Marketing Assignment

We want from our target market to make a habit of eating their meals in our restaurants. If we are able to reach them, this will help us to grow at the end of the first year. In addition to this, we have another objective which is to decrease the number of people who are not aware and people who are resisting to not purchase our goods. In this case, we are planning to encourage them to taste our products and take their opinions about them to adjust our goods according to their needs and wants. Stressing our competitive advantage to our target customers is our another goal which makes them loyal to our restaurants.Identify the marketing segment for the product and explain why this segment was selected. Because we are producing healthy fast foods for different diet programs, mass marketing does not fit our marketing strategy. Therefore we segment the market based on Demographics. For example, if gender is taken into consideration, woman and man should take different amount of calories per day in order to carry on their daily activities. Besides, amount of calories are taken by young people, adults, and elderly people changes as well according to their heights, weights, and activity levels.Therefore when our customers come to our restaurants, they should be able to find a food that best fits their diet in order to be satisfied. Moreover, we also segment the market based on geographic as well. In this case, we are planning to run our business in United States because there is a high demand for healthy foods since people want to live healthy and longer. Discuss the target market and why these customers will be targeted. We segmented market according to people’s ages and genders. We decided to target people whose ages are between 18 and 64 or more and tried to figure out the market size.According to US and World Population Clocks in the US Census Bureau web page, there are 309,092,421 people living in America now. Again, according to the report posted on US Ce nsus Bureau, Meyer (2001) stated that people whose age is under 18 is 26 percent, people whose age is between 18 and 64 is 62 percent and people whose age is more than 64 is 12 percent of US population. So if we assume that the percentage of people whose ages are between 18 and 64 or more remain unchanged from 2000 to 2010, the total population of young people, adults and elderly people is now 228,728,319. 62%+12%=74%, 309,092,421? 74%). Moreover, if we assume that 50 percent of this amount is woman and 50 percent of it man. So we have 114,364,159 men and 114,364,159 women whose ages are between 18 and 64 or more. This is a huge number and it seems that targeting this segment is profitable. Furthermore, this market size can grow in the future because in 2000 the total US population was approximately 281 million according to US Census Bureau 2000 report. (Meyer 2001). Today, as I mentioned above it is nearly 309 million. Conduct a SWOT (strength, weakness, opportunities and treats an alysis for company.One of our strengths is offering healthy foods. Our menu contains foods that they are rich in terms of protein, vitamins, mineral etc. which play an important role in the structure of human body. Secondly, while we are preparing our menu, we consult nutritionists about the ingredients, the types to enhance the variety and cooking techniques. In addition to this, our customers can benefit from the dietician service on every Mondays, and Fridays between 1-5pm. They can ask their questions and have a chance to take medical support. Moreover, we are using organic and fresh foods while we are cooking and these vegetables and ruits are produced and picked diligently. This is also one of our strengths that help us to meet our customers’ expectations. Unfortunately, we have also some weaknesses as well. One of the most important weaknesses of our healthy fast food restaurant is our prices. To produce organic vegetables and fruits is very costly. Therefore this is r eflected in prices of those kinds of products. Because organic foods are crucial ingredients of our foods, we also have to reflect the prices of vegetables and fruits to our food prices in order to make profit.In addition to this, because we do not offer any unhealthy foods such as fried chicken, fried potato, hamburger etc. our foods may not fit the people’s tastes. Beside our strengths and weaknesses, we have also some opportunities coming from macro environment. Firstly, people love eating in Unites States and they like to know about different and new foods. In addition to this, United States is the best place to run a fast food restaurant because of being a home country of fast food industry. Secondly, number of obese people is increasing day by day in United States because of overeating fast foods.Since these kinds of meals are unhealthy and they can cause serious health problems, this makes people more conscious while they are making decision about food choices. Therefo re they tend to eat more healthy foods. Thirdly, organic food industry is growing in Unites States and people tend to consume organic foods because of being healthful compared to regular vegetables and fruits. Furthermore, number one fast food chains such as McDonald’s, Burger King, etc. do not offer rich healthy meals alternative to unhealthy ones. In this case, consumers are in pursuit of healthy food restaurants.Lastly, in United States technology is advanced a lot to prepare fast and healthy foods. This leads fast food restaurants to work more efficient. We also have some threats caused by macro environment as well. For example, people may not have enough purchasing power to buy healthy foods. In this case unhealthy foods seems cheaper to them. Therefore they may tend to prefer unhealthy fast food restaurants. Besides, organic foods are expensive. As a result, restaurants that are not using organic foods charge lower prices to their meals compared to restaurants that use those kinds of egetables and fruits. Moreover, eating hamburger, fried potato, fried chicken, cheese burger, etc. can seem more attractive to customers. Therefore customers may prefer places that offer those foods. Describe the market position for your product and service When we are positioning our product, the quality and the price are taken into consideration and we compared our product with the one that is produced by our competitors. In the fast food market, we have many competitors; however our number one and well known competitors are McDonalds, Burger King, Subway, Taco Bell, Wendy’s and others.In figure one, circles which are depicted closely represent our competitors and the upper circle represents our fast food company. The competitors’ circles are depicted closely because they are perceived more or less the same by consumers. For example, their menus and prices are more or less the same. They are using nearly same strategies. For instance, both Burger King and McDonalds have the dollar menus. Although our competitors offer some kinds of healthy foods such as salads, grilled chicken, etc. they are still selling unhealthy foods.On the other hand, our company’s number one strength is always serving healthy foods to our customers. Besides, we are offering free dietician service for our customers. Our customers can ask their questions and get a customized service. In light of these facts, our product quality is high relative to our competitors. price X’s Healthy Fast Food Restaurant Low qualityHigh quality Our competitors Figure 1 Perceptual Map In addition to our product quality, our products’ prices are also higher than the average prices as well. Because organic foods’ prices are high, we have to reflect this to our prices.According to figure 1 it can be seen that our competitors dominate us in terms of prices. However, we also dominate them in terms of product quality as well. Recommendations Service is an i ntangible product and X’s Healthy Fast Food Restaurants are producing both tangible product (i. e. food) and intangible product (i. e. dietician service). In service industry customer satisfaction is very important. If a company satisfies their customer’s needs and wants, they become loyal.Therefore management should know whether their customers are happy with the service provided or not. This is the case that X’s Healthy Fast Food Restaurant can be face with. Therefore we should do some surveys to measure the satisfaction level of our customers about the service quality. There are many tools to do this. For example, Winner (2004) stated that â€Å"One of the most popular approaches to measuring service quality is the SERVQUAL instrument† (p. 418). In this type of questionnaire there are several questions that measure the quality of service.If we put servqual surveys on customers’ table and request to fill them after they finish their meal we can m easure the satisfaction level of our customers by looking the results and this helps us to improve our service quality. Because service is an intangible product, customers may not know what they are buying until they buy. One author said that â€Å"†¦the service provider’s task is to make the service tangible in one or more ways† (Kotler 1999 p. 648). In this case, we should find some ways to make our product tangible.For example, if we give importance to keep our restaurants clean, our customers may think that we prepare our foods diligently. Providing a qualified and quick service can be another way to make our product tangible. If consumers see how we deliver our service quickly, they always prefer us.References Kotler, P. (1999). Principles of marketing. New Jersey: Prentice Hall Winner, S. R. (2004). Marketing management: New Jersey Pearson Prentice Hall Meyer, J. (2001). Age:2000. US Census Bureau. Retrieved April 8, 2010 from http://www. census. gov/prod/20 01pubs/c2kbr01-12. pdf Marketing Assignment International market segmentation (International market segmentation) is the concept of market segmentation in the use of international marketing. Its concept is by comparing the domestic and international market for more buyers, a wider distribution. With businesses having limited power, it is usually very complex to meet the needs of worldwide customers. A market segment is defined as â€Å"a group of customers who share a similar set of needs and wants†. In this case its HSBC trying to target potential customers. The first key consideration is the benefits of segmentation. This segmentation uses customers as a point of reference.The firm can then focus on their marketing resources and it gives them competitive advantage by being able to serve more according to customer segments. There are four level of segmentation, first one is preference segments. Some consumers have a very different taste for the things that they want. Consumers are free to prefer HSBC or other banks ava ilable in the market. A group of people gathered their preference will show the natural segments. Second level of segmentation is niche. It is defined as a more narrowly defined customer group seeking a distinctive mix of benefits.HSBC in this case targets consumer niches with distinctive products and services. It is proved by having a pet insurance product, growing at a 125% per year. Third level is local,which involves local customer groups in trading areas, neighborhoods and even industrial stores . HSBC is actually focusing at serving local markets. They maintain to have local presence in the area with the tagline which is â€Å"world’s local bank†. Last level is individual, customer with HSBC bank card, etc will get a ride in the BankCab. The next step is to segment the consumer markets.The fundamentals to consider are geographic, demographic, psychographic and behavioural. Geographic segmentation means dividing market into different geographical units such as nat ions, states, regions, cities or neighbors. HSBC demonstrated its local knowledge with marketing efforts dedicated to specific locations. In 2005, it set out to prove to jaded New Yorkers that the London-based financial behemoth was a bank with local-knowledge. Demographic segmentation means â€Å"dividing by age and life cycle, life stage, gender, income, generation and different social class†.HSBC offered a â€Å"smart card† and no frills credit cards to the underserved student segment and targeted high-value customers with special â€Å"Premium Centers† bank branches. Psychographic segmentation is segmentation depending on the person itself on primary motivation such an ideals and achievements. Last element is behavioral segmentation. This is segmenting â€Å"based on decision roles such as intiator, influencer, decider, buyer and user. † As for behavioural it consists of occasions, benefits, user status, user rate, buyer-readiness, loyalty status and attitude. The second key to be considered is target marketing.It develops measures of market attractiveness and select target segments. For example, â€Å"selecting the most profitable segments to focus on†. HSBC target student segment by offering â€Å"smart card† and high-value customers with special â€Å"Premium Centers† bank branches. Steps in segmentation process include need-based segmentation, segment identification, segment attractiveness, segment profitability, segment positioning, segment acid test and market mix strategy. â€Å"To be useful, market segments must rate favorably on five key criteria which are measurable, substantial, accessible, differentiable and actionable. †The third key to be considered is the market positioning. Positioning is done by targeting segments and develops a marketing mix for each segment. For example â€Å"creating an image or position for the brand with competitors’ brands†. For example HSBC wants to be known as the â€Å"world’s local bank†. This tagline reflects HSBC’s positioning as a globe-spanning financial institution specialised on serving local markets. Strategy for positioning includes, â€Å"Identifying a set of possible competitive advantages on which to build a position†, choosing the right competitive advantages and selecting an overall positioning strategy