Short-term marketing strategies and tactics

FAST-PACED ACTION PLANS

Short-term marketing strategies are 6 - 24-month plans deployed when there are really no clear guidelines to go by. They are typically used when launching new products or services or expanding into new territories, but are also effective for companies in seed/growth stages where market capture is vital in order to secure next level financing. Mistakes here can cause serious delays that give competitors time to capture market share.

Tunnel vision is a constant threat to short-term planning. It is very easy to concentrate too much on one issue for it to suddenly become the cornerstone of the entire launch campaign. An outsider looking in is immune to this for a while and if a certain distance is maintained. Consultants spending too much time with a company when developing short-term strategic plans is in danger of catching that tunnel vision bug. Close proximity is necessary only when extracting information about the company, product or service. After that, distance is required to maintain clarity.

Tourism is a highly competitive arena with high overheads and enormous investments. We are not talking about guesthouses and sightseeing firms - we are talking about airlines, hotels and resorts. It takes very little for matters to spin out of control and once they do, they tend to escalate quickly. Airlines are highly vulnerable to sudden shocks and are heavily regulated. Tourism is seasonal and the bulk of an airline's revenue is made in a very tight timeframe of the year. Airlines therefore develop their businesses during the low seasons and implement them once bookings pick up.

During this period, they also develop short-term strategies to snatch customers away from competitors. Hotels and resorts do the exact same thing but not quite as aggressively. Governments play an important role is assisting tourist-oriented companies by investing in the sector through aggressively promoting their countries. They play an instrumental role in ensuring the safety and comfort of tourists once they arrive and can attract high-ticket tourists by establishing an efficient financial system with high credit card penetration and adopt wireless technologies.

Where there are business cycles, short-term strategies should be in place. Our fast-paced short-term strategies are based on your core strengths and exploit the competitor's weaknesses. Once in place, they can be deployed quickly both as attack and defense. They are usually developed in coordination with your advertising agency. By default, these strategies are either aimed at single targets from multiple directions or multiple targets from a single direction; any other combination is either unfocused or inefficient.

BLITZ CAMPAIGNS

Blitz campaigns are used to hit the opponent fast and hard using a combination of weapons. The objective is to stun the competitor and is usually deployed before launching the main marketing campaign.

Blitz campaigns require sharp focus, a clear-cut execution strategy and nerves of steel. PR enters into the picture and is used to ignite so many fires in the competitor camp that management ability to cope is shattered. A blitz campaign is as aggressive as campaigns come and must be approached with extreme caution.

Mass media outlets, the internet, social networks and smartphones are used to deliver information about the product or business in order to capture target audience interest quickly. They cannot be sustained for long, however, as they put too much demand on marketing resources. Once market attention has been secured, a more gentle approach is used to convert that attention into customers and that's when the long-term strategy kicks in.

“Snorri is by far one of the most exciting people I have been associated with. He is a perfect blend of a technical and functional marketing professional. His understanding of market trends and ability to accurately predict fluctuation in need-supply-demand is a skill most would give a right hand for. The vastness of his experience at this stage of life is an indication of what more he has to offer in time to come. Working with him has shone light on aspects of marketing I would otherwise have never thought of.” Apoorva B Penkar, Head- Global Business Acquisition, AlphaBricks Technologies, December 9, 2011

Tokyo	Beijing	New Delhi	Brussels	London	- Reykjavik -	New York	Chicago	Denver	Los Angeles


FAST-PACED ACTION PLANS Short-term marketing strategies are 6 - 24-month plans deployed when there are really no clear guidelines to go by. They are typically used when launching new products or services or expanding into new territories, but are also effective for companies in seed/growth stages where market capture is vital in order to secure next level financing. Mistakes here can cause serious delays that give competitors time to capture market share. Tunnel vision is a constant threat to short-term planning. It is very easy to concentrate too much on one issue for it to suddenly become the cornerstone of the entire launch campaign. An outsider looking in is immune to this for a while and if a certain distance is maintained. Consultants spending too much time with a company when developing short-term strategic plans is in danger of catching that tunnel vision bug. Close proximity is necessary only when extracting information about the company, product or service. After that, distance is required to maintain clarity.
	Tourism is a highly competitive arena with high overheads and enormous investments. We are not talking about guesthouses and sightseeing firms - we are talking about airlines, hotels and resorts. It takes very little for matters to spin out of control and once they do, they tend to escalate quickly. Airlines are highly vulnerable to sudden shocks and are heavily regulated. Tourism is seasonal and the bulk of an airline's revenue is made in a very tight timeframe of the year. Airlines therefore develop their businesses during the low seasons and implement them once bookings pick up.
	During this period, they also develop short-term strategies to snatch customers away from competitors. Hotels and resorts do the exact same thing but not quite as aggressively. Governments play an important role is assisting tourist-oriented companies by investing in the sector through aggressively promoting their countries. They play an instrumental role in ensuring the safety and comfort of tourists once they arrive and can attract high-ticket tourists by establishing an efficient financial system with high credit card penetration and adopt wireless technologies. Where there are business cycles, short-term strategies should be in place. Our fast-paced short-term strategies are based on your core strengths and exploit the competitor's weaknesses. Once in place, they can be deployed quickly both as attack and defense. They are usually developed in coordination with your advertising agency. By default, these strategies are either aimed at single targets from multiple directions or multiple targets from a single direction; any other combination is either unfocused or inefficient.
BLITZ CAMPAIGNS Blitz campaigns are used to hit the opponent fast and hard using a combination of weapons. The objective is to stun the competitor and is usually deployed before launching the main marketing campaign. Blitz campaigns require sharp focus, a clear-cut execution strategy and nerves of steel. PR enters into the picture and is used to ignite so many fires in the competitor camp that management ability to cope is shattered. A blitz campaign is as aggressive as campaigns come and must be approached with extreme caution. Mass media outlets, the internet, social networks and smartphones are used to deliver information about the product or business in order to capture target audience interest quickly. They cannot be sustained for long, however, as they put too much demand on marketing resources. Once market attention has been secured, a more gentle approach is used to convert that attention into customers and that's when the long-term strategy kicks in. “Snorri is by far one of the most exciting people I have been associated with. He is a perfect blend of a technical and functional marketing professional. His understanding of market trends and ability to accurately predict fluctuation in need-supply-demand is a skill most would give a right hand for. The vastness of his experience at this stage of life is an indication of what more he has to offer in time to come. Working with him has shone light on aspects of marketing I would otherwise have never thought of.” Apoorva B Penkar, Head- Global Business Acquisition, AlphaBricks Technologies, December 9, 2011