MarketSoft views e-marketing as consisting of three components that are rooted in the core process of marketing. Figure 10.1 illustrates this cyclic marketing process with its three main phases. First, the “Create Demand” phase kicks off marketing efforts that dessiminate marketing messages, product information, and offers to prospective customers. In this phase, e-marketing software would help create and manage marketing campaigns. Second, the “Fulfill Demand” phase supports the conversion of leads into customers. E-marketing software would help manage leads, connect prospects to partners, and support the sales force. Third, the “Measure” phase closes the cycle by assessing the effectiveness of marketing and sales efforts with the intent of designing and executing better marketing campaigns in the future, E-marketing software plays an obvious role in collecting, collating, and analyzing the reams of data generated by the prior two phase.
Figure 10.1 E-marketing suite Proposal and Competitors
Competitive Positioning for the Future: Depth versus Breadth
As seen in figure 10.1, MarketSoft’s current products cover substantive parts of the cycle, but they do not close the loop. (MarketSoft’s products in each area are indicated in italics and competitors’ products in standard type.) MarketSoft has established depth in terms of expertise in one process category (lead management), built expertise in two other process categories (eLocator and eOffers), and co-opted expertise using and alliance for a fourth category (eCampaign). MarketSoft’s self-appointed quest for “every dollar spent on software” suggests that one potential avenue for growth is to expand its range of products to fill in the cycle. Using this growth strategy, MarketSoft would lay claim to every element of the e-marketing cycle using a combination of product development and alliances, The result combines depth and breadth in a full suite of e-marketing products. Figure 10.2 depicts the positioning strategy which MarketSoft is pursuing.
An expanded, integrated broad product range will allow MarketSoft to cross-sell products and provide a complete marketing solution to customers. However, numerous other competitors are also aiming to produce a suit. The competitive arena for e-marketing software contains a myriad of niche vendors, and MarketSoft face different competition in each segment, figure 10.1 lists some of these competitors in the respective parts of the marketing cycle.
Siebel is the greatest threat to MarketSoft’s plan to dominate this space (see this chapter’s appendix for more information on Siebel). A giant market leader in sales force automation (SFA), Siebel has been expanding its offerings beyond its corner of the marketing cycle. Other smaller players are also potential suite competitors. Finally, leaders in back-office software (such as SAP and Oracle) would like to move their enterprise software systems to encompass the front-office applications, such as customer relationship management (CRM) and SFA.
Figure 10.2 Product Mix and Corporate Positioning
Deep MarketSoft
(today) Desired MarketSoft positioning