing significance of details
(Lekhanya, 2015). This reflective essay will find out which “great marketers” traits remains
present in me and my work and which ones need further polishing. This essay will conclude
after developing a self-improvement plan for taking my strengths to next level with the help
of my course unit as well as other credible online sources and books.
According to Fejza & Asllani (2013), marketing is one of the most significant
departments in an organization as it undertakes the responsibility to identify consumers
demands and buying trends to modify or produce products/services while responding market
requirements. Indeed, even my course study highlighted various marketing concepts that can
prove very significant for me while I develop my marketing strategies in future. Completing
my course module has given me great learning opportunity in various marketing levels
including marketing mix concepts and theories. The content of this course has assisted me in
distinguishing key characteristics of designing process underneath an organizational setting to
respond to consumer changing tastes and highly dynamic business atmosphere.

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I would like to put forward that my personal marketing viewpoint have changed
significantly during my course study. Earlier, I used to think that marketing was a sole
responsibility of marketing department and that all activities related to marketing of
goods/services were carried by a single department. In fact, I used to believe that marketing
enables pushing consumers towards buying a product/service of a company. Nevertheless,
now I feel more educated and view marketing as a cross-functional task which is facilitated
by group work and diversified departments in an organization. I now recognize that
marketing does not involve production of producer-oriented goods but rather consumer-
oriented ones.
A functional marketing company considers marketing activities critically where
marketing strategies are facilitated by group of specialists in the firm. Benefits behind
forming functional structure is very well cited in literature since structured activities brings
efficiency in firms and ability to develop distinctive and specialized capabilities (Skripak,
2016). However, challenges to co-ordinate specialized group, inter-functional conflicts,
overspecialization and transfer of significant data among group members requires marketers
have certain capabilities to fulfil organizational goals effectively. While going through the
academic journals, I found an interesting article on ‘Effect of Marketing Orientation on
Business Performance’ by Salyova, Petrovicavo, Nedelova & Dado (2015) where the authors
defined market orientation concept as organization wide responsiveness, dissemination and
generation to market intelligence. They suggest that market orientation requires sharing of
information within multiple departments along with engaging marketers in various activities
to meet consumers needs.
In my opinion, I do poses traits in building enhanced co-ordination required by
marketers as I am able to communicate effectively with individuals, however, on personal
level, my time management skills show few weaknesses that requires to be addressed

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critically. N (2016) says that it is very important for marketing managers to “learn how to
manage their time” (p. 2). Indeed, marketers time is very significant than other employees as
they act as rare resources for the company and therefore, I need to improve time managing
skills according to present business demands. The way through which this weakness can get
improved is very clear to me. I will prepare everyday results that are required to be met by
me and determine priority tasks within teams. I will delegate tasks to capable people and
work upon a specific task at one place and at a time to avoid clustering of work. Alongside, I
will also try and eliminate other unnecessary interruptions during my work time to minimise
errors as mush as possible to give accurate information to my company regarding data
collected and future marketing plans.
Currently, international marketing concept have made many firms carry cross-border
activities and to fulfil such role, it is suggested to understand challenges and opportunities of
expanding firms in diversified countries (Gok & Hacioglu, 2010). To create market
leadership, focusing upon market is very crucial and therefore, marketers need to consider
more on value proposition rather than prices only. Understanding customer satisfaction brings
additional benefits to the firms and thus ‘great marketer’s’ remains analytical towards current
situation and open to receive feedback along with educating consumers about new and
innovative products/services that are not even known to them (Soliman, 2011).
From my course learning, I learnt about how thriving business can face impediments
while fulfilling their customers expectation. For managing a marketing implementation,
marketers help consumers gain knowledge regarding their company, keeping in mind all the
strengths company poses. To accomplish such vision, a three-stage process is adopted by
marketer’s like making a market analysis, determining core marketplace, and positioning
brands and at last, but not the least, set flexible promotion programs like advertisements and
campaigns to reach targeted audience. The entire marketing process must be flexible in

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objectives to allow implementation of any new opportunity in business (Roberts, Kayande, &
Stremersch, 2014). Being involved in a group project previously, the project remained
somehow challenging for me due to I poses unyielding and non-flexible attitude towards my
goal accomplishments. Bearing this in mind, I can say that I need to work upon my working
with team management style as in marketing process, few challenges that occur might require
splitting of job roles along with working under team leaders to get inspired and motivated.
Apart from my course learnings, the projects which I have worked upon have given
me varied experiences through which I have made a decision that marketing is the perception
I would like to choose as my future career. A career in marketing can provide me with
opportunities to work across-borders and various industries, ranging from innovative
communication to consumer goods till high-tech markets (Fejza & Asllani, 2013). The course
learning helped me in understanding significance behind consumer buying behavior and time
management principles along with relationship building that can improve my marketing skills
effectively. According to Soliman (2011), consumer behavior consists of consumer activities
and their decisions while selecting particular goods or services to fulfil their requirements. I
have learnt that every great marketer plays close attention to behavioral pattern of their
consumer not only during the time of purchase, but also after the purchase has been done and
products used. Making a close study of consumers habits helps marketers search and analyze
along with establishing principles behind consumer trends for organizations to modify
product production accordingly (Soliman, 2011). Now I know that planning and
implementing effective marketing promotions can capture market attention, if done within
budget constraints.
During the course I learnt various aspects of marketing skills and techniques and how
good marketer’s tolerate other people views and criticisms. I know that I am tolerant most of
the times to other people opinions, however, as expected from great marketers, I need to

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polish my attitude a little more so that I can allow my other co-workers give their views
concerning marketing plans and processes thereby enabling equal opportunity to all for
developing effective marketing plan. Regarding my work techniques, I show persuasive skills
and therefore I can easily influence consumers about my company products/services along
with educating them about those products also which they are not sure about. Even Greco
(2018) have cited that persuasion can be related to dynamics of significant valence and
exponential growth of market competitiveness along with crowding markets with various
offers and schemes. Persuasion skills can be characterized as a useful and convenient way for
today’s marketers to enhance motivational levers among consumers along with stimulating
decision-making process in them. Therefore, this strength of mine will be given most
preference for taking it to next level. For the same, I will have to first strengthen my base
learnings on key marketing concepts like marketing mix models, value chain analysis, market
segmentation, promotion and targeting along with other significant concepts related to
marketing practices (Roberts, Kayande, & Stremersch, 2014).
The above essay recognized effective strategies adopted by ‘great marketers’ and
what characteristics are shared by them. My course learning as well as external sources
taught me great marketing concepts utilized by todays marketing managers and how they can
help me in attaining my future goals. Earlier, my perception towards marketers remained very
different and I believed that marketers were responsible for selling of products only,
irrespective of consumers choice. Now, my viewpoint has changed completely as I have
understood that efficient marketer’s analytical, inspiring and visionary approach helps teams
make great things come to life. After my course learning, I have understood the significance
behind considering minutest details while planning marketing process and how correct choice
of words can help companies in promoting and launching products on time. The above essay
reflected my weaknesses like time management skills and being intolerant to others

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viewpoint that needs to be rectified by me in future along with describing my strengths like
persuasive and communication skills which if developed further, can provide great help in my
future career.

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References
Fejza, E., & Asllani, A. (2013). The Importance of Marketing in Helping Companies With
Their Growth Strategies: The Case Study of Food Industry in Kosovo. European
Scientific Journal, 09(16), 326-335.
Gok , O., & Hacioglu, G. (2010). The organizational roles of marketing and marketing
managers. Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 28(03), 291-309.
Greco, F. (2018). The Rule of Persuasion in the Marketing Process. Psychology and
Behavioral Science International Journal, 09(05), 1-15.
Lekhanya, L. M. (2015). The Role of Integrated Marketing Communications in Enhancement
of SMEs Growth in South Africa. Journal of Economics and Behavioral Studies,
07(02), 139-144.
N, A. (2016). Managerial Time Management. Journal of Accounting & Marketing, 05(02), 1-
4.
Roberts, J. H., Kayande, U., & Stremersch, S. (2014). From academic research to marketing
practice: Exploring the marketing science value chain. International Journal of
Research in Marketing, 31(02), 127-140.
Salyova, S., Petrovicova, J. T., Nedelova, G., & Dado, J. (2015). Effect of Marketing
Orientation on Business Performance: A Study from Slovak Foodstuff Industry.
Procedia Economics and Finance, 34, 622-629.
Skripak, S. J. (2016). Fundamentals of Business. Virginia: Virginia Tech.

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Soliman, H. S. (2011). Customer Relationship Management and Its Relationship to the
Marketing Performance. International Journal of Business and Social Science ,
02(10), 166-182.