AND HOSPITALITY I
Market Segmentation,
Targeting
and
Positioning
,Customer-Driven Marketing Strategy
• To succeed in today’s competitive marketplace,
companies need to be customer centered.
• Before it can satisfy consumers, a company must
first understand their needs and wants.
– sound marketing requires a careful customer analysis
• Companies know that they cannot profitably
serve all consumers in a given market.
• Each company must divide the market, choose the
best segments and design strategies to serve them.
– this involves market segmentation, market targeting,
differentiation, and positioning
, Differentiation
• Distinguishing your product or service
from the competition in ways that are
both identifiable and meaningful for the
customer
• The customer should perceive a greater
value
• Differentiation is effective when:
– It cannot be easily copied
– It appeals to a particular need or want
– It creates an image or impression that goes
beyond the specific difference itself
, Differentiation
• Differentiation as a marketing tool
– Helps create awareness and trial by the customer
– Sometimes product differentiation is the only thing a
firm can do
– It is much easier to do in the foodservice
environment, even within hotels
• Differentiation -- of anything
– Can be product, message or brand specific
– Difficult to achieve in hospitality because of the
variety of services offered
– Separates product classes and products within the
same class
– Provides an opportunity to strengthen competitive
strategy
• Is the basis for positioning strategy