VISIONARY MARKETING - EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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Foreword 

Visionary Marketing is our original approach and methodology for the design and implementation of Marketing-orientated Information Systems. It is hinging upon the 'Customerize' principle, and its aim is to provide our customers with better tools for understanding, communicating with or sell to their own clients. This approach combines an original Marketing approach (Visionary Marketing itself), and the result of years of field experience in the areas of the design and implementation of Marketing Information Systems. Here are a few examples of Marketing Systems that we can work on: Marketing Intelligence Systems, Internal forecasting and Sales Activity Systems, Market survey and on-line questionnaire systems, Data Warehousing, E.I.S and one-to-one communication systems. 

What it takes to build an M.O.I.S.

The approach that should be adopted by Marketing management in the 21st century is conditioned by the deep social and cultural changes that we are going through at the end of the current period. It is also greatly impacted by the significant alterations of today's business practices. Our answer is based upon the observation of these changes and this is what we have entitled Visionary Marketing. In a world where evolution is constant and is also happening at a quickening pace, it seems fundamental to us that Marketing be placed within the big picture of strategic management. The Vision for the future of the firm is central to this approach.  
The very practice of marketing is also evolving rapidly and as a consequence, it would be an illusion to believe that one could successfully design Information Systems upon frail marketing strategies. Hence, the Information System has to be placed within its environment (and the environment can not be reduced to the marketplace), and this is a task that is falling upon the shoulders of open-minded multi-specialised teams that are capable of understanding the various components of an M.O.I.S.  

Complex Customers and Conventional Marketing  

We are getting confronted with a huge increase in the complexity of markets, that cannot be dealt with satisfactorily by conventional Marketing techniques. The principles that were developed between the 1960's and the 1980's cannot help us grasp the situation anymore. A myriad of niches will crop up, all of them relevant to the wishes and needs of the few individuals that belong to them. Mass markets are going to evolve towards customised markets to a point that was never reached before. This phenomenon is also known as "mass-customisation". 
 
Paradoxically, this utmost individualisation of markets goes hand in hand with an increasing globalisation of product strategies, and companies will have to combine these two elements harmoniously in order to be successful.  

All of these events are also forcing changes upon Marketing methodologies and techniques. 
 

Visionary marketing 

We have developed the Visionary Marketing approach on the basis of the above considerations. This is an original Marketing approach that can be briefly summarised as follows:  

• Avoid simplistic thinking: Simple causes may have very complex effects,

• Don't believe that dividing problems into sub-problems and then sub-sub-problems etc. and solving them separately is going to help solve the original issue. Before that, you need to grasp all the interactions of your problem (a good understanding of the principles of the systemic approach will be indispensable),

• Take 'feed-back' into account: E.g. automating a process with a system is also going to change the perception of the original process. This will certainly mean that the system will have to evolve significantly later with that very process,

• Grasp or reveal what the Vision is. The Vision is this higher objective that is going to give meaning to all that your company intends to do; designing and implementing Marketing Information Systems requires the understanding of this Vision too,

• Following-up one's decisions and actions is fundamental. That will require that uncertainty is also taken into account (use of possible future scenarios).

Information is vital to Marketing

Without Information, the company of the 21st century will find it more difficult to grow or even survive in an environment that is getting fiercer and fiercer : Information for dealing with its customers, data about its own performance, about its markets, and more and more, information about its whole environment (including social, political, economic and cultural factors; 'Macro-Marketing' in other words). But all this information cannot be processed identically.  

Marketing-orientated information is less inward looking, allows communication with all employees and more importantly with clients. At the same time, information is also becoming a 'raw-material' that can be bought, sold or exchanged for Marketing purposes. Information and Information technology is also assuming a greater role within the Marketing function too, in the areas of Marketing intelligence (now extending far beyond the marketplace), statistics, Market surveys, Executive Information Systems (E.I.S) and Data-Warehousing.  
 

Designing and Implementing an M.O.I.S.

An M.O.I.S. is an elaborate type of Marketing Information System. It combines historical, internal and external data, and relies heavily upon Marketing Intelligence. It cannot be reduced to a decision system for it also helps a firm sell to its customers. It must therefore, combine Marketing strategy with Marketing operations.  
Here are the main principles that guide the creation of an M.O.I.S. : 

• The understanding of what a System is and what it is not (understanding of the vision, the strategies, the processes, of the level and quality of human internal communication, flows of information,…),

• 2. The understanding of the difference between an Information System and its media (Information Technology proper),

• 3. The coherence with overall Marketing Vision and Strategies,

• 4. The Marketing orientation of the M.O.I.S.: Making it outward looking, allow decision and action, give access to all those involved in the Marketing Activity (not just a few marketing managers)  

• 5. Implementation-consciousness: An M.O.I.S. is nothing if it is not used. The implementation process is a difficult task that is long, and requires a lot of experience and communications skills. What's more, there is no such thing as an ideal implementation plan. Each system requires a different approach. But certain basic principles must be observed. Failing to plan the roll-out of a system almost certainly results in it falling into disuse, or even never being implemented at all. Training, learning material and support are also fundamental.