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Marketing Audit - Questions to Lead Your SWOT analysis Details

MacroEnvironment
What major demographic developments and trends pose opportunities
or threats to this company?
What actions has the company taken in response to these demographic
developments and trends?
What major developments in income, prices, savings, and credit might
affect the company?
What is the outlook for cost and availability of natural resources and
energy needed by the company?
What concerns have been expressed about the company's role in
pollution and conservation?
What major changes are occuring in product technology?
What major changes are occuring in process techology?
What major generic substitutes might replace this product/service?
What changes in laws or regulations might affect marketing strategy and
tactics?
What is the public's attitude toward the business?
What is the public's attitude toward the product/service?
What changes in consumer lifestyles might affect the company? The
brand?
What changes in consumer values might affect the company? The
brand?
Task Environment (Micro Environment)
Customer segments (see Segmentation Grid)
Competitor Analysis (see Competitive Analysis Grid)
What are the main trade channels bringing products to customers?
What are the efficiency levels and growth potentials of the different trade
channels?
What is the outlook for the availability of different key resources used in
production?
What trends are occuring among suppliers in their pattern of selling?

What is the outlook for the cost and availability of transportation

services?
What is the outlook for the cost and availability of warehousing?
Which publics represent particular opportunities or problems for the
company?
Who are the key service providers for this company and what is the
outlook re: cost and availability of these services?
Internal Environment & Marketing Strategy
Is the business mission clearly stated in market-oriented terms?
Is the business mission feasible?
Are the company and marketing objectives stated clearly enough to
guide marketing planning and performance measurement?
Are the marketing objectives appropriate given the company's
competitive position, resources, and opportunities?
Has management articulated a clear marketing strategy for achieving its
marketing objectives?
Are sufficient resources budgeted to accomplish the marketing
objectives?
Are the marketing resources allocated optimally to the prime segments?

Is the marketing strategy appropriate to the stage of the product life

cycle, competitors' strategies, and state of the economy?
Is the company using the best bases for market segmentation?
Does it have clear criteria for rating the segments and chosing the best
ones?
Has it developed accurate profiles of each possible target segment?

Has the company developed an effective positioning statement for each

target segment?
Does the current marketing mix for each segment fit with its positioning?

Is there a high-level marketing officer with adequate authority and

responsibility over the company activities that will affect the customer's
satisfaction?
Is there good communication and relations between marketing and
sales?
Is there good communication and relations between marketing and the
other functional areas (e.g., Manufacturing, R&D, accounting and
finance)?
Are there any groups in marketing that need more training, motivation,
supervision, or evaluation?
Is the marketing intelligence system providing accurate, sufficient, and
timely information about developments in the market place?
Is marketing research being adequately used by company decision
makers?
Is the marketing planning system well conceived and effective?
Is sales forecasting and market potential measurement carried out?
Are the control procedures adequate to ensure that the plan objectives
are being achieved?
Is provision made to periodically review the profitabiltiy of different
segements, products, markets, channels, etc?
Is the company well-organized to gather, generate, and screen new
product ideas?
Does the company do adequate concept research and analysis before
investing in a new idea?
Does the company carry out adequate product and marketing testing
before launching a new product?
What is the profitability of the company's different products, markets,
territories, and channels of distribution?
Do any marketing activities seem to have excessive costs?
Marketing Program
What are the product objectives?
Do the company's product tactics fit with the positioning for each target?

Is the current product line meeting the needs and wants of the target
markets with respect to quality, features, style, etc. ?
Do the company's pricing tactics fit with the positioning for each target?

How are prices set within the organization?

Do the customers see the company's prices as in line with the perceived
value of its offer?
Does the company use price promotions effectively?
What are the pricing objectives?
What is the breakeven for this firm - and, are management aware of it?

What are the distribution objectives?

Are the current channels of distribution meeting the needs of its target
markets?
Is their adequate market coverage given the current distribution
channels?
How reliant is the firm on current distributors?
What are the organization's sales force objectives?
Is the sale force large enough to accomplish the objectives?
Is the sales force organized along the proper principles of
specialization?
Is the sales force well-motivated, well-trained, and incentived?
Are there adequate procedures for setting quotas and evaluating
performances?
How is the company's sales force in relation to competitors' sales
forces?
What are the organization's communication objectives?
What is the current level of brand awareness among key segments?
Is the right amount of money being spent on marketing
communications? How is the budget determined?
What is the mix of communication media being employed? Is it
appropriate given the particular target markets?
What do customers and the public think about the current advertising
campaign?
Is there a well-conceived public relations and publicity program?
Are there any other communication activities that help support the
communications objectives (e.g., special events, trade promotions, etc.)

Who are the firm's partners? Do they have reciprocal agreements with
any other firms or organizations?
What programs are in place for loyal customers?
For Services or hybrid offerings only:
What are the organization's objectives with respect to customer service?

How is service provided? Is the firm reliant on front-line employees to

provide service and if so, are they well-trained, incentivized, and
motivated?
How are front-line employees trained? Evaluated?
How involved are customers in the delivery of the service - do they
require training? Are there customers that require special treatment?

What is the process for servicing customers? What activities occur

behind the scenes which ones are customer-facing?
What is the average time-to-serve each customer? Is there a procedure
for queuing? For waiting? For order of service?
How does the firm manage busy times? Less-busy times?
What is the physical evidence associated with the service location? Do
these help to convey the positioning of the service?
What can the customer can sense physically that contributes to their
perception of the service.
UNPROTECTED VERSION FOR MEMBERS ONLY

Assessment
 Strengths/Company Resources Source

What are the company resources that are What external source did you
considered to be strengths of the use to determine this?
organization? Are there things that they are
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Interpretation/Assessment of Strength

What is your assessment of this strength? Does it

give the firm competitive advantage? How can it be
leveraged? Is it being used to its fullest extent?
 Weaknesses/Areas of Improvement Source
In which areas does the firm need What external source did
improvement? These can be things that you use to determine this?
they are not doing (e.g., they are not
advertising) or things that they are doing
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Interpretation/Assessment of Deficiency
What is your assessment of this weakness?
Does it put the firm at a disadvantage with
respect to its competitors? Its key customers?
Its financial position? Its ability to implement
change?
 Opportunities/Sources of Future Gain Source
Are there customer segments that are not currently What external source did
being served by the firm and its competitors? Are you use to determine this?
there new markets available that no firm has yet to
enter? Are there areas in which positive growth is
expected to occur? Are there needs/wants of
some customer segments that aren't being met by
the firm and its competitors?

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Interpretation/Assessment of Opportunity
What is your assessment of this opportunity?
What effect is this likely to have on the firm's
financial and/or competitive position if
exploited? What effect does exploiting this
opportunity have in terms of primary or
selective demand?
 Threats Source
Are there elements of the external What external source did you
environment that currently threaten this firm's use to determine this?
finanical and/or competitive position? Are
there areas in which negative growth is
expected to occur? Are there emerging
trends that are contrary to the firm's current
offerings?
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Interpretation/Assessment of Opportunity
What is your assessement of this threat? What effect
is it likely to have on the firm's financial and/or
competitive position if it occurs? How will it affect
primary and/or selective demand?
Marketing Elements Question Competitor A
Target Market(s) What segment(s) are this firm
currently targeting?
Generic Strategy What is their generic strategy?
Cost, focus, differentiation?
Market Share What is the firm's market share in
this category?
Key Success Factors What determines their success in
(Strengths) the market place?
Weaknesses What is the firm not currently doing
well?
Share of Mind What is the firm/brand's current
brand awareness (%)
Share of Preference What is the firm/brand's current
brand preference (%)
Competitive Advantage What is the advantage that this firm
has over all others? What is the
source of this advantage?
Core Offerings What is it core offering - in terms of
features, benefits etc.
Product/Service Quality How do customers perceive the
quality of its core offerings?
Pricing How does it set its prices? How
are they in comparison to other
competitors?
Communication Media What media does the firm use to
communicate with its customers?

Personal Selling Methods Does the firm use salespeople? If

so, are they effective?
Distribution Methods How are the goods/services
distributed to its clients?
Location Where is the firm located?

Post-sales service What is its level of post-sales

service?

Assesment of Threat What is your assessment of this

Competitor's Threat - Low,
Medium, High?
Competitor B Competitor C Competitor D Competitor E
Marketing Objectives Performance Metric
List the overall marketing objectives that What do you recommend that the
this firm has (e.g., market share, firm use to measure this particular
profitability, sales) objective?

Marketing Program Objectives Performance Metric

List the objectives for each of the What do you recommend that the
Marketing Mix P's firm use to measure this particular
objective?
Goal/Target Control
What is the goal for this particular How often should the firm evaluate
metric? When should it be reached? this objective? Who should evalute
it?

Goal/Target Control
What is the goal for this particular How often should the firm evaluate
metric? When should it be reached? this objective? Who should evalute
it?
Segments Identifying Description
Characteristics Segment A
Segment Description Describe the segment in detail.
Size of Segment How many people/customers are in this
segment?
Geographic Location of Where are segment members located?
segment members
Market Share What is the total market share of this
segment?
Total Sales of Segment What are the total sales to this
segment?
Average Income of Segment What is the average income of each
Members segment member?
Demographic Features (e.g., What are the relevant demographic
Age, sex, etc) identifiers of this segment e.g., age, sex

Purchase Motivation Why do they purchase the

product/service? What is the primary
motivation? Secondary motivation?
Purchase Frequency How often do they purchase this
product/service?
Average periodic purchase For each visit, how much do they
(e.g., $30 per trip) spend?
Marketing Mix Needs and
Wants
Core offering Includes product quality, attributes,
features, packaging, image, services,
warranties, etc.
Price Includes willingness to pay (give an
amount here), credit terms required,
volume discounts desired, bundling,
additional costs, etc.
Distribution Includes manners in which the customer
wants to gain access to the
product/service (e.g., delivery, internet
orders, phone orders and delivery, in-
store purchase, etc.)
Communication and What communication channels are they
Promotion likely to use to search for information for
this purchase? What general media
channels are they exposed to? What
process do they go through when
purchasing?
People and Customer Service What assistance do they need during
the purchase process from employees
or service providers? What are their
expectations with respect to service
provision? How much knowledge the
customer have about the
product/service? How much do they
need about the product/service? Will
the customer require education or
training?

Process What do the customers expect in terms

of the process of purchase? What
areas of efficiency do they expect (e.g.,
waiting time, processing speed, etc.)
What activities do they want to see and
which ones should be performed behind
the scenes?

Physical Evidence, Layout, What does the customer expect to

perceptions of environment sense physically that will contribute to
their perception of the service.
Partnering, loyalty programs, To what other groups are these
other memberships segment members likely to belong?
What sort of relationship are they
expecting with their product or service
providers? Are the segment members
receptive to loyalty programs?
Segments Identifying
Characteristics Segment B Segment C
Segment Description
Size of Segment

Geographic Location of
segment members
Market Share

Total Sales of Segment

Average Income of Segment

Members
Demographic Features (e.g.,
Age, sex, etc)

Purchase Motivation

Purchase Frequency

Average periodic purchase

(e.g., $30 per trip)
Marketing Mix Needs and
Wants
Core offering

Price

Distribution

Communication and
Promotion
People and Customer Service

Process

Physical Evidence, Layout,

perceptions of environment

Partnering, loyalty programs,

other memberships
Segments Identifying
Characteristics Segment D
Segment Description
Size of Segment

Geographic Location of
segment members
Market Share

Total Sales of Segment

Average Income of Segment

Members
Demographic Features (e.g.,
Age, sex, etc)

Purchase Motivation

Purchase Frequency

Average periodic purchase

(e.g., $30 per trip)
Marketing Mix Needs and
Wants
Core offering

Price

Distribution

Communication and
Promotion
People and Customer Service

Process

Physical Evidence, Layout,

perceptions of environment

Partnering, loyalty programs,

other memberships
Targeting Decision
Criteria Assessment
Size of Segment Is the segment large enough to sustain
profitability?
Growth of Segment Will the segment experience positive
growth in the near future?
Fit with company Does targeting this segment fit with the
mission overall mission of the organization?
Fit with Objectives Does targeting this segement fit with the
company's overall objectives?
Fit with Marketing To what extent does targeting this
Objectives segment help to achieve the marketing
objectives?
Value Can the firm deliver relative value to this
segment?
Structural Is the segment attractive with respect
attractiveness market growth, competitive intensity,
market access?
Competitive Does targeting this segment give the firm
Advantage an advantage over others in this
category?
Profitability Is this segment profitable by itself? Does
it help the profitability of other segments?

Feasibility Is it feasible to target this segment give

the firm's resources and constraints?
Accessible Is this segment readily accessible by the
firm?
Fit with Company To what extent does targeting this
resources (strengths) segment leverage the company
strengths? Evaluate each strength
separately.
Assist with To what extent does targeting this
Weaknesses segment help to reduce, remove the
identified weaknesses?
Exploit opportunities To what extent does targeting this
segment exploit the firm's identified
opportunities?
Mitigate threats To what extent does targeting this
segment mitigate the identified threats?

Overall Assessment of Segment

Part One - What we do Description

For the target market

the consumption problem - what need do
Who want you serve (purchase motivation)
our portion of the solution (class or category
Our product is a of product in connection with that need)
key benefits (one or two things you want
That features them to remember)

As measured by how the customer infers quality

Part Two - How we are better Description

Unlike our main competitors

our product/services provides key points of difference

As suppported by what makes our difference possible

why the competition cannot easily
and protected by overcome it
Target Market A Target Market B Target Market C

Target Market A Target Market B Target Market C

 Target Segment A
Positioning
Needs/Wants from Current Tactics to be Additional tactics
Marketing Mix Element Objectives segmentation grid maintained (recommendations)

Product

Price

Place

Promotion

Physical Evidence

Process

People

Partnering
 Target Segment B
Positioning
Needs/Wants from Current Tactics to be Additional tactics
Marketing Mix Element Objectives segmentation grid maintained (recommendations)

Product

Price

Place

Promotion

Physical Evidence

Process

People

Partnering
 Target Segment C
Positioning
Needs/Wants from Current Tactics to be Additional tactics
Marketing Mix Element Objectives segmentation grid maintained (recommendations)

Product

Price

Place

Promotion

Physical Evidence

Process

People

Partnering
 Target Segment D
Positioning
Needs/Wants from Current Tactics to be Additional tactics
Marketing Mix Element Objectives segmentation grid maintained (recommendations)

Product

Price

Place

Promotion

Physical Evidence

Process

People

Partnering
Marketing Mix Recommendation Tasks to be completed Cost

TOTAL COST
Responsibility Priority Start Date End Date