Consultant's Role

Strategic Business Planning

Knightsbridge Marketing Consulting

Summary

Outside of traditional marketing-driven or marketing sophisticated sectors (consumer packaged goods, automotive industry, entertainment, food service), marketing more often than not refers to marketing programs and activities (e.g., websites, brochures, advertising, direct marketing, sales promotions, etc.) and not to sophisticated and disciplined strategic planning.

It would appear many marketing efforts are directed at tactics and implementation. While this is understandable from a pure cost or spending perspective (it does cost more to implement than to plan), philosophically, it would appear that many firms believe that marketing is more tactical than strategic.

While there are obviously strong pockets of marketing skills in various industries and individual enterprises, there is a general service sector feeling that marketing is often a secondary consideration for many organizations.

As some consulting industry representatives have remarked, there is sometimes little distinction between implementation ("doing things right") and strategy ("doing the right thing"). Some respondents suggested that for many clients, their immediate focus is clearly on implementation and trying to get results without consideration for strategy in many cases.

Other industry practitioners observed that unless a CEO or COO of a company came from a true marketing background (i.e., not sales - often synonymous with marketing in many peoples' minds), or the company had a marketing driven culture, attention to strategic marketing practices was minimal.

~With thanks to Industry Canada and Engelberts & Woyzbun Ltd.

The Marketing Process and the Consultant

Where and how does a consultant "fit into" the marketing process?

The following material is largely an excerpt from a 1996 study "The Marketing Services Industry" undertaken by Engelberts & Woyzbun Ltd. on behalf of Industry Canada. In our opinion it lays out, in a very clear and concise manner, the basics of the marketing process.

The model to the left assumes a continuous process loop beginning with the marketing planning process, its transition to implementation, followed by evaluation, and then a renewed cycle of planning.

In theory, the process is seamless, with marketers constantly planning, implementing and monitoring results, and making adjustments where necessary.

As a result, the model shows an overlap between the distinct phases of the process.

Marketing Services Model

The planning function in marketing is the focal point of all key marketing decisions or strategies. In the marketing planning process, a framework is developed to guide all marketing activities for a company, product or service, throughout a given planning or business cycle.

Key marketing decisions usually involve identification or setting of overall marketing objectives, and the development of the strategies designed to achieve those objectives.

Based on the overall marketing approach identified, various marketing sub-strategies are then developed, including decisions regarding product or service form and function, pricing strategies, distribution strategies and promotion strategies (including advertising, sales, public relations, etc.)

The Marketing Process

In theory, the evaluation of marketing programs is the third major stage in the marketing process, designed to provide feedback regarding the success or impact of programs and, most importantly, to provide the information required to modify or change marketing strategies and implementation.

The evaluation process can range in sophistication and complexity from the analysis of internal sales data to formal market research studies and evaluations.

Evaluation services are either provided in-house or through marketing research firms or consultants. Unlike the provision of planning and implementation services, it is common practice in marketing (as in financial matters) to have an evaluation (a.k.a. audit) conducted by more objective, arms length parties. Service providers can be subdivided into several sub-segments including full service research firms, specialty research firms such as audience measurement firms, firms specializing in providing field services to other marketing research companies, qualitative research specialists, etc.

The following table provides an overview of how the consultant fits into a company's marketing, and/or business management planning, implementation and evaluation processes. Please note that the categorization of service providers into the three process areas is generalized and not meant to indicate exclusive provision of such services.

Evaluation

It has long been believed in theory, that marketing as a business discipline plays an important role in the ultimate business success of organizations. In practice, observation suggests that marketing theory is applied with widely different interpretations, understanding and ultimately impact.

In today's incredibly complex and competitive global economy it is becoming increasingly obvious that the practice of marketing, in almost every business category or sector, will play an even more important role in the long term success of companies.

In order to provide a theoretical perspective or framework for this overview, it is important to model the overall marketing process, and the role that marketing services play in this process. As such, we have defined the marketing process as having three key elements - planning, implementation and evaluation. A graphic representation of this marketing process model is presented below representing the theoretical framework driving most marketing services.

	Planning	Implementation	Evaluation
Role	Helping clients identify and/or make marketing policy decisions	Helping clients to actually execute marketing programs	Providing information in support of marketing decisions
Activity Summary	The development of strategic business and/or marketing plans, including development and selection of marketing sub-categories	The actual implementation of the marketing activities ranging from product development to advertising, public relations, sales promotions, business development programs, and website development and promotion	The measurement and assessment of the level of success of the marketing strategies and programs
Service Providers	In House Personnel Management Consultants Marketing Consultants Advertising Agencies Market Research Companies Specialized Planning Consultants Website/Internet Specialists	In House Personnel Advertising Agencies Direct Marketing Agencies Public Relations Firms Media Industries Website Development and SEO Firms Other "Specialty" Firms	In House Personnel Management Consultants Marketing Consultants Market Research Companies

Planning

As marketing objectives are so closely tied to overall business objectives, primary marketing responsibility has traditionally been an internal corporate or enterprise function.

Organizations without internal marketing resources, or with marketing issues requiring very specific experience or competencies, secure marketing planning services from numerous outside agencies, including but not limited to advertising agencies, marketing research consultants, general marketing consultants, management consultants and specialized marketing consultants.

Implementation

Once key marketing policy decisions are confirmed, the implementation of marketing programs begins. Again, while some organizations have in-house resources capable of carrying out various aspects of marketing-related campaigns, implementation activities are frequently outsourced to marketing service companies.

The providers of marketing services, associated with implementation activities, make up the bulk of the marketing services sector, and at a national level include interactive marketing services, advertising, public relations, direct marketing (including telemarketing and direct mail), specialty media, advertising media, etc.

On a local level, marketing services can be interpreted to include virtually any service provider dealing in marketing-related communications, including photocopy services, graphic design, packaging, printing, etc.