Marketing Fundamentals: Market Segmentation and Strategy

The Market

Segmentation

Divide the market into groups with homogeneous characteristics.

Process

Two phases: collecting information and organizing variables. Includes the Belson method (QM: consumption of the company / total sample).

Elasticity

Measures sensitivity to changes in bonuses, coupons, or monetary rates.

Commercial Research

The process of identifying, assessing, collecting, and systematically analyzing information to understand the environment, improve decision-making, or evaluate results.

Types

• Exploratory
• Conclusive
• Descriptive
• Causal

Research Process

1. Identification of the problem
2. Definition of objectives
3. Research design
4. Collection of reports: Qualitative (creativity, group dynamics, interviews, observation, mystery shopping, projective techniques) and Quantitative (databases, panels, surveys).
5. Treatment and interpretation of information (univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analysis).
6. Presentation of results (Introduction, Content, Methodology, Results, Conclusions, Annexes).

Marketing Plan

A management instrument specifying actions to be taken.

Stages

1. Analysis of the situation: Internal analysis (company and product) and external analysis (market and environment).
2. SWOT Analysis: Establishing conclusions.
3. Development of objectives.
4. Selection of strategy and budget: Incomes, costs, and benefits.
5. Monitoring and control of the strategy.

Product

• Identifiers: Brand, packaging, label, and quality.
• Life Cycle: Release, growth, maturity, and decline.
• Product Lines: Products sharing common characteristics.

Price

The monetary value of a product.

Decision Making

• Fixation Methods: Based on costs, demand, or competition.
• Strategic Objectives: Release, profit, sales strategy, or market positioning.
• Pricing Strategies: Differential, competitive, psychological, and product lines.

Distribution

Operations set to move products from the producer to the final purchaser.

Channels

Intermediaries (agents, wholesalers, retailers). Types: Direct, short, long, and very long.

Communication

The process by which the seller informs the potential buyer to achieve a positive commercial response.

Elements

• Personal: Sender, receiver.
• Functional: Message, channel, code, feedback.
• Environmental: Noise, environment.

Communication Policy

1. Personal selling
2. Direct marketing
3. Advertising (Goal: to inform, remind, persuade)
4. Public relations
5. Sales promotion (Items: price, quality, gifts, draws)