Chapter 4 - Responsible B2B strategy

Question 1

What is the marketing strategy general goal?

Answer 1

To set up and manage strong relationships with loyal customers

Question 2

Which are the dimensions of strategy?

Answer 2

Strategy has 5 main dimensions?
1. Strategy as a plan
2. Strategy as a pattern
3. Strategy as a positioning
4. Strategy as perspective
5. Strategy as a ploy

Question 3

What does it mean strategy as a plan?

Answer 3

In the traditional way it means conducting internal and external analysis, to build functional analysis (f.i. SWOT analysis)

Is important to remember that in a B2B context is fundamental to analyze the network as well, because the actors are not indeprendent

Question 4

What does it mean strategy as a pattern?

Answer 4

Strategy is a consistent behavior over time.

Every company has an initial strategic intent that may variate because of some changes and become a DELIBERATE STRATEGY.

New possibilities may open the path to an EMERGENT STRATEGY.

Question 5

What does it mean strategy as a position?

Answer 5

How the company wants to compete in the market.

There are 3 types of positioning:

1. On the market
2. On the network
3. To every single client

The last one, may be:

1. Leader supplier
2. One of the many
3. Minor supplier

Question 6

What does it mean strategy as a perspective?

Answer 6

How the company wants to be perceived by the network and customers

Question 7

What does it mean strategy as a ploy?

Answer 7

Clever maneuvers to outwit competitors

Question 8

Which are the approaches to strategy?

Answer 8

1. Rational planning approach
2. Resource-based approach
3. Relationships and network view

They are not mutually exclusive but all of them must be analyzed for a good strategy

Question 9

What is Customer Value?

Answer 9

It is defined as the trade off between the benefits and the sacrifices that a client perceives during the transactions or the relationship

Question 10

What is Customer Lifetime Value?

Answer 10

A customer that perceives a good Customer Value is loyal.

A loyal customer is a profitable customer a gives a lot of Customer Lifetime Value, defined as “the net present value of expected profits over the duration of customer relationship”

Question 11

Which are the 3 approaches to provide good value to a client?

Answer 11

1. All benefits
2. Favorable point of difference
3. Resonating focus