Marketing strategy and international marketing - Business A Level Study Notes
Overview
Imagine you're trying to sell your amazing homemade cookies. You wouldn't just bake them and hope people find them, right? You'd think about who wants cookies, where they hang out, what makes your cookies special, and how to tell everyone about them. That's marketing strategy! Now, imagine you want to sell those cookies not just in your town, but all over the world! That's where international marketing comes in. It's about figuring out how to adapt your cookie-selling plan for different countries, where people might like different flavors, have different shopping habits, or even speak different languages. This topic helps businesses (and you!) understand how to plan carefully to get their products or services to the right people, at the right time, and in the right way, whether it's just down the street or across the globe. It's super important because without a good plan, even the best product can fail.
What Is This? (The Simple Version)
Think of marketing strategy like a treasure map for your business. It's not just about drawing the map; it's about figuring out where the treasure (your customers) is, what they're looking for, and how you're going to get your product (your treasure chest) to them. It's your overall plan for how to reach and please your customers.
It involves big decisions like:
- Who are we trying to sell to? (Our target market – like deciding if you're selling superhero toys to kids or fancy coffee to adults).
- What makes our product special? (Our unique selling proposition or USP – what makes your cookie better than all the others? Is it the secret chocolate chip recipe?)
- How will we tell people about it? (Our promotion – advertising, social media, word-of-mouth).
- Where will people buy it? (Our place – online, in a store, at a market).
- How much will it cost? (Our price – not too cheap, not too expensive).
Now, international marketing is simply taking that treasure map and making it work for different countries. Imagine trying to sell your cookies in Japan, where people might prefer green tea flavored snacks, or in Italy, where they already have amazing biscotti. You can't just use the same map! You need to redraw parts of it, considering different cultures, laws, and tastes.
Real-World Example
Let's use McDonald's as our example. Their marketing strategy in their home country, the USA, focuses on convenience, speed, and classic American fast food like burgers and fries. They advertise heavily on TV and social media, often targeting families and people on the go.
Now, for their international marketing, they don't just plonk a US McDonald's down in every country. Oh no! They adapt their strategy:
- In India, where many people don't eat beef, they offer the McAloo Tikki Burger (a potato patty burger) and the Chicken Maharaja Mac. They also have separate vegetarian and non-vegetarian kitchens in some places. This is adapting their product.
- In France, they might have more upscale-looking restaurants, serve beer, and offer fancier desserts, appealing to local tastes and dining habits. This is adapting their place and promotion.
- Their advertising in different countries will use local languages, local celebrities, and local humor to connect with people. This is adapting their promotion.
So, McDonald's uses a core strategy (fast, convenient food) but changes parts of its marketing mix (product, price, place, promotion) to fit what people in different countries want and expect.
How It Works (Step by Step)
Here's how a business typically builds its marketing strategy, especially when thinking internationally: 1. **Understand the World:** First, they look at the big picture (the **macro-environment**). This means checking things like the economy, laws, technology, and what society values in different ...
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Key Concepts
- Marketing Strategy: A business's overall plan for how it will reach and attract customers, and sell its products or services.
- International Marketing: Applying marketing strategies across national borders, adapting them to different countries' conditions.
- Target Market: The specific group of customers a business aims to sell its products or services to.
- Marketing Mix (4 Ps): The four key elements a business uses to market its product: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion.
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Exam Tips
- →When asked about international marketing, always think about the **4 Ps** (Product, Price, Place, Promotion) and how they might need to change for different countries.
- →Use real-world examples in your answers, like McDonald's or Coca-Cola, to show you understand how businesses apply these concepts.
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