Marketing strategies

Customer relationship management (CRM) refers to technologies, strategies, and practices which organizations use for the analyzing and management of the customer interactions and data. The goals of CRM are to drive the sales growth, retain the loyal customers, and lastly, improve the relationship with the clients. CRM systems aid in combining and compiling information regarding customers on the mutual points of contact between the organization and the customer, or across different channels at times (Jain, 1993: 3). Some of the points are direct mail, social media, telephone, live chat, and website. The systems may offer the staff information regarding the customer’s concerns and what they prefer.

Harley-Davidson builds a long-term customer relationship by understanding them on their own terms. He aims at knowing who the company’s customers are, the manner in which they think and, and why they buy their product. By doing this, he ensures that the customers have a sense of trust towards their company, and feel like the company cares for their personal lives, as well as their well-being, which is the case. This is a good strategy to retain customers for long because most people prefer this, as opposed to a company which only cares about the money it is making.  His company not only sells motorcycles, but it sells a feeling of independence, individualism, and freedom. He has strong emotional connections with his customers as he engages the company’s customer base through company-sponsored travel adventures, events and other things for instance, clothes and accessories for riders and for those who associate with the brand  (Ansary, 2009).

The first marketing management concept is the production concept, where the customers prefer the products which are not expensive and are readily available. The second is the product concept, where the customer prefers the products which have high quality and perform the best. The third is the selling concept, where unless the organization goes through a large-scale promotional and selling effort, the customers can’t buy most of the organization’s products. The fourth is the marketing concept, where the main focus of attention is put into the wants and needs of the target markets, which aim at beating the competitors by delivering better value. The fifth is the societal marketing concept which describes best Harley- Davidson’s marketing strategy in the best way. It puts its focus on the wants and needs of the target markets and tries to cater for the well-being of the society by being better than the competitors.

Marketing segmentation is the division of a wide market into small manageable segments which entail of people with the same interests regarding same brands and products while targeting is carried out after the completion of the segmentation process. Here, the marketing strategies are created and promotional schemes are carried out in accordance to the preferences and tastes of the different segments. Positioning takes place after the completion of the targeting process. It is done by creating an almost perfect first impression of the product in the customer’s minds, or an image of the company’s product in the minds of the customers (Vyas, 2004).

In an Undifferentiated marketing strategy, for all segments of the market, the marketers don’t change the messages, they use the same exact messag to their customers while in a differentiated marketing strategy,  there Is creation of events which aim to target at least two target groups or different market segments. In a concentrated marketing strategy, the target is one particular audience or market segment. The best strategy for the company is the concentrated marketing strategy since the company knows its customers well  (Levy, 1969).  He aims at knowing them personally; hence they should only concentrate on the specific customers’ needs.

The segments targeted by Harley-Davidson are those who have the same interests and those who have the same lifestyle. Harley-Davidson aims to find the customers who have the same lifestyle by enquiring wanting to know who the customers are, how they think and feel and why they want the product. He also targets the customers who are interested in the same things, for instance, he engages its customer base through company- sponsored travel adventures, events and other things. Through these events, he has learnt to find out what the interests of his customers are, create them, and later on implement them (Winer, 1991).

The buyers of motorcycles go through a decision process before they purchase their motorcycle. The first part of the process is the recognition that there’s the need for the motorcycle. This recognition of a need will lead the buyer to Harley Davidson motor company. The second part is the information search regarding the motorcycle. The customer has already ordered the motorcycle, so, from sources such as external advertising, the customer is going to get additional information about the motorcycle. The third part is the alternative evaluation, where the customer seeks out other alternatives which could be more suitable to them (Walker, 1999). They may have heard some good or bad reviews hence, naturally, a customer would first debate about what type of product he would want, and if, in fact, and the product will satisfy him the best way. The fourth part is the purchase decision, where after making an evaluation on all alternatives and possibilities; the customer decides to choose the motorbike with the best reviews. The last part is the post-purchase behavior, where most customers love the motorcycle since it has good reviews, but are aware of the dangerous nature of the motorbikes hence they start having mixed feelings about it (Martin, 1999).

Harley-Davidson fans go through some of the parts of the process. For instance, they go through the first part, recognition of the need of the product. Without the need, a customer wouldn’t buy the motorcycle. They go through the information search as people’s different views and opinions about the company lurk around. News travels fast, especially because it’s a popular multibillion–Dollar Company, hence the information always reach the customer. Some customers don’t go through the third stage, alternative evaluation, since the company only has good reviews. They then go through the fourth part, purchasing the product, and some don’t go through the last part, the post-purchase behavior, because they get fully satisfied with the motorbike. This is because the company puts all its focus on improving the customer’s life by satisfying all his needs.

A marketer may influence a consumer’s information search through the information sources of the decision process .For instance, the marketer may use marketing controlled sources like the television advertisements, radio and brochures. This may influence the final decision of the customer as the advertisements would portray the company’s products as the best. In the decision making process, all a customer needs is convincing, so if the advertising agents would do a good job, then they would have a new customer for themselves. 

References

AC, Reddy. And  N, Vyas.  (2004) The globalization paradox: a marketing perspective, Los Angeles: Visible inc. press.

DR Lehmann and RS, Winer. (1991) Analysis for marketing planning, CA: Two in one publishers.

M, Baker. And  O, Walker. (1999)  Marketing strategy, Los Angeles: burning deck press

Melanie J. Martin. (1999) ‘The Difference Between Undifferentiated Marketing and Differentiated Marketing’ retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/difference-between-undifferentiated-marketing-differentiated-marketing-25705.html

[june 12,1999]

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P, Kotler. And SJ, Levy.( 1969) Broadening the concept of marketing, New york:  Greg press

R, Frost. And AI, Ansary. (2009)  E-marketing, new york: bologna publishers.

SC, Jain. (1993) Marketing planning and strategy, London: blaise publishers.

Travis, Bennet. (2014) ‘7 Types of Market Segmentation’, retrieved from, https://blog.udemy.com/types-of-market-segmentation/ [April 17, 2014].