A CRITICAL STUDY ON THE DISCOURSE OF

MARKETING STRATEGY

FOR

EDYSYL CHRISTIAN BOOKSHOP AND LIBRARY

BY

FAJOLU, TAIWO OLUMUYIWA

(PUBLIC RELATION OFFICER)
 MARKETING STRATEGY

INTRODUCTION
The discourse in question is anchored on two fundamental words which indeed make up
its composition, that is, Marketing and Strategy. One is saddled with the task to
systematically synthesize these two words and then purvey pragmatic result-oriented
thoughts on the subject matter that will move Edysyl Christian Bookshop forward. But
then, it is imperative that we briefly prod into the nitty-gritty of each of the two basic
words, that is, Marketing and Strategy. What then is marketing?

Marketing
Now, the concept, marketing is a management philosophy with its roots in the 1950’s,
which the consequence of interest in it comes at a time when most industrial firms are
facing increased foreign competition, slow growth markets, uncertain economic and
political trends in an increasingly “global” market place, and ever more-demanding and
sophisticated customers. Indeed, marketing is the function by which a firm or other
economic organization designs, promotes, and delivers goods and services for customers
and clients. But then, the hallmarks of modern marketing are customer orientation and a
long-range or strategic view point that make an organization responsive to its ever-
changing environment.

Strictly speaking, marketing can be defined as knowing customers and their problems,
innovating solutions to those problems and communicating them to a carefully defined
target market. Profit is indeed a reward for creating satisfied customer, and marketing is
more than a separate business function. It is the whole business seen from the customers’
point of view. Now, it is imperative in this context to think of three levels of marketing
strategy.

1. Corporate Level of Marketing Strategy: Here, the management is concerned with

the question “what business should we be in?”
2. The business unit level where management is trying to answer the question “how
should we compete” in the business chosen? Marketing analysis at the point calls
for careful assessment of customers, competitors, and the company itself. Here,
the result of this analysis will be a detailed understanding of the various segments
in the market, the selection of specific segments as market target, and the
development of a positioning versus competition in those market niches.
3. Finally, at the individual product or brand level, the principal decisions made by
marketing managers include selection of customers, new product development
and overall product policy, pricing, choices of distribution channels, and the
deployment of promotional resources including sales representatives, advertising,
and other forms of sales promotion such as trade shows or bookfair as the case
may be.
Moreover, the American marketing organization defined marketing as the process of
planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion and distribution of ideas,
goods and services to create exchanges that satisfy individual and organizational goals.
What then is strategy? It is to this we now turn.
Strategy
To start with, it is important for one to clarify here the difference between a vision, a
strategy and a plan. This is because people often use the terms interchangeably which
leads to confusion. In a business sense, however; a vision is the long-term view or ideal
that drives the organization. The strategy is the articulation of the vision into practical
reality, given the actual situation. But then, the plan is the practical means of achieving
the strategy – the actions that need to be taken.

Now, a strategy is the articulation of the vision in terms that can be easily understood by
everyone, although still at a high level. It takes the vision, which is often on a rather lofty
plane, and puts border around it in terms of what it means for the company. This is
usually expressed through shared goals with customers and ‘stakeholders’, as well as
goals for excellence. Indeed, these are the things at which the organization must excel
and hitherto, will shape the organization and its internal working and actions.

Besides, the goals, with respect to strategy, will have a set of measures attached to each to
quantify what they mean. Indeed, the goals and measures provide the internal strategic
framework within which to plan. What then is marketing strategy in respect of pragmatic
framework and positive actions for the progressive development of Edysyl thereof?

Marketing Strategy
Truly, marketing strategy is the broad marketing thinking or cognition that will enable an
organization to develop its products and marketing mixes in the right direction, consistent
with overall corporate objective.

THE SPECIFICS OF MARKETING STRATEGIES FOR EDYSYL

Now, it is highly imperative to direct the arsenal of this thought in respect of marketing
strategy that is pragmatic, practical and result-oriented, that will ensure productive and
upward movement progressive development for Edysyl Christian Bookshop, among these
are;
1. The Power of the Names
It is important to note here the significant of name in an organization or its product.
This implies that we might need to change our name if necessary or the name of our
product. Besides, today, a lazy, say-nothing name isn’t good enough to cut into its
kind. What we must look for is a name that begins the positioning process, a name
that tells the prospect what the products major benefits is.

However, choosing a name is like driving a racing car. To win, you have to take
chances. You have to select names that are almost, but not quite generic. But then, if
once in a while you go off the track into generic territory, so be it. No world
champion driver has made it to the top without spinning out a few times.

2. What Position Do We Own?

 Now, to be able to penetrate the market and remain there as a champion, we must
consider our positioning. This marketing strategy is anchored on the question of our
positioning. It is imperative for us to know what position we own from the market
not from the market manager. Instead of asking what we are, we should be asking
what position we already own in the mind of the prospect. We cannot afford to
assume here and all forms of corporate egos have to be set aside. If this requires
some Naira (s) for research, so be it. It’s better to know exactly what you’re up
against now than to discover it later when nothing can be done about it.

It is crucial that we look at the big picture. We must continuously and consistently be
reminded of the possibilities in achieving the height we intend to achieve. This will
motivates all our operations to go all out to perform given the impetus and indeed the
enablement.

3. What Position Do We Want To Own?

This is where we bring our crystal ball and begin to figure out the best position to
own from a long-term point of view. Here, Edysyl and its management have to
expand the frontiers of her vision. Indeed, we should be thinking of an Edysyl
organization that will offer shares to the public in the nearest future. What these
imply is that we stand at the position of solving the problem of bad reading culture.
By this, we will be affecting and influencing a major development in Nigeria and at
the same time making tremendous profit. It is an issue of a paradigm shift where we
turn Nigeria to a nation with a good reading culture. We should remember that, Bill
Gate, the founder and the head of research in Microsoft started to solve a problem of
faster processing of information and that computer should be at the table of each
family in the world. All other forms of the operation, marketing, accounting, and
research analysis surround these purposes and he eventually came out the richest
man till date. We can indeed repeat the feat in book business, Lantana or not.
Honestly, we have the potentials and the power of prayers backing it up.

4. Whom must we outgun

It is imperative for us to go around any obstacle or hindrance against becoming a
marketing leader in the book business. We must indeed select and develop strongly
on a position that no one else has a firm grip on. It is needful that we spend as much
time thinking about the situation from the point of view of our competitors as we do
cognize about it from our own.

Suffice to say that, for us to create a viable position, we must reposition another
brand or even create a new category of product. Clearly, we seem to be having a
reasonable edge over competitors with respect to our publication. But then, for
proper and intense penetration of the market, it might be needful for us to reposition
our product in that respect. Indeed the management should begin an intense motion
towards getting rights to publish foreign motivational and academic works. This
implies that we must as a matter of necessity demand an improvement on the quality
of printing work from our printers. It will indeed be exciting for us to get to the level
 of having our own printing press with international standard and highly qualified
personnel that will manage it and this produce our works for publication.

Now, on the financial capacity with respect to establishing our own printing press, I
know the bank under small and medium scale equity and insurance enterprise
scheme (SMEIES) can give loan to this, just like Oceanic bank gave to the MD of
Business day loan to establish his own printing press. The president can talk to him
to find out the details from him (Frank Aigboje). This is going to expand our
marketing power and other publishing firm will be doing business with us. By
implication, while we serve ourselves, printing our publication with high level of
quality and standard, we will be serving others too.

5. The Indirect Marketing

Our product and indeed our business can receive improved marketing through
publicity. This does not necessarily have to be by advertisement. An indirect
approach could be taken such as, sponsoring a programme that has to do with
improving the reading culture through the radio, collaboration with schools, colleges,
higher institutions and some other government institutions such as the National
Youth Service Corp and other youth oriented programmes. This will imprint in the
minds of people, our product and our relevance
.
Lunching out at the Island Market
It’s high time we lunched fort into Victoria Island Market. It is a matter of necessity
for us to begin a grand plan to move into areas where our products can be purchased
at a price that is relatively more lucrative than now. The little research I did by
visiting The Palm in Lekki shows that the place enjoys huge patronage. Thus, having
an outfit in that location or anywhere near it, that is given a little autonomy to
operate, with its own CEO, specifically to win that market from the hands of
competitors like Lantana, Nu metro and so on, is a must. The profits from that
market will pay for our effort in our other branches. Let no one say we cannot win
and indeed overwhelm that market, which now include Lekki, Ajah (where most
population from 1004 migrated to), VGC, and so on, because we’ve got enormous
potentials to cope with this challenge. It is all about intensive planning, proper
branding and packaging of our self and indeed our products. This organization
deserve nothing less than the best, therefore, all the condiments that will make this
attack on the V/I market palatable and the long term projection to that effect should
as a matter of necessity be set on course.

In conclusion, it is important to mention here that every other aspect of our

operations be it internal audit, accounts or finance as the case may be, the public
relation department and so on have direct or indirect effect on marketing. To
maintain being a market leader in this business, the personnel must be motivated;
their capacity for operation and performance must be aided for growth. Above all,
there is need for a highly insightful and creative administration that is empowered
and motivated to coordinate the motion of the business to tremendous success and
indeed the actualization of its goals and vision.
It is my prayer that this company transcends this country in operation and capacity.
There is nothing God cannot do. We must just be prepared for the large doors of
opportunities that Jehovah God will open unto us by the power of the Holy Spirit and
in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.