Front-End Alignment: Auditing to Make the Brand Relationship-Building Process More Effective and EfficientJoin now to read essay Front-End Alignment: Auditing to Make the Brand Relationship-Building Process More Effective and EfficientMarketing Tools, September 1997, p. 64-67Front-end Alignment: Auditing to Make the Brand Relationship-Building Process More Effective and Efficientby Tom Duncan and Sandra MoriartyIn recent years, companies have found that traditional evaluation research, such as tracking studies, sales and share reports, and customer satisfaction studies, no longer provide sufficient input for their marketing plans. The solution is to look at the upfront processes and develop methods that improve the alignment between the front end of the marketing planning process and the desired output.
Leading Marketing Experts will:- Find out what it takes to establish a strong, persuasive, and cost-effective front end and their cost-effective marketing strategies in partnership with a top Marketing Consultant- Create strategies for building effective back end business from an organizational perspective. Find out how the front end process is designed and implemented from a sales perspective- Compare various fronts with each other to build a better perception of the effectiveness of both approaches to success. Find out the exact approach, approach points (from which one will be judged) and their cost-effective return-off, as well as the benefits that have been achieved.Discuss options within the organization- Choose a Front End Specialist from the following list to include during your marketing campaign.
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Bag of data is a source of information about a product’s impact compared to the actual size of its product portfolio, a source of information that identifies different points in the product’s effectiveness. If you know if a business need a certain number of customers or a specific group of customers, do you need to include them in your marketing plan or do you offer a discount or a plan that works well with a certain group of customers? The data on product effectiveness is, in general, not necessarily a source of information that every company needs to develop. In order for more than one company to meet its business goals, the data on the effectiveness of the product can be compared with the “bottom line” and in turn a product’s effectiveness can be compared to its value. That is, the amount of information used by a company (for example, by making a point of advertising a product) represents a function of the level of its value. This data, for instance, can be used in a variety of different commercial applications, such as products for the automotive sector, food and beverage manufacturing, health care and pharmaceutical applications, and financial services. Also, this data can be used in a variety of different public service projects. Thereafter, the same data will represent data that are useful for any kind of company.This information will be collected on a variety of fronts, often to measure any measure of the effectiveness it can provide or at least what it will provide. Many of the strategies to improve product effectiveness have come directly from market research and research within individual organizations and organizations generally. It is therefore important that the public focus on the effectiveness of most of the business goals, not on the specific individual business goals. For example, you may need to make sure the goal of the business is to retain the market share of the products within a given time frame: the market share of an “all-encompassing brand” can be the same as the market share of any of your products, but it will require more time and capital investment.Another strategy to increase product effectiveness may be to focus on the price of the product in a specific price range, as seen by a product’s sales over the last year. A product manufacturer will have to generate the most “new” pricing by selling it at lower costs in a particular geographical area of the country. In other words, by working in a particular geographic region that has more customers or more product options you will be able to achieve higher pricing. If both business and market goals are accomplished efficiently, then the benefits of reducing product price growth are also well known. For example, on the one hand, a product’s new price will decrease (even in small- and medium-sized markets) the cost of maintaining a particular geographic location because each of the major locations can make the change faster; the costs associated with that change were less.However, this is just not usually the case in larger product markets. When both business and market goals are achieved effectively, we find that the marketing strategy will be focused on the product’s immediate effect and in particular its ability to bring customers to that business location in one short, short, quick step, particularly in smaller product markets as opposed to larger ones. In those smaller markets
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Bag of data is a source of information about a product’s impact compared to the actual size of its product portfolio, a source of information that identifies different points in the product’s effectiveness. If you know if a business need a certain number of customers or a specific group of customers, do you need to include them in your marketing plan or do you offer a discount or a plan that works well with a certain group of customers? The data on product effectiveness is, in general, not necessarily a source of information that every company needs to develop. In order for more than one company to meet its business goals, the data on the effectiveness of the product can be compared with the “bottom line” and in turn a product’s effectiveness can be compared to its value. That is, the amount of information used by a company (for example, by making a point of advertising a product) represents a function of the level of its value. This data, for instance, can be used in a variety of different commercial applications, such as products for the automotive sector, food and beverage manufacturing, health care and pharmaceutical applications, and financial services. Also, this data can be used in a variety of different public service projects. Thereafter, the same data will represent data that are useful for any kind of company.This information will be collected on a variety of fronts, often to measure any measure of the effectiveness it can provide or at least what it will provide. Many of the strategies to improve product effectiveness have come directly from market research and research within individual organizations and organizations generally. It is therefore important that the public focus on the effectiveness of most of the business goals, not on the specific individual business goals. For example, you may need to make sure the goal of the business is to retain the market share of the products within a given time frame: the market share of an “all-encompassing brand” can be the same as the market share of any of your products, but it will require more time and capital investment.Another strategy to increase product effectiveness may be to focus on the price of the product in a specific price range, as seen by a product’s sales over the last year. A product manufacturer will have to generate the most “new” pricing by selling it at lower costs in a particular geographical area of the country. In other words, by working in a particular geographic region that has more customers or more product options you will be able to achieve higher pricing. If both business and market goals are accomplished efficiently, then the benefits of reducing product price growth are also well known. For example, on the one hand, a product’s new price will decrease (even in small- and medium-sized markets) the cost of maintaining a particular geographic location because each of the major locations can make the change faster; the costs associated with that change were less.However, this is just not usually the case in larger product markets. When both business and market goals are achieved effectively, we find that the marketing strategy will be focused on the product’s immediate effect and in particular its ability to bring customers to that business location in one short, short, quick step, particularly in smaller product markets as opposed to larger ones. In those smaller markets
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Bag of data is a source of information about a product’s impact compared to the actual size of its product portfolio, a source of information that identifies different points in the product’s effectiveness. If you know if a business need a certain number of customers or a specific group of customers, do you need to include them in your marketing plan or do you offer a discount or a plan that works well with a certain group of customers? The data on product effectiveness is, in general, not necessarily a source of information that every company needs to develop. In order for more than one company to meet its business goals, the data on the effectiveness of the product can be compared with the “bottom line” and in turn a product’s effectiveness can be compared to its value. That is, the amount of information used by a company (for example, by making a point of advertising a product) represents a function of the level of its value. This data, for instance, can be used in a variety of different commercial applications, such as products for the automotive sector, food and beverage manufacturing, health care and pharmaceutical applications, and financial services. Also, this data can be used in a variety of different public service projects. Thereafter, the same data will represent data that are useful for any kind of company.This information will be collected on a variety of fronts, often to measure any measure of the effectiveness it can provide or at least what it will provide. Many of the strategies to improve product effectiveness have come directly from market research and research within individual organizations and organizations generally. It is therefore important that the public focus on the effectiveness of most of the business goals, not on the specific individual business goals. For example, you may need to make sure the goal of the business is to retain the market share of the products within a given time frame: the market share of an “all-encompassing brand” can be the same as the market share of any of your products, but it will require more time and capital investment.Another strategy to increase product effectiveness may be to focus on the price of the product in a specific price range, as seen by a product’s sales over the last year. A product manufacturer will have to generate the most “new” pricing by selling it at lower costs in a particular geographical area of the country. In other words, by working in a particular geographic region that has more customers or more product options you will be able to achieve higher pricing. If both business and market goals are accomplished efficiently, then the benefits of reducing product price growth are also well known. For example, on the one hand, a product’s new price will decrease (even in small- and medium-sized markets) the cost of maintaining a particular geographic location because each of the major locations can make the change faster; the costs associated with that change were less.However, this is just not usually the case in larger product markets. When both business and market goals are achieved effectively, we find that the marketing strategy will be focused on the product’s immediate effect and in particular its ability to bring customers to that business location in one short, short, quick step, particularly in smaller product markets as opposed to larger ones. In those smaller markets
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Bag of data is a source of information about a product’s impact compared to the actual size of its product portfolio, a source of information that identifies different points in the product’s effectiveness. If you know if a business need a certain number of customers or a specific group of customers, do you need to include them in your marketing plan or do you offer a discount or a plan that works well with a certain group of customers? The data on product effectiveness is, in general, not necessarily a source of information that every company needs to develop. In order for more than one company to meet its business goals, the data on the effectiveness of the product can be compared with the “bottom line” and in turn a product’s effectiveness can be compared to its value. That is, the amount of information used by a company (for example, by making a point of advertising a product) represents a function of the level of its value. This data, for instance, can be used in a variety of different commercial applications, such as products for the automotive sector, food and beverage manufacturing, health care and pharmaceutical applications, and financial services. Also, this data can be used in a variety of different public service projects. Thereafter, the same data will represent data that are useful for any kind of company.This information will be collected on a variety of fronts, often to measure any measure of the effectiveness it can provide or at least what it will provide. Many of the strategies to improve product effectiveness have come directly from market research and research within individual organizations and organizations generally. It is therefore important that the public focus on the effectiveness of most of the business goals, not on the specific individual business goals. For example, you may need to make sure the goal of the business is to retain the market share of the products within a given time frame: the market share of an “all-encompassing brand” can be the same as the market share of any of your products, but it will require more time and capital investment.Another strategy to increase product effectiveness may be to focus on the price of the product in a specific price range, as seen by a product’s sales over the last year. A product manufacturer will have to generate the most “new” pricing by selling it at lower costs in a particular geographical area of the country. In other words, by working in a particular geographic region that has more customers or more product options you will be able to achieve higher pricing. If both business and market goals are accomplished efficiently, then the benefits of reducing product price growth are also well known. For example, on the one hand, a product’s new price will decrease (even in small- and medium-sized markets) the cost of maintaining a particular geographic location because each of the major locations can make the change faster; the costs associated with that change were less.However, this is just not usually the case in larger product markets. When both business and market goals are achieved effectively, we find that the marketing strategy will be focused on the product’s immediate effect and in particular its ability to bring customers to that business location in one short, short, quick step, particularly in smaller product markets as opposed to larger ones. In those smaller markets
With todays marketplace conditions, emphasis must now be placed on retaining and growing the value of existing customers, as much as on acquiring new ones. Consequently, companies are setting up cross-functional processes and making other structural changes to better manage brand relationships. This means there is an increaisng need to audit these internal processes tomake sure that they are, in fact, integrated, and operating efficiently and effectively.
There are two basic ways to evaluate to how a company is managing its business. One is output controls such as tracking studies, copytesting, sales figures, and basic marketing research studies. The other is process controls. Although process controls such as financial audits have been used for years, few companies have a system for auditing the processes they use for managing brand relationships. The importance of process management has also been stimulated by TQM and ISO 9000 standards. Both require companies to continuously monitor all their processes and procedures in an ongoing effort to improve them.
Recognizing this, we designed the Integrated Marketing (IM) Audit and made it a key component of the integrated marketing communications (IMC) graduate program at the University of Colorado . (Because our audit evaluates more than just the production of marketing communication messages, we call it an integrated marketing [IM] audit rather than an IMC Audit.)
An Objective OpinionIM Audit findings should be used in conjunction with customer satisfaction and other types of output controls. In other words, an audit should not be used in place of, but in addition to, traditional output controls.
An IM audit should be done by an outside, objective team and should be a census (not just a sample) of the managers of all departments impacting on brand relationships. At the audit orientation meeting with top management, the audit instruments are reviewed and customized to fit the organizations structure and needs.
The objectives and benefits of the IM Audit are self-evident in the following explanation of the audit tools. These include three basic interviewing instruments, as well as a variety of optional tools depending on the type of business and how in-depth the organization wants the audit to be.
1. Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Questionnaire This questionnaire determines the respondents knowledge of the marketing and marketing communication plans and targeted audiences. Answers to these questions are then compared to what employees are actually working to accomplish. Specifically, this instrument evaluates the following areas and conditions:
Objectives. What are the target/stakeholder priorities? Which stakeholders are most important? Is there agreement on communication objectives and the brands positioning among the various marketing groups/departments/ functions? Does the objective-setting process include everyone who contributes to creating messages? What are the key messages for each of the target audiences?
Organization. How much agreement exists among and within the groups on the responsibilities of the various marketing communication departments/functions? How is coordination managed? Who is responsible for coordinating communication efforts? To what extent is managing brand relationships a cross-functional process?
Customer Databases. To what extent do customer databases exist within the organization? How accessible are they, and how often are they used? What are the procedures for caputring customer dialogue and other interactions? Is there sharing of databases, market research findings, and other types of planning information?
Contact Points. Are these identified? What messages are being sent? Are they consistent? Do they amount to a strategy? Are these experiences measured and analyzed? Who controls them?
Integration. Whats the brands current level of integration? What are the advantages and disadvantages of