Dissertation: Promotional Strategies Enhancing M&S Growth

This dissertation examines the impact of promotional strategies on the growth of Marks and Spencer (M&S). The project begins with an introduction to promotional activities and their importance in marketing, providing an overview of M&S and its use of various promotional strategies like advertising and social media marketing. The theoretical background explores literature reviews on promotional strategies, including personal selling, advertising, and sales promotion, and their role in business growth. The dissertation identifies challenges M&S faces when implementing promotional strategies, such as generating leads and managing budgets, and suggests ways to overcome these, including content marketing and social media engagement. The research aims to investigate the impact of promotional strategies on business growth, with objectives to identify promotional strategies used by M&S, analyze challenges, and assess ways to overcome them. The methodology includes research philosophy, approach, design, data collection methods, analysis, and ethical considerations. The project concludes with a conceptual framework illustrating how marketing strategies affect business development and customer satisfaction, providing a comprehensive analysis of promotional strategies and their influence on business success.

Business and
Management
Dissertation

Table of Contents
TOPIC..............................................................................................................................................4
The impact of promotional strategies in enhancing growth at Marks and Spencer.........................4
A) INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................4
Overview of project area........................................................................................................4
Overview and data of Marks and Spencer..............................................................................4
B) Theoretical Background and Research Focus.............................................................................5
Literature Review...................................................................................................................5
Use of promotional strategies within the organisation...........................................................5
Several challenges faced by Marks and Spencer while implementing promotional strategies at
workplace...............................................................................................................................6
Several ways through which Marks and Spencer could overcome challenges related to the
implementation of promotional strategies at workplace........................................................7
The relationship between promotional strategies and enhancing business growth of Marks and
Spencer...................................................................................................................................7
Research aim..........................................................................................................................8
Research Objectives...............................................................................................................8
Research questions.................................................................................................................8
Conceptual framework.....................................................................................................................8
C) Justification and Contextualization.............................................................................................9
Project Rationale....................................................................................................................9
D) Methodology.............................................................................................................................10
Research Philosophy............................................................................................................11
Research Approach...............................................................................................................11
Methodology and Research Design......................................................................................12
Data Collection Method.......................................................................................................12
Data Analysis........................................................................................................................13
Ethics....................................................................................................................................13
Sampling...............................................................................................................................13
Time Horizon........................................................................................................................14

Limitations............................................................................................................................14
E) Bibliography..............................................................................................................................15

TOPIC
The impact of promotional strategies in enhancing growth at Marks and
Spencer
A) INTRODUCTION
Overview of project area
Promotional activities are acknowledged as the most important part of the marketing
through which business entities can easily maximise their approach over large-scale customers
and maximise their sales performance (Olson, and et.al, 2018). There are several forms of the
promotional methods which are taken as the modern form of marketing method that develops
range of opportunity for the businesses through which they can easily grab attention of the
maximum number of the customers’ and influence their sales performance in rightful manner.
Some of the common types of promotional strategies whose outcome is highly influential for
business entities are personal selling, advertising, sales promotion, direct marketing, and
publicity. Along with this, it has also been analysed that the usage of promotional strategies is
not beneficial for the business entity but at the same it is highly supportive for the customers too
because they are getting adequate knowledge on the features of the products that is being offered
by the company. As a result, customers can easily compare the products along with its additional
features then compare it with other companies. In addition, it makes their purchase decision quite
faster and effective.
Overview and data of Marks and Spencer
Marks and Spencer group plc is a multinational retailer of British. This provides various
clothing items, home products and food products across the world. This company has locations
of shops in 1463 areas across the world. Founder of this organisation was Michael Marks and
Thomas Spencer. This company also sells the most popular brand i.e. Kellogg’s worldwide and it
is a huge success. There are various promotional strategies used by M&S for promoting and
advertising it’s products such as Television advertising, social media advertising, email
advertising, surveys, free samples and trials, etc (Al-Omari, Alomari, and Aljawarneh, 2020).
Marks & Spencer organisation use the most powerful strategies to attain objectives. This firm

has been encounters many troubles in recent years. This embrace better business related practices
to provide high quality of goods esteemed consumers. The strategy of this company plays
necessary role in promoting best outcomes. In year 2006, company established new campaign
that mainly focused on sustainability of marketing strategy. The Marks and Spencer wanted to
assure that the each shopper was aware of origin and better products.
The present investigation has been conducted on Marks and Spencer, a large-scale fashion
based retailer, which has strong global presence. The company offers high quality of products
and services to the customers, which ultimately provide them effective experience. It has been
seen that product of this entity are offered at premium price range. With the motive of
maintaining its sales figures and increasing it constantly, the respective company makes use of
social media marketing with the motive of approaching maximum number of customers.
B) Theoretical Background and Research Focus
Literature Review
Literature review is acknowledged as the effective section in every investigation, which
supports researcher in gathering information on the proposed topic from several secondary
sources that ultimately contributes in attaining proposed outcome. The section is useful as it
allows investigator as well as readers to look the same topic with several viewpoints. For
gathering maximum information on the proposed topic, respective investigator gathers have
divided main topic into smaller section and then gathered information on each topic so that
information associated with the same can be obtained in detailed manner. The main sections of
this project are specified as below in detailed manner:
Use of promotional strategies within the organisation
According to perception presented by Mishra, A., (2015), promotion plays essential role
in the growth of every business entity. This is so because; promotion mainly becomes the voice
of the entity which spreads the message of company among its proposed customers and other
associated people. There are ranges of promotional mediums, which have been selected by the
management team of the entity. Some of the common among them includes television, radio,
shopping outlets, billboards, magazines, and social media. In order to adopt these promotional
methods the authorised person especially marketing head of the entity makes use of several
promotional strategies that so that executive promotion effectively. According to Bradly (2019),

Promotional strategies of the business entities are selected by them on the basis of the core
objective, goals and priorities of the company (Hoque, and et.al, 2018). Along with this, it can be
further said that the main form promotional strategies are personal selling, advertising, sales
promotion, direct marketing, and publicity. All of them are highly effective and useful for the
business associations, which ultimately help them out in attracting maximum number of
customers towards them that leads to attainment of several benefits supportive in the success of
the organisation. The main benefits that are adopted by the business entities with the usage of
effective promotional strategies are increasing brand awareness, segment identification,
increasing customer traffic and many others (Why Is Promotion Important for a Business, 2015).
The overall result of these benefits is the increase in sales performance as well as profitability of
the entity that leads to its growth.
Several challenges faced by Marks and Spencer while implementing promotional strategies at
workplace
In the views of Kolowich, L., (2020), Implementation of promotional strategies is acknowledged
as the most essential work within every company as it helps business association in influencing
interest of the customers towards them. It has been analysed that business managers who are
responsible for handling promotional activities. While doing so effectively, these managers also
face some problems which can be seen as the core challenges for them. According to Wood
(2016), Some of the main challenges which have been faced by large scale companies operating
business at international market scale like Marks and Spencer’s while implementing promotional
strategies are generating traffic and leads, providing ROI for your marketing activities, securing
enough budget, managing your website, targeting content for an international audience, training
your team, hiring top talent, delivering an account-based marketing strategy and others (8 of the
Top Marketing Challenges Faced Globally, 2020). It can be further said that all of these
challenges directly influences business performance of marketing head and might result in the
delay of the organisational work (Petrou, Demerouti, and Schaufeli, 2018). As a result, due to
lack of challenges business associations are not able to meet up their promotional objectives that
could have negative impact over their sales performance as well as profitability in negative
manner.

Several ways through which Marks and Spencer could overcome challenges related to the
implementation of promotional strategies at workplace
On the basis of the views expressed by the author named as Claudia, (2018), it has been analysed
that even though, there are range of challenges which are being faced by the large scale
companies while implementing promotional strategies but still these activities are mandatorily
required to be implemented so that they can organisation can attain its proposed goals in terms of
huge sales performance as well as profitability in rightful manner (Sun, Sun, and Strang, 2018)
. Here, it has been determined that there are several effective ways which can be adopted by the
large scale companies so that challenge faced by marketing managers could be managed and
their influence over the organisational performance can be tackled effectively. Some of the
common ways by which large scale companies like Marks and Spencer could overcome these
challenges are use content marketing to drive more traffic, explore social media & email
marketing for skyrocket engagement, run referrals for building trust, sponsor events for customer
experience, work with brand ambassadors to increase brand awareness, use free samples, sales
coupons & promotions to boost sales, adopt refunds & rebates strategies to guarantee quality,
exploit fidelity programs & patronage rewards to increase customer loyalty and others (Bustinza,
and et.al, 2019). All of these are highly influential and effective way by which challenges
associated with the implementation of the promotional activities can be effectively managed.
The relationship between promotional strategies and enhancing business growth of Marks and
Spencer
As per the opinion given by (Sinha, and Sheth, 2018), it has been analysed that the
usage of promotional strategies as well as business growth of the entity is highly related to one
another. It has been basically observed that there is the directly proportional relationship between
the promotional strategies as well as the growth of the company. This is so because, when
business association adopts promotional strategies then they are able to attract customers towards
them. This connection with the customers not only supports firm in maximising their sales
performance but it also contributes in gaining competitive edge within the same marketplace in
rightful manner. Away with this, it has been later determine that the business associations are
adopting several methods for converting their business into the most successful among the all.
Among these strategies, it is promotional strategies has been given as the main preferences by

the company which leads to the attainment of the organisational sales objectives in quicker
manner which ultimately leads to achievement of success in the quicker manner.
In order to gather detailed knowledge on the chosen topic that is “Role of promotional
strategies in enhancing growth of business organisation” , investigator have developed effective
research aim, objectives and questions which are specified as below:
Research aim
The main research aim for the present investigation is “To investigate about the Impact of
promotional strategies in enhancing growth of business organisation”. A case study on Marks
and Spencer.
Research Objectives
 To identify the use of promotional strategies within M&S group.
 To analyse the challenges faced by M&S group when implementing the strategies.
 To asses different ways through which M&S can overcome the challenges with
implementing the promotional strategies and enhancing the growth of the business.
Research questions
 Explain the use of promotional strategies within the organisation?
 What are the several challenges faced by Marks and Spencer while implementing
promotional strategies at workplace?
 What are the several ways through which Marks and Spencer could overcome challenges
related to the implementation of promotional strategies at workplace?
 What is the relationship between promotional strategies and enhancing business growth
of Marks and Spencer?

Conceptual framework
The above mention graph is related to the conceptual framework that affecting the
marketing strategy related to business development to ease comparison through customer. Every
product has the different feature and the homogeneity nature that mainly presented from
dimension of the purpose. Internet information technology plays a necessary role in
communicating with the customers and provide them information about the product or service in
detailed manner. The focus of an organisation is to enhance the satisfaction level of customers so
that they can sustain at workplace for longer time.
C) Justification and Contextualization
Project Rationale
The main motive of conducting this investigation is to find out appropriate ways in terms
of strategies for business associations through which they can attain appropriate business growth
in the rapid manner. The respective investigation is highly important as it provides best
Illustration 1: Conceptual framework of marketing strategy

promotional strategies through which business entities can easily find out best possible ways that
leads to the attainment of organisational success (Kasim, and et.al, 2018). In addition, it
emphasizes on determining best possible ways that could be acquired by the large-scale
companies with which the identified promotional strategies can be implemented and its
influential output can be attained by the same company in rightful manner. It can be said that
business growth is acknowledged as the one and only motive of every organization for it puts
range of efforts so that they can spread awareness about their product and services and attract
their respective customers to make purchase for the same. As a result, it would increase sales
performance of the entity and maximize its profitability in the quicker manner. Apart from this, it
can be further that said that the current investigation would also develop the knowledge of the
readers on the proposed topic as it allows them in developing their core understanding regarding
different ways associated with the promotional strategies allows marketing head in executing
their work of attracting maximum number of customers, developing positive image at
marketplace, gain competitive edge etc. which ultimately leads to these attainment of
organisational goals as well as objectives. All of these clearly state that usage of the promotional
strategies is highly supportive towards the business growth of the same entity. The present’s
investigation would be completed in the timely manner as it includes the usage of secondary
method of data collection. Along within this, it can be later said that the present investigation is
supportive in fulfilling current need of the marketplace and business scenario because they are
now a days promotion is day by day becoming one of the common way that is required to be
adopted by the large-scale companies so that they develop strong brand image.
This report would directly provide an over view or guidance to the business managers are
facing problems related to the promotional strategies and its implementation within their
respective company. Also, the findings developed with the same study will work as the blueprint
for them with which they can attain success in the same industry (Nageswarakurukkal,
Gonçalves, and Moshtari, 2020). In addition, business managers can also become well prepared
towards the proposed business problems and can take rightful method or the way through which
they can easily rectify the issues challenges faced by them while implementing promotional
strategies for their business growth.

D) Methodology
Research methodology is acknowledged as the effective section of the every investigation,
which supports investigator in determining the accurate information on the same topic that leads
to the attainment of the respective topic in the quicker manner, which ultimately contributes in
drawing valid outcome on the same topic in rightful manner. This section includes range of
methods and approaches that are acquired by the investigator for conducting effective research.
Some of the methods as well as approaches acquired by the researcher are explained below in the
detailed manner:
Research Philosophy
It is termed as the nature as well as belief of the investigator, which have been carried out
by them while carrying out the investigation effectively. Interpretivism and positivism are two
main types of research philosophy that have been carried out by the investigator as per the
suitability of the investigation. With reference to the present investigation conducted on the topic
is “To investigate about the impact of promotional strategies in enhancing growth of business
organisation”, investigator have made use of positivism research philosophy as it is suitable in
converting the gathered information in understandable format (Cazeaux, 2017). Therefore,
positivism research is imperative for executing quantitative analysis and in this information will
be gathered within descriptive manner as in this statistical and mathematical information area
gathered which are suitable in measuring the outcome effectively. In addition, it provides support
in obtaining outcome in the well-defined manner.
Research Approach
There are essentially two approaches within an investigation, which are inductive and
deductive. Among such type of approaches, deductive approach is more suitable and used by
investigator for doing investigation over interesting topic i.e. “To investigate about the role of
promotional strategies in enhancing growth of business organisation”. This approach of research
helps researcher to gather valid information easily (Subramony, and et.al, 2018). Deductive
approach of study is not much appropriate for doing this research because it is mainly based on
observation (Tuffour, 2017). However, in the context to this present investigation work,
deductive approach will be effectively considering by the researcher, thus, it is best suitable
approach to conduct descriptive evaluation as in this strategies are developed over the existing

theories and helps in assisting the work in right manner via making suitable decision. Hence, the
approach is imperative in providing suitable information over the aspect of promotional
strategies via the help of creating theories and hypothesis.
Methodology and Research Design
Methodology: Qualitative and quantitative are two main forms of methods, which are
used by investigator for analysing the gathered information from several sources. In the present
investigation, the respective researcher has made use of questionnaire thus; it would be analyzed
with the usage of quantitative method. The respective method is helpful in determining best
possible outcome towards the same research problem with the usage of quantitative method. This
method is also helpful in gathering information on the proposed topic within the available period.
Research design: Research design is commonly acknowledged as the structure of the
investigation that is adopted by the researcher for adopting maximum information on the
proposed topic in rightful manner. Experimental, exploratory and descriptive are introduces three
types of research design (Akhtar, 2016). With reference to the present study, the respective
investigator makes use of descriptive form of research design in execute all research activities in
appropriate manner. Whereas, the main reason behind not using experimental and exploratory
research design is that it is not suitable for the present investigation thus if the investigator adopts
this method then it will not be possible for them to adopt required research outcome in the
appropriate manner.
Data Collection Method
Data collection is referred to as the method that is being adopted by the investigator in
order to gather maximum information on the proposed topic. The data is commonly gathered
through the usage of two main methods such as primary and secondary method of data
collection. For gathering maximum information on the proposed topic, the respective researcher
gathers information by using both the methods. In primary method, main preference is given to
the questionnaire, as it is supportive in collecting maximum information from chosen respondent
in well-defined manner (Eftekhari, 2019). Questionnaire is select over interview process because
it is effective in gathering information from the wider population and can save time and efforts.
Whereas interview is a lengthy process and takes, a lot time than questionnaire. On the other
hand, in secondary method, the preliminary preference has been provided to the books, journals,
online articles and others published reliable sources, which cover recent data. With the usage of