Analyse two benefits to HP of its coordinated marketing strategy.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2023). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [1] Meaning of coordinated marketing strategy – different elements of marketing strategy working in tandem to achieve marketing objectives.
2. [1] Meaning of customer relationship marketing – using marketing activities to build and establish good customer relationships.
3. [1] 4Ps aligned with each other to avoid an inconsistent message to customers.
4. [1] Promotion tactics will be coordinated with the promotion budget.
5. [1] Marketing mix will be coordinated with marketing budget.
6. [1] The coordinated marketing strategy includes a wide range of pet related products, knowledgeable sales assistants the 'Happy Pet Club' and buy in store or online and click and collect.
7. [1] The Happy Pet Club is a good way to keep record of customers and their pet care spending patterns.
8. [1] Different products in mix, including 'premium' organic pet food.
9. [1] Link coordinated marketing mix with HP's 'one stop shop for pet products' mission.
10. [1] The benefits to customers such as advice, special offers and vouchers will keep pet owners returning to HP.
11. [1] It will be easy to promote 'new' products or services to pet owners, as the target market is already identified.
12. [1] The Happy Pet Club card can be used for in-store sales and 'click and collect'.
13. [1] Knowledgeable sales assistants will increase customer's confidence and trust in HP resulting in higher sales and therefore profit may increase.
14. [1] Happy Pet Club loyalty card records can be used to personalise marketing communications, for example sending cat owners special offers for cat food, which should lead to more customers using their vouchers and increased sales.
15. [1] Tracking loyalty card sales will be a useful way of spotting demand trends, such as increasing sales of organic products. This means that HP can react to these trends quickly, gaining 'first mover advantage' and increased sales.
16. [1] Coordinated marketing strategy will ensure that different elements of the marketing mix support each other which will lead to a more efficient use of resources such as budget resulting in more sales for each dollar spent.