Marketing Essentials: Wilkinson's Marketing Manager Responsibilities

This report delves into the marketing essentials of Wilkinson, a UK-based consumer products organization. It explores the crucial role of the marketing manager, detailing responsibilities such as distribution, financing, market research, pricing, product management, promotion, and selling. The report highlights the interconnectedness of marketing with other departments like human resources, customer service, finance, research and development, information technology, production, and administration, emphasizing the importance of a cohesive approach. Furthermore, the report examines Wilkinson's marketing mix, focusing on the 7 Ps: place, price, product, promotion, people, process, and physical evidence. The report also includes the comparison with another marketing mix, providing a comprehensive overview of Wilkinson's marketing strategies and their practical application. The report concludes that the marketing manager plays a vital role in maximizing profits through critical activities.

Marketing Essentials

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
LO1..................................................................................................................................................3
LO2..................................................................................................................................................9
P3 Marketing Mix of Wilkinson................................................................................................9
LO3................................................................................................................................................11
P4 Marketing plan for Wilkinson.............................................................................................11
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................13
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................14

INTRODUCTION
Marketing essentials is an important concept through which the basics of the market can
be understand. It helps different organisation in carrying out the function of marketing in an
effective manner which is capable of providing the desired results to an organisation. Wilkinson
is a UK based organisation which deals in the different consumer products (Aaboud and et. al.,
2017). It is important for the management to carry out its marketing operations with maximum
care. In the following the various responsibility and duties of the marketing manager will be
elaborated which will show how it plays a crucial role in given organisation. Later the concept of
marketing mix will also be highlighted which will show how it is implemented to take the
different decisions.
LO1
In order to achieve the targets of Wilkinson, the contribution of marketing manager is crucial.
Different functions which are performed by the marketing manager in Wilkinson group are as
follows:
Distribution
Financing
Distribution: In Wilkinson, it is the duty of marketing manager to describe how the goods and
services are created at one place that will reach to its target customers all over the globe. Its
includes by which medium it will be transposed to its user (retail outlet, online, or by sampling
method), how they will be stocked after processing and mode of transportation (train, air plane,
ship), customer service, packaging.
Financing: In any firm, to perform various tasks from production of a product to its final
consumption, money is required. If there is shortage of finance, there will be break in process
and the product might not reach the consumer on time. This may affect company’s reputation
and goodwill, hence, the organisation is required to plan the method and amount funding in
advance. It can arrange adequate finance through banks, private investors, shareholders and
private finance institution. Even to create a demand for the product or service, finance is
required. It is the basic component of any organisation.
Responsibilities of marketing function are:-
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Market research
Pricing
Product and Service Management
Promotion
Selling
Market research: In order to produce any product or service, it is very important to know why
does organisation wants to produce it, will it satisfy customer’s need, what purpose will it
serve, what is the age and preference of target customers, section would you want to launch
it first, in which departments does organisation wish to expand and sell later, how will you
create the demand for it, what will be the mode of promotion and advertisement and so on.
Hence, it is the responsibility of firm to do complete market research. Market research report
will play the major role in planning and development.
Pricing: It is the factor that will decide profit of Wilkinson. If the price of product is too high
then customers will tend to buy competitor’s product and if the price is too low, organisation
might suffer loss even though the sales are high. Hence, it is the responsibility of marketing
manager to keep a fair pricing where customers don't feel cheated and company also gains
profit in the long run. Price of a product is expected to get changed with alteration in the cost
of raw material, transportation cost, cost of warehouse, change in fuel price, change in
weather, government tax laws and others, etc. Hence, value should be kept in such a way
that a slight alteration in all these factors does not require a change in price. If there is
frequent price change, customers might lose the faith and trust in company.
Product and Service Management: This refers to the feedback and after sales services
provided by firm. Having an effective customer service team is essential for the development of
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any goods or services. Customer service and after sales services play an important role in service
industry and while dealing with long term non-perishable goods like electronics, cars, gadgets,
salon service, hotel stay, flight experience, etc. It is important to know how the service are
transfer, what are the positive points that customer liked the best, do they have any suggestion
for improvement etc. Many companies therefore have a feedback form that is to be fill by the
customer on using the product or service. A regular study of feedback form and making
necessary changes is essential for firm to survive in the industry.
Promotion: In today's competitive world, with new products and services entering in the market
daily, it is important to promote and create a demand for your company and its products and
services. Promotion helps customers to make choices depending on their requirements and
hence, enhancing company’s sales. A single medium of advertising is never enough. It is
required to have a combination of promotion through TV, radio, online, newspaper, billboards,
etc. to reach at a large number of audience both in local and international market. An attractive
slogan, eye catching ads, relating to a social cause, animation, offers and discounts; all contribute
to successful promotion campaign. Advertising is required for creating regular demand and to set
in the minds of people. Therefore, it is not a one-time practice but a continuous process.
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Selling: It is a final step of marketing function. This is because; the ultimate motto of any
organisation is to make sales and generate profits out of them. All the above functions are
interrelated and ends with sales. Here, the demands meet supply.
Duties of marketing are related to wider organisational context
In an organisation, different departments are interlinked with each other. Marketing is one of the
most important functions which is performed in the business enterprise and it has a great
influence on other divisions too since it has a wide scope. If in organisation, a good
connection is observed among various departments with marketing then the growth of same
is assured.
Marketing and human resource management – This is one of the most important departments
of referred organisation. It helps in making the required workforce available on time so that
continuity at workplace can be maintained. It is very much important that right candidate is
chosen for the right job in which marketing department plays an effective role. It with the
help of various promotional tools attracts applicants so that they will apply for the job. It
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assists the human resource department in getting potential candidates which further
contributes in increasing the productivity of in organisation. The marketing manager also
motivates present employees to work with higher efforts.
Promoting and customer service- The client benefit office is a fundamental piece of an
association. They help in taking care of various issues or issues which are identified with
item plan, quality, estimate, shape, shading and so forth and gives vital data to their
merchandise. Promoting division primary goal is to dissect their clients request and satisfy
needs or needs. The division help with settling issue which emerges in purchasers items
quality and it is the obligation of client benefit office to unravel their issues inside a
particular day and age. Advertising is essential for satisfy organization's clients needs and
needs in a proficient way. Client can recognize entire items data which help with assessing
advantage of particular great.
Details of how distinct departments are interlinked in Wilkinson:
Marketing and human resource management
Promoting and customer service
Marketing and Finance
Promoting and Research and Development
Marketing and Finance – Advertising and finance office is vital for maintaining the business
capacities easily. The refereed organization advance their items for putting money in
different marketing exercises, for example, brand name, promotions, internet advertising,
web based offering of items. The back division will investigate reserves and diverse sources
which is vital for increment efficiency and benefit. It help with overseeing capacities that
incorporates organize occasions, crusades, programs, exhibition of items in a productive
way.
Promoting and Research and Development - Research and promotion division help with
dissecting both inside and outer natural factors that assess organization's designs and
arrangements. The entire division accumulate or gather vital information and data which
helps in recognizing clients request and also needs. Research backings to examine requested
items which serve in the commercial centre. In this office, the analysts are create advance
products which pulls in clients towards the refereed organization. They are awesome
masterminds who create diverse sorts of products, grow new procedures for advertise and
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furthermore persuade their representatives of an association. Promoting is vital for inquire
about on the grounds that it help with breaking down entire market circumstances which
depend on interior and outer elements. It helps in drawing in substantial number of clients
towards organization's items.
Advertising and Information Technology- Marketing is completely interrelated to the data
advancements. This framework will refresh its product which helps in breaking down point
by point data of firm contenders. Showcasing division utilized this innovation for advance
their items through web based offering, post products detail on web, make recordings and
pictures of particular things which pulls in expansive number of clients. Wilkinson receive
new innovation which help with making distinctive sorts of products by their specialists.
The organization ought to give preparing to their workers to utilization of new techniques.
Advertising and Production and operational division - Marketing capacities help with
recognizing new created items by breaking down of outer and inner factors. This division
need to deliver diverse products or administrations. Operational division will oversee
capacities, for example, pressing merchandise, appropriate new items, create imaginative
products and keeping them in stores. Promoting helps in investigating clients request and
generation division deliver just restricted items which satisfy need of potential purchasers.
They have to make inventive products and offers to their clients in the market. It is
imperative for the Wilkinson organization to fabricate requested items and disperse them in
powerful way.
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Promoting and Administration – This office is completely connected with advertising office. It
will control and oversee distinctive exercises or elements of an association. The primary part
and obligation of showcasing office is to pulls in more purchasers which help with
accomplishing objectives and targets. Organization office helps in investigating execution of
every worker inside a venture. Organization need to hold their specialists for long day and
age that upgrade development and improvement.
From the above discussed report this can be summarised that in Wilkinson marketing manager
performs a very important role. It works towards maximising the total profit by taking
responsibility of different critical activities.
LO2
Marketing Mix of Wilkinson and its comparison with another
Marketing mix is an important concept as it helps the management in collecting the
relevant information from the market and implementing same in the decision making process.
Under this all the different Ps of market are studied which further assist in understanding what is
best for business. Given below are the 7 Ps of marketing mix in context of Wilkinson.
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Place – It is the first P which is concerned with the location for the business entity to carry out is
operations. The refereed organisation has its stores in different cites which helps it to cover
greater market share. It ensures that consumers do not find it difficult to get the services for
which proper study is done before choosing their place which is easily approachable. Since the
organisation is dealing in consumer products which are required on daily basis more emphasis is
given to make it available in most of the locations (Al-Hasan Thomas and Mansour, 2016).
Price – It is another major decision which organisation has to take with maximum care. It has to
be ensured that price of a particular commodity is set to a limit which can be accepted in the
market. It should be one which can give good competition to other also. Before reaching to the
final value of a particular commodity price of other related goods are also compared as this way
the management can reach to the most appropriate judgement. For same various strategies are
utilised which help in determining the correct value that can be charged against any particular
product.
Process – To reach at the final product production department has to go through various stages.
For same a set process is followed which is constructed on the basis of commodity nature that
has to produce. It has to be ensured that production procedure is followed which is capable of
giving the best results which has to be cost effective among with the maintenance of quality. Use
of good technology is done by the refereed organisation which helps it in achieving its targets.
Promotion – In order to increase the sales it is important that customers are well communicated
about the various products and services that are being offered in the market. Wilkinson with the
assistance of various effective marketing strategies interact with the customer which is very
important for them so that sales can be maximised. Online commercialisation and print media are
the two main tools which are used for this purpose (Babin and Zikmund, 2015).
People – It consist of all those who help in carrying out the daily operations of the company.
Wilkinson ensures that in an organisation employees are happy and satisfied with the job which
they perform as this way the performance is improved and turnovers are reduced. Apart from this
it does not provide only the cost benefit but also add value to the brand name.
Physical evidence – Under this factor it is analysed that what should be the appearance of the
store and other areas which are in connection to the customers. It has to be well designed and
capable of attracting customers so that more and more connections can be developed.
Marketing mix of TESSCO
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 Product – It offers variety of products to the customer that includes eatables, clothing
and other services which are financial in nature.
 Price – It follows the strategy of keeping the precise low of the products that it offers.
 Place – apart from having its stores in different parts of the world TESCO has online
presence also as TESCO express, extra etc.
 Promotion – it uses different promotional tools like digital marketing and also the club
card services which makes it a superior from other in same field.
 Physical evidence – it does not keep the stores overcrowded and focus on maintaining
the place more attractive and keep only the required amount of quantity of different
products.
 People – It has got a very good sales assistance staff whose contribution in the growth of
organisation is vital. It gives much privileges to its work force like giving hem benefit
cards.
 Process – It follows a very simple process to keep its employees satisfied as it gives
effective services which makes it easy for the customers to full fill their demands.
LO3
Marketing plan - Marketing plan is a business document written for the purpose of describing
current position of business and its marketing strategy for period covered by marketing plan.
Marketing usually cover a period of a year to 5 years . Wilkinson company is also make a
marketing plan to get its objective, though it is required by the company to make a marketing
plan just because by making such type of plan a organisation can come to know what kind of
situation is persisting in market (Baines, Fill and Page, 2013).
Company overview: The company was founded in London 1930 by James Kemsey Wilkinson.
Company is a British high- street chain which sells Homewares and Household goods. The
Headquarters is workshop, UK, it has many branches around 387. Organisation is busy in selling
products like (kitchen appliances, grocery products etc.).
Objective of company: The objective of Wilkinson is to make shopping with them a great
experience. Their objective is to take their items in every house, just because they are providing
the items of groceries and kitchen items which is used in every home. Their objective is to attain
the target goals so that they can make growth and development.
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Swot Analysis of Wilkinson company: Every company has a swot analysis and Wilkinson is
also having the same, Wilkinson's swot analysis is follows:
Strength: Pricing power , strong management , supply chain
Weaknesses: Cost, structure, financial problems
Opportunities: Emerging markets
Threats: Bad economy, Intense competition.
It is required by the companies to divide their market in to segmentation , targeting and
positioning. The Wilkinson has also divided their market in these such as:
Segmentation:
It is something dividing the market into different segments and company chooses one segment to
target (Hoványi, 2013). Targeting: In this the company targets the age group of people whether
old, children, adults etc. Positioning: brand occupies in the mind of customers from distinguished
competitors.
Porter's five forces model – It plays a vital role for determining competitive intensity within an
industry. It is one of the best tool of marketing developed by Michael E. porter. He defines the
profitability within an industry by determining competitive intensity. Competitive intensity refers
to attractive of an industry. This type of analysis explains why different type of industries have
different profitability. Thus the model is widely used to frame industry strategy as well as
corporate strategy (Joshi, 2014).
The five forces that determines profitability of industry are as follows-
Threat of substitutes
Rivals substitutes can poses a threat to company as if in case loyal customers switch to other
brand, it is always difficult to bring them back. However cost of switching from one product to
another will be there in the minds of existing customers.
Power of suppliers
How easily suppliers raise prices of the materials is considered under this force. If suppliers are
limited they can easily do that, however if suppliers are more it is difficult (Kirby, 2012).
Power of customers
if customers are less then obviously company going to negotiate to get those customers, but if the
market of product is more then no organisation will going to negotiate to lesser price.
Potential of new entrants into an industry
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New entrants will always threatens existing organisation as they can follow penetration strategy
to get more and more customers.
Competition in the industry
The model defines competitiveness of the industry. The competitors working that are going to
threatens the firm from achievement of its goal and objectives.
CONCLUSION
From the above discussed report this can be summarised that in Wilkinson marketing
manager performs a very important role. It works towards maximising the total profit by taking
responsibility of different critical activities. It also has its influence on the other sections of the
same organisation and together they work towards goal accomplishments. Thereafter, marketing
mix of same firm is discussed which shows how it is utilised in the firm. Lastly the report ended
with a fresh marketing plan for the organisation which can be implemented to achieve higher
benefits in future in which its strength and weaknesses are discussed.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Aad, G and et. al., 2012. Observation of a new particle in the search for the Standard Model
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Al-Hasan, S., Thomas, B and Mansour, A., 2016. Internet Adoption and International Marketing
in the Jordanian Banking Sector. International Journal of Online Marketing (IJOM).
6(2). pp.34-48.
Babin, B. J and Zikmund, W. G., 2015. Essentials of marketing research. Nelson Education.
Baines, P., Fill, C and Page, K., 2013. Essentials of marketing. Oxford University Press.
Harris, J.L., Schwartz, M.B. and Brownell, K.D., 2010. Evaluating fast food nutrition and
marketing to youth. New Haven, CT: Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity.
Hoványi, G., 2013. Essentials of Corporate Communication: Implementing Practices for
Effective Reputation Management. European Journal of Marketing.
Jain, N., Ahuja, V and Medury, Y., 2013. Websites and Internet Marketing: Developing a Model
for Measuring a Website’s Contribution to the Brand. International Journal of Online
Marketing (IJOM). 3(1). pp.14-30.
Joshi, M., 2014. Essentials of marketing. Bookboon.
Kirby, J., 2012. Viral marketing. Connected marketing. pp.87-106.
ONLINE
Business Essentials Information Session. 2017. [Online] Available
through<https://haskayne.ucalgary.ca/executive/BEInfo>. [Accessed on 6th November
2017]
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