WF Sports & Entertainment Marketing II4.01B Marketing Information Management

Marketing Information Management System • A system that analyzes and assesses 

marketing information, gathered continuously from sources inside and outside an organization. Timely marketing information provides basis for decisions such as product development or improvement, pricing, packaging, distribution, media selection, and promotion.

• Can be as simple as a notebook or as complex as having a computer database

Marketing Information Systems

• These systems streamline the process of providing information enhancing and promoting the brand value of the company.

1. Helps owners of the company plan marketing activities.

2. Helps owners organize and coordinate their marketing activities.

3. Enables owners to decide on the strategy and control the dissemination of the strategic direction.

Marketing Information Systems

• In order to be successful, a business MUST know its market!

• Some information is just trash…you spend a lot of time gathering information that does not amount to anything.

• Your goal is to find out what catches customer’s attention

• Marketers sometimes lack enough of the “right” info

Marketing Information Systems

• Market research is an orderly, efficient way to learn about people those who DO and those who MIGHT buy from you.

• Ask questions like…•Who are my customers/potential customers?•What kind of people are they?•Where do they live?• Can/Will they buy?• Are my promotional programs working?•What do customers think of my business?

Marketing Information Systems• You can’t ignore companies that produce similar products

these people ultimately have the capability to compete with you!

• Ask questions about…• Financial capabilities• Indications of current strategy• What are they doing now?

• Positioning• How they see themselves/how do others view them

• Strengths/weaknesses• Business outlook • Where are the companies heading?

• Think about “what will I do with the information and analysis?”

WHY do we need MIM?

• It is IMPOSSIBLE to sell people what they don’t want

• Both big and small businesses need to complete market research to figure out what their customers want.

• Market research focuses and organizes marketing information & helps you• Reduce risk• Spot problems• Identify sales opportunities• Get basic facts about your market

Marketing Information Systems

• We know that no marketing activity is carried out in isolation (remember we’ve learned about the seven functions and how they operate together, not as a single function)

• Therefore, MIS does not need to be an infrequent event but rather a continuous process gathering data from a variety of sources.

Marketing Information Systems • Answer questions like…• Who• Consumes our product? Decides to purchase?

• What• Products compete with ours? Benefits does the consumer

seek? • Where• Is the decision made to buy? Do buyers seek product info?

• When • Do consumers buy?

• Why• Do consumers buy our product?

• How • Do customers use our product? Much do customers buy?

MIS Risks (if done infrequently)

1. Missed opportunities2. Lack of awareness3. Makes data collection difficult4. Plans/decisions may not be properly reviewed5. Studies may not be stored in an easy to use

format6. Time lags may result7. Actions may be reactionary rather than

anticipatory

MIS Network

• This network can satisfy the total information needs of a marketing department

• This network may or may not be computerized (depends on the firm’s resources & complexity of its needs)

• Three components:• Continuous monitoring• Research is done to obtain info on particular marketing issues• Data warehousing retention of all types of relevant company records

Advantages of MIS

• Organized data collection• Broad perspective• Storage of important data• Avoidance of crises• Coordinated marketing plans• Speed in obtaining sufficient information to

make decisions• Data amassed and kept over several time

periods• Ability to do a cost-benefit analysis

Disadvantages of MIS

• High initial time • Labor costs• Complexity of setting up an information

system

Three Main Info Sources

1. Internal Company Information1. Sales, orders, customer profiles, stocks,

customer service reports, etc.

2. Marketing Intelligence1. Suppliers, customers, distributors (catchall

term to include all the everyday information about developments in the market)

3. Market Research 1. Businesses undertake specific studies to

support their marketing strategies cannot always wait for info to present itself

Market Research Data• Internal vs. External• Primary vs. Secondary