MARK 303 Strategic Marketing Tutorial Workbook Trimester 2 2026 | VUW

Tutorial 1: Understanding the Business

Introduction:

Marketing strategy is a way of thinking about competing and winning - where to compete and how to compete? We do this by determining where we are now, where we want to be (strategic analysis) and how we are going to get there (strategy and value mix) using an outside-in approach.

As a starting point for this assignment we need to understand as much as we can about our client, the business they are in and the market in which they compete. Tutorial 1 is about gathering background information from secondary sources of information. The CEO of Tom & Luke, Matt Donn will present to the class on 19th July 2021 (the beginning of Week 3).
The purpose of today's tutorial is:

1. Organise ourselves into groups (a maximum of 5 members per group).

2. Background in general

To begin with we will try and find out what we can from secondary sources. We need to understand the nature of the business and the market in which they compete. What does the company mission and vision look like? What is the underlying need that the company serves? Who are the customers (consider intermediary and end-users) and why do they buy? What market segments are there? What is the product market like? Who are the competitors? What are the company's products and potential products? What is their competitive advantage? What is their value proposition – what do they do well? What skills and resources do they have? What geographic locations does the company service currently?

What questions do we have?

Begin by having a clear understanding of Tom & Luke's mission and vision and the company's business definition and scope. This are ESSENTIAL starting points for a strategic marketing plan.

The content

3. Gather information to develop a business definition and scope. covered in Week 2 by Professor Ashill will be very helpful to get you started.
Preparation:

1. Read chapters 2 and 3 which gives an overview of strategic marketing planning thinking and how to collect and analyse marketing information.
   
   
2. Read the Assignment 1 (Group Market Analysis Report) Instructions.
   
   
3. Find out as much as you can about the company, use secondary sources to augment what you have (e.g. look at the website, visit the firm if possible, go to where their products are available, search for information on the company and industry).

During the tutorial

1. Introductions

2. What do you know already and what can you find out easily? Discuss these things.
(Successful teams in business share their knowledge to build a complete picture.)

3. Determine what is needed to develop an understanding of the business in order to complete the company's mission, and business definition and scope of the strategy (this section can be updated as you proceed with the assignment). Begin to develop notes using the company website and your own knowledge on:

a. A mission and vision.

b. The product market.

c. Competitors.

d. The different customer types and current or potential segmentation.

e. The strategies currently used by the firm.

f. The geographic scope for this strategic plan

g. The strategic timeframe that is most realistic

Compile a list of areas you are going to need information, brainstorm about where you might get such information. Compile a list of questions for the company.

Our subject librarian is Peter Quin: http://libguides.victoria.ac.nz/marketing#s-lg- box-3822300

4. Sign the confidentiality agreements.

Tutorial 2: Review of the Remote External Environment

Introduction:

There are two objectives for tutorial 2, firstly we want to complete mission, vision, the business definition and scope and establish the company's current strategic objectives for the business. Secondly, we want our review of the remote external environment to be complete. This is a chance to discuss your ideas with your tutor!

Preparation:

1. Review what you have found out so far, do you understand the nature of your company's business and the strategic issues they are facing?

2. Make sure you have had a look at Tom & Luke's website and other company digital platforms.

3. Write up the remote factors that are currently impacting or could impact this industry over the next 3 years.

4. Read chapter 3 of the text.

During the tutorial

1. Review the company's mission, vision, business definition and scope. Compile a list of questions you still need to answer as a group (they can be emailed to the company via your tutor).

2. In your groups, discuss and research the macro environmental forces you have identified, gather more information on each of the remote (macro) forces you have identified.

3. Consider the importance and likelihood of occurrence for these factors.

After the tutorial

1. Using your notes from the company presentation and tutorial 1, finish writing up the mission, vision, business definition and scope section. Write up your review of the remote environmental forces and gather additional information about the remote environment should there be gaps in your analysis.

Tutorial 3: Near Environment & Internal (Company) Capabilities- Research and Data Collection

Introduction:

During this tutorial we will consider the near environment in which the company competes and what the company is good out/where it is lacking (Internal Capabilities).

We will consider what we need to know about the industry and/or the company and its customers/ potential customers and make use of market research (secondary and/or primary) to inform our analysis.

You should use skills from Mark 201, 202, and 203 to conduct research which provides insights needed to understand the near market and the capabilities of the firm.

You can use this tutorial to collaborate with classmates in other groups to generate insights about the capabilities of the company.

Preparation:

1. Read chapters 3 and 6.

2. Start thinking about things from the near environment that you and the company requires more information about, to guide their strategy.

During the tutorial:

1. Discuss the near market.

Consider:

 Who is the buyer? How large is the market and how is it changing? How are customers changing (end users and organisational buyers)? What does market demand look like now and in the future? Are existing segments growing/declining? Are new segments emerging?

• Why are the company's competitors and how is competition changing?
  
  
•  What do distribution channels look like and how are channels changing?
  
  
• What does supply look like at the market level? How is the nature of supply changing?

2. Check out the company (internal capabilities), what are they good? Where are they lacking? To help achieve real focus when identifying company capabilities, it is important to identify critical success factors for a company to compete in this industry given the mission, business definition and scope. How well is the company performing on these critical success factors?

You will need to gather and analyse some information here about branding, customers, products, pricing, promotion and availability (value creation). How do consumers perceive the company's products relative to competitors?

The purpose of reviewing the internal capabilities of the company is to determine strengths and weaknesses and their relative significance.

3. Decide on any further market research you need to generate insights on the near external environment and/or company capabilities.

After the tutorial

1. Write up what you have so far on the near external environment. Gather additional market research on the near environment and/or company capabilities should there still be gaps in your analysis.

2. Generate a clear statement of opportunities and threats from your analysis of the remote and near external environments. What is the relative importance of the threats and opportunities identified and what do they mean for the company and their future?

3. Write up what you have so far on company capabilities (strengths and weaknesses) based on the secondary sources of information you have gathered and analysed, and any primary research you have undertaken.

Tutorial 4: High Level marketing Strategies

Introduction

Tutorials 4 and 5 focus on marketing strategy recommendations which will be helpful for the individual Strategic Marketing Plan report. Given the remote and near forces impacting the market and the internal capabilities of the company, you now need to determine an overall strategy in terms of where to compete and how to achieve those things.

Preparation

You will have read chapters 4 and 5.

• What will the marketing objectives for the next 3 years be? They should be financial in the first instance and then other strategic aspects can be mentioned (for example to build a stronger market position, to be thought of as true innovators, to build brand equity etc)
  
  
• You could use a Product-Market Matrix, to detail the strategies in terms of where you want to compete in order to achieve desired growth (see example below with product-market strategies). Precise figures are not needed but can be estimated if you have them. You could alternatively use an index. You could have a base index of, say, 100, for year one and grow this each year depending on where the firm must put its effort and resources. For example, if you want to focus hard on market penetration then the index might grow from 100 to say 120 by year 3, whereas for product development the index might stay at or near 100. From this you can also
  estimate   the   firm’s   gross   margin   which   gives   some   idea   of   gross   profit   and   areference against which marketing investments can be considered
  
  
• Remember…this has   to  be  realistic   and  doable.     It  has  to  fit  with   the   budget,abilities, company culture and brand (some understanding of chapter 9 will help).

• You also need to think about segment and target market description describe segments in terms of demographics, lifestyle, and psychographic dimensions. Which products/brands will serve the target market segments, if there are more than one?
  
  
• Competitive Advantage. What are the company's sources of competitive advantage?\

After the tutorial

1. Write up your recommended marketing objectives, higher-level marketing strategies, target markets and sources of competitive advantage.

Tutorial 5: Marketing Program Development, Implementation and Controls

Introduction

Tutorial 5 focus on marketing program development ie marketing recommendations that address value-creation. This is the marketing mix and should be linked to the higher-level marketing strategies.

Preparation

Read chapters 6, 7 and 8.

During the tutorial

By now you will have had a first cut at reviewing and continuing or amending each of the high-level marketing strategies.

Now what shall we do to implement those strategies?

As always this is an iterative process to develop a creative but workable competitive strategy.

1. Customer Value Creation Mix.

a. Create Value: Product management strategy

b. Communicate Value: Brand management and IMC strategy

c. Deliver Value: Customer engagement and distribution strategies

d. Capture Value: Pricing strategy

The customer value creation mix can be generated by matching strengths of the company with the opportunities that have been identified. What will be done to overcome threats? Can weaknesses be improved? What are the implications for strategy?

2. Don't forget the last section of your assignment: implementation, evaluation and control (chapter 9 will be helpful here).

a. What marketing controls do you recommend?

b. What marketing implementation schedule do you recommend?

After the tutorial

1. Write up your final recommendations on high-level marketing strategies, segmentation and targeting marketing, brand positioning, customer value creation (marketing program) and marketing implementation/control.

2. Presentation preparation (5-minute video upload):

Presentations   are   a   fundamental   part   of   business   and   there   are   some   simplepractices that make presentations easier and more successful.   You now need toprepare  a   5-minute  video  presentation   of   your   recommendations  which  will  beuploaded   to   Blackboard   on 1-October -2021.