Analyzing Marriott Hotel's Marketing Essentials and Strategic Plan

This report provides an in-depth analysis of Marriott Hotel's marketing essentials and strategic plan. It examines the concept and context of marketing within Marriott International, detailing the roles and responsibilities of the marketing function and its relationship to the wider marketing environment. The report covers the marketing process, the impact of the micro and macro environments, and the interrelationship between marketing and other functional units within the hotel. It also compares the marketing tactics of Marriott and Hilton Hotels in achieving business objectives. Furthermore, the report develops a strategic marketing plan for a Marriott Hotel, outlining key objectives and strategies to enhance the hotel's market position and profitability. The analysis includes aspects such as market research, customer requirements, competition, brand value, and the importance of maintaining strong customer relationships. The report concludes by summarizing the key findings and their implications for Marriott Hotel's marketing strategy.

Hospitality Marketing
Essentials
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Contents
Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................3
Concept and context of Marketing in Marriott Hotel International...............................................................3
Roles and responsibilities of marketing function at Marriott Hotel International.........................................3
Relationship of the roles and responsibilities of marketing in wider marketing environment.................5
Marketing Process...................................................................................................................................5
Roles and Responsibility of marketing in the Micro and Macro marketing environment.....................6
Importance of the interrelationship between marketing and functional units in Marriott Hotel.............7
Different tactics used by Marriott Hotel and Hilton Hotel to achieve business objectives............................8
Strategic Marketing plan for a Marriott Hotel..............................................................................................10
Conclusion......................................................................................................................................................16
Reference list.................................................................................................................................................17
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Introduction
Marketing refers to activities of a company which is used in order to promote different products
and service. It consists different activities like buying, selling, advertising of different products to
consumers. It is one of important function in business that allow them to increasing marketing
share of business and also to increase profitability of firm (Ahn and Kwon, 2020). This project
report includes analysation of Marriott Hotel which is an American company that is operating in
different country. It was founded by J. Willard Marriott in the year 1927 in US. It is among top
hospitality companies and is operation in international market. This project report includes
expansion of role of marketing and its interrelation with other functional units. It consists ways in
which hospitality organisation consist different elements of marketing mix for attainment of
business objectives. Moreover, it consists development of basic marketing plan to meet marketing
objectives for hospitality organisation.
Concept and context of Marketing in Marriott Hotel International
Marketing is defined as activities which is related to promoting organisational products and
services in market in order to enhances their awareness. Organisations conduct marketing
functions with the objective of enhancing business sales and profitability through satisfying
customers. Marketing department of Marriott is responsible for performing marketing functions in
order to enhances attracts larger number of customers towards organisation. There are various
marketing functions are conducted by business such as transporting finished goods to customers,
analyse customer’s needs and demands, gain information related to market trends and customers
as well as provide better quality services to customers with the objective of retaining them with
hotel for longer period of time (Chu, Deng and Cheng, 2020). With the help of marketing functions,
hotel can maintain its differentiated image in market and cover higher market share and customer
base.
Roles and responsibilities of marketing function at Marriott Hotel International
Some roles and responsibility of marketing function in the context of Marriott organisation are
explained below:
Conduct marketing research: It is considered as the most important function of marketing
department. Marketing research facilitates Marriott to understand market trends, analyse
potential market target market and market opportunities that helps business to develop effective
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and suitable business strategies that lead business towards gaining competitive advantages over
other competitors. Through conducting appropriate market research, Marriott can understand
customer’s perception towards organisation and its services.
Identify customer requirements: Marketing functions plays important role in understanding all
needs, demands and preferences of customers in order to provide them products and services
accordingly. It also facilitates organisation to identify attitude, behaviour and perception of
customers towards brand. Marriott conducts various activities to identify customers requirement
such ad surveys, questionnaires as well as direct marketing (Efstathiou, Efstathiou and
Psychopoulou, 2019). In current business environment, organisation also conducting digital
marketing that helps business to reach wider customer base and access their requirement. It lad
hotel towards growth and success.
Ensure organisational growth and survival: There are various marketing activities and functions
are conducted by business that plays important role in attracting potential customers as well as
retain existing customers that enhances brand value. It facilitates Marriott to attain pre-
determined objectives in appropriate manner. Marketing functions helps business to get all
information of market than develop effective strategies so business can get competitive
advantages in current market place. Marketing operation enhances customers engagement with
organisation that improves Marriott performance and efficiency in competitive market place.
Face competition: In current competitive business environment, it is important for Marriott to
assess all competitive aspects that are exist in market. Marketing functions facilitates Marriott to
understand customers’ expectations and competitors’ offerings. There are various marketing tools
and techniques are used by the Marriott hotel that helps it to attract wider number of customers
(Elsharnouby and Elbanna, 2021). As respected hotel provides premium services to its guests that
provide it competitive advantages over other competitors. Through conducting marketing
campaigns, Marriott can assess competitiveness of market than develop all policies and planning
to gain higher market share.
Maintaining strong relationship with customers: Marketing functions and activities are
responsible for developing strong and positive relationship with customers. Marriott conducts
marketing campaigns on different social media channels such as Facebook, Instagram and others
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that facilitates hotel to interact with customers directly, get their feedback and resolve all their
problems. It enhances customer’s loyalty towards organisation and retain them for longer period
of time.
Work on brand value: Marketing function plays important role in developing effective and strong
brand value that differentiate organisation from other competitors. Marriott conducts various
awareness and loyalty programmes that makes string image of hotel in the minds of customers.
Hotel also concentrates on providing best services to its guests that enhances overall experience if
customers and retain them for longer period of time.
Increase business profits: There are various marketing operations and functions are conducted by
the Marriott that enhances overall organisational productivity and performance level. Through
marketing, business can get innovative ideas for producing and selling products and services that
attract wider number of customers towards hotel (Ertaş and Kozak, 2020). Hotel concentrates on
providing quality services to customers that enhances brand loyalty and customer base. Customer
satisfaction helps business to maintain differentiate image in targeted market place and helps
business to cover higher market share that led business towards growth and development.
All these are the key roles and responsibility of marketing functions in Marriott hotel that help it to
understand current market trends, customers demands and preferences that enables it to produce
products accordingly in order to enhance satisfaction of customers. Now theses days,
organisations are involved in various social media marketing that enhances business interaction
with customers and persuade them to acquire organisation services.
Relationship of the roles and responsibilities of marketing in wider marketing
environment
Marketing environment is defined as the set of various factors that are linked with business and
creates positive as well as negative impact of its operations and functionality. It is important for
the marketing department of Marriott to analyse all internal as well as external business
environment factors such as employees, competitors, financial assets, political, legal factors,
suppliers and other aspects. All these factors can create risk for business so, it becomes essential
for Marriott marketing manager to assess all these factors properly than develop effective policies
in order to overcome risk and impact of these factors on business operations (Foroudi, Tabaghdehi
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and Marvi, 2021). Properly analysation of these factors facilitates Marriott to gain competitive
advantages over other competitors.
Marketing is considered as the most important function of organisation and plays important role
in conducting business operations in dynamic and complicated business environment. Some roles
and responsibility that are performed by Marriott in marketing environment are explained below:
• Marketing plays essential role in defining and managing brand image in competitive
business environment. Marriott marketing department conduct marketing campaigns to interact
with customers and get their feedback.
• Marketing department of Marriott promote its products and services in market that
enhances overall sales and profits of hotel in current marketing environment.
• Marketing functions helps Marriott to get knowledge and understanding regarding
marketing trends and customers’ demands that enables hotel to provides services according to
their requirement.
Marketing Process
Marketing process consists different steps which are mentioned below:
Setting Marketing Objectives: It is the first stage in which business needs to develop objectives in
market and also needs to focus over it. It provide direction to business in which direction they
needs to move.
Analysing Marketing Opportunities: It is another stage in which business needs to identify
different opportunities that occur in the marketplace. It is also important for business to be first
mover in market to get more advantage.
Research and Selecting Target Markets: In this stage, business needs to carry out the research
which will help them to select a target market. It is important in order to identify the market in
which they need to target.
Designing Marketing Strategies: In this stage, businesses develop different strategies which will
assist them to take advantage of opportunities that occur in the marketplace.
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Planning Marketing Programmes: This stage consist development of different marketing
programs carries by business in market in order to increase awareness of their produce.
Organising, Implementing and Controlling Marketing Efforts: In this stage, businesses implement
the marketing strategy. In order to get desired result, the business also monitor it and make timely
modifications in it.
Roles and Responsibility of marketing in the Micro and Macro marketing environment
Marketing function is essential for purpose of success of an organisation as it assist an
organisation for speeding up process of conversion of products and service into actual sales of
business. It is also an important function in business of Marriott Hotel that assist in focusing on
needs and wants of customers and also making efforts for improving satisfaction of customers. It is
one of important function as it is related to other organisational context (Gruss, Kim and
Abrahams, 2020). This relation of other function and marketing function in business is related and
contribute for purpose of expansion of marketing share and also for improving profitability of firm.
Its roles and responsibility in context of wider concept of organisation is mentioned below:
Internal roles and responsibility:
Current products needs: Marketing is a function which helps managers of Marriott Hotel to
identify current needs of customers and also helps them to satisfy needs of customers by
providing them effective solution. It can be done by firm by making modification in existing
products and service of company and also helps them to introduce new products (Jeaheng, Al-Ansi
and Han, 2020). In order to fulfil these current needs of customers, Marriott Hotel is providing
different cashless payment options to customers, allowing them to book room and other services
from online website in order to provide convenience to customers and also for enhancing their
experience.
Future products need: Marketing is also playing role for identifying future products and service
needs of customers. In Marriott Hotel, managers of company need to analyse marketing trends in
market. Due to increasing health awareness, business is finding out solution for purpose of
introducing technologies which assist them for avoiding human interaction.
External roles and responsibility:
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Customers: Marketing play important role in business of Marriott Hotel for identifying current and
potential customers in business. These customers are those people who are ready to purchase
services and products offered by firm. It also increases traffic over websites of company.
Competition: Competition is one of important component for business and increasing competition
in industry create negative impact over performance of business. In order to overcome of these
competition, business managers of Marriott Hotel need to find out ways that helps them for
purpose of improving brand values and allow customers to differentiate its products from other
competitors like Premier Inn, Hilton and others (Kim, Lee and Kim, 2020).
Market: Marketing function also needs to identify best suited market for offering of company. For
this, managers of Marriott Hotel are using STP analysis that helps firm for purpose of identifying
market that has customers to whom firm can target.
Suppliers: Suppliers are people who offer raw material and other supplies to business. It is
important for business to have suppliers who can provide high quality of material to business that
will helps them to differentiate its products and service from those of competitors.
Importance of the interrelationship between marketing and functional units in Marriott Hotel
Marketing is one of essential function of business that understand requirement of customers,
understanding trends in market and other things which allows business to produce products as per their
requirement. It will increase demand of products of company in minds of consumer and also for brand
values. This functions of marketing of Marriott international hotel is interlinked with other department as
goals of all other department are same. Finance team provide funds to marketing, human resource team
provide employees, production function provide finished goods to marketing and marketing helps to earn
money for running of all these function in business.
Marketing is considered as one of important function in business which allow them to increase
sales of business. On basis of it, firm can attain its goals and objectives. All these functions of
business are depended on each other. Roles of marketing in other functions of Marriott hotel are
mentioned below:
Marketing and finance: Finance is also an important function in business that provide opportunity
to business to expand business and also to adopt new changes. It provide funds in order to
manage day to day operation of business. In order to effectively carry out marketing activities in
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Marriott Hotel, business needs funds. These funds is provided by finance function for marketing
department (Mejia, 2019).
Marketing and human resource: Human resource function is one of important function in
business. It is a function that deals with availability of human resource and managing this human
resource in effective manner. In order to carry out marketing function in business of Marriott
Hotel, managers need to have proper skilled and trained resources. These human resources can be
hired by human resource department of business.
Marketing and production: Production function is one of important function in business as it
allows them to convert raw material into finished products in business. In order to produce
products for customers, business managers of Marriott Hotel needs to understand requirement
and needs of customers. Marketing is also important functions which assist business for purpose
of understanding needs and problem faced by customers.
Interrelation exists in organisation when one department is depended on another department
within organisation. These department is also depended on each other for purpose of attainment
of goals and objectives. It is important for business to communicate with another department. All
these department has its own goals and the ultimate goals of all of these department is to attain
goals of business (Moise, Gil-Saura and Ruiz-Molina, 2020). Marriott International department has
different department like finance, marketing, production, front office, housekeeping and others.
All these functions helps business to carry out its operation in effective manner and also for
attaining common goals of business. These interrelation among different department is important
for business which are mentioned below:
Build trust among team: Interrelationship among different department in business helps them for
purpose of building trust among them. It allows employees of different department of Marriott
Hotel to each other.
Better customer service: interrelationship among different department is important as it helps
business to provide better customer service. It is important for business to ensure free flow of
communication in different department. It allows business for purpose of providing customer
service.
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Communication among different department: Interrelationship among different department is
also important for business in order to ensure communication. It allow them to coordinate among
different function which allow them for attainment of goals and objectives (Murphy, Gretzel and
Pesonen, 2019).
Different tactics used by Marriott Hotel and Hilton Hotel to achieve business
objectives
Marketing mix is one of marketing term that consist different areas of marketing plan. It is on of
term that allow business to focus on different areas related to products and service. It can be
divided into different term like product, price, place and promotion. But in order to describe
services in business, some additional component also add in this term including people, physical
evidence and process (Palácios, de Almeida and Sousa, 2021). It is one of marketing strategy that
was introduced by E. Jerome McCarthy in the year 1960. Marriott international hotel is also using
this approach as a part of their marketing plan which allow them to focus on different components
related to their products and service. Other companies are using this marketing mix in order to
develop effective strategies. Explanation of application of Marketing Mix of Marriott and Hilton
hotel is mentioned below:
Products
Marriott hotel is an organisation that is operating in international market. It is a business that is
offering hotel services, restaurant service, resources services and other things to its customers.
Hilton hotel is a business that is providing its service in different country. It is a business which has
different brands under their organisation name and provide different service like meeting place,
restaurant service, resources, wedding banquets and other things to its customers (Parsons and
Lepkowska-White, 2018).
Price
Marriott is an organisation that is proving premium services to its customers and for this, they are
charging high prices from its customers. In order to also target medium class family, this business
is also offering some services within affordable prices. Hilton international hotel is a big brand and
it is providing luxury services to its customers and for this they are charging high prices to its
customers.
Place
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Marriott Hotel is an organisation that offers its service across globe. This business has its hotel in around
134 countries. Hilton hotel is one of organisation which has its hotel in different countries like UK, UAE, US,
McLeod and others.
Promotion
Marriott Hotel is using different digital tactics for purpose of promotions like social media marketing,
Billboard and others (Sadeh and Garkaz, 2019). Hilton hotel is one of organisation that is using digital
techniques for promotions of its products like social media, search engine marketing and others.
People
Marriott Hotel has talented and skilled employees has it has hired its employees from different
countries. It has around 121000 human resources who are giving their best for achieving goals of
business. Success of company is also depended over these employees. Hilton hotel has diverse
skills employees in their organisation who are aiming for success of organisation. It has around
173000 employees in business who are working very hard to provide growth to organisations.
Process
Marriott organisation is using different methods for processing as customers can book by visiting in person
or can also book through online websites. Hilton hotel is one of organisation that is providing booking
facilities to its customers from online app or website. It is for convenience of guest as firm can ensure
availability of room at arrival of guest.
Physical evidence
Marriott Hotel is providing physical evidence of their service to customers by providing different utilities in
room like towels, bed room, shampoos, moisturisers and other things. Hilton hotel is providing physical
evidence by providing different things which offer physical touch to customers like bills, bedsheets, pillow
and others.
Strategic Marketing plan for a Marriott Hotel
Marketing plan refers to advertising strategy used by types for increasing sales of offering of
company. It is used by business for different reason as it allows firm to attain its marketing
objectives. Marriott Hotel is aiming to increase profitability of firm, its marketing share, sales and
other things which can be done with using marketing plan in order to develop this plan, business
managers of Marriott Internal hotel are conducting different analysis like porters five forces model
to analyse market, STP analysis to identify right segment to target, strategy to identify to expand
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business and others (Zobnina and Rozhkov, 2018). On basis of these analysis, it is easier for firm to
develop right strategy which allow firm to attain its objectives.
Situational analysis
Strength Weakness
It has strong presence in different parts of world.
It is a business that is focusing on innovation and
getting competitive advantage in marketplace.
Excessive focus of business over expansion create
problem for them.
It is involved in different controversies that create
impact over image of company.
Opportunity Threat
There are shift occur in consumer trend that create
positive image for this organisation.
There is rise in global travel that also allow
business to attract number of visitors to their
hotels.
There in increasing competition in market that
does not allow business to increase its marketing
share.
Economic recession is also creating threat for
business to expand (Tsai, Hsu and Chen, 2020).
Objectives
 To increase marketing share of company with 10% in next 6 months.
 To improve profitability of firm in upcoming 4 months with 18%.
 To improve sales of firm with 20% in next 5 months.
There are different types of tactics to be applied by organisation which allow them for purpose of
attainment of objectives. These tactics allow business Marriott Hotel to function in effective manner and
also for differentiating its products and service from other products. Explanation of these terms of
marketing mix are mentioned below:
Conducting marketing research: Marriott International hotel carry out different marketing research in
market which helps them to understand needs and wants of consumer. It is also important for business in
order to understand requirement of customers and problem faced by them. On basis of it, business
managers made correction in their service which allow them to satisfy customers.
Adopting digital technologies: Business managers of Marriott International hotel is also focusing on
adoption of digital technology in business in order to provide enhanced experience to customers and also
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