When Marketing Meets "Severe Winter"

      The winter of 2008 is extremely cold.

As the global financial crisis escalated and began to spread to the real economy, China's economy was also facing the most severe test since the reform and development: the real estate industry has cooled sharply, the export enterprises have gone bankrupt, and the chain has driven the downstream industry equipment manufacturing industry and the steel industry, the coal industry, the power industry, petrochemical industry, building materials industry and other basic industries.

In October 30, 2008, the latest data released by China Iron and Steel Industry Association showed that in the three quarter, the profitability of China's steel industry dropped by nearly 40% compared with the first half of the year, and some enterprises had already lost money. In the four quarter, affected by the global financial crisis, the deficit of the steel industry will also expand. In 2008, the profitability of the cement industry continued to increase in the first eight months, but the fourth quarter showed a peak season, and the price did not rise or fall. At the same time, the gross profit margin of the listed companies in the third quarter was significantly lower than that in the fourth quarter.

Statistics from the Nonferrous Metals Association show that in the first three quarters of 2008, 10 domestic aluminum listed companies accumulated a total operating profit of 11 billion 661 million yuan, down 40.63% from the same period last year, and realized a net profit of 4 billion 461 million yuan attributable to the parent company, down 59.88% from the same period last year. In the three quarter, 10 aluminum listed companies in the single quarter realized only 2 billion 682 million yuan of main business profit, and realized net profit of only 540 million yuan. The profits of 8 enterprises of 10 listed companies were less than 100 million yuan, and 2 had already suffered losses. Since the domestic aluminum price has dropped again after October, the domestic aluminum listed companies will fall into a comprehensive deficit in the fourth quarter.

The chemical industry has not been spared in the storm of the global financial crisis. Since August, the price of international chemical raw materials has been widely fluctuated, making enterprises unprepared. In a short span of 1 months, the mainstream price of the concentrated nitric acid market dropped from a historical high of 4100~4200 yuan / ton to 1700~1800 yuan / ton, with a monthly drop of 42.86%. The price of sulphuric acid dropped from 2400 yuan / ton to 400 yuan / ton in the early October, with a drop of 166.7%.

According to the data provided by the Sinopec Industry Association, at present, the utilization rate of alcohol and ether enterprises is only 60%. The production of two methyl ether by small methanol enterprises and the production of methyl ether by external methanol has been discontinued. The chemical fertilizer enterprises in Shandong, Shanxi and other places have been shutting down a lot, and the national phosphate and compound fertilizer enterprises have only started to operate at 40%; the chlor alkali enterprises have only started to operate at about 40%, and the other chemical sub industries are running below 70%. To make matters worse, the prices of international chemical products have stabilized, while China has plummeted all the way.

Even the thermal power that used to be very effective has lost money. Data show that: due to major changes in the domestic economic situation since 2008, the production and operation of power generating enterprises have been challenged and severely tested by the whole enterprise. There are group losses and the loss of thermal power enterprises is up to 90%. This is the most difficult period in history.

      The economic crisis is not terrible.

In the traditional Chinese concept, 8 is the most auspicious number. However, in the economic circles, 8 seems to be a curse. In the past twenty years, China's economy will have a great depression on 8 occasions: 1988, 1998 and 2008.

History has proved that the economic crisis always shows a cyclical nature. It is not derived from theory, but actually manifested. Its process is characterized by "crisis, depression, revival and prosperity". crisis "Circular cycle", like spring, summer, autumn and winter, is a natural law that exists objectively.

      Economic crisis It's not terrible. The terrible thing is that we are not prepared for the crisis. Just like a famous saying by Buffett, "only when the tide recedes, can we find out who is swimming naked."

The ultimate goal of the transformation of marketing strategy is to enable enterprises to find new opportunities for their survival and development in the context of great changes in the external environment through a series of scientific means such as market research, market segmentation, target market positioning, SWOT analysis and marketing mix strategy. It can be said that the planning and execution capability of marketing strategy is the most important and necessary ability for an enterprise to develop continuously or even achieve its centenary business.

      Rule three: meticulous marketing management

All along, most domestic enterprises are extensive in marketing management. It has become a common phenomenon that sales staff are highly mobile, sales cost is out of control, old salesmen take away customers, sales organizations grow slowly, and heavy sales and light markets are not common. When the market is good, there are projects everywhere, and demand is everywhere. These problems will not affect the profits of enterprises. But when the market is not good, these problems will be exposed and even threaten the survival of enterprises.

Marketing is not only an art, but also a science. Marketing requires scientific and comprehensive fine management. Meticulous marketing management is a kind of omnidirectional management. It emphasizes the perfect combination of science and artistry at the strategic level, and emphasizes executive ability at the executive level, emphasizing standardization and replicability. For example, managers of many enterprises are faced with the problem of shortage of salesmen. They are constantly recruiting and losing. The survey shows that the actual loss caused by a salesperson (including the company's brand image) is 4 times the salary.

The loss of sales staff has also led to a series of other problems, such as weakened market competitiveness, rising sales costs, old salesmen threatening companies, slow development of organizations and so on.

The reason is that these companies have no sense in selling recruitment process, selection criteria for salesmen, training system for salesmen, training of reserve cadres, etc., while those in charge of human resources do not understand sales management, and sales managers do not understand human resources. The first step is not recruiting the right people in the recruitment process.

We believe that: Marketing The problems reflected are often not the problems of marketing itself. Contemporary Marketing Management science has always emphasized the integration of knowledge in marketing, management, human resource management, project management and other disciplines. Only by studying the edge of these disciplines can we really find a solution to the problem.

There is a saying in Shiji Li Sheng Lu Jia biography, which is worth our deep thought: "can we get rid of it right away?" It means that you can ride on the horse and get the world. Can you ride the horse to govern the world?

      Economic crisis Although it will cause a decline in sales performance, it will leave more space for managers to find problems and find ideas. It is hoped that those marketing managers who are in a great battle can seriously reflect on the mistakes and immaturity of the past marketing management, and gradually abandon the extensive management behavior so as to become a handsome talent who can instantly get the world and the temple rule the world.

Editor: vivi