Plan for introducing a new product to the market. Bringing a new product to market

New product launch construction organization market is a complex, multifaceted and sequential process. At the same time, it is necessary to find optimal solution, which meets both the requirements of the market and the capabilities of the organization.

The launch of a new product on the market allows the company to establish itself in a particular segment, maintain competitiveness, and expand sales. To reduce the risk of failure in the market when a new product is released, it is necessary to model the decision-making process that provides choice. the best option new product, strategy and tactics of its sale.

In every work, especially creative work, there is always a problem of maintaining a balance between theory and practical experience. When introducing a new product to the market, many companies try to follow the best theoretical developments, while any entrepreneur has his own experience in the market - both successful and not very successful. To what extent, when launching a new product, should one rely on the methodology, and to what extent - on one's own experience, what tools should be used in this case?

We will try to find the answer to this question by considering several methods.

First, a little theory. In order to correctly navigate the market situation, an organization must correctly answer the following questions:

1) determine what product to produce;

2) choose a sales strategy;

3) determine the need for additional research to increase the reliability of the available information.

To address these issues, it is proposed to use the decision-making mechanism, the multi-factor system of which is shown in Fig. 2.3.

Initially, it is necessary to formulate the main goal that the company wants to achieve by releasing a new product.

Further, information is collected, on the basis of which decisions will be made. When collecting information, you need to pay attention to the following nuances: you need to consider all possible options new products, internal capabilities of the firm and market conditions .

The multi-factor system contains the following main stages of acceptance management decisions. It includes the choice of the best option for a new product (service), taking into account the potential capabilities of the company and the risk of each option, depending on market conditions, takes into account the internal environment of the company, analyzes external environment, which consists in assessing the risk based on information about the market situation commodity market. The criterion for choosing the optimal option is the expected profit. First of all, the optimal marketing strategy for the new product is selected. On the basis of information about the probability of the onset of a particular market state, the possibilities of adjusting the strategy when the external environment changes are considered, the reliability of the choice of a priori probabilities of the onset of market states when launching a new product on the market is checked, and the expected utility from refining these probabilities is calculated. For this, a decision tree is built.

To launch a new product on the market, consider the organizational scheme for selecting options for a new product, taking into account the capabilities of the company. In this case, system analysis is performed in the following sequence:

Creation of a structural model of the system;

Building a matrix of relative estimates;

calculation specific gravity each option and prioritization.

The creation of a multifactorial system involves the study of the constituent elements and their relationships, the grouping of these elements according to the same type of properties and their distribution by levels depending on their subordination to each other. Elements of the same level act as targets for the elements of the lower level and at the same time are subordinate to the elements of the higher level. It is advisable to carry out the distribution by levels until it is convenient to compare the selected elements. At the highest level, a global goal is formed that they want to achieve when introducing a new product to the market (Fig. 2.4.).

At the second level, the essential factors of the external environment are listed: the position of the organization in the market; providing the company with all the necessary resources; technical capabilities of the organization, etc.

At the third level, there are more detailed factors that are the supporting elements of the factors of the second level: the possibilities of product distribution channels; Availability specific type resource; the level of automation of technological, production processes, etc. At the lower level, selectable options for new construction products are presented.

Thus, an organizational scheme for selecting product options is formed based on the potential resource capabilities of a construction organization.

The matrix of relative estimates is based on the analysis of the internal environment of the company. In it, by comparison, the relative importance of elements at the same level is established in relation to elements of a higher level.

If all values ​​of relative importance have certain properties, then by calculating the specific weights, it is possible to determine the priorities of the options. For the system shown in Fig. 2.4., we have the following sequence of actions and calculations.

Comparison of elements of the second level with respect to the main goal.

1. Comparison of elements of the third level relative to the second level.

2. Comparison of new product options relative to the third level.

3. To determine the priority of new product options, it is necessary to calculate the share of each option relative to the main goal.

Among all the options, the one that has the maximum specific gravity is selected, that is, the maximum value of the specific gravity determines the most promising option in terms of the company's resource capabilities. Sorting the obtained values ​​of specific weights in descending order establishes the order of the remaining options for the development of new products.

Thus, an array of options priority has been formed. Consequently, the most promising version of the new product was chosen, which meets the real conditions of the organization.

In the process of introducing new products to the market, there are many unpredictable moments and factors independent of the will of the company's leaders that must be taken into account. These factors include risk, the mitigation strategies for which are being developed at the same time. The task is to choose from a variety of possible options a management decision with minimal risk. To do this, a table of probabilities of market conditions and utility is created, in which, for each selected option, the probability and utility are indicated for a particular market condition.

Under objective market condition is understood as market conditions related to a certain point in time, a situation characterized by the ratio of supply and demand, the dynamics of prices and inventories, the presence of competitors and their position, etc.

Under usefulness it is possible to understand what result the company will have after the sale of new products, and the result must be expressed quantitatively. After choosing the best feasible option for bringing new products to the market, the company's management needs to make a management decision and develop a marketing policy, market behavior tactics, a strategy for increasing market share and profit growth.

At the same time, it is important to obtain reliable information for making an objective decision. To reduce the uncertainty of the final result, you can consider and analyze the perspective company activities using the theory of Markov chains and Bayes decision theory.

To use quantitative methods of analysis, a utility matrix should be compiled, on the basis of which the optimal marketing strategy can be selected. It lists all possible and mutually exclusive, that is, independent, market states, as well as selectable strategies and possible utilities.

First, the expected utility of all strategies is calculated, and then the maximum one is selected from them.

In connection with the constant volatility of the market, the company faces the question: how to change its strategy so as not to fall into a crisis situation? In the process of quantitative forecasting of the market position, it is advisable to use the apparatus of Markov chains. The use of this apparatus allows you to make a decision in advance when the market condition changes. The forecasting process uses a transition probability from one state to another.

Any change in some market state will almost certainly lead to a change in utility, that is, to bring additional profit or loss. These utilities are written into the following matrix, which is called the transition utility matrix.

Based on the transition probability matrix and the transition utility matrix, a decision-making matrix is ​​built when market conditions change.

Using the information of this matrix, you can find out which strategy should be applied in such and such a period and in the selected market condition.

In the marketing practice of a company, it is often necessary to compare the costs of obtaining partial (incomplete) information and the costs of finding additional new information in order to make a better management decision.

The manager must evaluate how much the benefit from additional information covers the cost of obtaining it. In this case, Bayesian decision theory can be applied.

When new information is received, the expected utility of each strategy is calculated, and then the strategy with the maximum value of the expected utility is selected. With the help of new information, the decision maker can correct the prior probabilities , and this is very important when making decisions.

The results of marketing research cannot be absolutely reliable, namely, they cannot exactly coincide with the true state of demand for a given product. Therefore, the decision maker uses hypothetical different probabilities of matching the results of marketing research with the true state of market demand.

Of interest is the method of making managerial decisions on the launch of a new product (Fig. 2.5). Let us describe a model of the process of making managerial decisions to bring a new product to the market in stages.

Block 1. At this stage, the idea of ​​a new product is formalized.

A product description is drawn up, its distinctive features, technology nuances, competitive advantages are indicated - everything that will allow it to find its niche in the market.

Such a description is usually does not contain precise specifications, such as weight, size, color, etc. Rather, when formalizing an idea, ranges are indicated for the specified characteristics and formulated consumer qualities, e.g. taste, smell, usefulness, convenience, etc.

Here, as a first approximation, differences between a new product and its analogues or direct competitors.

After the product description is written, it is necessary to analyze it places in the current assortment of the company: which products the new product will replace, which ones it will complement. This analysis often leads to a timely abandonment of a new product: because, for example, it crowds out the most profitable or successful product available.

At this stage, a decision can be made to implement some idea in the form of a separate business.

It is very important to understand what place in the company's product range it will be assigned to before launching full-scale research of a product. It is at this stage that the first significant screening of ideas occurs: out of 10-20, 2-3 remain.

Formalization (description according to the scheme) - preliminary requirements (wishes) for sales, production;

Consumer properties of the product;

Planned differences from competitors, etc.;

Comparative sales modeling.

Block 2. Primary study

This block contains request for marketing research and technological development of a new product. In this case, the study can and should be small, low-budget, but providing answers to exactly questions asked: how will buyers react to a new product, how much are they willing to pay for it, what analogues do competitors offer?

At the same stage, it is necessary to determine the possible options for the technologies used, as well as to explore the limitations and possibilities of the existing production, the need to purchase new equipment, recruit new qualified personnel, etc.

The combined results of these two studies will give assessment of the prospects for working with a new product On the market. It often happens that the existing production cannot ensure the manufacture of a new product at acceptable market prices, and re-equipment is too expensive.

The analysis carried out will enable evaluate the real possibilities of the company - both internal and external - to withdraw this specific product and abandon it in a timely manner, saving a lot of money. In this case, it is better to spend tens of thousands of rubles on research than to lose millions of rubles on equipping a new production facility, relying on intuitive suggestions.

Rice. 2.5. – A model for making managerial decisions to bring a product to market

In addition, at this stage, a decision can be made to place a new product at one of the existing production facilities, to find and analyze the capabilities of a potential supplier, to conduct marketing of possible alternative channels, etc.

Used methods/tools:

Request for marketing research (terms of reference) - parameter, criteria, completeness and depth, resources, terms;

Marketing research - methods are selected depending on the specific request and product: open sources, selective surveys, etc.;

Diagnostics of production - modeling of opportunities.

If a decision is made to manufacture a product outside of its own production, it is necessary to obtain prototypes of the future product , already manufactured in accordance with specifications, and not the "model samples" of the manufacturer. At this stage appropriate send engineers or technologists to future production so that they can analyze not only the quality of the product received, but also the quality of the organization of its production.

At this stage, an analysis of the real possibilities of production takes place, the cost of a new product is modeled, and its economic feasibility for the company is determined.

Upon completion of this stage, a decision is also made on the advisability of launching a new product into mass production.

Used methods/tools:

Terms of Reference (TS) for the product - technical and technological characteristics, requirements for raw materials, materials and equipment, restrictions, etc.;

Examination of samples - expert assessments, "focus groups", "quality circles", etc.;

Cost calculation - in accordance with accepted norms and accounting rules; accounting for overheads, variable costs, etc.

Additionally: test sales. Sometimes, for completely new products on the market, it makes sense to prepare and conduct so-called “trial sales”.

This method is very often used by trading companies - they have such a term "take a sample."

When organizing "trial sales" it is necessary to draw up a precise sales program: what exactly do we want to test with this promotion? In no case should you set yourself the goal of selling a trial batch of a product with a planned profit - it is much more important to check the accuracy of the choice of packaging, price, promotion methods, distribution channels.

Used methods/tools:

The program of "trial sales" - tasks, conditions, methods, terms;

Organization of "trial sales" - logistics, instructing sellers, collecting information;

Analysis of the results - it is possible to use the SWOT analysis in a reduced scope.

Block 3. Refinement studies.

The tasks of this block of work: development of an exact technical task (and technical specifications - TS) for the parameters and external design of the product, indicating the necessary specifications(color, size, weight, etc.), determining the most effective distribution channels and promotion methods, clarifying the price range and obtaining other information necessary to draw up a business program (business plan) for launching and promoting a new product.

At this stage, the needs and preferences of the company's customers, as well as the competitive situation in the market, are regularly monitored. In addition, the study in this block may be less expensive if the previous steps in the methodology have been worked out carefully and successfully.

At this stage, the product name, the main positioning parameters, as well as the most significant aspects of the promotion strategy are determined. At the same time, it should be taken into account that the work of this block is closely related to the next stage of bringing the product to the market.

Used methods/tools:

Request for marketing research (terms of reference) - parameters, criteria, completeness and depth, resources, terms;

Program marketing research– development, implementation:

Marketing research - methods are selected depending on the specific request and product: open sources, selective surveys, etc.;

Analysis of results.

Block 4. Trial production.

A very important stage, after which it becomes clear how much the calculations coincide with reality. In production, this stage is also known as the “prototype”.

Samples of the product are made, their comprehensive technical and technological expertise is carried out. Checking packaging options.

Here it is specified profitnost (profitability) of the future product.

Upon completion of this stage, the production technology of the product, its weak sides, possible risks.

Block 5. Product output (promotion) program.

The results of the third and fourth blocks of work (and sometimes "trial sales") provide a basis for developing a business program (business plan) for launching and promoting a new product. The detail and elaboration of this program depends on the specific situation: the product, the market segment, the degree of its saturation, etc.

For example, a program might consist of the following sections:

Description of the product (including its strengths and weaknesses);

Product positioning;

Sales markets and target audience;

Sales policy (including a description of the "ideal" buyer);

Sales channels (existing, new);

Sales promotion (tools used);

Separate special marketing projects and their implementation (special projects aimed at promoting a new product, for example, participation in an exhibition, "promotions", etc.);

Trading conditions (relationships with buyers) and pricing policy;

Marketing budget.

When developing the program, all available information from the market and production is checked once again, the calculations are refined. Ideally, the program should pass the examination.

It is quite possible that specialists will find significant flaws in it that will either force them to return to previous levels, or even abandon the release of a new product.

The most loyal customers, independent market specialists, partners, specialists and consultants in management and marketing can be involved as experts at this stage.

Used methods/tools:

The structure of the promotion program - the required volume, the degree of detail;

Examination of the program - expert assessments, the results of "trial sales", customer surveys, etc.;

SWOT analysis - the presence and content of winning promotion strategies.

Block 6. Bringing the product to market.

Based on the program received in block 5, a detailed plan work with a new product for marketing and sales departments, as appropriate the production plan is adjusted.

According to experts, for a period of one to two years, a new product should be in the area of ​​close attention of all top managers. Constant monitoring of the situation will allow timely identification and correction of errors and inaccuracies. This minimizes the risk of failure with a new product. And there will always be mistakes and blunders, since even the largest and most expensive research does not give a 100% guarantee of success.

The method is considered effective allocation of a separate "product manager", assigned to the new product. The entire “chain” should be in the zone of his attention and control - from the purchase of raw materials to final sales. The task of the “product manager” is to inform management in a timely manner of any cases, when the actual development of the situation deviates from the planned plans and indicators. It would be logical to tie his salary to the results of serial sales of this product.

Used methods/tools:

The structure of the promotion program - the required volume, the degree of detail;

The production plan is dynamic, including an adjustment mechanism;

Cost adjustment program - based on the results of actual labor costs;

Algorithm and plan for launching the product into production;

The distribution of control functions - for the period of launch and output to the "design capacity" of a new product.

Consideration of the methods allows us to break the entire project for the launch of a new product into separate stages, after each of which a decision is made to move the project forward or exit from it.

Each stage has a certain cost and a specific result. Depending on the situation in the company and on the market, one or another stage of the product can be significantly reduced or skipped altogether.

The concept of bringing a new product to market as outlined here requires a certain amount of ingenuity in putting it into practice and making real improvements to the company's work on new products. Answers to the vital questions “how?”, “In what way?”, “In what ways?” not easy to generalize. A launch program that is successful in one case may be unusable, and often dangerous, in another. That is why we focused on the fundamental steps - the stages of the project to bring a new product to the market. The presented scheme is a general algorithm for working on a new product. It takes into account most"commandments" and allows them to be remembered. For complex situations (an innovative product, a saturated market, etc.), the scheme can be detailed and supplemented with other necessary blocks.

Prostova, N., Renard, A. Launching a new product to the market // Journal of company management. - 2005. - No. 10 (53).

Previous

Everyone new product at a certain stage of its life cycle, it goes through the procedure of bringing to the market. As you know, this is preceded by activities to develop the concept of the product itself, which are not affected in this work.

In preparation for the launch of a new product on the market, the marketing group, based on the available marketing tools, must give a sales forecast at certain time intervals when penetrating the target market segment, assess the volume and saturation of this segment, corresponding to the achievement of a given profitability. In addition, it is necessary to take into account the costs of the events of the complex. marketing communications.

The sales forecast for a new product is based on an analysis of the following market factors:

Analysis of the company's own potential,

Competitor analysis,

Target market analysis,

Analysis of the macro environment,

Analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the product (competitiveness),

Risk assessment

The purpose of this analysis is to identify the company's own capabilities (both tangible and intangible) to assess the available resources and their compliance with the strategic goals set for the enterprise, in particular, launching a new product and capturing market share. First of all, here it is necessary to consider the worldview, entrepreneurial culture and philosophy of the company and its leaders, since it is they that are decisive for both structural organization enterprise, and for the purpose of the business itself. The following factors influence the formation of the entrepreneurial culture of a particular company:

Internal standards and rules specific to the firm,

informal communication channels,

ideas and values ​​prevailing throughout society,

Personal potential of company leaders,

Examples to follow.

With the help of experts, it is necessary to assess the accumulativeness, the ability to change and the mobilization power of the company, to check the degree of its compliance with the basic principles of conducting modern business: the principles of competition, intra-company planning, innovation, contractuality and consumer dictates.

In addition to displaying the corporate culture, this analysis should include data on all aspects of the company's ongoing activities, as well as material reserves necessary for the promotion of a new product.

To enter a new market, this analysis is one of the most important. The successful introduction of a new product implies an unambiguous definition of all firms that can be attributed either to real competitors already operating in the chosen market, or to potential competitors that have the opportunity to enter the market with a competing product.

This issue is especially important when considering high-yield growth prospective markets, for example, markets for certain consumer goods, or markets that are fairly easy to access, that is, markets with a low level of competition.

To be able to compare the parameters of your own company with the parameters of competing firms, you need to analyze the same parameters that were considered when analyzing the potential of your own company. Gathering sufficient information on competitive firms is usually not possible, but data such as goals, development strategies, market behavior and employee motivation systems are especially valuable for analysis and decision-making in preparing responses.

Target market analysis refers to the systematic study of all other aspects of the market that are not covered by competition analysis. First of all, it is the analysis of consumers. First you need to identify the target market segment of interest, and then explore its characteristics. For this, special marketing research is used, in particular, segmentation of consumers, determination of market characteristics, as well as reports from the sales service, the press and other possible sources of information. As necessary information For market analysis, the following quantitative indicators are considered:

market potential,

market size,

market saturation level,

market elasticity,

market growth rate,

share of the main competitors,

stability, etc.

The qualitative indicators of the market include the following indicators:

structure of customer needs,

purchase motives,

kind of buying process

ways of obtaining information by the consumer,

prevailing preferences, etc.

In addition to considering quantitative and quality characteristics consumers, it is necessary to have data on existing suppliers, business partners, trade and intermediaries, also included in the firm's microenvironment. Information about these market entities allows you to adjust the marketing policy and plan activities.

This analysis is aimed at studying the macro environment, which has no direct connection with the market, but equally affects all enterprises in this field of activity in this particular region. It is customary to divide the macro environment into economic, socio-cultural, physical, political, legal and technological components. Each of these components consists of a very large number of factors that affect certain groups of products in different ways.

For specific type products, it makes sense to single out several factors, the importance of which in a given region is maximum, and then consider only them. For example, for imported products in the group of political and legal components, the most significant factors will be such factors as customs duty rates and import quotas, the status of the exporting country, excise duties on goods, sales rules, payments for a license to trade certain goods, etc. This analysis usually requires the assistance of independent experts.

This analysis compares the results of the analysis of the company's own potential (or product) with the analysis of competing firms (or competing products) and is aimed at identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the firm in relation to competing firms. For this, an engineering forecasting method or another estimation method can be used.

Based on the results obtained, those product characteristics are highlighted that give the maximum advantage over competing products. At the same time, the identification of the weakest competitive aspects of the product makes it possible to adjust either the product itself or the methods of its presentation and positioning on the market.

Risk in business arises in a situation of uncertainty and is a probabilistic value. The risk assessment combines the results of all previous analyzes of the market and the firm itself. The purpose of this assessment is to provide the earliest possible warning of changes in market conditions, internal causes within the firm, and the situation in the macro environment that are relevant to the strengths and weaknesses of the product.

Risk analysis begins with the identification of possible sources of risk, its causes and places of occurrence. In all cases, the risk is associated with the sufficiency or insufficiency information support firm's activities. The resulting risk assessment is the basis for choosing an action scenario.

When conducting a risk analysis, points and places of possible occurrence of risk should be identified. At these points, the temporal characteristics, causes and duration of risk actions are determined. Final result quantification risk is to build a system of critical values ​​of the main risk indicators. Naturally, different firms have different risk tolerance. The diversification of the company's activities contributes to the reduction of risks, but without dissipation of funds and resources. When conducting a risk assessment, it is necessary to consider the development trends of the situation.

Products put on the market must meet certain consumer needs. When using only economic indicators(such as sales volume, profits, covering fixed costs) at the stage of introducing a product to the market, it is impossible to establish how this new product will meet these needs. Therefore, in order to understand the needs that push a person to make a purchase, it is necessary to determine their economic importance. It is these economically significant needs that should ultimately lead the consumer to purchase the product.

The purchase of a certain brand of goods directly depends on how much the desires of consumers are concentrated on this brand. The direction of consumer desire for a particular brand is the result of the influence of all marketing tools, so the object of desire is not a product in narrow sense, but the result of the complex impact of marketing tools. However, the desire itself does not yet determine the purchase of goods, it must be transformed into demand, which at this stage of planning is limited by purchasing power.

An important element in the process of purchasing a product is the degree of its availability, that is, its presence at the place of purchase. This is especially important for the first test purchase, which often determines the volume and frequency of subsequent ones. Hence the importance of a wide introduction of a new product in the sales system and the availability of sufficient inventory.

If there are competing products on the market, the buyer will spend energy searching for this particular product only if he has a strong desire to purchase this particular brand (with repeated purchases, it will be possible to talk about brand loyalty). In consumer goods markets, where competing products are very widely represented and can be easily replaced by each other, the issue of the correct distribution of a newly introduced product is particularly acute.

As a result of all of the above, a product can be subjected to consumer attractiveness tests before being put on the market. The most common models for assessing the attractiveness of a product are the following:

Rosenberg model

This model is based on consumers evaluating a product in terms of its suitability to meet specific needs.

Q j = S X k Y jk ,

where Q j - consumers' assessment of brand j;

X k - the importance of the characteristic k (k = 1, n) brands j from the point of view of consumers;

Y jk - characteristic evaluation k stamps j from the point of view of consumers.

Different customer requirements for products provide ideal preconditions for market segmentation, as well as information about the importance of individual product characteristics.

Ideal Point Models

In contrast to the Rosenberg model, an additional component is introduced into the model with an ideal point - the ideal (from the point of view of the consumer) value of the product characteristic.

Q j = S W k |B jk - I k | r ,

where Q j is consumer assessment of the brand j;

W k - the importance of the characteristic k (k = 1, n);

B jk - characteristic evaluation k stamps j from the point of view of consumers;

I k - ideal characteristic value k from the point of view of consumers;

r - parameter showing when r= 1 constant, and at r= 2 decreasing

marginal benefit.

It is logical that the consumer will prefer the product that is closest to the ideal point. Thus, this method gives an idea of ​​the ideal product from the point of view of the consumer.

Another variant of this method is the measurement of the degree of customer satisfaction, in which it turns out what value is expected by buyers, and what was perceived in reality.

One of the latest models for describing and evaluating a product complex is the so-called. " commodity system "- a set of components that uniquely and self-sufficiently describe a certain set of needs that underlie competing products.

In the course of modeling a commodity system, hypotheses are made about the components i th level (starting from the first). The model implies that the needs included in the commodity system are differently important for the consumer; their importance differs for different consumer segments. Naturally, their implementation in competing products is not the same. As a result, the weight of the component (needs) and the assessment of the component for any segment are determined.

In the figure below, the letters indicate the following:

TS - commodity system

A, B, C, D - components (needs) of the first level.

A i , B i , C i , D i - needs of the n-th level.

From the point of view of the economic efficiency of bringing a product to the market, it makes sense to consider the following quantitative goals:

sales volume,

covering fixed and variable costs,

profit and cost savings,

enterprise growth,

market share.

Qualitative goals such as image and fame can be controlled based on consumer judgment.

When performing an assessment economic efficiency product removal, the indicator of the sales volume structure is used.

The volume and structure of sales are one of the most important parameters of the company's activities. Sales planning analysis should show the absolute and relative shares of products in terms of the total sales of the company, on the basis of which the marketing policy of the company can be adjusted. A convenient way to assess the sales structure is ABC-analysis, with the help of which all the company's products are divided into three categories according to certain criteria (sales volume, profit, etc.). ABC analysis provides important information about the balance between products with different profitability and the breadth of the range. ABC analysis is one of the varieties of Paret's law.

Naturally, when introducing a new product, not only its economic characteristics. Undoubted importance in both qualitative and quantitative indicators of the economic efficiency of a product is played by its design, color, shape, packaging, etc. The trademark of the product deserves a separate discussion.

Most goods are consumed outside the place of their production. Sales structures are called upon to deal with the problems that arise in this case.

The first thing to be decided is the choice of the type of distribution organization: direct marketing or sales through intermediaries. In the second case, many tasks are transferred to wholesalers, who develop their own marketing concepts, which do not always coincide with the concepts of the manufacturer.

Typically, the manufacturer uses wholesale or retail trade to deliver goods, which entails solving the problem of the number and type of enterprises that need to be involved in cooperation. Decisions about the choice of trading partners are closely related to the organization of the sale.

When choosing distribution channels, the firm decides which customer segments will be reached through certain intermediate sales stages. For most products, there are many alternative distribution channels, but the choice of a particular channel, in addition to its profitability, is influenced by the image of the product and the company.

Channel planning for a new product is a strategic task and cannot be redesigned in a short time.

There are two main types of marketing. At direct marketing The product goes directly to the consumer. Direct marketing makes sense for large transactions, as well as for the sale of large high-tech products that need guarantees, technical support etc. Often in international trade the concept of direct marketing is used - marketing without the participation of intermediary firms of one's country.

But for most goods, especially for consumer goods, it is still the most preferable indirect marketing.

Most manufacturers should use the services of intermediaries and trade, since trade enterprises can carry out marketing functions with greater efficiency and lower costs than the manufacturer himself.

Usage wholesale trade reduces the number of contacts. The use of centralized trading is more efficient because it reduces the number of steps required to match supply and demand.

The wholesaler has the ability to spread its costs across multiple manufacturers by grouping their offerings together, resulting in a reduction in distribution costs.

With the help of wholesalers, the volume of products produced is matched with the quantity and volume of small orders, which leads to an increase in costs. The introduction of an additional link in the chain allows you to adapt to the orders of individual buyers.

Intermediaries play an important role in providing a variety of goods offered, which allows buyers to save time by purchasing several goods in one transaction. The manufacturer himself can harm the offer of a range of related products.

Despite all the undeniable advantages of introducing intermediaries into the distribution channel, manufacturers want to influence the sale for many reasons. Among the main ones is the manufacturer's image policy, which intermediaries are not always ready to support. In order to influence intermediaries, manufacturers follow the path of concluding licensing agreements and franchising, which are beneficial to the intermediaries themselves, since the manufacturer takes on the organization of nationwide advertising, providing the necessary information and, in some cases, financial assistance.

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Russian Business Monitor, 1995"2. The Russian market of alcoholic beverages.

Introduction

In today's marketplace, companies are provided with a range of marketing strategies to maximize profits. The offer of a new product is the prospect of high earnings, but at the same time, it is also a risky adventure. successful marketing campaign is the most appropriate means for developing and bringing a new product to market. Finding out what exactly the consumer wants to buy tomorrow is the main task of advanced firms. The development and launch of a new product (service) on the market is due to the following factors:

- the need to protect the company from the consequences of the inevitable process of obsolescence of existing products;

- the need to expand production at a faster pace than is possible with a narrow range of manufactured goods;

– the need to ensure a faster and more gradual increase overall profitability companies;

- the need to maintain the status of the company.

Global trends are such that the space is compacted by the number of goods, the range of products offered is growing at a high pace. In Sweden, a country of 9 million people, the number of beers has increased from 50 to 350 in ten years, and former Walt Disney CEO Michael Eisner said they are creating a new product - be it a movie, a comic book, a CD or whatever. also every five minutes.

The combination of these factors determines relevance selected topic.

object research is the company «MarsLLC».

Subject research is Mars LLC's practice of developing and bringing new products to market.

Target of this work - to analyze the features of the development and launch of a new product on the market using the example of MarsLLC

The set goal predetermined the decision of the following tasks :

– To study the essence and stages of development and launch of a new product on the market

– Determine the role of marketing research in the development of a new product

– Highlight the main mistakes and risks when developing a new product and bringing it to the market

– To study the process of creating a new product and its launch on the market using the example of MarsLLC

Degree of development This problem is determined by a significant number of studies by a number of Russian and foreign scientists, as well as analysts and marketers, such as F. Kotler, G.Ya. Goldstein, A.P. Egorshin, G. Armstrong, T. Ambler, H. Eriashvilli.

Practical contribution It boils down to the fact that the study of this issue allows minimizing risks and avoiding major mistakes in the development and launch of a new product on the market, taking into account all sorts of nuances of the target market.

Theoretical contribution of this work lies in the fact that when considering three specific cases of entering the new MarsLLC market, problems in positioning were identified and the features of marketing campaigns conducted by the organization in Russia were analyzed. It has been established that the mental differences between Russians and Americans played an important role in bringing a new product to the market. This study will be useful in the field of positioning and advertising.

Work structure next: the work consists of an introduction, two chapters, six paragraphs, a conclusion and a bibliography.

1. The process of developing and bringing a new product to the market: essence, stages, risks

1.1 The essence and main stages of the development and launch of a new product on the market

The development of a new product is one of the most important areas marketing activities. To do this, you need to find out what is included in the concept of "new product".

At least 50 interpretations of the concept of "new product" are known. There are three main approaches to the definition of the concept of "new product":

1. Proceeds from the time criterion: any newly manufactured product is referred to as new. The criterion of novelty in this case is not the qualitative originality of the product, but the time of its development and production.

2. Based on the requirement to highlight the criterion for distinguishing a new product from its analogues and prototypes. As such a criterion, it is proposed to use the principle of generating and / or satisfying a previously unknown need with goods. A new product is also called any progressive change that distinguishes a product from previously known ones. These changes may affect raw materials, materials, designs, technologies, external design, and more.

3. It is based on the following premise: it is necessary to proceed not from a single criterion, but from a certain combination of them, characterizing certain aspects of the novelty of the product. In this case, for example, four levels of product novelty can be distinguished:

- changing the external design while maintaining the existing consumer properties;

- partial change in consumer properties of the goods due to the improvement of the main technological characteristics, but without fundamental changes in manufacturing technology;

- a fundamental change in consumer properties, making significant changes in the way the corresponding need is met;

- the appearance of a product that has no analogues.

Modern management is based on innovation. Not every discovery and not every development acquire material life. To translate a new idea into a concrete form, there is often not enough confidence in its successful implementation. The task of marketing is precisely to carry out such work that will not allow innovations to fail in the market.

The development and launch of a new product (service) on the market is due to the following factors:

- the need to protect the company from the consequences of the inevitable process of obsolescence of existing products, which is caused by competition or obsolescence. The decrease in the profitability of manufactured goods or services rendered can be compensated in the long term only through the introduction of a new product (service) that would be in demand by the consumer. The introduction of a new product or service into the assortment is necessary to protect the funds already invested in the company;

- the need to expand production at a faster pace than is possible with a narrow range of manufactured goods, to distribute commercial risk over a wider range of goods and services, to reduce the impact of competition on a separate area of ​​the company's activities;

– the need to ensure a faster and gradual increase in the overall profitability of the company, expressed as a ratio of profit to invested capital, by maintaining and increasing competitiveness, more rational use of production waste, more complete use of production capacity and staff capabilities and, as a result, a more even distribution of some overhead costs , reducing seasonal and cyclical fluctuations in the level of production and sales.

According to the concept of the product life cycle, each product goes through stages from the idea to the end of production. In connection with the globalization of the world economy, increased competition, the development of technology and technology and the accelerating change in consumer preferences, the life cycle of goods is increasingly compressed, which requires businesses to make faster decisions and reduce the time it takes to develop a product and bring it to market. Reducing the time means reducing the opportunities for high-quality project development and increasing risks, which significantly increases the requirements for the quality of management and support, including financial, at all stages of projects, for the timely identification of inefficient and risky projects, risk insurance, minimization of losses, achievement of target results .

The first step to starting work on a new product is to develop a project. Depending on how innovative the product is, the level of materiality of the project is determined. Allocate the following requirements for projects:

a) projects must be limited according to the following criteria:

– time

– resources

– risks

b) projects must be realistic;

c) criteria for success should be clearly defined, measurable and achievable.

The process of developing and bringing a new product to the market takes place in several stages:

c) test sales

4. Bringing goods to market.

Due to the fact that the first stage involves the direct generation of an idea or the search for an idea for a new product, we can give some options for its passage: buy information from external sources, invent the new kind product or service, improve an existing product, attract new partners to develop a product. Participation in the product development process of consumers will save time due to the timely correction of the idea, as well as get the first customers, but it creates the risk of information leakage to competitors. Based on this, there are three approaches to the development of a new product:

1. Type "A" - characterized by minimal technological and financial requirements, as it implies minor changes to an existing product;

2. Type "B" - strict requirements for technologies and equipment, high financial costs in connection with the creation of a fundamentally new product;

3. Mixed type - closer to either type "A" or type "B".

Realization of an idea is a concept test of a new product, which involves testing on a group of target consumers to find out their reaction. The reliability of test results is higher when the tested product is as close as possible to final product. Consumers react differently to new products, it depends on their preferences in a particular area. There are 5 types of consumers according to the speed of reaction to a new product:

1. Innovators - those who buy the product immediately, as soon as it appears or in advance (2.5% of them);

2. Followers - those who buy the product immediately, as soon as someone has already bought it (13.5% of them)

3. Early majority (34% of buyers)

4. Late majority (34% of buyers)

5. Conservatives - those who buy the product later than everyone else, or do not buy it (16% of buyers)

Based on this, it is very important to choose the right marketing strategy. One of the main strategies are pricing strategies. Among them are the strategy of "skimming the cream", the strategy of expanding the market, the strategy of average market prices, differentiated prices, non-rounded prices and "round" prices. The choice of strategy directly depends on the product being developed. However, no matter which strategy is chosen, the first part of her plan describes the scope, target market structure, consumer behavior, intended product positioning, as well as sales figures, market share, and planned profits for the next few years. The second part of the plan contains information about the planned price of the product, the principles of its distribution and the budget for marketing expenses during the first year of release. The third part of the marketing strategy plan provides long-term sales and profit figures and a long-term approach to marketing - a mix. This plan forms the basis for the business analysis that needs to be done before management makes a final decision on a new product.

Launching a new product to the market production company is an important complex, multifunctional organizational task. It directly affects such functional areas of the enterprise as marketing, sales, purchasing, production, R&D, finance and other functions. In addition, the launch of goods on the market is the subject of both strategic and tactical, as well as project and operational management at the enterprise.

Any introduction of a new product to the market is a risky undertaking. It is noted that innovations succeed in 65% of cases (according to surveys of 700 English companies), although only 10% of them were truly new, and 20% were only new versions of goods. Thus, introducing a new product to the market is a kind of statistical game. A large number of intermediate stages before launching a product to the market is designed to reduce risk, but all this takes time.

At the stage of commercialization of a new product, the company either incurs losses or its profit is very small due to insignificant sales and high costs of organizing distribution channels for the product and stimulating its sale. The cost of promotion reaches its highest level at this time, this is due to the need to concentrate efforts on promoting the new product. It is necessary to inform potential consumers about a new, unknown product, encourage them to try the product and ensure that this product is distributed through trade enterprises.

Manufacturers produce only basic versions of the product, since the market is not yet ready to accept its modification. Firms focus their sales efforts on consumers who are most prepared to make a purchase. Prices at this stage are usually higher.

An important role at the stage of bringing goods to the market is given to the choice of distribution channels. Distribution, as well as strategy, is selected depending on the characteristics of a particular product. When choosing distribution channels, the firm decides which customer segments will be reached through certain intermediate sales stages. For most products, there are many alternative distribution channels, but the choice of a particular channel, in addition to its profitability, is influenced by the image of the product and the company. There are two main types of marketing. In direct marketing, the product goes directly to the consumer. Direct marketing makes sense for large transactions, as well as for the sale of large high-tech products that need guarantees and technical support. Often in international trade, the concept of direct marketing is used - marketing without the participation of intermediary firms of one's country. Most manufacturers should use the services of intermediaries and trade, since trade enterprises can carry out marketing functions with greater efficiency and lower costs than the manufacturer himself. Intermediaries play an essential role in providing a variety of products on offer, which allows buyers to save time by purchasing several products in one transaction. The manufacturer himself can harm the offer of a range of related products.

Based on the information studied, the process of developing and launching a new product on the market consists of several successive stages, the observance of which allows the company to most effectively prepare for the release of a new product and its distribution, as well as to get an idea of ​​the reaction of consumers to it in advance, and to predict sales volumes and arrived.

1.2 Marketing research and its role in the development of a new product

The development of a new product cannot be carried out without marketing research, since it is marketing research that can minimize the risks of failure in the market. So, marketing research is a systematic and objective identification, collection, analysis, dissemination and use of information to improve efficiency, identify and solve problems. marketing problems. They allow us to clarify the current situation in the external environment, to draw the structure of satisfaction of needs in a certain territory. Marketing research can be divided into 3 groups:

1. Market research (capacity, demand status, product structure, market development prospects, geographical location)

2. Consumer research (segmentation, ways to use the product, motives for buying, ways to buy, unmet needs)

3. Research of competitors (main competitors, dynamically developing competitors, brands of competitors, forms and methods of marketing, features of goods)

Market research is the most common direction in marketing research. It is carried out in order to obtain information about market conditions to determine the activities of the enterprise. Market research allows you to systematically collect, analyze and compare all the information necessary to make important decisions related to market selection, sales volume determination, market forecasting and planning.

The objects in this case are trends and market development processes, including analysis of changes in economic, scientific, technical, demographic, environmental, legislative and other factors. Its structure, geography and capacity, sales dynamics, the state of competition, the current market situation, opportunities and risks are also being studied.

When developing a new product, an important role is given to market capacity. Market capacity is the possible volume of sales of goods at a specific level and price ratio. It is measured in natural and monetary terms and is always determined for a given territory.

The main results of market research are forecasts of its development, assessment of market trends, identification key factors success. The most effective ways of conducting a competitive policy and the possibility of entering new markets are determined. Segmentation of markets and selection of target markets and market niches are carried out.

Consumer research allows you to identify and study the whole range of motivating factors that guide consumers when choosing goods (income, social status, gender and age structure, education). The objects are individual consumers, families, households, and organizations. The subject of the study is the motivation of consumer behavior in the market and the factors that determine it. The structure of consumption, provision of goods, trends in consumer demand are being studied. In addition, the processes and conditions for satisfying the basic rights of consumers are analyzed. The developments here are the typology of consumers, the modeling of their behavior in the market, and the forecast of expected demand. The purpose of such a study is consumer segmentation, selection of target market segments.

Competitor research is about obtaining the necessary data to provide an advantage in the market, as well as finding opportunities for cooperation and cooperation with possible competitors. To this end, their strengths and weaknesses are analyzed, their market share is studied, the reaction of consumers to their marketing tools (product improvement, price changes, trademarks, behavior advertising companies service development). Along with this, the material, financial, labor potential of competitors, the organization of business management are being studied. The results of such research are the choice of ways and opportunities to achieve the most advantageous position in the market (leadership, following the leader, avoiding competition), the identification of active and passive strategies for providing a price advantage or an advantage due to the quality of the goods offered.

In addition, the study of product promotion and sales stands out, which aims to determine the most effective ways, methods and means of quickly bringing the product to the consumer and its implementation. The main objects here are trade channels, intermediaries, sellers, forms and methods of sale, distribution costs (comparison of trade costs with the amount of profit received). The studies also include an analysis of the functions and characteristics of the activities of various types of wholesale and retail, identifying their strengths and weaknesses, the nature of the existing relationship with manufacturers. Such information allows you to determine the possibility of increasing the turnover of the enterprise, optimize inventory, develop criteria for choosing effective channels for promoting goods, develop methods for selling them to end consumers.

Conducted market research may be ineffective if you do not take into account the possible actions of competitors. If competitors are knowledge-driven, then research will help predict their moves, but vice versa. Therefore, it is better for the company to design actions that will be the opposite of the results of the study.

Thus, the role of marketing research in the development and launch of a new product on the market is extremely large, since it is research that makes it possible to determine the effectiveness of the idea implementation as accurately as possible.

1.3 Risks and errors in the development of new products and their introduction to the market

There is a group of factors that affect the introduction of a new product to the market negatively, it includes: the lack of a distinctive feature or unique advantage of the product, the fuzzy definition of the product or market before its development, the imbalance of technical, production and research capabilities of the company, the inefficiency of technological operations, overestimation market attractiveness. The most common problem is that as the product is promoted, the company's management shifts attention from the needs of consumers to their own.

Common mistakes made when developing a new product include:

1. Managers tend to focus on "where" rather than "how" to compete. Thinking about how to produce and how to deliver goods and services can often serve to the best source than the question of how to sell. However, more attention in the development of products and their introduction to the markets is received by questions of marketing "where": which markets to serve, which promotion channels to use, issues of product placement on the shelves.

2. There is insufficient emphasis on uniqueness and adaptability. If a company does not emphasize the uniqueness of new products, then it is unlikely that it will achieve it. Most of the proposals for the creation of new products are evaluated mainly on the basis of assumed financial results: what revenues, market share and profits are projected for a fixed period of time. But if similar products appear at this time, then the forecasts may turn out to be too high. It is important that the product be adaptable enough to survive and profit from unpredictable developments.

3. Little attention is paid to when to start competition. Products driven by new technologies can quickly become obsolete as competing technologies emerge. Even when the time to launch a product is absolutely correct, the company must evaluate whether it has the strength to enter it first, and if not, adjust its investment and development strategies so that it takes place at least second or third. player.

5. Companies use standard performance measures. As a rule, indicators of short-term profitability are used, instead of assessing the receipt of income in the long term.

The risks of not being in demand for new products may be due to the following reasons:

- the dynamics of changes in consumer preferences (what is the probability that by the time a given product meets the consumer, the totality of utilities contained in it will fully correspond to the consumer's value system?);

- inconsistency in the cost estimates of goods (services) by consumers (what is the probability that the company's ideas about quality, price and terms of sale will completely coincide with the consumer's ideas?);

- scientific and technological progress (what is the probability that investments in the development, production and sale of a given product will give the expected return before a technologically new product appears on the market that will be able to displace it?);

- the action of competitive forces in the relevant market (what is the probability that our product (service) will be more preferable for consumers than analogues of competitors?);

- consumer uncertainty (what is the probability that we will be able to overcome consumer uncertainty (skepticism) about the product / service we offer?).

In addition, the most serious mistakes are errors in product positioning. Here an important role is played by such environmental factors as: geographical location, historical aspects, ethno-cultural characteristics, religion, socio-economic condition, politics, demography and ecology of the area where the target market is located. When choosing a specific segment, it is necessary to correctly build not only the image of the product, but pricing. The wrong pricing strategy can have a detrimental effect on product sales. For example, the market has already been mastered by other manufacturers, the organization begins to produce similar products with minor qualitative changes, and the price is unreasonably high - this will lead to the fact that they will not buy the product. It is important that the concept of a new product be as harmonious as possible, taking into account all the features of the target segment.

Thus, the most typical mistakes in the development and launch of a new product on the market are considered, the avoidance of which significantly increases the efficiency of implementing the idea of ​​a new product.

The work carried out made it possible to single out the main stages of the process of developing and bringing a new product to the market, to determine the degree of importance of marketing research in this issue, as well as to identify risks and errors in the implementation of a new product project.

2. Development and launch of a new product on the market on the example of the company " Mars LLC »

2.1 Study of the company's product range " Mars LL WITH"

1. DOVE® - silk chocolate; ice cream

2. MARS® - a bar of milk chocolate, nougat and caramel; ice cream

3. SNICKERS® - a bar of milk chocolate, nougat, caramel and peanuts; ice cream

4. TWIX® - 2 sticks of crispy biscuits with creamy caramel in milk chocolate; ice cream

5. Bounty® - coconut pulp in milk chocolate; ice cream

6. M&M'S® - glazed chocolates (with and without peanuts)

7. Celebrations – ® candy sets in original gift boxes

8. SKITTLES® - glazed fruit gummies

9. Rondo® - refreshing mints

10. STARBURST® fruit gummies and lozenges

11. Tunes® - throat lozenges for the first symptoms of a cold

12. Orbit® - chewing gum in sticks and sticks

13. Extra ® - chewing gum in pillows

14. Eclipce® - chewing gum in pillows

15. Wrigley's® - chewing gum in sticks

16. Flavia® - teas and instant coffees

17. CirkuHelth® Cocoa Drinks for a Healthy Diet

18. PEDIGREE® - healthy food for dogs

19. Chappi® - hearty dog ​​food

20. WHISKAS® food for happy cats

21. Kitekat® - food for energetic cats

22. Sheba® - Elite Cat Foods

23. RoyalCanin® - professional food for dogs and cats

24. Korkunov® - elite Russian chocolate

25. Gurmania® - ready-made soups

26. UncleBen's - instant rice, sauces

27. Dolmio - sauces.

This list shows that the company manufactures products in five main areas: sweets (12 brands), chewing gums (4 brands), drinks (2 brands), pet food (6), food (3).

Mars is one of the most professional companies in the FMCG market, entering a particular market, the concern builds large enterprises and Russian market is no exception. Mars activity in Russia was started in 1991 (CJSC Masterfoods, since 1995 Mars LLC). At the end of 1993, the first regional representative office (Vladivostok) was organized, in 1994 a network of sales branches was deployed in other regions of the country.

The first production site is a plant in Stupino, which went into operation in 1995; in 1996, the head office of Mars LLC was removed from Moscow to Stupino. Subsequently, production facilities were opened in Lukhovitsy near Moscow and in Novosibirsk. In 2008, the construction of two factories in Ulyanovsk began, one for the production of chocolate bars, the other for the production of pet food, the location was well chosen from a logistical point of view. In addition, on April 28, 2008, Mars announced the purchase of Wrigley, the largest chewing gum manufacturer in the United States, for $ 23 billion. In the world market, according to experts, this transaction allowed Mars to gain leadership in the chewing gum segment, but in Russia, thanks to the Odintsovo confectionery factory, which produces products under the brand "A. Korkunov and 80% owned by Wrigley since 2007, the company significantly expanded its portfolio of chocolate brands and took second place in this market, almost catching up with the local leader, United Confectioners. Mars is strong in the segment of chocolate bars, and the manufacturer was not represented in the traditional Russian segment of packaged chocolates, so the acquisition of Wrigley greatly advanced the company. In general, in the market of packaged chocolate products in cities with a population of more than 100 thousand inhabitants in 2007, Mars occupied 6.3% by value, “A. Korkunov" - 13.9%. The combination of assets brought the company to second place after United Confectioners (23%) with a share exceeding 20%

The company considers the expansion of production to be promising, as consumption of its products is growing: according to Rosstat, in total in 2006 Russia produced 1.05 million tons of confectionery. According to Nielsen Russia expert estimates, the volume of the chocolate bar market in December 2005-November 2006 is 11.67 billion rubles. (growth dynamics - 14%) in monetary terms, or 55.68 million kg in kind (an increase of 8%). The volume of retail sales of food for cats and dogs in Russian cities with a population of over 10,000 people for the whole of 2006 increased by 24% in value terms and amounted to 16.33 billion rubles. In physical terms, feed sales increased by 14% to 190,929 tons. Despite what happened financial crisis, sales volumes remain at a fairly high level - an increase in revenue in 2009 amounted to 11%. Problems arise only at the distribution level. Some regional retailers and distributors may delay payments. The company is ready for retailers going bankrupt on the Russian market. The Mars distribution network was developed during the 1998 crisis, it is based on the consignment principle (almost all the risks are assumed by the supplier.), which makes life easier for distributors. Mars is firmly committed to the principle of mutual benefit - if the retailer convinces the company that it is necessary to reconsider the basis of cooperation, otherwise it will not survive, then manufacturers, having considered the issue carefully, can go forward.

The company spends annually 10% of its turnover on marketing and promotion. Mars usually imports a new product to the target market first, analyzes sales volumes and, if successful, opens local production plants, but there are a number of products that are specifically designed only for specific areas, examples of such developments will be discussed in paragraph 2.2.

Thus, MarsLLC on this moment is one of largest manufacturers chocolate in the world, in addition, it produces food and pet food. The company's brand portfolio is very diverse, however, this does not interfere with the successful work of the organization.

2.2 Development and marketing of chocolate Dove

The history of Dove chocolate began in 1939, when Greek-American Leo Stefanos opened a candy store on the south side of Chicago, calling it Dove. The name was chosen for a simple reason - Stefanos believed that the family shop should symbolize peacefulness, like a dove. The recipe for chocolate itself was developed much later - in 1956. The fact is that Leo was very worried about his child buying ice cream in a mobile van, he considered it unsafe. Then the caring father began to cook popsicle on his own - an ingot of ice cream planted on a stick was dipped in chocolate to make it especially tasty, Leo experimented with chocolate recipes. Dove turned out to be very tender due to the finest grinding of cocoa beans.

Leo died in 1977 and the entire business was taken over by his son Mike. In 1984, Mike presented signature chocolate and ice cream at an exhibition in Washington, after which he began to receive a large number of orders for his products from all over the country.

In 1986, Mars bought Mike's business and that's how the Dove brand fell into its portfolio. Now chocolate and ice cream under this brand can be bought in more than 30 countries around the world, and annual sales amount to about 30 million bars. It is noteworthy that in the UK these products are sold under the Galaxy brand.

In Russia, Dove chocolate first appeared in the 90s, but it was almost immediately withdrawn from the market, as it was not sold due to too high a price. Since 2007, the production of this chocolate has been launched at the plant in Stupino. By introducing Dove to the market, Mars entered a new bar chocolate segment, making an accurate calculation - “400 rubles per 1 kilogram is not too high a price for the premium segment, so the company may well occupy about 15% of the premium chocolate market,” the chairman believes. Board of Directors of the company "Konfael" Irina Eldarkhanova. According to Anastasia Zaslavskaya, Corporate Affairs Manager at Kraft Foods, the growth potential in the premium chocolate segment is obvious. And according to the Deputy Managing Director of the holding "United Confectioners" Yevgeny Shilov, the manifestation of interest large corporation right now it is justified to the premium segment: “premium” has already been adapted by such companies as Lindt, Ritter Sport and A. Korkunov.

The company decided to conquer the Russian market with the help of beautiful advertising. Dove is positioned not only as a premium-class chocolate, its unique silkiness and delicate taste are emphasized.

Despite the fact that the advertisement is carefully designed and the product is clearly positioned, some Russians are still skeptical about this chocolate, refusing to buy it on principle. The thing is that Unilever has Dove soaps and shampoos in its brand portfolio. In this regard, many people simply think that chocolate is tasteless and smells like soap. There is nothing in common between these products. The fonts and the dove symbol used on product packaging are similar. This can be seen when comparing them.

Thus, the company for bringing Dove chocolate to the Russian market did not live up to expectations, although the peculiarities of the economic situation in the country, as well as the segmentation carried out, were taken into account. Despite the fact that the sale of premium-class chocolate bars in Russia is promising, the company can occupy no more than 15% of the market at best, but it firmly holds 2/3 of the chocolate bar market in its hands.

2.3 Bad company experience

As already noted earlier, MarsLLC is known in the world as one of the largest companies in chocolate, however, it has been quite successful in capturing other markets, for example, dog and cat food under various brands are sold in large volumes. At first, Russians were skeptical about Whiskas, Kiticat, Pedigree and Chappy, as it was not clear what the products were made of, and the price was quite high. However, sales began to grow marketing companies for each brand allowed the goods to consolidate their positions.

In an attempt to more and more develop the Russian market, Mars launched the production of Derzhava loose sweets in 2000.

Mars had all the ingredients for success: almost a century of experience in the confectionery market, a turnover of $18 billion, its own confectionery factory in Stupino near Moscow, and well-known companies involved in the creation of Derzhava. Deciding to make a brand specifically for the Russian market, Mars hired McKinsey consultants in 1998, who recommended that the client master the widest segment of the chocolate market - to produce loose chocolate candies. They accounted for about half of the market at the time. According to Mars and McKinsey, in the late 90s, about 1,200 types of loose candies were produced in the country, but there were no real brands among them. Numerous "bears", "red caps", "squirrels" could be considered such only conditionally, because they were produced by different factories. Although most of them worked according to the same GOSTs, the taste of sweets varied greatly: for example, in some waffles were thicker, in others they were more crunchy. Because of this, all Russian consumers preferred local products, the taste of which they are accustomed to. Mars in November 1999 decided to launch the production of "Derzhava" for the New Year's season 2000. A team of 78 people was given 11 months to create and launch a new product.

Together with the Ikon design studio, which is part of the BBDO Russia group of companies, the Russian division of Mars studied all the design options for Russian candies and identified 15 thematic groups. For example, sweets such as Kara-Kum (camel), Swallow, Bears, Squirrel, Crustaceans could be classified as “animals”, there were also works of art and heroes of fairy tales - Alyonushka, Gulliver. Mars decided to create 10 of its own thematic series - "Countries of the World", "Heroes of Fairy Tales", "Russian Emperors", "World Masterpieces" and some others, on reverse side wrappers of these sweets printed stories about the country or the emperor. As conceived by the developers, informative texts on the wrappers were supposed to enliven traditional tea parties. This was reflected in the advertising slogan of "Derzhava" - "Treats for communication." Mars also decided not to experiment with the taste of sweets and used Soviet recipes from the 60s and 70s. last century.

The first candy "Derzhava" appeared on sale in November 2000, simultaneously with teasing advertising. “The streets will soon be empty”, “The husband will return from work on time”, “Thousands of women will savor the details” - such billboards intrigued the Russians on the streets, only to soon change to the image of sweets, which the whole country was supposed to talk about. The advertisement was very intriguing, but the clue did not appear for too long, so people began to lose interest in it.

In addition, big problems were created by the packaging of sweets. The thing is that North American consumer protection legislation, which Mars was guided by in its work, requires that the product must be intact. This means that the packaging of the product must guarantee its integrity from the moment of production to the moment of consumption. Such a guarantee would have come in handy in Russia, but the trouble is that it was not applicable to Russian sweets, the wrappers of which can be easily unwrapped and wrapped back. Nevertheless, the American corporation demanded the integrity of its candies in Russia as well, so the project team spent a lot of time developing the technology for the "inviolability" of each individual candy. The company tried to seal the candies with small stickers, but they also did not guarantee the integrity of the package. It was not possible to find a technological solution, and the only thing left for the Russian division of Mars to do in order not to disrupt the release date of the product was to pack Derzhava in boxes. Since this was not planned in advance, the sweets had to be packed into half-kilogram promotional boxes prepared for New Year's gifts.

It was this misfortune that became fatal. Due to the new packaging, Derzhava ended up in the wrong market segment that it was aiming for. Boxed sweets in Russia are most often bought as a gift, so they are considered expensive products, and the trade margin for them in 2000 reached 100%. Bulk sweets are usually bought for themselves, and the markup on them is 15 - 40%. The corporation was initially going to sell the weighted "Derzhava" for 105-140 rubles. per 1 kg, but per box retailers they screwed up the usual markup, and the price of 0.5 kg of sweets rose to 105-120 rubles. Thus, the sweets ended up in the wrong environment at an unreasonably high price. Mars headquarters tried to fix the situation: the chairman of the board of directors of the corporation, John Mars, was so interested in Russian project, which allowed the release of "conditionally sealed" sweets sealed with special stickers. But additional costs for packaging equipment have led to higher prices for sweets. Following its rules, Mars ensured the integrity of each Derzhava candy, but at that time such a packaging format was not justified from an economic point of view. Shops were not allowed to reduce the price either. When the loose-packed Derzhava nevertheless came to replace the packaged one, the sellers simply doubled the price of boxed sweets and began to sell candies by weight at 210-240 rubles per kg - twice as expensive as competitors' products. Such sweets were not in demand because of their high cost.

In just two years, the company spent $3 million on advertising.

But Mars did not manage with one sad experience of bringing a new product to the Russian market. The second failure occurred when promoting ready-made meals under the Gurmania brand.

When launching Gourmania, Mars took into account all the mistakes - it did not compete with cheap dry soups and get involved with products whose packaging would be contrary to American standards, but decided to create a premium segment of ready-made liquid soups. Soups for Mars were also practically a new product: in addition to Russia, the company produces them only in Canada, but using a completely different technology. Work on the Gourmania project differed little from the launch of Derzhava. The production of liquid soups was launched in Lukhovitsy near Moscow in 2004. Mars invested $10 million in the construction of the plant alone. According to experts, millions of dollars were spent promoting the product in retail chains, expansion of distribution and its advertising.

Mars launched a brand that turned out to be expensive for most target audience such products and did not fit into the concept of ready-made fast food. From the very beginning, Gurmania was not precisely positioned on the market and sold poorly. Thus, the largest distributor Mars sold one pallet (pallet for wholesale deliveries) of the product per month in Moscow. The thing is that the Russian population is not ready to accept this kind of food, such food often does not inspire confidence, many people do not even want to try it, and Russian housewives love and know how to cook themselves. In addition, when developing dishes, the taste preferences of Russians were not taken into account, most soups were recognized as tasteless, only red borscht and Gurmania pea soup were in demand.

In December 2009, Mars officially announced that it would be phasing out soups and began selling equipment from the factory. Gurmania is not the first soup to be taken off the Russian market. Unilever's similar Knorr-branded soups were discontinued back in 2007 for the same reason. Now Campbell's is trying to fill this niche, offering ready-made broths for making soups of the same name.

The category of liquid soups has shown a dramatic decline, as well as the entire segment of "culinary". According to the Nielsen agency, retail sales of these products in physical terms in Russian cities with a population of over 10 thousand people from December 2008 to July 2009 decreased by 22% compared to the same period in 2007-2008. In comparison, sales of other products (including noodles, condiments, fast food, instant food, etc.) decreased by 10% over the same period. In monetary terms, the market of liquid soups sank by 14% and for the period from December 2008 to July this year amounted to about 322 million rubles.

This leads to the conclusion that even giant companies make mistakes when developing and bringing new products to the market. The unsuccessful experience of MarsLLC is a confirmation of the fact that innovative activity is risky. The enormous costs of research and advertising are not always justified. When developing and launching a new product, it is very important to take into account the characteristics of the target market down to every smallest nuance. Perhaps if Mars had released Gurmania 10-15 years later, given the trends of modern Russia, it would have taken root and sold successfully. As for the Derzhava sweets, they should not have been advertised on such a large scale. As a rule, there is no advertising on the Russian market of loose sweets, instead of it, the so-called “word of mouth” works - if the sweets are tasty, then consumers will advertise them themselves.

The work carried out made it possible to analyze the entry of Mars into the Russian market. In general, sales volumes are very high and the organization is a major player on a global scale, but nevertheless, not every project becomes a recognized brand. Studies have shown that the main mistake of the company in the development and launch of new products on the Russian market is inaccuracies in positioning, as well as ignoring the peculiarities of the mentality, culture and economic situation of Russians.

Conclusion

The work carried out made it possible to analyze the problem of developing and bringing a new product to the market, to identify the main risk factors using a practical example.

In the first chapter, the need to develop new products was substantiated by establishing the following facts:

1. gaining competitive advantages by organizations;

2. Expansion of production at a high rate;

3. protection against obsolescence of the product range;

4. increase the profitability of the enterprise.

The main stages of the process of developing and bringing a new product to the market were considered, namely:

1. Create a new product idea

2. Development of the concept of a new product (reification of the idea)

3. Development of a marketing strategy, including:

a) analysis of production and marketing opportunities, potential sales volume, cost and profit forecasting, price planning;

b) product development (production technologies and positioning);

c) test sales

4. Bringing goods to market.

Following the order of the steps in the process allows the organization to most effectively prepare for the release of a new product and its distribution, as well as to get an idea of ​​​​the reaction of consumers to it in advance, and to predict sales and profits.

It has been established that the role of marketing research in the development and launch of a new product on the market is extremely large, since it is the research that makes it possible to determine the effectiveness of the implementation of the idea as accurately as possible.

Possible most typical mistakes in the development and launch of a new product on the market are considered, among which are:

1. incorrect segmentation;

2. fuzzy positioning;

3. non-compliance of the product with the target market;

4. counteraction of competitors;

5. Wrong choice of pricing strategy.

The following conclusion is made: awareness of these errors will allow to take into account the likelihood of their occurrence, as well as help to avoid the most typical problems in the development and launch of a new product on the market.

The second chapter is a practical part, in which, using the example of the world famous company MarsLLC discusses the features of bringing the product to the market, as well as problems in the development of the product and its positioning. Diversification of production, combined with private ownership, allows the company to maintain a leading position in its target markets.

The attempts by this company to bring three new products to the Russian market, two of which were specially developed only for Russia, which did not bring positive results, were studied. It has been proven that the mental differences between Russians and Americans played an important role in bringing a new product to the market.

Vedomosti

Vedomosti

Vedomosti

In the conditions of the current market situation, the promotion of a new product and the formation of a positive attitude towards it by a potential audience is no less significant element of the company's successful activity, as well as a correctly developed marketing strategy aimed at bringing a new product to the market.

Despite the growing interest of companies in the use of relatively low-cost forms innovation activities(modification of goods, repositioning, entering new markets), the greatest costs and time are spent on the development and introduction to the market of completely new and modernized goods. This is explained by the desire of firms to create unique products that bring super profits due to the temporary monopolization of the market. Competent introduction of a new product to the market is one of the key aspects of marketing. Successful launch novelty is able to provide the product with high profitability and a strong position. Studies of innovative activities of companies allow us to highlight the main strategic goals launching new products on the market (Table 1).

Table 1 - Key strategic goals for launching new products on the market

Consider the main stages of promoting a new product to the market:

1. Research.

At this stage, various information is collected, which will serve as the basis for the following activities. A so-called situational analysis is carried out, which includes:

assessment of a new product and the situation that has developed around it (consumer attitude, popularity, etc.);

determination of the competitive advantages of the promoted product;

analysis of the competitive environment;

setting certain goals.

This information will become the basic basis for developing the concept of promotion of a new product.

2. Setting goals and objectives.

The information obtained during the first stage is taken as the basis for developing goals. It is most expedient to develop tasks for a specific target audience. In this case, there may be several groups. The most common goals for promoting a new product are:

increasing product awareness;

formation of a positive image, associative perception as reliable;

conquering a competitive audience;

rise in sales.

The result of the built marketing communications is the establishment of cooperation with partner companies, the loyalty of the potential consumer audience increases, and sales volumes grow.

3. Definition of consumer audience.

The main goal of the events being developed is to provide the necessary impact on the potential audience. For the greatest effectiveness, it is divided into groups, where personal work is already carried out.

Of greater interest in building marketing communication links are the following categories:

company employees;

partner firms,

supplier firms,

buyers, customers and others.

Separately, for each group, an individual plan of ongoing activities is developed, taking into account the specifics and personal characteristics of the target audience.

4. Development of a promotion strategy.

After the necessary information has been collected, the potential audience has been identified, the moment comes when you can begin to develop a promotion strategy. Here, the main factors affecting the whole complex are:

market type;

Who is the strategy aimed at?

the stage the product is in.

Currently, two strategies for promoting a product are most often used: Push (push) and Pull (pull).

The choice depends on the result obtained after the analytical review of the market. The push strategy is applied to the new product of enterprises specializing in industrial goods. Whereas Pull is most suitable for consumer markets. This is a favorite strategy of resellers who, as it were, "pull" the product to potential buyers.

If you opt for a Pull strategy, then you need to conduct an analytical study of the market situation.

It is necessary to determine the main needs of the potential target group so that the newly introduced product is in high demand. The main item of expenditure includes the costs associated with deep marketing analysis. This version of the strategy is characterized by pushing a new product with the help of various marketing tools: ATL and BTL

5. The choice of marketing tools used to influence the client audience.

To start the process of promoting a new product, you should carefully consider the development of a plan of strategic measures that can take into account its features, the properties of its potential audience, its preferences and other nuances. But development strategic planning involves the use of many types of marketing tools for direct and indirect exposure to advertising.

outdoor;

located on vehicles;

This advertising technology is a combination marketing activities aimed at a more specific impact than direct advertising. BTL makes it possible to convey an advertising message to an individual consumer.

sales promotion;

direct marketing;

personal selling;

Exhibitions;

specialized events;

customer loyalty programs;

sponsorship;

trade marketing.

Due to such a narrow focus, BTL advertising is becoming more and more popular. Proper use of this marketing tool can significantly reduce the costs required for promotion. In addition, the end consumer receives full information about the promoted product.

6. The choice of means by which it is planned to convey the selected marketing activities to consumers.

At this stage, the direction of positioning the new product is chosen. Product positioning is aimed primarily at "acquaintance" of the consumer with a new product. The main strategies for positioning new products can be considered high quality, different from competitors' products. Innovative products can also be distinguished from competitors by factors such as special uses, cost-effectiveness of acquisition, focus on a certain type of consumer, and other qualities that distinguish a novelty from traditional products. The choice of the target segment is necessary for a clear direction in the process of introducing a new product to the market.

To study the position of a new product in the market, it is necessary to determine the assessment of its positioning in the market. To do this, it is necessary to draw up a “positioning map”, choosing the two most striking qualities of the product, and continue to promote the product, actively focusing on these characteristics. An incorrectly selected card can lead to a low competitiveness of the product, and therefore, it becomes necessary to modify it.

7. Budget.

Budgeting is underway.

8. Bringing the strategy to life.

This step is completely dedicated to the implementation of the developed plan aimed at promoting the new product to the market.

9. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the work performed

The final stage, when a deep analysis of the result is carried out, an assessment of the effectiveness of the work performed and the quality of achieving the selected goals is assessed.

Marketing can be called the link that connects the enterprise with the consumer. Therefore, the main task of the company is to build a strategy for promoting new products in such a way as to minimize uncertainty and crisis situations. You must first study the market conditions, have reliable, reliable information and prepare a strategic plan. Market research involves determining the potential, purchasing power in different areas, determining the categories of buyers, fluctuations in demand depending on the season, etc. Information about competitors, studying the advantages and disadvantages of competitive products, familiarizing yourself with the image and prices will also help you choose the right tactics.

A significant role is played by the program of promotion of innovative products. It consists in well-designed events aimed at presenting new items to a wide audience. different ways, and should serve three purposes:

informing (where you can buy, how much it costs);

persuasion (the need to purchase);

motivation (the better than others).

The right scale of action, as well as the choice of the optimal program of action and the desired focus, will bring excellent results in promoting the product.

Planning for events to promote a new product, or media planning, requires certain calculations. Criteria such as audience coverage, the number and frequency of contacts with the audience are taken as a basis. The optimal amount of time and prime time (the length of time when the audience is as large as possible) is also taken into account. Thus, it is possible to choose the optimal suitable program for advertising placement.

The instability of the economy and the crisis made it necessary to predict measures to promote a new product to the market. This allows you to avoid omissions and mistakes that can lead to loss of profit and even ruin.

There are two forecasting methods - heuristic (intuitive) and economic-mathematical (statistical). Despite the difference, both methods are effective and bring results. They are used both individually and together. A so-called scenario for studying the economic situation is being compiled. It reflects all sorts of factors that can affect the planned actions. It is necessary to consider all alternatives and determine the possible threat.

Forecasting allows you to better analyze the situation and take action more purposefully.

Thus, in the modern world of market relations and fierce competition, the task of any company is to provide the market with a new product. The key factor here is efficiency. However, an innovative or modified product must meet the demand of a spoiled consumer with a wide range of products.

Promoting a new product is a rather risky undertaking, it is fraught with loss of profit. Therefore, any new product must be adequately assessed in relation to the prospects for successful existence. It is necessary to develop a specific marketing justification for the withdrawal of this product. A well-chosen program can determine the needs of customers, prospects and find the right strategy in promoting a new product, make it competitive and bring the company to a leading position.

Prostova Natalia Head of EMC Projects Department
Renard Andrew Vice President EMS
Magazine "Company Management", No. 10, 2005

In every work, especially creative work, there is always a problem of maintaining a balance between theory and practical experience. When introducing a new product to the market, many companies try to follow advanced theoretical developments, while any entrepreneur has his own experience in the market - both successful and not very successful?
In this article, we tried to figure out to what extent, when launching a new product, one should rely on the methodology, and to what extent - on one's own experience, what tools it is advisable to use in this case. In addition, we wanted to answer the question of how to effectively combine the conflicting goals of a project to work with a new product. To what extent we have succeeded is up to you, dear reader.


Before us is an obviously crazy idea.
The only question is, is she crazy enough to be right?
Niels Bohr

Part one. Manuscript found in the mailbox (electronic)

"Dear FRIEND! You have to surprise the world - come up with a new product, successfully bring it to the market, make everyone happy and get terribly rich! It's very difficult, but remember the main thing - do not be scared!
You must memorize and repeat to yourself thirteen commandments every morning, here they are:

1. To get a really worthwhile new product, you need to consider at least 20 ideas, of which 2-3 already seemed brilliant to you.
2. Don't believe the marketers who say people buy what they need - people only buy what they want.
3. People rarely want what they need.
4. People love new things if they have something to compare them with; but more often than new, people buy what they know from the cradle.
5. Oddly enough, people buy cleaning powder to clean the bathroom.
6. If you do not remember what the girl you like is wearing, when you return to the ballroom, you will not find her; the same applies to the packaging and the name of the product.
7. A little improvement, you can sell hundreds of times more.
8. If they don't buy it, let them want to buy it.
9. People will not want to buy until they are interested in the product.
10. If there are no rumors and legends about your product yet, spread them yourself.
11. Attract only the first hundred buyers with a low price; the next thousand will pay for them.
12. Before embarking on an ocean voyage, swim in the bay on a clear day: test your product on buyers.
13. Products exist not because of beautiful names, but because it benefits everyone.

This text was written in Shanghai in the 15th century. and hasn't changed since then. Do not throw away this letter, but rewrite it 20 times and send it to your friends and partners. And then you will be happy!
One president of a former large holding began to laugh and gave the letter to his secretary. And for five years now, the holding has not existed, and the former president himself works as a night watchman.
Another Commercial Director he was not too lazy, retyped the letter and sent it to his colleagues - today his company entered the New York Stock Exchange with ADR.
And there are a thousand of these examples!
One woman, who traded from a box near the metro, copied this letter all night, sent it to her friends, and now owns a chain of haberdashery stores in New Orleans and Stary Oskol.
The industrialist Nobel drove away the messenger with this letter, and soon a revolution broke out - he lost all his oil mines and powder factories right in Petrograd itself. And the great-grandson of a loader from Nobel's gunpowder factories, a candidate of mineralogical sciences, scoured the whole of Turkey and half of China, got rich and immediately went bankrupt into default. And, exactly when he decided to commit suicide, he got this letter; he did everything right, and now he has a chain of supermarkets all over the country. He called her "Thirteen" in honor of the number of commandments. Happiness came to him exactly on the 1028th day after sending the last letter.
And if you do everything right, then happiness will come to you, maybe even faster!.."

Part two. Examples and counterexamples

There is no doubt that by remembering all 13 commandments and having certain qualities (or experience) as a manager and marketer, you will always be able to organize the launch of a new product on the market. Most likely, in this case, you will pursue two opposite goals: save budget funds and get into the top ten with a new product. Can these goals be combined? Let's turn to current practice.
In the press, in books and in life, we will find many examples of "correct" and "wrong" launches of new products that turned out to be successful in the end. It happens that everything is done correctly, but ends in failure, it happens the other way around - faith in the idea of ​​a new product, contrary to all forecasts, leads to a win. Consider a few typical examples from the practice of EMC.

1. A classic example.
The preliminary study served as the basis for refusing to launch our own production of powdered milk, a new product for our customer.

Period: summer - autumn 2000
Scope of work: marketing research of the feasibility of opening your own production of powdered milk (study and analysis of the competitive environment, suppliers' offers, opportunities to work with suppliers of raw materials; assessment of the project's payback).
Comment. As a result of the project, based on the recommendations of EMC, the customer decided that it was not advisable to invest in its own production of powdered milk. According to the customer, "this project helped save more than $300,000."

2. The example is original.
The low-budget study provided most of the parameters for the successful launch of a new product for the market - popsicles.
Customer: Metelitsa is an ice cream manufacturer.
Period: Summer 2000
The content of the work: conducting focus groups to select the most interesting taste of fruit ice, as well as the packaging concept and the name of the new product. Focus groups were conducted with the involvement of schoolchildren almost free of charge (the payment was a few boxes of ice cream distributed free of charge at the school by "members of the expert council"high school students).
Comment. According to the results of the study, two of the four flavors proposed by the technologists were left. Based on the proposals of the focus group participants, the packaging was developed and the most successful name was chosen, under which this product is sold today - fruit ice "Ldinka".

3. The example is sad.
An entrepreneurial approach to the launch of a new brand of cabinet furniture did not allow to realize a wonderful idea.
Customer: furniture factory near Moscow (name not disclosed for confidentiality reasons).
Period: Winter 2004-2005
Content of the work: a detailed study of the company's actions to launch a new brand. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the brand in the market.
Comment. As part of the project, all areas of the company's work on the brand were explored; an assessment was given to the actions of the company and its managers to bring the brand out; areas that have not been worked out are indicated; made recommendations on necessary work with the brand at the current stage of market development; measured market indicators of recognition, brand perception, etc.
As the project revealed, more detailed planning of the launch of the brand and a careful approach to its concept would help the company avoid losses associated with opening a salon under a new brand. Furthermore, preliminary analysis market would help to correctly position the brand and get good profit, since the entrepreneurial idea itself was really in demand by the market.

4. An unusual example.
Preliminary marketing research revealed the need to provide new service on the market - a reference service of funeral services, as well as to develop an advertising strategy in unusual conditions this market.
Customer: Office of Funeral Organizations and Services (UROS).
Period: autumn - winter 1998
Contents of the work: marketing research on the feasibility of creating a reference service for funeral services, the problems of its formation and implementation, the choice of a name for the service, development corporate identity and advertising strategy.
Comment. The customer set the task of creating a reference service for funeral services with its subsequent use as a tool for promoting the services offered by the holding companies. At the same time, the task was to derive specified service to the market — from name selection to development advertising campaign. Marketing research was conducted with the aim of finding marketing steps that allow you to distinguish yourself from competitors in the eyes of the client, as well as finding and modeling the name of the service.
Unfortunately, the true goal of the customer was different - to obtain public support for the future deputy.
In addition, the desire to follow the competitor's strategy forced the customer to blindly copy his moves - and not use any of the available effective developments.

5. An example to follow.
Luckily found name trademark and a well-thought-out research program made it possible to bring a new brand to the shoe market in a short time and increase the customer's turnover tenfold.
Customer: American company (name withheld for confidentiality reasons).
Period: 1993-1995
Content of work 1. "Business owners set us a difficult task: the name should be sonorous, like Monarch, and carry some kind of legend. Immediately the idea arose to choose the place of origin of the goods. In fact, write "France" - they will not believe it, "Italy" - it was already compromised by the Chinese, "Germany" - they sew good men's shoes there, and we have 80% of women's. We settled on Austria: it seems to be German quality and at the same time something elegant, feminine. You know, there, "Tales of the Vienna Woods" , " Bat", "Who can compare with my Matilda?"? The name was chosen by poking a finger into the German-Russian dictionary, and one finger hit the right place - Walzer! , or a lady flirts with a gentleman and hides a note in her sandals?
Then the problem arose - where to produce? After marketing, we prioritized costs: it turned out that the cheapest place to produce is in the women's colony near Mozhaisk, China is in second place, and Portugal is a little more expensive. Believe me, I really wanted to sew in Russia, just to avoid customs. After all, shoes are like peaches: you’re late for a week and you won’t be able to sell a batch. In addition, there are subtleties. For example, women's shoes can be sewn in Russia, and shoes can be ordered in Italy, while men's shoes, on the contrary, are best made in Slovakia or China, and shoes in Russia. But even with all the overhead in Russia, it turned out to be more expensive: our factories include in the price in advance their inability to work five years in advance. Therefore, the first batch of sandals was sewn in the Chinese province of Shenzhen, in the free economic zone. But the legend won over reality, and soon the owners tore apart the Austrian design, and then the production was transferred to Austria. And here's what's interesting. Even our Austrian counterparty immediately believed in the original Austrian origin of the brand: how, I remember, there were such shoes!
By the way, it was very important to come up with not only the brand of goods, but also the name of the company. Here, everything is the other way around - no foreignness, soviet conservatism is needed so that small wholesalers are not afraid that they will be "thrown". One boy in the team came up with: Soyuzintorg. The choice turned out to be very accurate: I then worked in trading floor and I remember how clients assured: they say, we have been working with you for 12 years! As a result, the company's turnover in 1993 increased tenfold! And still, Walzer shoes are in demand in Luzha, the center of the wholesale shoe trade in Russia. Moreover, we have already found a lot of fakes that are produced in eight countries of the world - Taiwan, Italy, Austria, Russia and countries of Eastern Europe. And it is symbolic that one of the strongest designers in the world, Roberto, is working with a trademark that originated as a swindle."
Comment. Following the success of the first Walzer collection and a significant increase in turnover, the company was able to place orders in production. More than 800 models were presented to create a new collection "Spring-1995". Such a volume cannot be explored by classical methods. An attempt to involve experts in this process proved ineffective. The marketing research program for the new collection was built adventuristically, but at the same time adventurism was involved in the methodology. The study was targeted, but the points were chosen in accordance with the specifics of a particular market.
A. Renard (EMC Vice President, project leader at that time) says: “In my memory, this was the cheapest and most effective study of all that we and our competitors conducted. First, they sent two girls (a style expert and an expert on design) to a clothing exhibition in Paris.Experts brought an analysis of trends: what will be fashionable next season, depending on clothing (fashion in Russia at that time was about a year late compared to Europe).
After preliminary selection on the basis of the presented analysis, the prepared collection was placed on the trading floor for demonstration to wholesalers. During this period, wholesalers were interested in the winter collection, and it was very difficult to distract them for research, even for two or three short questions. Nevertheless, the new collection could not help attracting their attention at all: they approached the shelves and carefully examined the models that interested them. And a cheap chip (less than $1) was sewn into each pair, which reacted to the number of detachments of the model from the stand. Thus, the most interesting models for wholesalers were identified. "Leaders" were worked out separately. And from the "middlings" the most promising models were chosen, with which the agents went to other shoe companies as representatives of China, offering to put them into production. All together gave an assortment card. As a result, the collection was a very great success, and minimal funds were subsequently spent on further promotion.
We clearly understood that our customers are wholesalers. After conducting preliminary research fashion trends, we helped them sell our products to the end consumer. Having studied the offers of competitors, we determined the optimal ratio of assortment positions so that there was nothing superfluous in the collection and in volumes and everything was enough. Moreover, everything was done in the shortest possible time and with a very modest budget. Yes, and save money on promotion. "

Part three.

Instructions for geniuses
Who needs a methodology when bringing a new product to the market and why? If we talk about entrepreneurs, "sales geniuses" and "intuitive marketers" (not to be confused with "managers" and "marketers"), then the technique is most likely harmful to them. Imagine a centipede that was asked on which foot it starts its journey and in what order then rearranges these legs?
There will always be examples of brilliant finds, guessed by the flair of goods, prompted by technology. It is not known, however, how many such "guessed", "prompted" and "brilliant" failed miserably, causing a complete collapse. But if you consider yourself a genius, then don’t bother reading this tedious article further: the technique will not be useful to you - it will only interfere with listening to your inner voice.
Forward!!!

Part four.

Methodology for mere mortals
This part is intended for us, mere mortals, managers and marketers who ask themselves the age-old question: is it possible to reach the level of talent (we don’t need a genius) with the help of some technology, while maintaining at least the average profitability in the market? Consider the most a simple circuit which can be relied upon in answering this question.
It is assumed that we have already pre-selected new product ideas and selected a few of the most attractive ones. The very process of selecting ideas, methods of evaluating and comparing completely different ideas is the topic of a separate article. There are certain methods and approaches that allow you to manage the emergence of ideas, the methodology for their phased selection, etc. Here we will not consider this block of work. Let's start with the already chosen idea (see picture).
Let's consider this method step by step.

Block 1. Checking the idea
At this stage, the idea of ​​the product is usually formalized: a description of the product is drawn up, its features, nuances of technology, competitive advantages - everything that will allow him to find his niche in the market.
Such a description, as a rule, does not contain precise characteristics, such as weight, size, color, etc. Rather, when formalizing the idea, ranges are indicated for the specified characteristics and consumer qualities are formulated, for example, taste, smell, usefulness, convenience, etc.
Here it is very important to describe, as a first approximation, the differences between a new product and its analogues or direct competitors.
Don't skip this step! Otherwise, there is a great danger that different departments of your company will model, research and prepare the production of completely different products! It is known how unsteady and inaccurate oral stories are!
After compiling a description of the product, it is necessary to analyze its place in the current assortment of the company: which products the new product will replace, which ones it will complement. This analysis often leads to a timely abandonment of a new product: because, for example, it crowds out the most profitable or successful product available?
I remember many examples of how a new product itself did not reach the planned indicators, and significantly reduced the amount of revenue from existing products. This was the case in example No. 3, when the new brand “ate off” part of the consumers from the old one, but itself did not reach the volume that would pay for these losses.
It is very important to understand what place in the company's product range it will be assigned to before launching full-scale research of a product. It is at this stage that the first significant screening of ideas occurs: out of 10-20, 2-3 remain.
Don't worry if some ideas are discarded! This happens not only when the new product concept doesn't "fit" into the market, but also when it doesn't "fit" into your product range.
If it seems promising to you, work it out separately!
There are cases when such an idea is easier to implement in the form of a separate business.

formalization (description according to the scheme) - preliminary requirements (wishes) for sales, production; consumer properties of the product; planned differences from competitors, etc.;

comparative sales modeling.

Block 2. Primary study
In this block, a request for marketing research and technological development of a new product is formed. In this case, the study can and should be small, low-budget, but giving answers to precisely asked questions: how will buyers react to a new product, how much are they willing to pay for it, what analogues do competitors offer?
At the same stage, it is necessary to determine the possible options for the technologies used, as well as to explore the limitations and possibilities of the existing production, the need to purchase new equipment, recruit new qualified personnel, etc.
The combined results of these two studies will assess the prospects of working with a new product on the market. It often happens that the existing production cannot ensure the manufacture of a new product at acceptable market prices, and re-equipment is too expensive.
The analysis carried out will make it possible to assess the real possibilities of the company - both internal and external - to launch this particular product and to abandon it in a timely manner, saving a lot of money. In this case, it is better to spend a few thousand dollars on research than to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars on the equipment of a new production, based on intuitive assumptions. It was this case that was considered in example No. 1. According to our estimates, between $600,000 and $1 million were saved.
If you are not going to produce a new product yourself, but are ready to place an order at one of the existing production facilities or work with product manufacturers, this stage still cannot be skipped.
It is necessary to analyze the capabilities of a potential supplier, conduct marketing of possible alternative channels, etc.
And this is the second point of selection of ideas: now only one of the three remains.
Used methods / tools:

diagnostics of production - modeling of opportunities;

analysis of the results - it is possible to use the SWOT analysis in a reduced volume.

Block 3. Refinement studies
The tasks of this block of work are the development of an exact technical task (and technical specifications - TS) for the parameters and external design of the product, indicating the necessary technical characteristics (color, size, weight, etc.), determining the most effective distribution channels and promotion methods, clarifying price range and obtaining other information necessary for drawing up a business program (business plan) for launching and promoting a new product.
As our practice shows, at this stage it is quite possible to get by with low-budget research (see examples No. 2 and No. 4). To do this, it is necessary to conduct regular monitoring of the needs and preferences of the company's customers, as well as the competitive situation in the market. In addition, the study in this block may be less expensive if the previous steps in the methodology have been worked out carefully and successfully.
At this stage, the name of the product, the main positioning parameters, as well as the most significant aspects of the promotion strategy are determined. At the same time, it should be taken into account that the work of this block is closely related to the next stage of bringing the product to the market.
Used methods / tools:

request for marketing research (terms of reference) - parameters, criteria, completeness and depth, resources, terms;

marketing research program - development, implementation;

marketing research - methods are selected depending on the specific request and product: open sources, selective surveys, etc.;

analysis of results.

Block 4. Trial production
A very important stage, after which it becomes clear how much our calculations coincide with reality. In production, this stage is also known as "prototype".
Samples of the product are made, their comprehensive technical and technological expertise is carried out. Checking packaging options.
Here you can also clarify the profitability (profitability) of the future product. At the same time, it is necessary to clearly understand that in order to calculate the planned cost, it is impossible to directly use all the values ​​of similar parameters when preparing a test sample! It is still impossible to calculate labor costs, rejection of materials and raw materials, etc. Nevertheless, many parameters are being "clarified".
Upon completion of this stage, the production technology of the product, its weaknesses, and possible risks are specified.
If you do not have your own production, you still need to get prototypes of the future product, already made in accordance with our specifications, in our packaging, and not the "model samples" of the manufacturer. At this stage, it is advisable to send engineers or technologists to future production (whatever the end of the world it is!), so that they can analyze not only the quality of the product obtained, but also the quality of its production organization.
At this stage, we can and must analyze real (and not hypothetical!) production possibilities, model the cost of a new product and determine its economic feasibility for the company.
Upon completion of this stage, a decision is also made on the advisability of launching a new product into mass production.
Used methods / tools:

terms of reference (TS) for the product - technical and technological characteristics, requirements for raw materials, materials and equipment, restrictions, etc.;

examination of samples - expert assessments, "focus groups", "quality circles", etc.;

cost calculation - in accordance with accepted norms and accounting rules; accounting for overheads, variable costs, etc.

Optional: "trial sales"
Sometimes, for completely new products on the market, it makes sense to prepare and conduct so-called "trial sales".
Trading companies very often use this method - do they have such a term "take a sample"?
When organizing "trial sales" it is necessary to draw up a precise sales program: what exactly do we want to test with this promotion?
In no case should you set yourself the goal of selling a trial batch of a product with a planned profit - it is much more important to check the accuracy of the choice of packaging, price, promotion methods, distribution channels.
Used methods / tools:

"trial sales" program - tasks, conditions, methods, terms;

organization of "trial sales" - logistics, instructing sellers, collecting information;

analysis of results.

Block 5. Output program (promotion)
The results of the third and fourth blocks of work (and sometimes "trial sales") provide a basis for developing a business program (business plan) for launching and promoting a new product. The detail and elaboration of this program depends on the specific situation: the product, the market segment, the degree of its saturation, etc.
For example, a program might consist of the following sections:

description of the product (including its strengths and weaknesses);

product positioning;

sales markets and target audience;

sales policy (including a description of the "ideal" buyer);

distribution channels (existing, new);

sales promotion (tools used);

separate special marketing projects and their implementation (special projects aimed at promoting a new product, for example, participation in an exhibition, "promotions", etc.);

trading conditions (relationships with buyers) and pricing policy;

advertising and PR;

marketing budget.

When developing the program, all available information from the market and production is checked once again, the calculations are refined. Ideally, the program should pass the examination.
It is quite possible that specialists will find significant flaws in it that will either force them to return to previous levels, or even abandon the release of a new product. Example #3, already mentioned, was just such a project. However, our specialists carried out an examination of the program after the fact, when certain losses had already occurred (which, in fact, was the reason for the examination). You can avoid many mistakes by consulting with experts in a timely manner.
The most loyal customers, independent market specialists, partners, specialists and consultants in management and marketing can be involved as experts at this stage.
Used methods / tools:

examination of the program - expert assessments, the results of "trial sales", a survey of buyers, etc.;

SWOT analysis - the presence and content of winning promotion strategies.

Block 6. It finally happened!
And now, when all the difficulties have been overcome, all the checks have been made, it is necessary to proceed with the implementation of the planned.
Based on the program obtained in block 5, a detailed work plan is drawn up with a new product for the marketing and sales departments, and the production plan is adjusted accordingly.
According to experts, for a period of one to two years, a new product should be in the area of ​​close attention of all top managers. Constant monitoring of the situation will allow timely identification and correction of errors and inaccuracies. This minimizes the risk of failure with a new product. And there will always be mistakes and blunders, since even the largest and most expensive research does not give a 100% guarantee of success.
An effective method is considered to be the allocation of a separate "product manager" assigned to a new product. The entire "chain" should be in the zone of his attention and control - from the purchase of raw materials to final sales. The task of the "product manager" is to inform the management in a timely manner of any cases when the actual development of the situation deviates from the planned plans and indicators. It would be logical to tie his salary to the results of serial sales of this product.
Used methods / tools:

the structure of the promotion program - the required volume, the degree of detail;

production plan - dynamic, including an adjustment mechanism;

cost adjustment program - based on the results of actual labor costs;

algorithm and plan for launching the product into production;

distribution of control functions - for the period of launch and output to the "design capacity" of a new product.

Part five. Summing up

What does the proposed method give us?
First of all, it allows you to break the entire project for the launch of a new product into separate stages, after each of which a decision is made to continue the project or exit from it.
Each stage has a certain cost and a specific result, and this is the key to successful planning and organization of work, as well as the ability to control the project.
Depending on the situation in the company and on the market, one or another stage of the project can be significantly reduced or skipped altogether.
The concept of bringing a new product to market as outlined here requires some ingenuity in putting it into practice and making real improvements to the company's work on new products. Answers to the vital questions "how?", "In what way?", "In what ways?" not easy to generalize. A launch program that is successful in one case can often be unusable and often dangerous in another. That is why we focused on the main, fundamental steps - the stages of work on a new product.
The presented scheme is the most general algorithm for working on a new product. It takes into account most of the commandments and allows them to be remembered. For complex situations (an innovative product, a saturated market, etc.), the scheme can be detailed and supplemented with other necessary blocks.

We wish you, dear reader, successful new products! It is not necessary to rewrite this article 20 times, but three or four photocopies for office managers will not hurt!
Good luck!!!