All about Microsoft Marketing Strategy
Since Satya Nadella has become the CEO of Microsoft, Microsoft marketing strategy has turned less hostile. Microsoft target market strategy has also changed over the years. With the help of Microsoft target market strategy, the company is able to indulge in effective communication with the customers. Thus, Microsoft strategy makes use of a variety of communication channels like personal selling, direct marketing, public relations, experiences and events, sales promotion and advertising in an integrated manner for communicating marketing message to the target market. Also, Microsoft target market strategy ensures that the target audience is made aware of all the latest offerings of the company.
Through Microsoft target market strategy, it uses 7Ps of marketing to focus on key elements of the marketing mix. The technology company accepts high user convenience level of the products and services in the form of unique selling proposition related to the brand. Microsoft target market strategy emphasizes on certain group within the population, which values advanced capabilities and features of technological products & services.
Microsoft target market strategy can be considered to be a set of activities, constituting the marketing efforts of the company. The goal of segmentation involves division of population into distinct groups based on specific characteristics. Microsoft target market strategy targets different customer segments for multiple products and services at the same time. Microsoft target market customer segment includes:
Segmentation Type | Segmentation criteria | Microsoft target market customer segment |
| Geographic | Density Region | Urban & rural Global marketplace |
| Demographic | Gender Age Life-cycle stage Occupation | Males and Females 16 years and older Newly married couples/Bachelor Professionals, employees, students |
| Behavioural | User status Personality Benefits sought Degree of loyalty | Ex-users, regular users, first-time users, potential users, non-users Ambitious & determined Speed, accuracy, Efficiency Soft core loyal, hard core loyal |
| Psychographic | Lifestyle Social class | Reformer, Explorer, Succeeder, Aspirer, Mainstreamer Upper class, middle class, working class, lower class |
In addition to this, Microsoft target market strategy makes use of undifferentiated and differentiated targeting strategy. The population for Windows and Office is homogenous due to which Microsoft target market strategy targets the complete world. Nevertheless, Microsoft target market strategy has to change for developer and mobile tools. For this purpose, Microsoft target market strategy is required to use a differentiated target because of the fact that such products face strict competition. Thus, Microsoft target market strategy is an important component of overall Microsoft marketing strategy.
Evaluation of Microsoft Strategy
Microsoft strategy helps in developing suitable marketing strategy wherein there is a shift in focus for devising the appropriate method for selling and addressing the requirements of the target market. One of key points of Microsoft strategy is to make effective strategies for sales with the help of marketing mix. The purpose of Microsoft strategy is to ensure that the company is able to promote its products and services effectively. Also, Microsoft strategy ensures that there is easy access to its products. Price is determined by Microsoft strategy to reflect the product or service quality.
After the development of marketing segment, the next step for Microsoft strategy is to come up with mechanisms for enabling sales in the chosen market. One of the important mechanisms used by Microsoft strategy is word of mouth marketing for selling its products. In addition to this, pricing strategy is a key element of Microsoft strategy that sets competitive prices in the market. The goal of this Microsoft strategy is to convince the customers to purchase the products fast.
Thus, Microsoft strategy makes use of price skimming strategy and premium pricing approach. With the help of this strategy, prices are set higher in comparison to the competition. This Microsoft strategy is observed to be highly successful with new or unique products. The company is known for using Microsoft strategy to develop a strong brand name. Apple, one of the competitors of the company, is also observed to make use of this strategy. Microsoft strategy has been highly successful in encouraging innovation across the organization. This means that the company can come up with new products regularly to fulfil the needs of the organization. In addition to this, Microsoft marketing strategy allows the company to enjoy competitive advantage over its competitors.
Is Microsoft marketing strategy the best?
A highly popular Microsoft marketing strategy is network marketing. Each Windows product has been known to be compatible with other Windows products. Office documents are accessible on majority of computers as there is a large number of people that use Microsoft. Thus, the Microsoft marketing strategy uses the huge customer base of the company to market its products. Microsoft marketing strategy uses multi-channel and widespread distribution channel to make its products available to the customers easily. This Microsoft marketing strategy allows the organization to increase its products and services. For this purpose, the company uses a large network of exclusive showrooms, ecommerce sites and retail outlets.
Microsoft marketing strategy helps in the company to acquire valuable companies. Due to this, Microsoft marketing strategy has helped in the development of a broad portfolio of products and services. The greatest strength of Microsoft marketing strategy is to focus on invention. It believes in the development of the best software and product for the end customers. Also, the Microsoft marketing strategy identifies the priorities, demands and needs of the customers. Thus, the company has included talents of different workforces.
Microsoft marketing strategy involves a tie-up with different colleges, professional organizations or schools. Some of the key organizations include Society of Women Engineers, National Black MBAs and National Society of Hispanic MBAs. It is known to be an effective Microsoft marketing strategy as it allows students to have interaction with the latest technology of the company. In addition to this, Microsoft marketing strategy runs a global program. With the help of this program, school girls can have a session with the employees of the company. This session involves discussion about the future as well as the experience in workshops related to technology. These strategies have helped Microsoft to lead the market with competitive advantage.
