Defining great marketing and
establishing competitive advantages
Some comments for
discussion
Charles Blankson, Ph.D., Department
of Marketing & Logistics
So you are getting your degree, you have some job experience,
determined to implement the marketing models and you understand 4
P’s & 7P’s, SWOT, PESTLE, STP etc.
 Great marketing is about a lot more than
clever promotion/advertising tactics.
 Certainly, an intelligent use of messages,
media, channels and models is necessary
to ensure marketing effectiveness, but it
is not sufficient (Smith, 2004).
Charles Blankson, Ph.D., Department
of Marketing & Logistics
Identifying Strong Strategies
 Strong Marketing Strategies
 Target real segments.
 Make segment-specific value
propositions; each target segment
is made a distinct and compelling
offer.
 Understand that SWOT &
PESTLE are aligned with
strategies. That strategy
leverages with distinctive
strengths and minimizes relative
weaknesses.
 Understand and aware of firm’s
positioning.
 Anticipate trends in your target
audience and your industry.
 Weak Marketing Strategies
 Target channels, product
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categories or descriptor groups;
customers in these categories do
not have the same needs.
Weak positioning of offering and
or organization.
Don’t really understand the
organization’s SWOT and
PESTLE environment.
Offerings are undifferentiated
and offer the same thing to the
same people in the same way as
the competition.
Fail to understand the
implications of market trends.
Charles Blankson, Ph.D., Department
of Marketing & Logistics
Your action plan
 Assess the complexity and turbulence of your market.
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Decide which quadrant you are in. Look also at the
past and future.
Choose the hybrid marketing strategies that fits your
market. Use that decision to guide who does what and
how in your strategy-making.
Look for your positioning in the context of your
organization’s aim and objectives. Carefully adjust
things that might hinder you.
Implement your strategy, making sure you are aware of
your position in the market. Use all appropriate
approaches. Make use of your organization’s culture.
Following the implementation, build in assessment
systems to ensure you are on track.
Charles Blankson, Ph.D., Department
of Marketing & Logistics
Successful companies
 “…successful companies understand the
need to tailor the strategy to suit the
market…” Brian Smith (2004).
Presentation based on Smith, B. (2004), “Made to measure,” The Marketer, Issue
3, June, pp.6-11 (a magazine from the Chartered Institute of Marketing, CIM,
UK; see www.cim.co.uk).
Charles Blankson, Ph.D., Department
of Marketing & Logistics
Marketing Strategies for Competitive Advantages
 Strategy:
“…to source the best quality products for our
stores and to provide the highest quality and
value for money services with the view of
becoming the best retailer in our sector in
Texas…”
Approach: (a) Market orientation, (b) CRM, (c)
marketing mixes of: product, price, promotion,
place/distribution, people/participants, process,
physical evidence.
Charles Blankson, Ph.D., Department
of Marketing & Logistics
Types of Competitive Advantages
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Superior product, service or brand
Perceived advantage in the industry
Global skills
Low-cost operator (economies of scale and scope)
Superior competencies in application of strategies &
tactics
Superior assets/resources
Attitude advantage (structure of organization and
decision making style)
Legal advantages
Superior relationships with consumers, suppliers, jointventures, government agencies.
Charles Blankson, Ph.D., Department
of Marketing & Logistics
Examples of routes to superior
advantages/benefits
 Products
Services
Better end-results
Speed
Superior design
Quality
Longer lasting, durable
Flexibility
More features
Reliability
Ease of use
After-sales service
Speed of use
Personalized service
Reliability
Responsiveness
Charles Blankson, Ph.D., Department
of Marketing & Logistics
Strategies to employ in your
communications to position your offerings
 Top of the range
 Service
 Value for money
 Reliability
 Attractive
 Country of origin
 The Name of the offering (brand)
 Selectivity/Social class
Charles Blankson, Ph.D., Department
of Marketing & Logistics
A Market/shopping scene in Accra,
Ghana
Charles Blankson, Ph.D., Department
of Marketing & Logistics
Small traders in Kumasi, Ghana
Charles Blankson, Ph.D., Department
of Marketing & Logistics