marketing presentation
Instructions
Marketing Presentation and Video
For this assignment, you will be taking on the role of marketing manager for the organization that you researched in Unit VI. Within that role, you will need to present the marketing plan that you completed in Unit VI to the marketing team (Document from this assignment is attached.) This will require no additional research, but you will be compiling your content into a PowerPoint presentation and subsequent video. The items below should be included in your presentation.
Introduction: Include a brief introduction of the company.
Competitive Analysis: Provide a comparison of the company against two or three competitors.
Marketing Strategies: Include an examination of all four Ps (product, price, place, and promotion). This should include the product and service, pricing, distribution/place, and both traditional and digital marketing strategies.
Competitive Advantage: Address whether the company holds a competitive advantage in each of the areas of the four Ps.
Ethical Stance of Company: Present the companys ethical stance, which can include topics such as how they have created an ethical culture, social responsibility or corporate social responsibility (CSR), or any other topics related to ethical behavior within the organization.
Conclusion: Provide recommendations for this company with respect to future marketing strategies, remembering to include topics involving all four Ps.
The PowerPoint must meet the criteria below.
Must be at least 12 slides in length (not counting the title slide).
Include speaker notes in order to further explain the information on each slide.
If outside sources are used, please follow APA Style when creating citations and references.
Using the “Record Audio” option in PowerPoint, record audio for each slide. With audio added, the presentation must be at least 5 minutes in length. To record audio, select the “Insert” tab, select the “Audio” icon, and then select “Record Audio” from the dropdown to begin recording.
Requirements: 12 slides + 5 minute audio
1Microsoft Corporation Marketing PlanMatthew GovenDr. David J. Castle, Ph.D.Advanced Marketing January 31, 2023
2Introduction Microsoft Corporation is an American based developer of software systems and applications. Initially, the company focused on the manufacturing of personal computers, software systems and applications although it has diversified its operations to include publishing books and multimedia titles (Birkinbine, 2016). Its headquarters are located on Redmond, Washington although it has sales offices all over the world. The corporation is popularly known for its software products including the Edge web browsers, its line of operating systems, the Internet Explorer, and the Microsoft Office Suite (Zachary, Pascal & Hall, 2022). In 2020, Microsoft held position 21 in the Fortune 500 rankings for the most prominent corporations in the American based on their total revenue. In 2019, Microsoft was also found to be the biggest software producer in the world based on total revenue. The company is currently among the Big Five American information technology corporations next to Apple, Alphabet (Google), Meta (Facebook), and Amazon. The company was founded on April 4, 1975, by two boyhood friends Bill Gates and Paul Allen with the primary goal of producing and selling BASIC interpreters. From the time of its conception, the company rose to become the top producer for personal computer operating systems. Since the 1980s, the company dominated the operating system market from the MS-DOS produced in the 1980s to the emergence of Windows (Zachary, Pascal & Hall, 2022). In 2016, Microsoft made its most prominent acquisition of LinkedIn at $26.2 which came after the acquisition of Skype Technologies in 2011. Microsoft in 2018, took back its position in the market as the most valuable publicly traded company in the world a position that had previously been taken by Apple in 2010. The company has continuously claimed market shares in various domains. In 2019 it hit the trillion-dollar market cap with over $1 trillion revenues becoming the
3third American based company to hit this cap following Apple and Amazon (Warner, 2019). However, despite its prominent success, the company has received a lot of criticism for its monopolistic practices whereas its products have been criticized for security issues, robustness, and ease of use challenges. Competitive Analysis The primary competitors of Microsoft Corporation are Apple, IBM, Amazon, and Google that dominate many markets. These competitors are continuously establishing presence in various areas to provide their customers with a wide arena of products and services (Warner, 2019). Although Microsoft maintain the upper hand due to its prolonged dominance in the market these new entrants into the market presents a threat to the companys dominance in the industry. StrengthsMassive international presenceThe company maintains extensive international presence that gives it ample market to grow and expand its operations. This can be portrayed in the companys recent acquisition of LinkedIn which is one of the most popular professional social networking sites that has approximately 7 million users distributed over all over the world (Warner, 2019). The company has additionally opened data centers and offices across the world focusing mainly on emerging markets where its developing local partnerships to aid in entering the markets. Currently, Microsoft is the leading producer of operating systems with its popular products Windows and Office enabling it to repeatedly enjoy continuous revenue stream.
4One of the primary competitors for the company is Google that similarly competes in the enterprise solutions. Some of the features produced by Google that present a threat to the company is the G Suite platform that provides its users with applications such as Drive, Gmail, and Docs that are relatively similar to features provided in Microsoft Office 365 (Hughes, 2023). Additionally, Google is also providing its customers with Cloud platform solutions such as Data Studio, Google BigQuery, and other cloud infrastructure. The recent move by Google for the adoption of Chromebooks presents a major threat to Microsofts Windows as it threatens to take up a significant portion of market share. Windows has 73% markets share while Google Chrome holds the second position with 10.8% market whole Mac OS comes at third position with 7.5% market share (Hughes, 2023). However, Google remains the largest search engine in the world with 88.52% market share while Microsofts Bing comes at second position with 5.6% share. This indicates that Google presents a major challenge to Microsoft in the long run. Another major competitor to Microsoft is Apple that also majors in enterprise solutions, operating systems, and hardware. Both companies have been putting a lot of initiatives to grow their various markets which in return has intensified competition between the two companies. The introduction of iOS platform that operates Mac devices, iPhone, and iPod has significantly grown the market share of Apple. The company continuously introduces new features to its enterprise with the aim of ensuring seamless communication for its users. There has been stiff competition in the mobile operating system with Apples iOS having a 16.55% market share of operating systems whereas Microsoft Windows held 30.2% shares in the operating systems market as of 2021 (Hughes, 2023). A similar competition has also been observed in the hardware sector where Apple continues to grow its market shares threatening to decrease the revenues of Microsoft in the long run.
5Microsoft is also a prominent provider of enterprise solutions.Microsoft has attained enterprise solutions in many markets through its previous acquisitions and is as a result able to provide a diversified range of products and services to its consumers (Mathews, 2021). For instance, the company provides clouding services to a diverse range of consumers through Azure Internet of Things (IoT) offerings like Dynamics CRM, HoloLens, Xbox Live platform-tools, and Xbox One among others. However, despite its success in the market, Microsoft faces stiff competition from Amazon mainly in the Cloud segment as both giants compete to gain the majority market share (Jae-woong & Geun-woo, 2010). There is an ongoing struggle between Microsoft Azure and the famous Amazon Web Services (AWS) with both companies striking to maintain their market shares in the arena. Both corporations have made major strides towards improving the capability, functionality, and reliability of their services. Currently, the market share for Amazon Web Services (AWS) in the cloud market stands at 31% while Microsoft azure maintains a 22% market share in the field as of 2021 (Hughes, 2023). This competition between these two superpowers will most likely increase pricing pressure in the near future. Similarly, Salesforce is giving Microsoft a similar competition more so in the cloud dimension. Salesforce gives its consumers an outstanding client relationship management services that beats Microsoft. Some of the products offered by Salesforce include Service, Sales, Marketing, and Platform Cloud all of which pose a threat to Microsoft. Salesforce is currently the leader in the CRM market with 19% shares wheres Microsoft Dynamics maintain a small market share of 3-4% (Hughes, 2023). Consequently, Salesforce continues to threaten the survival of Microsoft in the cloud industry.
6WeaknessesReliance on conventional business unitsThe continued reliance of Microsoft on Windows and Office present a major weakness to the company. Approximately 28% of the total revenue harnessed by the company is obtained from Windows and Office (Microsoft Corporation, Form 10-K). As a result, the company is open to stiff competition from Google that is strongly pushing for the adoption of its cloud platform that provides offerings such as G Suite (Mathews, 2021). Additionally, Apple also provides its users with similar enterprise solutions, operating systems, and hardware that further leave Microsoft disadvantaged. Shrinking PC MarketOver the past years, there has been a steady decline in the purchase and use of PCs. These once popular PCs have been replaced by laptops, tablets, and smartphones that offer their users similar services (Mathews, 2021). As a result, a significant portion of market share that was previously held by Microsoft PCs is now shrinking decreasing the income the company generates from this sector. Unfortunately, other companies such as Apple is also offering its customers laptops, tablets, and smartphones with reliable features that present strong competition Microsoft (Mathews, 2021). In response, Microsoft is diversifying its products to incorporate features such as artificial intelligence, IoT, and mobility. Through this initiative, the company has attained a lot of success in products such as Surface and HoloLens. However, it is worthy noting that Microsoft isnt the only one majoring in these areas as other giants in the industry such as Amazon, Apple, and Google have followed suit. On the other hand, these services continue to be perceived as niche products when it comes to the companys enterprise customers.
7Marketing StrategiesThe main business strategy used by Microsoft involves focusing on the requirements of the customers to ensure satisfaction through extensibility, interoperability, platforms security, and backward compatibility. The company has also made numerous acquisitions that has sustained introduction of new technologies into the business. The Microsoft marketing mix is a good demonstration of how fast innovation can be combined with the right approaches to attain a prominent market share. Microsofts Products (Product Mix)A product mix constitutes all the product provided by a company including the various product lines (Bahadir, Bharadwaj & Srivastava, 2015). Initially, Microsoft kicked off its operations as a software developer and has managed to grow its operations to include a wide array of products as indicated in their product mix. The Microsoft product mix can be categorized as follows: software, devices, Apps, Entertainment, and Games. The hardware devices entail all the hardware products produced by the company such as tablets, Windows phones, computers, and Xbox. System software has also been classified as the basic software such as Windows OS and Microsoft Office. The company also provides its users with various Apps developed by the company or third parties such as the Microsoft Remote Desktop and Drawboard PDF (Jae-woong & Geun-woo, 2010). A portion of the revenues generated from the sale of third-party apps is kept in Microsoft online stores. On the other hand, the Games product line constitutes of a wide range of products such as Windows games, Xbox games, among other gaming software. The company also sales songs and movies via its website that are kept in the category of Entertainment. This marketing mix reflects a growing diversification of the products mad by the company.
8Place in Microsofts Marketing MixIn the place marketing segment, the place or location for conducting business with the consumers is taken into consideration (Bahadir, Bharadwaj & Srivastava, 2015). There is abundant of space and potential for Microsoft to grow its reach in the hardware and software market share. The distribution channels used by Microsoft include the following: Microsoft Stores, official website, and authorized sellers. The companys official website and online stores create a reliable venue for customers to make online purchases as well as downloading software products. This online platform provides the company with a very rich source of revenues. Additionally, Microsoft has authorized sellers across the world where customers can order and make purchases of the products. These sellers are mainly placed in strategic areas where they can access a large population of the target market (Warner, 2019). In addition, Microsoft also has stores across the world where interested parties can access various products such as Xbox units and smartphones. Through these stores, the company can enhance marketing and grow the brand image while guaranteeing improved customer experience. This place marketing mix demonstrates a growing reach in the market that enables the company to reach each person as a potential customer as highlighted in the companys missions and vision. Microsoft Promotional MixThis element of the marketing mix focuses on the tactics and strategies employed by the company to reach the target customers (Bahadir, Bharadwaj & Srivastava, 2015). The tactics and strategies used in the promotional mix include the following: Advertising, direct marketing, public relations, sales promotion, and personal selling. The biggest proportion of the companys promotional expenses goes to advertising. Good examples of some of the popular advertisements include the Super Bowl ad and the “Women Made” which have been very effective in boosting
9Microsofts corporate image. Microsoft also employs sales promotion to attract more customers through the provision of incentives such as discounts (Vartova, & Burlaka, 2016). For instance, the company gives personalized discounts to specific members of the society such as veterans, students, and military personnel (Special Offer for Students). Direct marketing is also adopted to facilitate sales deals with institutions such as academic organizations. Lastly, Microsoft makes use of the personal selling feature of its promotional mix by using its sales personnel to reach potential buyers and inform them about the features of the company products. Microsoft Philanthropies is however the primary public relations adopted by the company. Through the philanthropic arm, the company procures activities such as donations that promote the companys corporate image (Microsoft Philanthropies). For instance, Microsoft finances initiatives driven towards assisting at-risk youth and in other cases donates its products such as hardware and software to not for profit organizations. However, advertising remains the most effective strategy for communicating with the consumers. Microsofts Pricing StrategyThis aspect of the marketing mix refers to the value given to a product by its producers including decisions regarding: price levels, discounts provided, and credit terms given to customers (Bahadir, Bharadwaj & Srivastava, 2015). The price of a product is a key determinant of its attractiveness. The following pricing strategies are used by Microsoft: Freemium pricing strategy, Market-oriented pricing strategy, and Buy Only What You Use strategy. When adopting the market-oriented pricing technique, the company sets the price of its commodities taking into consideration market factors like consumer demand or competitor prices. Microsoft also commonly uses the freemium pricing strategy whereby it gives out a product for free but requires the customers to make payments in order to attain additional features (Vartova, &
10Burlaka, 2016). For instance, devices that have a maximum screen size of 10 inches use the Office 365 suite free of charge while the customers must pay to access products on bigger devices. This is a very effective marketing strategy as it gives consumers an opportunity to test the product before purchasing it to familiarize themselves with the various benefits attributed with Office 365. When marketing its cloud services, the company makes use of the “buy only what you use” pricing strategy. In this case, the customers are charged for what they use instead of charges per device (Clancy, 2015). This marketing strategy demonstrates that Microsoft continues to reform its pricing techniques to incorporate trends and changes in the hardware and software market. Microsofts competitive advantageThe company utilizes the broad differentiation strategy to gain competitive advantage over its competitors. Broad differentiation entails selling unique products to a different customer with varied needs. Taking this into consideration, the products produced by Microsoft have unique features like software products personally crafted for business institutions. In addition, Microsoft also sells its commodities and services to a wide array of market segments (Jae-woong & Geun-woo, 2010). For instance, Microsoft software and hardware products are purchased by diverse customers such as individuals, organizations, and households. This generic strategy enables the company to attract a large pool of customers from all over the world. This broad differentiation strategy also fits into the companys mission and vision that focus on attracting and capturing the international market.
11ReferencesBirkinbine, B. J. (2016). Microsoft Corporation. In Global Media Giants (pp. 383-397). Routledge.Bahadir, S. C., Bharadwaj, S. G., & Srivastava, R. K. (2015). Marketing mix and brand sales in global markets: Examining the contingent role of country-market characteristics. Journal of International Business Studies, 46(5), 596-619.Clancy, H. (2015). Why Microsofts ‘buy only what you use pricing strategy is a big deal. Fortune.Jae-woong, B., & Geun-woo, R. (2010). A Global Brand of The Microsoft Company: 4Ps and PEST Analysis. 문화산업연구, 10(2), 185-196.Hughes J., (2023). Microsoft Competitors Analysis: Top 5 Competitors. Competitors. Retrieved from: https://businesschronicler.com/competitors/microsoft-competitors-analysis/ Mathews, M. (2021). Winning Marketing and Business Strategies in a Highly Competitive and Globalized Economic Environment: A Case Study of Fortune 500 companies—Coca-Cola, Microsoft and Amazon. MS Ramaiah Management Review ISSN (Print)-0975-7988, 12(02).Microsoft Corporation, Form 10-Khttps://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/789019/000119312516662209/d187868d10k.htmMicrosoft Philanthropies – Empowerment Begins with Inclusion.
12https://www.microsoft.com/about/philanthropies/Military and Veterans Discount Program – Microsoft Store.https://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en_US/mil Microsoft Store Official Site.https://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en_US/homeSpecial Offer for Students – Microsoft Education.https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/education/students/deals/default.aspxVartova, M. V., & Burlaka, I. Y. (2016). The future of marketing is the experience (the example of Microsoft Corporation). In Наукові розробки молоді на сучасному етапі. КНУТД.Warner, J. P. (2019). Microsoft: A Strategic Audit.Zachary, G. Pascal and Hall, Mark (2022, December 8). Microsoft Corporation. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Microsoft-Corporation
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