Marketing Strategy And Mix Of Cargo International
Marketing Strategy And Mix Of Cargo International
Target Market
As cargo offers homogeneous product, shipping service, the primary target customers thus would be very much approached by the mass marketing approach. Mass marketing is when the needs of an entire market are relatively homogeneous. The marketing mix therefore consists of single product, single price, single promotional program and single distribution system. Cargo will follow this approach with some flexibility in adjusting the theory to its strategy. Cargo’s primary target market are car dealers in West Africa countries (Nigeria, Ghana, and Cameroon), car dealers in the Netherlands, with extended range of customers including exporters from the Netherlands. The mass marketing then is demographically divided into Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon and The Netherlands.
The strategy however should have certain factors that ultimately will benefit Cargo over its competitors. Mass marketing indeed provides only one strategy mix to all target markets, yet it does not necessarily mean the strategy should not be differentiated against competitors and may be against each target market, with Cargo would extensively put efforts to the African markets.
Cargo is not the market leader and it should not stay that way. Cargo should conquer the market share by being “different” from its competitors.
Cargo could initially start to develop one if its strengths, which in this case is the customer relations. This strength should be developed further more because it differentiates Cargo from its competitors. Main competitors of Cargo are larger enterprises with less interest in taking care of customers customized needs. This is an opportunity for Cargo to jump in. However, as this strength and the whole business (i.e. service) is intangible, Cargo should therefore emphasize and focus on the company’s image that is related with its sustainable competitive advantages (SCAs - e.g. customer relations).
The overall marketing strategy then is mass marketing with strong element of customer relationship. Two additional comments to the strategy are; first, whenever Cargo is about to launching the strategy, it should never forget the timeliness and the feasibility (skills, experience, resources, and strengths). Last, the strategy should be financially affordable as having financial resources to make it happen is very crucial.
Marketing Mix
Product
As previously mentioned, Cargo’s product is actually service. The company offers service to ship goods from the Netherlands to West African countries. The real value of a product provides is derived from its ability to deliver benefits that enhance buyer’s situation. Taken from this statement,...