The Anatomy of Marketing Positioning Strategy Essay Example
The Anatomy of Marketing Positioning Strategy Essay Example

The Anatomy of Marketing Positioning Strategy Essay Example

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  • Pages: 4 (966 words)
  • Published: August 27, 2016
  • Type: Essay
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Research has found that today’s organizations are moving towards target marketing. Segmentation, targeting and positioning are the three main steps in target marketing. (Kotler, Brown, Burton, Deans and Armstrong, 2010) The article aims to explain what market positioning is and how Genesis fitness club positions their services, by analyzing their positioning strategy from three interrelated subcomponents Customer targets, competitor targets and competitive advantage (Brooksbank, 1994; Blankson & Crawford, 2012).

Positioning, by its definition, “Product position is the way the product is defined by consumers on important attributes the place the product occupies in consumers’ minds relative to competing products.” (Kotler, et al., 2010) As it is said, consumers decide where the product position is, “but marketers do not want to leave their products’ positions to chance” (Kotler, et al., 2010). Therefor

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e the organisation must plan “which ‘position’ it wants to occupy in those segments” (Kotler, et al., 2010) before consumers do, a positioning strategy will help them do so.

Berwick is a scenic old town in Victoria, far away from Melbourne city. People living here are mainly the aged and medium to high income family. Genesis is a national chain gymnasium, in different parts of Australia, as the nearby condition, segmentation and targeting are different, the target segments of the Genesis Fitness Club will be slightly different. (Genesis Fitness Club [Genesis], 1997)

Customer targets, competitor targets and competitive advantage have been suggested to be the three interrelated subcomponents of the positioning strategy, and Figure 1 shows a formulation of the positioning strategy (Brooksbank, 1994; Blankson & Crawford, 2012). Therefore, the position strategy of the Genesis’s services will be made based

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on these three subcomponents.

Select Customer Targets

First of all, select the customer targets, according to one of the employees, Rachelle’s description, “we are a fitness club for everybody” and they focus on four main segments: Mom & Kids, the aged, People seeking effective weight loss program and body builders. (Genesis, 1997) Theses customer targets are reasonable based on the Berwick town’s status. The reasons they are chosen and variables are listed below:

The aged This is one of the two greatest populations in Berwick. Variables of the target segmentation: senior, low-stamina, children not around, high-quality lifestyle, health-conscious.

Mom & Kids This is one of the most common groups in segmentation in this 21st century. (Coffey, Siegel & Livingston, 2006) Variables of the target segmentation: mom and children; mom: retrieve the body before the kids, searching for tips to be better moms, require communications with other moms, free time without kids around (Coffey et al., 2006); kids: need to be taken care of, looking for friends to play with when mom is not around.

People seeking effective weight loss program This is a common segment in every gym. Variables of the target segmentation: mainly zofticzoftick, focus on the appearance; may have some sense of shame, in hence, psychological guidance may be required during the exercises.

Body Builders

High-population segmentation, especially when there are mainly medium to high income family around Berwick. Variables of the target segmentation: mainly male, focus on the appearance, regular customers, require heavy equipments and classes.

Select Competitor Target

Secondly, select the competitor target. In this issue, the competitor targets can be all

of the gymnasiums near Berwick town (approximately within 8 km) According to the Berwick Gym Directory, there are four other gymnasiums around the town. Their details (features, especially those could compete with Genesis) are listed below (including Genesis, Berwick): Genesis, Berwick

A large national chain fitness club in Berwick. Qualified personal trainers, large site of exercises, child care, ladies only area, cycle studio, fully equipped change room facilities, detox sauna, classes for different for every customers (listed in figure 2), et al. Limited business hour. Price: $60~$90 / month. (Genesis, 1997)

Beach House Fitness Centre

A small personal health and fitness club 5 km away from Berwick town. Specialized in weight loss, muscle tone, increasing fitness, sports specific training et al. (targets are mainly slimmers, body builders and young). Price: $30~$60 / month. Limited business hour. Not enough information of facilities and classes on their website (BEACH HOUSE health & fitness, 2005).

Fernwood Women’s Health Club

A large national chain women’s Health Club 3.4 km away from Berwick town. Only open for female, as well as facilities and classes. Limited business hour. Price: $60~$90 / month. (Fernwood Women’s Health Club, 1989)

Fenix Fitness Clubs

A medium national chain fitness club 5.7 km away from Berwick town. Targets: People in general. Limited business hour. Price: $40~$70 / month. (Fenix Fitness Clubs, 1991)

Snap Fitness

A worldwide fitness club in the Berwick town (small site in Berwick). “The world’s fastest-growing fitness franchise, 24/7 gyms with state-of-the-art equipment, minimal staffing and no fuss. Targets: people in general. Price: $40~$80 / month. (Snap Fitness, 2003)

Define Competitive Advantage

justify;">By comparing with all of these competitors, Genesis’ competitive advantage (Strenths and opportunities) and disadvantage (weaknesses and threats) can be analysed, by its marketing mix (from the view of 4P framework: services, price, promotion, place) (Brooksbank, 1994; Kotler, et al., 2010):

Advantages: qualified and friendly personal trainers; child care for members and ladies only area that some other gyms do not have; classes for every groups of people, as what they say, “For everybody”; site is in the Berwick town, convenience for everyone in the town, especially for the aged and concessions; diversified facilities; website and promotion is professional and contain sufficient information.

Disadvantage: Price is a bit high, even though its quality is significantly high; Snap Fitness is a threat to Genesis, it is at a similar position as Genesis, even though the quality of it has not reached Genesis; limited business hour.

In conclusion, Genesis fitness club, Berwick is positioned as a high-quality gymnasium with complete and diversified facilities for everybody (medium to high income customers) around Berwick town by its own positioning strategy.

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