5. A Three-Step Approach
Segmentation
The process of identifying a group of customers who share at
least one characteristic that will make them more responsive to
our marketing message
Targeting
The process by which we locate and describe specific groups of
customers who we hypothesize are most likely to be interested
in obtaining the benefits we offer through products and services
Positioning
Develop an offer tailored to the chosen target and develop the
correspondent marketing mix
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7. Market Segmentation in B2C
Markets
Market segmentation divides a market into well-defined
slices. A market segment consists of a group of customers who
share similar set of needs and wants
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8. B2C Segmentation Main Variables
Geographic Demographic Psychographic Behavioral
Region Age Lifestyle Occasions
Living Area Gender Personality Benefits
City Size Family size User Status
Climate Family life cycle Usage Rate
Income Loyalty
Occupation Brand
Relationship
Education
Religion
Race
Generation
Nationality
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9. B2C Segmentation Main Variables
Geographic
Region Ile-de-France, East, West, Marseille
Living Area Rural area/Urban area, Downtown/Suburbs
Area Size Less than 2000 residents, 2000 to 4999, 5000 to
9999, 10000 to 19999…
Climate Tropical, Dry, Moderate, Continental…
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10. B2C Segmentation Main Variables
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Demographic
Age less than 6 years old, 6-11
Gender male, female
Family Size 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and more
Family life cycle young, single; young, married, no kids; young,
married, at least 1 child under 6 years old; old,
married, with children; old, married, children
above 18; old, single; others
Income less than 10000€, 10000-14999€
Occupation farmers, workers, CEO, professors
Education bachelor, master, PhD…
Religion Catholic, Jewish…
Race American Indian, white, black
Generation Baby-boomer, generation X, Y
Nationality French, Italian, Lebanese
15. Psychographic Segmentation
AIO (Lifestyle Dimensions)
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Activities Interests Opinions Demographics
Work Family Themselves Age
Hobbies Home Social issues Education
Social Events Job Politics Income
Vacation Community Business Occupation
Entertainment Recreation Economics Family size
Club membership Fashion Education Dwelling
Community Food Products Geography
Shopping Media Future City size
Sports Achievements Culture Stage in life cycle
18. B2C Segmentation Main Variables
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Behavioral
Occasions Special situation, ordinary situation…
Benefits Saving, convenience, prestige…
User status Non-user, ex-user, potential user, first time
user, regular user
Usage rate Small user, average user, heavy user
Loyalty None, moderate, strong, total
Product relationship Just Know the brand, interest, buying
intention…
19. Market Segmentation in B2B Markets
Demographic: industry, company size, location
Operating Variables: technology, user status, customer capabilities
Purchasing Approach: power structure, nature of existing
relationship
Situational Factors: urgency, specific application, size of order
Personal Characteristics: buyer-seller similarity, loyalty, risk attitude
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20. Market Segmentation in B2B
Markets
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Macrosegments Identification Cut into microsegments
Industry Purchasing process
Company size Decision maker in the
purchasing department
Usage rate Benefits
Geographical location Product importance
21. Steps in Segmentation Process
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Step Description
1. Needs-Based Segmentation Group customers into segments based on similar
needs and benefits sought by customer in solving a
particular consumption problem
2. Segment Identification For each needs-based segment, determine which
demographics, lifestyles, and usage behaviors
make the segment distinct and identifiable
(actionable)
3. Segment Attractiveness Using predetermined segment attractiveness
criteria (such as market growth, competitive
intensity, and market access), determine the
overall attractiveness of each segment
4. Segment Profitability Determine segment profitability
5. Segment Positioning For each segment, create a ‘value proposition” and
product-price positioning strategy based on that
segment’s unique customer needs and
characteristics
Dividing a market into distinct groups with distinct needs, characteristics, or behavior who might require separate products or marketing mix
Demographic segmentation divides the market on variables such as age, family size, family life cycle, gender, income, occupation, education, religion, race, generation, nationality, and social class.
Demographic variables are often associated with consumer needs and wants and are easy to measure.
Psychographics is the science of using psychology and demographics to better understand consumers. In psychographic segmentation, buyers are divided into different groups on the basis of psychological/personality traits, lifestyle, or values. People within the same demographic group can exhibit very different psychographic profiles.
This table lists many of the dimensions used in psychographic research.
The Values and Lifestyles System (VALS2) was developed by the company Strategic Business Insights (SBI). The survey used to collect data contains 39 items. These items are used to divide the U.S. adult population into groups. The figure shows the groups. The typology is divided based on resources on one axis and self-orientation on the other.
Innovators are successful consumers with many resources. Thinkers are satisfied, reflective, and comfortable. Achievers are career oriented and prefer predictability to risk or self-discovery. Experiencers are impulsive, young, and enjoy offbeat or risky experiences. The next four groups have fewer resources:
Believers have strong principles and favor proven brands. Strivers are similar to Achievers but have fewer resources. Makers are action oriented and tend to focus their energies on self-sufficiency. Strugglers are at the bottom of the economic ladder.
Three self-orientations constitute the horizontal dimension. Consumers with an Ideals orientation rely on a belief system to make purchase decisions, and they are not concerned with the views of others. People with an Achievement orientation are more competitive; they take into account what their peers will think about their decisions and how these choices will reflect on them. Finally, those with a Self-Expression orientation are more concerned with the emotional aspects of purchases and the satisfaction they will personally receive from products and services.
It lists major questions that business marketers should ask in determining which segments and customers to serve. A rubber-tire company can sell tires to manufacturers of automobiles, trucks, farm tractors, forklift trucks, or aircraft. Within a chosen target industry, it can further segment by company size and set up separate operations for selling to large and small customers.
Business marketers generally identify segments through a sequential process. Consider an aluminum company: The company first undertook macrosegmentation. It looked at which end-use market to serve: automobile, residential, or beverage containers. It chose the residential market, and it needed to determine the most attractive product application: semifinished material, building components, or aluminum mobile homes. Deciding to focus on building components, it considered the best customer size and chose large customers. The second stage consisted of microsegmentation. The company distinguished among customers buying on price, service, or quality. Because it had a high-service profile, the firm decided to concentrate on the service-motivated segment of the market.
Measurable. The size, purchasing power, and characteristics of the segments can be measured.
Substantial. The segments are large and profitable enough to serve. A segment should be the largest possible homogeneous group worth going after with a tailored marketing program. It would not pay, for example, for an automobile manufacturer to develop cars for people who are less than four feet tall.
Accessible. The segments can be effectively reached and served.
Differentiable. The segments are conceptually distinguishable and respond differently to different marketing-mix elements and programs. If married and unmarried women respond similarly to a sale on perfume, they do not constitute separate segments.
Actionable. Effective programs can be formulated for attracting and serving the segments.
This figure shows that marketers have a range or continuum of possible levels of segmentation that can guide their target market decisions.
Full market coverage: a firm attempts to serve all customer groups with all the products they might need.
Undifferentiated or mass marketing, the firm ignores segment differences and goes after the whole market with one offer.
Differentiated marketing, the firm sells different products to all the different segment of the market.
Multiple Segment Specialization: With selective specialization, a firm selects a subset of all the possible segments, each objectively attractive and appropriate. A supersegment is a set of segments sharing some exploitable similarity. A firm can also attempt to achieve some synergy with product or market specialization.
product specialization, the firm sells a certain product to several different market segments.
market specialization, the firm concentrates on serving many needs of a particular customer group, such as by selling an assortment of products only to university laboratories.
Single-segment concentration: the firm markets to only one particular segment. Porsche concentrates on the sports car market and Volkswagen on the small-car market. A niche is a more narrowly defined customer group seeking a distinctive mix of benefits within a segment.
Individual Marketing: “segments of one,” “customized marketing,” or “one-to-one marketing.” Customerization combines operationally driven mass customization with customized marketing in a way that empowers consumers to design the product and service offering of their choice.
The firm attempts to serve all customer groups with all the products they might need. Only very large firms such as Microsoft, General Motors, and Coca-Cola.. Can undertake a full market coverage strategy.
Undifferentiated or mass marketing, the firm ignores segment differences and goes after the whole market with one offer.
Undifferentiated marketing is appropriate when all consumers have roughly the same preferences and the market shows no natural segments.
Differentiated marketing, the firm sells different products to all the different segment of the market.
the firm sells a certain product to several different market segments. A microscope manufacturer, for instance, sells to university, government, and commercial laboratories, making different instruments for each and building a strong reputation in the specific product area. The downside risk is that the product may be supplanted by an entirely new technology.
the firm concentrates on serving many needs of a particular customer group, such as by selling an assortment of products only to university laboratories. The firm gains a strong reputation among this customer group and becomes a channel for additional products its members can use. The downside risk is that the customer group may suffer budget cuts or shrink in size.
Single-segment concentration: the firm markets to only one particular segment. Porsche concentrates on the sports car market and Volkswagen on the small-car market. the firm gains deep knowledge of the segment’s needs and achieves a strong market presence. It also enjoys operating economies by specializing its production, distribution, and promotion. If it captures segment leadership, the firm can earn a high return on its investment.
A niche is a more narrowly defined customer group seeking a distinctive mix of benefits within a segment.
One-to-one marketing or customized marketing
Customerization combines operationally driven mass customization with customized marketing in a way that empowers consumers to design the product and service offering of their choice.