Competing with rivals is unavoidable part of doing any business; however, Murphy's Stationery is losing the ground. You are required to conduct a research regarding current traditional and unsuccessful marketing practice in the company then help the marketing manager to understand the concept and process of modern marketing.
Task 1:
1.1. The 'marketing process' should be understood completely by the marketing manager, so explain the different stages of the 'marketing process'.
1.2. There are 6 main 'marketing concepts' such as production concept, product concept, marketing concept and selling concept. You should evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of 'marketing oriented concept' for Murphy's Stationery.
Task 2:
After helping the marketing manager of Murphy's Stationery to understand the concept of marketing, which has been done in the task 1, you should guide the marketing manager to be able to use the concepts of segmentation, targeting and positioning.
2.1. It is believed that business environment has a remarkable impact on marketing activities. Assist the marketing manager to show (explain briefly) macro and micro environmental factors that have impacts on marketing activities and decision making of the Murphy's Stationery.
2.2 Murphy's Stationery produces and sales different stationeries. Help the marketing manager to propose suitable segmentation criteria that can be used for marketing of pens and papers in Liverpool and London. Mention the differences between these two markets (London and Liverpool)
2.3. After segmenting the markets, Murphy's Stationery needs to decide about the targeting strategy. Advice the marketing manager to choose an appropriate targeting strategy for selling papers in London market.
2.4. Marketing activities of companies are influenced by the ways in which their customers behave. Demonstrate/explain to the marketing manager how their buyers' behaviour affects their marketing activities when: a) customers come to the shop alone to buy, b) customers come to the shop with their children for shopping.
2.5. Positioning is the act of placing products/services in customer's mind. At present customers of Murphy's Stationery consider the produced pencil by this company as cheap and ordinary pencil with average quality. Propose new positioning for the produced pencil by Murphy's Stationery.
Task 3:
The focus of this task is on 'marketing mix'. As an experienced and professionally educated person in marketing, you are expected to encourage the marketing manager in Murphy's Stationery to identify and analyse the individual elements of the extended marketing mix.
3.1. One of the components of the marketing mix is 'product'. Try to help the marketing manager to explain the ways in which products should be developed in this company in order to gain competitive advantage.
3.2. The other element of the marketing mix is 'place' that is mainly about distribution and logistics of the produced products. Explain to the marketing manager that how distribution of products should be arranged to provide customer convenience.
3.3. Regarding the importance of 'price' in the marketing mix, the marketing manager would need your advice to explain how prices should be set in Murphy's Stationery to reflect the company's objectives and the condition of stationery market.
Promotion' is another fundamental part of the marketing mix. The marketing manager needs to completely understand how to manage the company's 'promotional mix'. Help the marketing manager to be able to illustrate/identify suitable promotional activities to increase sales in Liverpool and London.
3.4. In addition to Product, Place, Price, and Promotion, the extended marketing mix includes 'People', 'Physical Environment', and 'Process'. Analyse the concepts of 'People', 'Physical Environment', and 'Process' in the extended marketing mix.