Introduction: Recently, an article by a fellow bashing the marketing department has gone viral! In reality, can the marketing department really be bashed away? Although bashing the marketing department brings a sense of satisfaction, we only ask one question: if sales targets are not met, whose fault is it? The marketing department is also clumsily undergoing mobile internet transformation. Let's briefly list what they do:
Regardless, in previous years, the Weibo accounts and now the official WeChat accounts are all updated by the marketing department!
Although consumer research is becoming increasingly difficult and inaccurate, it is still the marketing department that conducts it!
It has always been said that e-commerce channels need new products different from traditional channels, and new product development is done by the marketing department!
Some e-commerce policies, pricing, and marketing plans are formulated by the marketing department or jointly with the sales department!
Purchasing traffic, fan acquisition plans, and offline activities are done by the marketing department!
Big influencer reposts, PR, various advertorials, online PR, etc., are all done by the marketing department!
Fan acquisition and operation are managed by the marketing department!
The vast majority of mobile internet marketing and sales activities are funded, supervised, and managed by the marketing department!
...... Aren't these exactly the things the marketing department is being bashed for not doing or finding difficult, but actually doing? Of course, you might immediately reply: What does this have to do with anything? Either it's outsourced, or they pay third-party companies, or it's simply wrong, or it's done poorly. This is not the level or results expected of a marketing department in the new mobile internet economy! Many haven't even gotten started! Furthermore, in the mobile era, the marketing department should also handle consumer insights, targeted personalized or customized product creation, and non-generic marketing plans, etc. Aren't these things that the marketing department seems to do but many are ineffective? Okay! You are right to criticize! I am also humble. Then, please introduce which company or industry does it well? Whose experience can be referenced or even directly used? I will immediately apply to my boss and deputy general manager! I will put aside all pride and learn from them! I will immediately write a plan to improve! Huh? You, you, you, why are you hesitating? Oh, so in the mobile internet era, everyone starts from the same starting point, and successful experiences and cases haven't emerged yet! Everyone is still exploring! Everyone is in pain, lacking mature paths and measures for improvement! But where will sales growth come from? Okay, you win. You've stumped me. Let's stop arguing. Then I ask you: the leadership now wants performance growth, where will it come from? Give me your ideas and methods! I'm at my wit's end! Isn't the marketing department the brain, and our sales department the execution? Help me! Don't worry, first let's clarify two issues: First, can the traditional model still generate growth? Even if it can, how much growth space is left? Under this growth space, if we invest more, what will the return on investment be?
Second, if our product quality is not a problem for now, can you give me five years to develop, test, and mature new economy products? If not, then under the unchangeable conditions, background, and environmental factors, what is the most feasible means of performance growth?
...... I believe that traditional sales can no longer generate growth, and if we still need performance growth, it may be through new product development while simultaneously achieving breakthroughs in channels. Of course, I have already set up a dedicated project team for new product development, with the boss, sales department, technical department, and production department as members, all working together to overcome product challenges. Therefore, during the product development process, I suggest the company should also utilize mobile internet means, while focusing on sales channel breakthroughs! How to achieve sales channel breakthroughs? But every company has already exhausted all efforts: recruiting agents at all levels, developing distributors on-site, daily terminal visits, harsh supermarket contracts, thick-skinned relationship marketing... After ten years of hard work, they have achieved today's hard-won channel system. It's easy to say channel breakthroughs, but how to do it? Let's try to list some possible ideas: Idea 1: Increase investment. Spend heavily on recruiting distributors and sales teams, even if the input-output ratio is disproportionate, it's still effort at the end of the day!
Idea 2: Outsourcing or cooperation. Like the global giant Unilever, some of its products in China are outsourced and have achieved good results. Another big brand, Niulanshan Erguotou, also outsourced part of its operations to a consulting and planning company, which surprisingly generated hundreds of millions in performance, saving effort and worry!
Idea 3: Do e-commerce! Even if e-commerce doesn't make money and operations are troublesome, every little bit counts!
...... It seems none of these are reliable? Or when talking to the leadership, they would definitely be unwilling? Because they all seem like high investment with low output, or water far away can't quench immediate thirst? So, can we think bigger and see if we can use mobile internet to achieve channel breakthroughs? For example, since the sharing economy is so hot now, can we, outside the sales department or company system, use the sharing economy to create a channel sharing economy? Or are there other ways to utilize it? Today, let's have a brainstorming session to explore the bottom line of channel breakthroughs for Chinese consumer goods, and invite everyone to a feast of thinking breakthroughs for channel breakthroughs in Chinese consumer goods companies! What do you think? Regarding the above issues, on May 21st (this Sunday) at 8 PM, we invite Teacher Tan Changchun to hold an online sharing and communication salon. Friends interested in this can add the editor's WeChat to join the group, and note "5.21 registration" when adding. (This registration is free, and spots are limited.) -END-