Social Network Marketing Strategy and SME Strategy

Question: Discuss about the Social Network Marketing Strategy and SME Strategy. Answer: Introduction: In the present business structure, organizations not only focuses on the effective development of high quality products and services but also focus on formulating desired reputation in the existing market. For that reason, it is necessary for every business entity to utilize effective business policies and strategies to create maximum impact on the market. Now, marketing strategy is among the popular way through which organizations can provide proper information about the provided quality of products and services to the customers (Sarin, Challagalla and Kohli 2012). In this report, the prime focus will be on providing deep insight about the way marketing strategies add value to the organization. For that reason, the report has focused on evaluating the marketing strategies initiated by Aldi for gaining popularity in the marketplaces of Australia. Moreover, the report also focuses on suggesting the best possible way to move forward towards the fulfilment of desired objectives. Background to the Company: Aldi is one of the prime organizations in the retail industry, as it has able to develop huge amount of popularity across geographical boundaries. The organization has primarily targeted grocery products for creating desired amount of impact on the market (aldi.com.au 2017). Aldis mission statement focuses on providing superior quality products and services at an affordable price range. At the same time, management of the organization focuses on to designing the products to draw the attention of the customers. Now, Aldi consciously tries to avoid any religious biases at the time of designing products. As a result, Aldi has always able to draw the attention of customers coming from different background and culture. For that reason, product and service process of Aldi is very much active of new media platforms as well. For instance, business strategy of Aldi allows customers to capture all possible information from the websites, public forum, social media and others. Aldi was started f rom Germany and has able to expand its business in other countries as well. The initiated marketing strategies have contributed in repositioning the organization in a major way. The Nature of Aldis Marketing Strategies: Nature reflects the process through which organizations initiate promotional or marketing strategy to create desired impact on the market. It has been assessed that Aldi has always focuses on utilizing two way marketing strategy for increasing the popularity level in the market. Many studies have highlighted marketing mix strategy as the best possible way to evaluate the marketing strategies of the organization (Ferrell and Hartline 2012). For that reason, the report has included five Ps of marketing mix to analyze all the initiated strategies of Aldi in an appropriate manner. The marketing mix of Aldi is as follows: Product As mentioned earlier, grocery is the major sector in which all the business activity of Aldi deals with. However, the organization has consciously included different product design to ensure that the provided products of the organization can be acceptable for all the people regardless of their religious and cultural background. Price From the beginning, Aldi has tried to maintain low cost strategy to enhance the sales volume as much as possible. In fact, effective utilization of low cost strategy has allowed Aldi to go beyond the geographical boundaries. For that reason, it has allowed Aldi to target mass volume of the target market, which can increase the sales volume in a major way. Place The business strategy of Aldi has tried to utilize all the prime cities for the effective enhancement of the business perspective. For that reason, Aldi has opened outlets in areas such as Sidney, Melbourne and Brisbane to ensure that customers do not have face too much difficulties at the time of purchasing product from the organization. Promotion After achieving international success, Aldi has focused on utilizing both online and offline platform to reach to all potential customers in an appropriate way. As per the article by Armstrong et al. (2012), Australia is a technologically advanced country. For that reason, effective utilization of digital platform is necessary for the organization to grab the attention of young generation in an appropriate way. In addition, Aldi has also targeted electronic media and print media to maximize the impact of marketing strategy. People Aldi has always focuses on utilizing collective decision-making strategy so that it can able to create maximum impact on the market. For that reason, Aldi tries to include perspective and thinking of different level of employees. As a result, it has helped the organization to fulfil all the organizational goals in an effective way. Table 1: Marketing mix strategy of Aldi (Source: Berthon et al. 2012) Moreover, the management of Aldi has also focuses on utilizing STP analysis for creating maximum impact on the market. As highlighted by Solomon (2014) segmentation, targeting and positioning is among the most effective ways to reach to the potential customers. Now, Aldi has tried to segregate the market as per demographic, geographic and psychographic segmentation. Due to low price strategy and unbiased approach, Aldi can able to utilize psychographic and geographical segmentation in an appropriate way (Nobre and Silva 2014). For instance, Aldi can target the market regardless of the values, cultures, ethics and beliefs of the people. On the other hand, grocery products and low price strategy has allowed Aldi to target people with different income group in an appropriate way. On the other hand, Aldi has tried to utilize positioning strategy for grabbing the attention of international customers in an appropriate way. For that reason, Aldi has tried to utilize platform of media vehicle (Fifield 2012). Both offline and online media has been used similarly with the help of which customers from different age groups can develop detailed knowledge about the reliability of the products. Strategic Marketing Options for Aldi moving forward: As highlighted by Kumar and Rajan (2012) proper evaluation of strategic marketing option is necessary for creating maximum impact with the initiated promotional strategies. Now, Aldi has focused on utilizing two types of marketing strategies including business to consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) marketing for creating desired level of impact on the market. Business-to-business marketing: The business process of Aldi induces the organization to deal with several local retailers and distributors to reach to all the potential customers in an appropriate way. For that reason, Aldi has tried to include different marketing executives to deal with the business dealers in an appropriate way. Moreover, the business strategies of Aldi have also tried to develop strong long-term relationship with all the retailers and distributors to perform all the business activities in an appropriate manner (Sheth and Sisodia 2015). For that reason, Aldi has tried to provide additional benefits to all the associated business entities so that it can help to reach all possible customers in an effective way. The marketing strategy of Aldi tries to educate retailers that inclusion of organizations product can actually help to enhance reputation in the market. For that reason, it has able to influence majority of the retailers to include grocery products of Aldi in an effectively. Business to consumer marketing: Aldi has also tried to utilize business strategies for influencing customers to purchase products of the organization. For that reason, management of Aldi has tried to utilize different B2C marketing strategies that are discussed as follows: Direct marketing: Aldi has focused on utilizing direct marketing approach to share information to the customers effectively. On the other hand, it will also help sales executive of Aldi to capture feedback from the customers in an appropriate manner. As a result, it can help organizations to make some required adjustment in the initiated business process so that it can able to create maximum impact on the market. As per the article by Kumar et al. (2012), effective utilization of direct marketing approach can help organization to create long-term impact on the mind of the potential customers. As a result, it helps Aldi to retain their customers for long period of time. Personal selling: Moreover, Aldi has also tried to utilize personal selling technique to enhance the sales volume continuously. As highlighted by Mullins, Walker and Boyd Jr (2012) personal selling approach can help organizations to create emotional bonding with the provided products and services of the organization. As a result, it will help to maintain the satisfaction level of the customers at the desired level. Now, Aldi has tried to utilize internet platform for sending personalize emails and fax to all potential customers so that they remain associated with the organization for long period of time. Sales promotion: As opined by Hawkins, Mothersbaugh and Best (2013) sales promotion is another popular B2C marketing technique that organizations utilize to fulfil their business objectives in an appropriate manner. For that reason, Aldi also has tried to initiate sales promotion strategy for the enhancing its popularity in the global market. Aldi has focused on utilizing combined push and pull sales strategy, as it will allow the organization to supply products all parts of the country through the effective utilization of distribution network. On the other hand, it will also allow the organization to provide different type of loyalty benefits to regular customers. This will help to increase the sales volume of the organization in a major way. Conclusion: The report focuses on evaluating the kind of marketing policies and strategies Aldi has utilized to gain popularity in the Australian market. The report has mentioned the fact that Aldi has able to develop remarkable position in the retail industry sector. The report has evaluated 5Ps of marketing of the Aldi that has helped the organization to enhance the popularity level in an effective way. 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