Marketing control refers to the process by which a
company manipulates its marketing plans to reach its original goals. This
process is achieved by setting up performance standards that will ideally be
reached at each step of a marketing campaign. If these standards are not being
met, corrective action needs to be taken. There are many methods of achieving
marketing control, which can include but are not limited to market research, analysis of financial signposts like market share, sales, and cash flow, and customer
relations information gleaned from customer
feedback and service levels.
Few effective marketing campaigns are achieved through
random action. Successful marketing is usually achieved through a general
process within which many variations are possible. The basic blueprint involves
drawing up goals that the campaign is designed to meet and then drawing up the
plans and strategies that are intended to achieve those goals. If those plans
start to fall short of the desired standards, they then need to be adjusted to
get the campaign once again pointed in the right direction. Marketing control
involves the analysis of where the original plans are falling short and the
steps taken to correct those problems.
At the point at which the campaign's
desired and actual effect begin to diverge, strategies must be put into place
to rectify the situation. The problems need to be identified before any action
can be taken, lest more damage be done. Once the problems are identified, then
the proper method of marketing control may be exerted in an effort to bring
about the desired goals.
Research is the most obvious tool for identification of
how well the marketing campaign is proceeding. This can be done through
customer surveys or product testing. Focus groups are another popular way of ascertaining if the product is
hitting its desired target audience or if the marketing techniques are getting across the desired
message.
Measurables such as sales reports or cash flow totals
are a concrete way to determine what type of marketing control needs to take
place. Marketing managers can use these numbers to figure out whether they are
receiving the desired return on their marketing investment. If not, corrective
action needs to take place. This may come in the form of pricing changes to the
product or service in an attempt to boost sales or profit, additional
promotional initiatives to increase the visibility of the product or service,
or, if drastic action is necessary, a complete overhaul of the marketing
campaign.