Marketing planning, A-1, Zin Min Lwin, Tr: Kw Ko Ko Win

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Contents
The main barrier in marketing planning ....................................................................................................... 1
Confusion of objectives, strategy and tactics ....................................................................................... 2
Environmental Barriers ......................................................................................................................... 2
Cultural Barriers .................................................................................................................................... 2
Behavioral Barriers ................................................................................................................................ 3
Cognitive Barriers .................................................................................................................................. 3
Systems and Procedures ....................................................................................................................... 3
The Right Resources .............................................................................................................................. 4
Porters five forces ...................................................................................................................................... 4
Barrier How to overcome it .......................................................................................................................... 6
Reference List ........................................................................................................................................... 7









The main barrier in marketing planning

As Unilever is about to start its factory in Myanmar, together with the marketing, distribution
and brand building issues, it is quite important for Unilever to understand and take notice of the
main barriers in doing marketing planning. The main barriers are the following:
Marketing planning, A-1, Zin Min Lwin, Tr: Kw Ko Ko Win
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Confusion of objectives, strategy and tactics
This occurs when managers have been focusing on the short term goals like sales targets and
annual budget. Before long, the managers themselves have not noticed that they have not thought
about the long term goals but have been putting all their effort on short term targets. As a
consequence, the company loses its direction for future.
Environmental Barriers
The prevailing social, legal, economic, political, technological, and ethical norms and
regulations, all together constituting the external environment of the business may pose major
barriers to marketing planning by placing restrictions or limitations in the way the business
interacts with the environment, or by regulating corporate conduct.
Regulations may prevent comparison marketing when market surveys indicate the best form of
marketing as comparing the product with the competitors substandard product. Lack of skilled
workforce in the area or labor laws that stipulate inviable minimum wages may prevent deputing
people on a large scale to conduct field surveys for customer preferences or feedback. A
competitors marketing campaign may force postponement or modification of the drawn up
marketing plan.
Cultural Barriers
Culture is the complex whole of the knowledge, belief, morals, custom, values, attitudes, and any
other capabilities and habits shared by people. Organizational culture influences performance in
a big way.
Failing to understand the cultural sensitivities of the target audience leads to faulty marketing
plans, especially in international marketing. For instance, U.S. advertising tends to emphasize the
benefits of the product, but Japanese customers consider an advertiser suggesting how a
customer could benefit from the product as too pushy and arrogant. Similarly, the application of
humor, stereotyping, gender roles, sexual explicitness, emotional appeals, manifestation of
popular culture such as music versus traditional or classical culture such as ancient art forms, and
others in advertisements and promotions all depend on cultural sensitivities of the targeted
audience.
Marketing planning, A-1, Zin Min Lwin, Tr: Kw Ko Ko Win
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Behavioral Barriers
Behavioral issues impeding marketing plans may also visible as lack of top management support,
and lack of cross-functional involvement. The marketing plan might involve surveying the
market to come up with the idea of a celebrity launch for the new product, when the conservative
top management may remain uncomfortable with the idea and prefer a soft launch instead.
Similarly, interpersonal issues or ego clashes may lead to lack of cross-functional or
departmental support to sustain the marketing plan. The marketing team may obtain space in
newspapers at an earlier date than what was committed, but the design department may not
advance the deadline to release the design of the new product to synchronize with the efforts of
the marketing team.
Cognitive Barriers
Unsuccessful marketing planning is also the consequences of having very little knowledge or
skill that are required for the implementation process. Marketers without adequate skills fail to
understand the products, markets, customers, or competitors properly, and make faulty, distorted
or ineffective marketing plans.
Lack of skills may prevent the marketing team from conducting a market survey to identify new
trends or customer preferences to launch effective marketing campaigns. Again, the team may
lack the skills to design eye-catching visuals or phrases that may enhance the responsiveness of
advertisements manifold.



Systems and Procedures
Marketing planning, A-1, Zin Min Lwin, Tr: Kw Ko Ko Win
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Quite often,lack of data or information, and / or inappropriate systems may greatly impede
marketing plans. For instance, lack of a market survey forces the marketing team to rely on
guesswork to determine the best marketing approach for the targeted market.
Inappropriate systems may hold up implementation of the marketing plan. The marketing team
not empowered to commit resources may have to seek approval for each item of expenditure,
dragging down efficiency and timely implementation. The marketing team not empowered to
take decisions without a detailed submission and discussions would forego good opportunities
that close very fast.
The Right Resources
The biggest barriers to marketing planning are by large a lack of resources such as time, people,
and money.
The success of any marketing plan depends on having a fund. For instance, shortage of people
may force the marketing plan to ignore door-to-door campaigns even when surveys and other
trends prove this approach as the most effective method to promote a particular product.
Similarly, lack of time to prepare eye-catching visuals or quality promotion materials may lead
to lower responses.
Much of the factors that constitute barriers to marketing planning are interdependent. Improper
systems lead to faulty marketing plans, which lead to reduced sales and cash crises, which in
turn, prevents taking measures to improve skills or develop better systems. Lack of funds leads
to greater controls and hence inefficient systems. Inefficient systems lead to faulty procedures in
hiring new talent or providing training to existing workforce to enhance their skills. Lack of
skills leads to poor marketing efforts and further diminishes availability of funds, all pointing to
a vicious cycle.


Porters five forces
Marketing planning, A-1, Zin Min Lwin, Tr: Kw Ko Ko Win
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This is the very traditional way of thinking when discussing about the barriers to the
marketing planning. They are also as important as the ones mentioned above.

New entrants: A new entrant into an industry will bring extra capacity and more
competition. These depend on the strength of the barriers to entry and the likely response
of existing competitors. The very new entrants are prevailing in the market especially
from the products from the neighboring countries. They are coming into the market
illegally. These products will surely have lower.
Substitute products: A substitute product is a product produced by another industry
which satisfies the same customer needs. Eg, many cosmetics company Nivea, Shishei do
Bargaining power of customer: Customer wants better quality products and services at
a lower price. This could affect the profitability of the product.
The bargaining power of supplier: We do not have this problem here because our raw
material is being produced by our own subdiaries companies.
The rivalry amongst current competitors in the industry: The intensity of competitive
rivalry within an industry will affect the profitability of the industry as a whole. Price
competition, advertising battles, sales promotion campaigns, introducing new products
for the market, improving after sales service or providing guarantees or warranties.
Identifying the competitors: There are so many competitors in the market. It is crucial
that we identify them.
Marketing planning, A-1, Zin Min Lwin, Tr: Kw Ko Ko Win
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(KKKW the task asks you to first describe the barriers to marketing
planning and then, recommend solutions to them. If you look at the how to
overcome it part, they are not the solutions to the barriers you have
described at the start of the assignment. I think you have two options: 1) re-
write the barriers which are compatible with how to overcome or 2) re-
write the how to overcome portion in such a way that the points address the
barriers in the earlier section. Redo it and send me the final version ASAP.)
Barrier How to overcome it

1. Confusing marketing tactics and strategy Strategy before tactics
Develop a three year strategic plan first, before the lower level operational plan. Tactics
need to be directive and demonstrate how jointly they will contribute to achieve the
strategy.
2. Isolating the marketing function Situate marketing within operations
Marketing needs to be close to the customer
3. Confusing marketing function with concept Shared values about marketing
It should be a market-focused state of mind throughout the whole organisation, rather
than being regarded purely as a set of activities
4. Organisational barriers Structure around markets
Organisation structure should reflect the marketplace (e.g. Customer groups) rather than
functional departments
5. Lack of in-depth analysis Scan the environment thoroughly
Undertake an effective marketing audit
6. Confusion between process and output Summarise information in SWOT analyses
The process of gathering information (or marketing intelligence) will lead to the
marketing plan
7. Lack of knowledge and skills Skills and knowledge
Ensure that the relevant people have them
8. Lack of a systematic approach Systematise the process
Have a set of written procedures so that all issues are covered in all areas of the business
Marketing planning, A-1, Zin Min Lwin, Tr: Kw Ko Ko Win
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9. Failure to prioritise objectives Sequence objectives
According to their impact on the organisation and the resources required
10. Hostile corporate cultures Style and culture
Needs the participation and support of the leaders of the organisation.
Reference List
Unilever sets out goals for Myanmar ~ Myanmar Business Network. 2014. Unilever sets out goals for
Myanmar ~ Myanmar Business Network. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.myanmar-
business.org/2013/06/unilever-sets-out-goals-for-myanmar.html.
Unilever: Marketing needs to be noble again | News | Marketing Week. 2014. Unilever:
Marketing needs to be noble again | News | Marketing Week. [ONLINE] Available at:
http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/unilever-marketing-needs-to-be-noble-again/3033850.article.
Review Marketing Plan. 2014. Review Marketing Plan. [ONLINE] Available at:
http://www.smallbusiness-marketing-plans.com/review-marketing-plan.html.