Strategy for strengthening market positions. Strategies that businesses can pursue to improve their market position. Horizontal integration strategy

IN modern management distinguish 4 groups reference strategies business development, the basis for highlighting which are changes in one or several key factors in the functioning of the company, namely: product, market, industry, position of the company in the industry and technology. Each of these components can either remain in the current state, or move into a new one, defining the features of the organization's development path.

First group basic strategies are strategies concentrated growth. These strategies consider business development within the framework of the “product-market” model, without affecting other selected categories. The author of this theory is already repeatedly mentioned in this work - one of the founders strategic management- Igor Ansoff, who developed a matrix that allows you to determine the strategy for positioning a product on the market:

table 1. Ansoff matrix

	Existing product	New product
Existing market	Market penetration	Product development
new market	Market Development	Diversification

This tool allows you to determine the optimal strategy for entering the market, based on two factors: the degree of market saturation, as well as the company's ability to permanently improve manufacturing process. Ansoff identifies 4 alternative marketing strategies, but diversification implies an impact not only on the market or product, but also on entering new industries, so it will be discussed a little later. This leaves 3 possible concentration strategies:

§ A strategy to strengthen your position in the market.

Most often, the main goal of such a strategy is an elementary increase in sales. This strategy has the least degree of risk, but the scope of its applicability is rather narrow. First of all, an active and rapidly developing market is necessary for the success of this strategy, otherwise the company's investments in existing products may not pay off. In addition, the reputation of the company is important, since in the conditions of the impossibility of influencing the characteristics of the product and the market segment, the marketing policy begins to play a key role. Finally, such a strategy is promising only for a weak competitive markets, because in a highly competitive environment, its use will only be a prerequisite for a price war.

§ Product development strategy.

Promotion new products carried out in previously developed markets. Within the framework of this approach, not only the emergence of fundamentally innovative products is possible, but also the improvement of old ones (improving quality, improving design, expanding functionality, etc.). The product development strategy is applicable in cases where the company feels comfortable in terms of technology, and the market has a high potential for development - otherwise the cost of the product may not be justified. The most relevant use of this concept will be in cases where a company needs to restore consumer interest in its products, or to make some repositioning, focusing on the changed properties of an old product or unique new products introduced to the market.

§ Market development strategy.

Search for new markets for current products. Expanding the boundaries of the market can take place in two directions - the search for new geographical segments or finding new industries for products, that is, the development of a target segment. So, for example, a company that organizes catering for universities in Moscow can not only open its branches in other cities of Russia, but also start cooperation with schools or kindergartens. It is important to note that for successful implementation Such a strategy, the firm must have a certain margin of safety, expressed in additional physical capital, as well as experience gained in the course of work in already conquered markets. At the same time, it is also important that the markets themselves do not have high barriers to entry, and that there are groups of consumers with unsatisfied demand.

Next the type of reference strategies are integrated growth strategies. These strategies are focused on the structural expansion of the company and can be divided into 2 types:

§ Vertical integration.

It involves the merger of the company with the previous (vertical backward integration) or subsequent (vertical forward integration) link in the value chain of the product. Vertical integration helps to reduce the company's dependence on suppliers or distributors / sales companies, depending on the direction of integration, as well as accelerate the overall production cycle since the company relies only on own sources supply and distribution channels. At the same time, over time, relying solely on one's own forces may become more costly than using external firms, so this will no longer be an advantage, but a significant one. negative factor, hindering the development of the company, reducing its ability to be flexible and adapt to ever-changing consumer requirements.

§ horizontal integration.

This strategy involves the merger or acquisition of direct competitors, that is, firms operating in the same industry and producing similar products. The main goal of horizontal integration is usually a significant strengthening of market positions, based on the economies of scale obtained by combining structures, as well as a decrease in the level competition achieved by eliminating one of the opponents. Despite the fact that the horizontal integration strategy can significantly increase the efficiency of most organizational processes, its use is quite risky, because under adverse market conditions, the company will suffer a double loss, which, together with transaction costs from the merger transaction, can significantly hit the company. Thus, any prospect of horizontal integration should be carefully analyzed both in terms of the company's resource capabilities and in terms of market attractiveness.

When considering integration strategies, one cannot fail to mention the growing trend in some industries towards the creation of fully integrated companies, that is, organizations that carry out a complete production, distribution and sales cycle. An illustration of a fully integrated company is the oil giant Lukoil, which controls oil production, refining, and sales as gasoline.

Third a group of basic business development strategies includes diversification strategies- they are used when a company is looking for fundamentally new ways to expand its activities by offering new products in new markets. Thus, diversification can affect all 5 elements of the company's functioning, and depending on what is emphasized when developing the concept of changes, the following options for its implementation are distinguished:

§ Centered diversification.

It implies the use of existing production facilities to create a new product; in other words, a centered diversification strategy is a strategy associated with expanding the company's product range as part of an increase in the number of product groups sold by the company.

§ horizontal diversification.

This strategy involves the creation of goods or services that are not directly related to existing products, but that can be of interest to current customers of the company. Thus, the firm relies heavily on the same consumer segment, in some cases using part of the existing infrastructure and technology, but producing something new and different from what it offered before. Using this technology, the company can significantly save on promotion trademark because it the target audience already has a certain formed idea about the company's products.

§ conglomerate diversification.

It implies the company's entry into previously undeveloped markets with a product that is fundamentally different from those that the company has previously sold. This strategy is the most risky and difficult to implement, since the company needs investments both to create a completely new production chain and to position itself in a new market. Thus, in order to implement such a strategy, the company must have significant financial stability, as well as in-depth knowledge of the characteristics of the market it plans to enter. On the other hand, conglomerate diversification virtually neutralizes entrepreneurial risk for the company, because even with the complete decline of the industry in which the company's main business is concentrated, it will be able to stay afloat by redistributing resources in favor of a new direction of development.

All 3 groups of strategies discussed above imply an impact on different aspects of the company's activities, but at the same time, each of them is aimed at expanding the range of the company's activities. Often, the company needs to regroup its forces somewhat and perhaps even to some extent abandon the development of certain business units, therefore, another group of reference strategies is distinguished - reduction strategies.

§ Harvest strategy.

This strategy is applicable in cases where there are no growth prospects for the market in which the company's product is circulating, or when the company is no longer able to maintain a high level of competition in the market. Its essence lies in the fact that the company concentrates its efforts on obtaining maximum profit in short term virtually ending funding product development. Most often, various marketing promotions are used to stimulate sales, or a simple strong price reduction is used for this. Often, these actions allow the company not only to profitably sell the goods, but to deal a certain blow to competitors who are forced to respond to a changing situation.

§ Cutting off excess.

This strategy involves the closure or sale of any unprofitable structural unit enterprises. It can be a regional branch, a plant, a scientific development center or any other facility directly related to the creation of a company's product.

§ Cost reduction.

The fundamental difference between this strategy and the previous one is that the company seeks to maintain its integrity, but is looking for ways to get rid of costs at one or another link in the product value chain. As part of the cost reduction strategy, the company may reduce the volume of production or purchases, reduce part of the staff, revise management costs etc., however, the elements of the firm's system do not qualitatively change.

§ Liquidation.

This strategy implies the complete collapse of the company, leading either to its sale, or to complete bankruptcy and exit from the market. Of course, the liquidation strategy is the last of the possible reduction measures, however, in the conditions of modern market economy, characterized by a sufficient degree of instability, such an outcome becomes inevitable for many companies.

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Definition of strategy and types of strategies. Concentrated growth strategy - strategies associated with changing the product and / or market (strategy of strengthening the position in the market, market development strategy, product development strategy). Conditions for implementing the strategy (goals and means).

Definition of strategy

Strategy- this general plan actions of the organization, which determines the priorities of strategic tasks, resources and sequence of steps to achieve strategic goals.

The main task of the strategy is to transfer the organization from its present state to the foreseeable future state desired by management.
Depending on the chosen object of strategic management, there are:

Ø corporate strategy - the strategy of the organization as a whole;

Ø business strategy - the strategy of a separate strategic unit of the organization;

Ø functional strategy - the strategy of the functional zone of management.

There are four main types of strategies:

1. Concentrated growth strategies- a strategy for strengthening market positions, a market development strategy, a product development strategy.

2. Strategies for integrated growth- reverse strategy vertical integration, strategy of forward going vertical integration, strategy of horizontal integration.

3. Diversified growth strategies– strategy of centered diversification, strategy of horizontal diversification, strategy of conglomerate diversification.

4. Reduction strategies– elimination strategy, harvest strategy, reduction strategy, cost reduction strategy.

Before everyone successful business sooner or later the question arises which development strategy should be applied for further growth.

Concentrated Growth Strategies

Concentrated growth strategies are strategies that involve product and/or market change. In the case of following these strategies, the firm is trying to improve its product or start producing a new one without changing the industry. With regard to the market, the company is looking for opportunities to improve its position in the existing market or to move to new market.

There are the following types of concentrated growth strategies:

· market position strengthening strategy;

· market development strategy;

· product development strategy.

Market Strengthening Strategy assumes that the company does everything so that with a specific product on this market win the best position. It requires a lot of marketing efforts to implement it. The strengthening of positions is based on a number of principles, which can be represented as follows:

Growth as the most important task;

Constant search for more efficient ways of production;

The desire to get a large share of the existing market on the use of one product;

Capturing consumer and market share from competitors.

Benefits of a concentration strategy:

Based on the known abilities and capabilities of the organization;

Can effectively develop existing skills to create competitive advantage;

High sensitivity to market needs and the ability to gain a reputation in this area;

Low risk;

Easily controlled gradual growth.

Disadvantages:

This is more of a progressive than a revolutionary strategy;

There are limits to which growth can take place in one market;

Subordination to changes in consumer preferences and downturns in the economy;

Complicates the company's task in tracking the actions of competitors;

Imposes responsibility for maintaining the level of innovation in the field of own products;

Requires significant financial expenditures on advertising and promotion of the product.

Market development strategy is to find new markets for an already produced product. This strategy involves moving the company into new areas of the market using existing products or services. It can take several forms. A firm may modify its product to a small extent to make it more attractive to certain markets. Alternatively, there may be expansion across national borders through exports, or there may be geographical expansion on a national basis. To effectively conduct market development, its segmentation is necessary. Consider the advantages and disadvantages of the market development strategy.

Advantages:

Builds on existing strengths, skills and capabilities;

Relatively low commercial risk;

Can give a significant income at a relatively low cost;

Can provide enough income to develop a new product.

Disadvantages:

The scope of the strategy is limited: it is usually appropriate when the product is at an early stage in its life cycle;

Requires significant market research;

It will probably be difficult to identify the required market segments;

An organization may not be able to meet the needs of an identified market segment due to lack of capacity or other reasons.

product development strategy, involves solving the problem of growth through the production of a new product and its implementation in the market already mastered by it. This strategy option is most appropriate for existing markets, and it may include new types of products resulting from technical developments or modifications (improvements).

Advantages:

Allows you to improve competitive position companies by attracting new customers;

Extends the life cycle of the product;

Allows you to benefit from professional skills in areas such as research and development;

Helps the company to respond to new market needs or to cope with the problems of possible substitutes;

Often essential to the survival of an organization;

Used to enhance product differentiation;

New product development plays important role in determining profitability at later stages of its life cycle;

Required for products with a short life cycle, if you want to achieve continuous growth.

Disadvantages:

Relatively high risk strategy;

There is a high probability of new product failures;

Significant investment in research, development and advertising is required.

Thus, the strategy is the general direction of the organization, following which in the long term should lead it to the goal. In practice, a firm can simultaneously implement several strategies. This is especially true for multi-industry companies. It can be produced by the firm and a certain sequence in the implementation of strategies. Regarding the first and second cases, the firm is said to be pursuing a combined strategy.

Integrated growth strategies – reverse vertical integration strategy, forward vertical integration strategy.

Diversification growth strategies – centered diversification strategy, horizontal diversification strategy.

Reduction strategies – elimination strategy, harvest strategy, reduction strategy, cost reduction strategy.

At its core, a strategy is a set of decision-making rules that guide an organization in its activities. "It includes general principles on the basis of which the managers of this organization can make interconnected decisions designed to ensure the coordinated and orderly achievement of goals in the long term.

There are four different groups of rules:

The rules used in evaluating the performance of a firm now and in the future. The qualitative side of the evaluation criteria is usually called a benchmark, and the quantitative content is called a task.

The rules governing a firm's relationship with its external environment, determining: what types of products and technologies it will develop, where and to whom to sell its products, how to achieve superiority over competitors. This set of rules is called product-market strategy or business strategy.

The rules by which relationships and procedures are established within an organization. They are often referred to as the organizational concept.

The rules by which a firm conducts its day-to-day activities, called basic operating procedures.

38. Concentrated growth strategies.

The strategy of concentrated growth is associated with change product and market and do not affect the other two elements: the company seeks to improve the product or produce a new one, while not changing the industry and looking for opportunities to improve its position in the existing market or move to a new market. The types of concentrated growth strategies are:

1) market position strengthening strategy(with an existing product in this market);

2) market development strategy(search for new markets for the manufactured product);

3) product development strategy(production of a new product and its implementation in an already developed market).

39. Integrated growth strategies.

Business strategies that involve expanding a firm by adding new structures. These strategies are called integrated growth strategies. Typically, a firm may resort to implementing such strategies if it is in a strong business, cannot implement concentrated growth strategies, and at the same time, integrated growth does not contradict its long-term goals. A firm can pursue integrated growth both through acquisition of ownership and through expansion from within. In both cases, there is a change in the position of the firm within the industry.

There are two main types of integrated growth strategies:

The strategy of reverse vertical integration is aimed at the growth of the company through the acquisition or strengthening of control over suppliers. A firm can either create supply subsidiaries or acquire supply companies. Implementing a backward vertical integration strategy can give a firm very favorable results in terms of being less dependent on component price fluctuations and supplier requests. Moreover, supply as a cost center for a firm can become, in the case of reverse vertical integration, a revenue center;

The strategy of forward-going vertical integration is expressed in the growth of the company through the acquisition or strengthening of control over the structures located between the company and end user, namely distribution and sale systems. This type of integration is very beneficial when intermediary services are expanding very much or when the company cannot find intermediaries with a quality level of work.

40. diversification strategies.

The concentration on one type of business has organizational, managerial and strategic advantages. As long as a company profits from growth in an established industry, there is no need to diversify: diversification is not a strategic goal. In a dynamic external environment, diversification becomes the basis for achieving a certain level of internal and external flexibility. At the same time, four components change: the market, the product, the industry, and the position of the company in the industry.

Diversification refers to the expansion of activities into new areas. A diversification strategy is appropriate if:

- limited opportunities for development current business;

- new opportunities open up;

- existing opportunities can be transferred to other industries;

- there is a reduction in production costs;

- there are resources (including organizational ones).

The decision to diversify is made on the basis of expectations and forecasts. When developing a diversification strategy, the following three criteria should be used:

1) the attractiveness of the industry;

2) the cost of entering the industry;

“Strategy is a long-term, qualitatively defined direction of the development of an organization, relating to the scope, means and form of its activities, the system of relationships within the organization, as well as the position of the organization in the environment, leading the organization to its goals.”

"An organization's strategy is a master plan of action that prioritizes strategic objectives, resources, and a sequence of steps to achieve strategic goals."

There are four main types of strategies:

Concentrated growth strategies - a strategy for strengthening market positions, a market development strategy, a product development strategy.
Integrated growth strategies – reverse vertical integration strategy, forward vertical integration strategy.
Diversification growth strategies – centered diversification strategy, horizontal diversification strategy.
Reduction strategies – elimination strategy, harvest strategy, reduction strategy, cost reduction strategy.

At its core, a strategy is a set of decision-making rules that guide an organization in its activities. "It includes general principles on the basis of which the managers of a given organization can make interrelated decisions designed to ensure the coordinated and orderly achievement of goals in the long term."

There are four different groups of rules:

The rules used in evaluating the performance of a firm now and in the future. The qualitative side of the evaluation criteria is usually called a benchmark, and the quantitative content is called a task.
The rules according to which the company's relations with its external environment are formed, determining: what types of products and technologies it will develop, where and to whom to sell its products, how to achieve superiority over competitors. This set of rules is called product-market strategy or business strategy.
The rules by which relationships and procedures are established within an organization. They are often referred to as the organizational concept.
The rules by which a firm conducts its day-to-day activities, called basic operating procedures.

The main distinguishing features of the strategy were identified by I. Ansoff:

The strategizing process does not end with any immediate action. It usually ends with the establishment of general directions, the promotion of which will ensure the growth and strengthening of the company's position.
The formulated strategy should be used to develop strategic projects using the search method. The role of strategy in search is, first, to help focus attention on certain areas and opportunities; second, to discard all other possibilities as incompatible with the strategy.
The need for a strategy disappears as soon as the real course of development will lead the organization to the desired events.
While formulating a strategy, it is not possible to foresee all the possibilities that will open up when drafting specific activities. Therefore, one has to use highly generalized, incomplete and inaccurate information about various alternatives.
As the search process uncovers specific alternatives, more accurate information emerges. However, it may call into question the validity of the original strategic choice. That's why successful use strategy is impossible without feedback.
Since both strategies and benchmarks are used to select projects, it might seem that they are one and the same. But these are different things. The benchmark is the goal that the company is trying to achieve, and the strategy is the means to achieve the goal. Landmarks are a higher level of decision making. A strategy that is justified under one set of benchmarks will not be justified if the organization's benchmarks change.
Finally, strategy and guidelines are interchangeable both at individual moments and at different levels of the organization. Some parameters of efficiency (for example, market share) may serve as benchmarks for the firm at one moment, and become its strategy at another. Further, since guidelines and strategies are developed within the organization, a typical hierarchy arises: what is at the top levels of management are elements of the strategy, at the lower turns into guidelines.

Levels of strategy in an organization:

"The first level - corporate - is present in companies operating in several business areas." Here decisions are made on purchases, sales, liquidations, re-profiling of certain business areas, strategic correspondences between individual business areas are calculated, diversification plans are developed, and global management of financial resources is carried out.

The second level - business areas - the level of the first leaders of non-diversified organizations, or completely independent, responsible for developing and implementing the strategy of the business area. At this level, a strategy is developed and implemented based on the corporate strategic plan, the main purpose of which is to increase the competitiveness of the organization and its competitive potential.

The third - functional - level of managers of functional areas: finance, marketing, R&D, production, personnel management, etc.

The fourth - linear - level of heads of departments of the organization or its geographically remote parts, for example, representative offices, branches.

An undiversified organization has, respectively, three levels of strategies.

The variety of strategies used in strategic management makes it very difficult to classify them. Among the classification features, the most significant are the following:

decision-making level;
the basic concept of achieving competitive advantages;
industry life cycle stage;
the relative strength of the organization's industry position;
the degree of "aggressiveness" of the organization's behavior in the competition.

A complicating factor is that most strategies cannot be uniquely identified by one of the features.

Zabelin P. V. and Moiseeva N. K. propose to classify all strategies according to three criteria:

belonging to the five fundamental strategies for achieving competitive advantages (global strategies);
belonging to the strategies of portfolio management of business areas (portfolio strategies);
belonging to strategies applied depending on external and internal conditions (functional);

Evaluation and control of the implementation of the strategy

I. Ansoff in his book “ Strategic management» formulates the following principles of strategic control:

Due to the uncertainty and inaccuracy of calculations, a strategic project can easily turn into an empty undertaking. This should not be allowed, the costs should lead to the planned results. But in contrast to the usual practice of production control, the focus should be on cost recovery, and not on budget control.
At each milestone, it is necessary to make an assessment of cost recovery during the life cycle of a new product. As long as the payback exceeds the control level, the project should continue. When it falls below this level, other possibilities should be considered, including terminating the project.

The establishment of marketing goals also involves the definition of ways to achieve them, i.e., the development of marketing strategies for which step-by-step actions are written - tactics, i.e. specific activities, deadlines, responsible persons for their implementation.

For example, the decision on the market price of a product is strategic, but the decision to decrease or increase by 1-2% or more in specific markets in a certain period of time is a tactical action.

Before selecting and formulating marketing strategies, it is necessary to identify competitive advantages AP.

For this purpose, you should study the results of the SWOT analysis, including, firstly, assess the opportunities and threats from the external environment, and secondly, determine your strengths and weak sides. This is followed by the development of a basic strategy with which the AP is going to achieve its goal - strengthening the market position.

There are three main types of basic strategies:

· protective- used to prevent the loss of existing customers;

· developing- involve the expansion of the range of goods and services;

· attacking- aimed at attracting new customers.

An enterprise can use various strategies, but priority should be given to those that best suit its goals, resources and capabilities.

Strategies in relation to the nature of consumer demand for goods are presented in Table. 4.26.

Table 4.26 - The objectives of the strategy to strengthen the market position of the enterprise, depending on the nature of demand and the type of marketing

The nature of demand	Type of marketing	The goal of the strategy
Negative	Conversion	Create favorable opportunities and conditions for the promotion and sale of goods, as well as a favorable image of the goods
Absence	Stimulating	Create conditions for the emergence of demand, stimulate its formation
Potential	Developing	Develop a marketing mix to develop demand and turn it from potential to real
Falling	Remarketing	Develop a marketing mix to increase demand if the product is of some value to the consumer
Irregular (fluctuating)	Synchromarketing	Develop conditions for balancing demand with increased measures, not only during periods of decline in demand
Excessive	Demarketing	Develop a marketing mix to reduce demand due to the lack of opportunities and resources to fully meet it
Full	supportive	Develop a set of measures to support existing demand
Irrational	Reactive	Create a negative image of the product, convince the consumer of the undesirability of its use (tobacco products, alcoholic beverages, etc.)

The formulation of strategies for the 4P complex can be as follows:

· by product: change in the product portfolio or assortment structure; exclusion, addition or modification of goods; change in design, quality or characteristics of goods, etc.;

· by price: change in the pricing methodology; applying pricing strategies for new or existing products on the market; application of pricing tactics, etc.;

· by goods movement/distribution: changing channels of distribution, logistics, increasing the level of service, etc.;

· for promotion/communications: changes in the organization of sales, promotional activities and sales promotion, public relations policy, etc.

DEVELOPING A MARKETING PLAN

In order to develop a marketing plan, first of all, it is necessary to formulate the goal (goals) of the FD for the planned period.

Goals are formulated as the desired result of the market activity of the pharmacy enterprise, which will be obtained during the implementation of the developed plan. They must be consistent with the mission of the organization.

The requirements for setting goals are as follows:

For example, to increase the sale of goods by 1.2 times during 2009, etc.

Strategies- these are the ways to achieve the goal, which are formulated mostly as directions for improving the activities of the pharmacy enterprise, identified as weaknesses of the organization in the course of the SWOT analysis. They relate to the basic elements of marketing - 4P and personnel. However, it is necessary to provide for ways to improve relations with consumers and competitors.

Events concretize the actions of the FI on the implementation of strategies. To do this, you need to draw up a planning map. The form of the card can be developed in the organization, but it must have mandatory columns (Table 4.27).

Table 4.27 - Planning map

Let's analyze the process of developing a marketing plan using the example of a situational task with LS Essliver.

So, in order to develop a marketing plan for drugs Essliver forte, it is necessary to summarize all the results of the audit on previous topics in a common SWOT analysis table (Table 4.28).

Table 4.28 - SWOT analysis results

S- Strengths	O - Opportunities
Item Essence	The state and prospects of health: the increase in morbidity
actual item	Unsatisfactory state of healthcare (lack of budget financing)
UDT	Increasing the solvency of the population
LS is successful in the market	"Aging" of the population in the demographic situation, the predominance of women in the structure of the population
The possibility of using two strategies for the sale of goods	Development of social benefits programs
High competitiveness of the drug Essliver forte, as well as high consumer value, stable sales, good forecast reliability	Development of a preventive direction in health care and the growth of Russians' preferences for self-treatment
Development of scientific and technological progress (STP)
Availability of a discount system for regular customers	Technogenic nature of society
Compliance of advertising booklets with the requirements of the advertising
legislation	Deterioration of the environmental situation, depreciation of the dollar
	Improving the financial situation of the population
Good financial position AP
Stable political course of Russia
Perspective state policy in the field of healthcare, culture, education, labor and wages
Pharmaceutical Market Growth Trends
A significant share in the volume of the pharmaceutical market of the group of drugs used for the treatment digestive tract
A small range of hepatoprotective drugs containing phospholipids on the Russian pharmaceutical market
Presence of a target segment of real consumers
Presence of segments of potential consumers
W - Weaknesses	T - Threats
Added product	population decline
Decline phase in life cycle goods (LCT)	Prospects for improving the state of health
Type of life cycle - hobby	Development of scientific and technical progress
Medicines of special demand or pre-selection	Development of scientific and technical progress in the pharmaceutical industry
drugs interchangeable	depreciation of the dollar
Two options for drug sales development	A significant share of poor Russians in the population structure
Lack of drug implementation strategies	Poor financial position of the AP
Fierce competition among various pharmacy organizations pharmaceutical market	Rising customs duties, inflation, energy prices and the ITF
Serious competitors among drug substitutes	A change in the political situation in Russia is possible in connection with the upcoming presidential elections
Lack of other means of sales promotion	Presence in the assortment of the target segment of the Russian pharmaceutical market of analogues (substitutes)
Unsatisfactory state of merchandising in pharmacies	Insufficient experience among practitioners in the use of drugs
Shortcomings in the design and content of advertising booklets	Lack of awareness among practitioners about consumer properties LS
Lack of a drug promotion campaign by the AP

For example, let us once again analyze the favorable opportunities and threats for the activities of Panacea LLC.

In general, the situational analysis indicates the predominance of favorable opportunities from the outside environment for the functioning of AP in the Russian pharmaceutical market. At the same time, when developing a marketing plan, it is necessary to take into account the threats from the product range with the presence of a group of drugs-analogues, as well as insufficient awareness and experience among practitioners on the use LS Essliver forte in the treatment of patients.

The main information for developing a marketing plan is in the SWOT analysis - weaknesses section. Based on the results of the audit, shortcomings were identified in terms of the product, price, place of sale and promotion (pricing issues were not considered by us, but they are reflected in the sales promotion tools section).

The purpose of the PM is to develop a complex marketing activities, the implementation of which will allow OOO "Panacea" to strengthen its market position and increase the volume of sales of Essliver forte by 1.1 times during 2007.

Before developing strategies, clarify competitive advantages LS Essliver forte from the SWOT analysis. First of all, this is the uniqueness of drugs in the form of a complex of phospholipids and vitamins, success in the pharmaceutical market, high competitiveness and consumer value, stable sales. Therefore, we can assume the possibility of increasing sales of drugs, subject to certain marketing efforts within the marketing plan.

Of the types basic strategies it is advisable to choose protective and attacking to prevent further loss of real customers and attract and retain potential customers in their clientele.

From the types of marketing, we will choose remarketing in case of falling demand, because drugs Essliver forte represents a certain value to the consumer.

So, based on the weaknesses, we formulate the following main strategies, including:

By product

· explore the possibilities of developing elements of the added product (booklets for doctors, consumers, souvenirs);

Apply new strategies for the sale of medicines (according to the Ansoff matrix, in topic 4.16.5, strategies for introducing into the existing market and modifying the product with the use of the added product and pricing tactics are proposed);

By price

Explore the possibilities of using different pricing tactics (for certain categories population not included in the DLO program);

By point of sale

improve the state of merchandising of the VAP (turn Special attention to the performance LS Essliver forte);

promotion/communications

improve product promotion LS Essliver forte(using various means of communication).

According to the formulated strategic directions, we will develop a planning map (marketing plan) to strengthen market positions LS Essliver forte for 2007 in the form shown in Table. 4.27.

To reduce the material, we will draw up a marketing plan using only columns 1 and 2 (Table 4.29).

Table 4.29 - Marketing plan

No. p / p	Necessary activities
1*	Submit an application to JSC "Nizhpharm" to receive funds for the added goods (booklets, souvenirs)
2**	Substantiate proposals on the use of various pricing tactics for certain groups of the population that are not included in the DLO contingent
s***	Involve a merchandising specialist to increase his level in the AP, draw up a cost estimate and allocate funds for this purpose
4****	Develop a campaign to promote the drug Essliver forte, including: - prepare information material on the drug for publication in regional newspapers and use in other media; - prepare a script for TV and conduct a program with the participation of medical specialists (gastroenterologists, therapists, etc.); - make a presentation of drugs for doctors at the bottom of the "Chief Doctor" with the participation of OAO "Nizhpharm"; - take part in exhibitions at medical conferences in the region; - organize a competition with prizes for doctors prescribing drugs; - prepare an information block about drugs using various advertising media in nearby health facilities
	Develop a sales promotion system for Essliver Forte: - introduce discounts on the purchase of drugs for pensioners in the morning hours, holidays; - organize a lottery with prizes for buyers of this drug

* Provide certain types added product for both physicians and consumers. For example, prepare a draft of a consumer leaflet with information on dietary nutrition for liver disease, healthy way life, etc.

** Use such pricing tactics as ranked prices for pensioners who do not have the status of disabled people, parents of large families, honored workers, etc.

*** Provide for the renewal of the interior of the AP, showcases, specially allocate a showcase with hepatoprotectors and information materials, think over the design of the windows of the AP with a poster for Essliver drugs, etc.

**** When preparing a campaign to promote drugs, take into account target consumer segments, include activities for the presentation of drugs specifically for each segment.

The list of events can be continued depending on the creative capabilities of the AP marketer and the financial resources allocated for these purposes.

CONTROL METHODS

Monitoring the implementation of the marketing plan (PM) provides assessment achieving certain results. Therefore, when planning marketing, methods for such an assessment should be proposed. Methods for monitoring the implementation of the marketing plan depend on those quantitative or qualitative indicators of the activity of the EA, which should change during the implementation of the plan.

If the action plan provides for the growth of indicators in monetary or physical terms, therefore, it is possible to propose the calculation of growth rates or growth indices, for example, in percentage terms. It may be necessary to conduct a survey of consumers, etc., to monitor measures to improve communications.

According to the results of control and analysis of the causes of deviations from the original goal, it is possible to adjust the PM.

Alternative Strategies are required attribute PM, since a marketing analyst must understand the changes in the external environment faster than anyone else and predict possible consequences, including for the position of the enterprise in the market. They allow in a short period of time to adapt the AP to the new conditions of the market situation.

For example, what will the AP do if there is a sharp fall in the dollar exchange rate or, conversely, an increase in the dollar exchange rate, etc.

Of course, the PM should also have a financial part in the form of an estimate of income (investments) and expenses for individual events.

All analytical calculations and other materials are attached to the PM.

The executive summary is prepared as a short abstract indicating the sections of the PM, the goal, the developed strategic directions and the planning map (0.5-1 s), is located in the folder with the PM after the title page and contents, indicating chapters and pages.

According to the figurative description of marketers, the PM is like a map: it shows where the enterprise needs to go and how to get there.

It connects all elements of marketing into a coherent action plan, which details who, what, when, where and how to achieve goals.

Thanks to this process, the AP will always be aware of the changes that occur in the market, aware of the needs of buyers and demand for medicines and price offers competitors. MP allows efficient use of the resources available to the AP and be prepared for possible surprises.

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