WEEK7
MARKETING
Originally marketing was meant to help to avoid overproduction. Now marketing is considered to be a system of all business activities of a company in respect of coordinating supply and demand for the goods produced.
Before producing and selling the goods, one must do a lot of market research. Useful information for this purpose can be obtained from embassies, consulates and foreign trade representatives, from trade magazines or from specialized consultant agencies, which will do a professional market research job for a certain fee.
The information needed is whether there is any demand for your goods, what is the market potential, what sort of competition is to be met (that is what price of the goods, including those produced locally, is considered to be competitive), what domestic preferences, local trading customs and seasonal factors should be taken into account.
Actually, marketing covers not only market research, out also planning the assessment of goods, price policy, advertising and promotion of sales, controlling the sales and post-sales servicing. So nowadays general marketing strategy includes such essential elements as planning, market research, new product development, sales, communications and advertising.
Planning. While speaking of marketing planning, one should think first of all of the so-called controllable and uncontrollable factors. The controllable factors are the following: product, price, place and promotion; the uncontrollable ones – environmental factors. Both these types are very important when one starts analysing the market situation.
Research. Market research is concerned first of all with product choice study and the study of competitors' interests and their claims. The most popular methods of conducting marketing research are observation, survey, experiment and public opinion polls through different channels.
Production. Attitudinal research should affect the product to be produced, so production is inevitably based on marketing Intelligence study. Marketing investigates stages before, during and after production and also the stage following sales.
Sales. Sales are always involved with customers service of all kinds. Markets for consumer products are segmented on the basis of demographic and psychographic data research.
Communications and advertising. The communications mix comprises advertising, public relations, direct mail and special events such as product shows, conferences and exhibitions. Advertising is an important means of promoting the goods that have been produced already, as well as new lines in business. Nowadays there are special departments and agencies dealing with advertising. Different kinds of mass media – TV, radio, newspapers, cinema, magazines, posters – are used for advertising aims. Special leaflets, booklets and other printed matters with the information about goods may be published for the same purpose. The choice of media for advertising depends on the kind of goods and on the local conditions and people's habits.
I. Translate the following words and learn their pronunciation:
preferences; exhibitions; polls; magazines; leaflets; fee; choice; assortment; promotion; potential; mass media; advertising; experiment; strategy; originally; locally; competitive; attitudinal; environmental; uncontrollable; demographic; psychographic; preliminary.
II. Explain the meaning of the following words and phrases in English:
embassy; market research; market potential; seasonal factors; controllable factors; consumer products; the communications mix; overproduction; direct mail; sales promotion, public relations.
III. Give English equivalents for the following Russian words and phrases:
ценовая политика; торговые представители; традиции и обычаи; факторы, связанные с внешней средой; связи с общественностью; избежать перепроизводства; координировать спрос и предложение; проводить выставки и конференции; считаться
конкурентоспособным; включать в себя рекламное дело; проводить сегментацию рынка; влиять на выбор продукции.
IV. Answer the following questions:
1) What was the original aim of marketing?
2) What is the main purpose of marketing nowadays?
3) Where can information for market research be obtained?
4) What are the most important parts of any marketing research?
5) How many parts does marketing strategy include?
6) What is meant by planning?
7) Why is production inevitably based on marketing study?
8) What is the aim of advertising?
Training programme
After the Group had lunch Mr. Hill invited everybody to one of the conference rooms on the first floor of the hotel.
David: Ladies and gentlemen First let me say a few words about myself and the company who is the organiser of this Programme.
My name is David Hill. I'm Doctor of Economics. In the recent past I worked for a foreign trade company and then for a bank. Now I specialise in business management and in training businessmen from East European countries. For some time I worked in Poland and Hungary. Now I'm closely cooperating with Russia.
I'm working for international Management Ltd. It's a well established English company specialising in business and computer skills training. The Company also provides financial consulting and business development. Here before you there are booklets on the history and scope of activities of our company. You may certainly keep these booklets.
Now I'll be greatful to you if you could introduce yourselves in just a few wolds.
Then each participant said a few words about himself or herself in English or in Russian and Mr. Lvov acted as an interpreter.
Here is what of one of the participants said:
Mr Hill, let me first thank you for the nice reception and for a good beginning of the Programme. I hope the Programme will be a success and we shall learn a lot of useful things.
My name is Oleg Pilov. I'm financial manager of a department in a commercial bank in Moscow. And I'm especially interested in topics relating to financing foreign transactions for small businesses.
After everybody made introductions Mr. Hill distributed the Timetable of the Programme and invited the participants to have a panoramic tour of London by private coach. The Russian speaking guide told the Group a lot of interesting things about London and the participants enjoyed the sights. Many of them made pictures with their cameras.
Complete these short speeches and act out similar ones:
• Ladies and gentlemen! First let me say a few words about myself and the company. My name is David Hill. I'm.. In the recent past... Now I specialise.. For some time I worked...
• I'm working for.. It's a well established.. The company also provides... Here before you there are booklets... You... keep... Now I'll be grateful... introduce yourself...
• Let me first thank you for... I hope.... success... My name is Oleg Pilov. I'm..manager..bank... And I'm especially interested... foreign transactions for small...
ü speech — речь
Role play
• Imagine you are the Organiser of a training programme for foreign participants in Russia.
• Write down the main points of the opening speech.
• Make the opening speech.
ü role play — ролевая игра
ü to imagine — представить (себе)