Marketing Plan Report: Marks and Spencer Business Goals and Tactics

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the marketing strategies employed by Marks and Spencer (M&S), a leading multinational retailer. The report begins with an introduction to marketing concepts, emphasizing the importance of strategies for achieving business goals. Part A delves into the 7Ps of the marketing mix (product, price, place, promotion, people, process, and physical evidence) and compares M&S's approach to that of Primark. It also examines various marketing tactics used by M&S to achieve its business objectives, including product and service tactics, pricing tactics, operational efficiency tactics, and financial strategies. Part B focuses on developing a marketing plan for M&S, including an overview of the company, its mission, vision, and objectives. It covers market analysis, the STP approach (segmentation, targeting, and positioning), and a SWOT analysis to assess its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The report concludes with a discussion of marketing budgets and overall strategic recommendations for M&S.

Marketing Essential

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
PART A...........................................................................................................................................1
1) Marketing mix to make marketing planning process to achieve business goals....................1
2) Different tactics applied through organisation to identify how business objectives can be
achieved......................................................................................................................................4
PART B............................................................................................................................................5
1) Marketing plan for an organisation.........................................................................................5
2) Coherent details and evidence on the basis of marketing plan...............................................8
3) Strategic marketing plan to achieve business goals and objectives........................................8
.........................................................................................................................................................9
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10
Books and Journal..........................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Marketing refers different types of activities which is managed and controlled by an
organisation for selling and promoting several goods and services. Along with this marketing
includes selling, advertising or effective supply of products to business and firm as well. So the
main aim of marketing is to provide unique goods and services in order to attract large number of
customers and marketplace by gaining competitive advantages (Akbar, and et. al., 2017). In
order to gain successful growth of business firm are required to have different types of strategies
by which they can reach its desired goals. Present assignment is based on Marks and Spencer
which is one of the best leading multinational organisation and deals with different types of
home appliances, clothes and food products. Further discussion is based on 7P'S of marketing
mix in order to attain overall business goals. Lastly, basic marketing plan of marketing will get
covered.
PART A
1) Marketing mix to make marketing planning process to achieve business goals
The term of marketing mix is based on foundation model for particular business and
effective combination of marketing tools which is used by firm to pursue its marketing goals
while targeting market. Thus, marketing mix is the combination of 7 P'S named as product, price,
place, promotion, people, process and physical evidence. Herein, the difference between Marks
and Spencer along with Primark, discussed below:
7P'S Marks and Spencer PRIMARK
Product M&S is well known brand by
having popular brand of image
it covers various items for all
age group be it women, men
and kids as well. Products of
this firm includes cosmetics,
clothes, food, home appliances
and so on. Along with this,
It is one of the leading retailer
brand that have multi-brand
products such as footwear,
home-wear, lingerie, hosiery
and so on (Baker and Magnini,
2016). Apart from that they
have limited edition stock to
target selective customers.

Marks and Spencer also sells
flowers and other type of gift
items globally.
Price M&S generally follows
competitive pricing strategy in
its product portfolio and
marketing mix (Armstrong and
et. al., 2015). As this brand has
its own clothes and so many
other items so that sometimes
they used premium quality and
able to face competition at
marketplace.
It makes number one quality of
products which is on-trend.
Therefore, prices are based on
purchasing patterns and
products behaviour at
marketplace.
Place It is an international brand
which has around 10,000
stores and operates within 50
countries and many more.
M&S has its own websites
from where the customers can
purchase their desired goods
and services and get home
delivery as well (Campbell,
Martin and Fabos, 2018).
It mainly keep up with trends
as well as trendy products
budget too. As this firm mainly
focus on 16-30 years age
group. It has different stores at
different place such as
Liverpool, Manchester, Belfast
and so on. Therefore this firm
has strong brand distribution
channels to increase customer's
base.
Promotion Marks and Spencer mainly use
different types of marketing
strategy in order to
advertisement its entire
products by showing results on
It mainly trusts on mouth
marketing so that they
generally use digital marketers,
skilled workers, advertisers by
which they can promote its

TV, newspapers, social media,
mobile ads and so on.
goods and services to achieve
desired goals.
Physical evidence M&S is major business in UK
where this firm has around 850
stores and some of the other
countries where, it has got its
presence that are France,
Spain, Ireland, Finland and so
on.
It has largest physical evidence
are their stores. As they
engaged with online business
too so that they generally focus
on pricing strategies towards
its products.
People It has more than 10000 stores
across the 50 countries.
Therefore, employees strength
of this firm is around 83000.
so company give most
importance to their employees
as well as gives them different
rewards and benefits according
to their performance at
marketplace (Campbell,
Martin and Fabos, 2018).
It has 70,000 around
employees which are being
paid same as the way of
competitors like H&M and
ZARA.
Process Stores of this firm can be
found at malls and urban area.
Therefore, stores are
beautifully organised and
structured as compare to other
stores like pantaloons, wills
lifestyle etc. therefore, this
firm have separate sections for
food items, clothings and
It has so many distribution
channels by which they can
delivers its products on time.

home appliances.
2) Different tactics applied through organisation to identify how business objectives can be
achieved.
In order to achieve targeted business goals and objectives there are different types of
tactics and strategies as well which is generally used by an organisation to give better shape of
their business and that influence other functions of business in a positive way. In reference with
Marks and Spencer there are so many tactics which is used aside them, those are mentioned
below:
Product and service tactics:
Within the competitive scenario there are different types of strategies or tactics which is
used by company in order to make better and new products and services to keep up with changes
within consumers demand. Whereas, Marks and Spencer and PRMIMARK both developers
operating garments sectors as per the consumer choice so that their product can exist into the
marketplace. On the other side, M&S always focus on its consumer's preference by which they
can give outstanding quality of product and services to satisfy customer's needs and wants
(Hugos, 2018).
High and low pricing tactics:
Pricing strategies does not always based on employing low price tactics to achieve firm
dominance but on the other side some of the organisation focus on maintaining their pricing
tactics by providing high quality of of goods and services with higher price. Whereas, Marks and
Spencer focus on both tactics as they mainly serves its goods in urban areas so that they
concentrates on high cost but sometimes they also deliver its products on low cost pricing so that
people can easily purchase its goods in an appropriate manner.
Operational efficiency tactics:
This strategy refers to the lowering cost to produce huge profits includes hiring contract
employees to ignore paying benefits, enterprise resource planning software and so on (Groucutt,
and Hopkins, 2015). Herein, Marks and Spencer is able to facilitate so many functions for their
employees so that they can make various concepts to achieve targeted consumer's goals at

marketplace. With the help of this operation tactics firm is able manufacture it's few product at
lower level and increase its productivity.
Finance and investment strategy:
In order to run business smoothly firms are needed to formulates few strategies by which
they can invest more to make financial statement effective. With the help of this tactics Marks
and Spencer is able to achieve its goals by funding sufficient money to increase financial growth.
Along with this, firms are responsible to borrow money from bank loans in order to pay their
employees in a better way.
So now this can be said that, by following these sorts of strategies Marks and Spencer is
able to achieve its targeted goals and objectives through satisfying its consumer's needs and
wants in an effective manner.
PART B
1) Marketing plan for an organisation.
Marketing plan refers several assorted documents which mainly shown in the form of
blueprint that help firm to gathered and summarised proper information to implements on
different strategical policies and tactics. In context with Marks and Spencer, this plan is very
helpful to run business properly (Kladou and et. al., 2016). There are several sorts of key
components to make further plan of marketing explained below:
Company Overview:
Marks and Spencer is one of the British multinational retailer, it is headquartered in
Westminster,London and was found in the year of 1884 that specialises for selling high quality
of home products, clothing and food items. During 1998 this company became first British
retailer that make a pre-tax profit across £1 billion. In recent years it sales clothing and fast food
items to satisfy consumer's needs and demand.
Mission: Main mission of Marks and Spencer is to provide develop aspirational quality
and provides unique goods and services to all people by giving innovative, valuable and
qualitative items.
Vision: Main vision of Marks and Spencer is to maintain standards as compare to the
other competitors within marketplace (Hair and et. al., 2015).

Objectives:
 The main objective of Marks and Spencer is to make business sustainable by having
profitable growth in order to meet accountability to shareholders along with stakeholders.
Market analysis:
In relation with Marks and Spencer, they should identify their entire situation of business
environment in order to grab market opportunities for betterment of future. Along with this
manager of M&S is able to determine size, scope and segmentation to beat their competitor and
gain profitable growth (Griffitts, 2016).
STP Approach:
It refers to the procedure of marketing strategical which is necessary for firm and
manager as well in order to identify different types of business tools and helps to increase profit
as well as firms value in a perfect manner.
Segmentation:
In this first step of this approach Marks and Spencer is able to target market through
group members so that they can know about overall taste and preference of people at
marketplace. Along with this, firm mainly target customers demographically and geographically
that include age, gender and income.
Targeting: Through segmenting market of business M&S is able to target those assorted
customers who can frequently buy their products and increase firm's profit as well. Therefore,
target marketplace is most essential aspect for firm (Gillespie and Riddle, 2015).
Positioning:
In recent scenario, Marks and Spencer spread its business across the globe where they
have different types of tools and techniques in order to satisfy consumers wants and able to gain
huge profit without any problem. Therefore, this firm has good potion in so many countries.
SWOT Analysis:
According to this model, firms are able to analyse their strength, weakness, opportunities
and threats as per the market situation. Herein, Marks and Spencer is able to know its actual
position into the market by which they can grab more opportunities, given below:

Strength Weakness
Marks and Spencer is one of the UK's high
street brand which is known by everyone
within marketplace for its qualitative products
and services.
M&S has large variety of goods in each and
every store by which customers can choose
better product form them.
It has 990 stores across the globe so that
business of this firms is on high range and
increase strength of Marks and Spencer.
Marks and Spencer has draw back within
market like some products are non trendy and
out of fashioned
Marks and Spencer's had drawback by
following old techniques which increases
several aspects like time, money and so on.
Effective manual work maximise cost and
reduce work efficiency so that Marks and
Spencer needed to use innovative technique in
an appropriate manner.
Opportunities Threats
 As this brand makes different types of
goods and services to their customers
so that they have opportunities to
expand its business in more countries
by having effective brand image.
 As they have 70,000 employees in
different types of outlets so that they
have opportunities to expand its
business in more successful way in so
many countries like Europe, Canada
and UK.
 Competition is increasing day by day
for every business. Herein, Marks and
Spencer has huge competitors like
Asda, Sainsburry, Tesco and so on.
Marketing budget
Particulars 1st year 2nd year 3rd year 4th year 5th year
Initial money 5000 7500 13000 15500 19350

Investment 15000 14000 25500 33000 13000
Total 7000 22500 36500 45500 32850
Marketing outlay
Promotion 6000 3100 4300 3300 3250
Sales publicity 2200 2100 3300 2200 2000
Direct selling 4200 2500 5500 3000 4650
Total 12900 7800 13600 8500 9900
From the above financial budget this can be identified that, Marks and Spencer required
to have approx 15000£ in order to launch new product with effective rules and policies in a
different ways. Along with this Marketing team of Marks and Spencer needed 6000£ so that they
can easily promote its goods and services to achieve targeted goals and objectives through
increasing growth of business. Therefore, it is necessary for firm to achieve business goals and
objectives without facing any issues (Cohen, 2005).
2) Coherent details and evidence on the basis of marketing plan.
With the help of basic marketing plan this can be said that it is more helpful tool for firms
in order to gain competitive advantages by having clear vision and mission along with they can
get motivated towards their business and able to make unique goods and services in a proper
way.
3) Strategic marketing plan to achieve business goals and objectives.
With the help of marketing mix strategical aspects firms are able to differentiate their
products from another organisations by which they can bring some improvement in order to
increase their sales and revenue and achieve targeted goals and objectives (Dioko, 2016).

CONCLUSION
According to the above report it has been concluded that, marketing essential is the
combination of different types of managerial activities which is managed and controlled by an
organisation in a proper way. According to this assignment there are different types of structure
and planning tools which is used by Marks and Spencer in order to analyse overall marketing
tools and objectives to achieve successful growth of business. Apart from this there is SWOT
analysis is explained in this report with effective marketing plan which is useful for firm to
achieve desired goals.

REFERENCES
Books and Journal
Akbar, F., and et. al., 2017. Niche marketing strategy framework for SMEs: A conceptual
framework.
Armstrong, G. and et. al., 2015. Marketing: an introduction.
Baker, M. A. and Magnini, V.P., 2016. The evolution of services marketing, hospitality
marketing and building the constituency model for hospitality marketing. International
Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. 28(8). pp.1510-1534.
Campbell, R., Martin, C. and Fabos, B., 2018. Media essentials: A brief introduction. Bedford/St.
Martin's.
Cavusgil, S. T., and et. al., 2014. International business. Pearson Australia.
Cohen, W. A., 2005. The marketing plan. John Wiley & Sons.
Dioko, L. D. A., 2016. Progress and trends in destination branding and marketing–a brief and
broad review. International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research.
10(1). pp.5-13.
Duffett, R. G., 2017. Influence of social media marketing communications on young consumers’
attitudes. Young Consumers. 18(1). pp.19-39.
Gillespie, K. and Riddle, L., 2015. Global marketing. Routledge.
Griffitts, M., 2016. Human resources marketing and recruiting: Essentials of internship
management. Handbook of Human Resources Management. pp.103-118.
Groucutt, J. and Hopkins, C., 2015. Marketing. Macmillan International Higher Education.
Hair Jr, J. F., and et. al., 2015. Essentials of business research methods. Routledge.
Hugos, M. H., 2018. Essentials of supply chain management. John Wiley & Sons.
Kladou, S., and et. al., 2016. The role of brand elements in destination branding. Journal of
Destination Marketing & Management.