Introduction to Marketing, Consumer, and Product

Introduction to Marketing, Consumer, and Product

            Marketing plays a vital role in businesses. It shapes and manages the product in the market. Again, marketing facilitates the exchange of a good or service between the consumer and the seller. In this regard, therefore, marketing entails creative processes for institutions, communication, and delivery or exchange that provide value to the customers. For marketing to be successful, marketers should come up with ideal patterns and cues that meet the needs of the target population. Again, marketers need to meet the objectives of the company through creative strategies. The main focus for marketing concept is customer satisfaction, which translates to the success of the organization through sales. My company will manufacture powdered lemonade to target athletes, individuals involved in rigorous activities, and businesspeople with a busy schedule.

The company, Hydrate-Adequate, will manufacture powder lemonade. This powder lemonade will offer an option to carbonated drinks to people who prefer energy drinks without calories. The company will use natural lemonade to manufacture the powder and will require no additives for preservation. The product will replenish lost electrolytes lost during exercise and act as a rehydrating option for people always on the move. The product is established based on the realization that there few organic energy drinks available for people who do not prefer carbonated products. As such, product features and attributes will be the primary marketing strategy. 

Channel Levels

Distribution of products occurs through direct or indirect channels. In the direct distribution, the customer purchases the product directly from the manufacturer through online stores, trade shows, or mail orders (Branson Center of Entrepreneurship, 2015). Direct distribution helps the manufacturers to collect firsthand data on the purchasing behavior of consumers, deliver quickly new products to the customer, build a relationship with the clients, respond effectively to client feedback, and avoid sharing profits with a third-party (Branson Center of Entrepreneurship, 2015). However, direct distribution is costly as the manufacturer has to invest in distribution systems such as purchasing vehicles for delivery, build stores, hire salespersons, and hiring drivers. Again, direct distribution presents the difficulty of breaking into the market.

Indirect distribution involves the use of wholesalers, retailers, or dealership to reach the consumer. It is advantageous as the costs of creating and maintaining it are shared with a third-party. Clients can find the product easily and eliminates the need for handling distribution logistics. On the other hand, indirect distribution puts a distance between the manufacturer and the target market. Again, it increases the time the product reaches the client.

Hydrate-Adequate company will use direct distribution to reach the customers. Mainly, this will be beneficial for the company to understand the target market. The initial step will entail advertising the product through social media, radio, and television. Advertising will create awareness of the existence of powder lemonade to the target market. Again, it will outline the nutritional benefits of the products over similar goods from competitors and the price of the new item. Advertising will eliminate the need for intermediaries by establishing direct contact with the clients, thus minimizing distribution costs. Besides, it will create awareness on where the item will be available for the client hence reducing shopping time. Advertising will highlight the advantages and disadvantages of the product of similar goods. Also, it will act as a medium through which the target market will be aware of the nutritional use of the product. Advertising will involve zeroing in on the target market (Burnette, 2002). The main target markets are athletes and people who perform strenuous jobs. The product will be made available during sporting events. Notably, this will make it easier for the target market to locate the product. Further, the company will sponsor sporting events to create awareness of the availability of the product.

The second step will entail getting the consumers to try the new product (Burnette, 2002). The company will give away free samples to the target market in stores and sporting events. Mainly, this step will require the use of salespersons in retail shops. The company will partner with a renowned celebrity so that he/ she can endorse the product. Mainly, this will assure the consumers of the quality of the product through social marketing. Aligning the product with a celebrity will create familiarity and trust with the consumers.

The third step will be providing product information to the target market. Product information helps consumers make informed choices during purchase. Information will entail the ingredients used to make the product, their nutritional value, and their percentage when mixed in a glass of water. Besides, the informative promotion will inform the consumers of the nutritional benefits. In this case, one of the advantages is that the product does not have additional calories, which is a significant factor for consideration when purchasing drinks.

The fourth and final step will be showing the customer how to prepare the product. Powder lemonade is a reasonably new phenomenon in the market. Through advertisements and salespersons, the clients will be informed on how to make the drink from powder. The ease in preparing the lemonade and the flexibility of the small sachets used to package the powder will entice more customers to purchase the product again.

Needs of the Target Market

The rise of lifestyle diseases in people of all ages has compelled people to opt for healthy choices, including purchasing products that improve their health. Besides, a significant number of people are taking part in exercise and forms of improving their health. Some of them are taking energy and carbonated drinks. However, most of energy and carbonated drinks have specific percentages of calories. In this regard, Hydration-Adequate lemonade will be their best option as it will provide them with nutritional benefits that promote rehydration and have no calories. Again, businesspeople with busy schedules looking for products that are easy to prepare, will find one in Hydration-Adequate lemonade. Notably, other nutritional drinks in the market require elaborate preparation; hence, deterring busy people from purchasing them. Hydration-Adequate powder lemonade will meet this market demand by providing an easy to prepare the product.

Digital Commerce

The packaging and flexibility of the powder lemonade make it possible to sell the product online. Tropicana Company, which is a significant competitor, has an online presence for its product. Their website highlights the different flavors they have on the same product, size, and costs. Again, the company outlines the ingredients used to make their product giving the consumer the option of making an informed choice.            Hydration-Adequate, on the other hand, will relatively use a similar strategy to establish an online presence. Besides, the company will indicate nutritional benefits, such as replenishing lost electrolytes, zero calories, and no additives in the product.

Conclusion

Hydration-Adequate Company will focus on meeting the nutritional needs of the target market quickly and conveniently. The different varieties and easy preparation of the product will entice more clients to purchase the product. The company aims at providing organic products to meet the nutritional needs of people through their saturation with unhealthy food products. The company will grow to become a significant campaigner for healthy options in a population that is burdened by lifestyle diseases.

References

Branson Center of Entrepreneurship. (2015). Distribution channels. Retrieved 19 March 2020, from https://vimeo.com/120987328

Burnette, J. (2002). Introducing Marketing (1st ed., pp. 20-50). New York: Wiley.