Marketing Learning Module Introduction

Development

This learning material was realised through the financial support of the Commission of the European Communities under the DG Fisheries "Innovative Actions in Fisheries and Aquaculture" programme under the AquaTT Student Workshop 2004 project. For more information and other modules visit www.aquatt.ie.

The training material has been developed to help current educators in Europe have access to new materials which they can use in their own teaching.

Target Audience/ Users

This learning module is being made available for use by educators. This module is not intended to be used as an independent course covering the subject area. 

The material has been designed to be used as individual learning units which can be used independently or together as a reference or teaching resource when covering the subject area. Educators are welcome and encouraged to incorporate units into their own teaching materials where they feel it is relevant as long as credit is given in all instances.

Permissions/Copyright

This material is free to use so long as the authors are credited wherever it is used. The following reference should be made whenever the material is being used or presented:

- AquaTT & TNC Partners, Germany 2004

Disclaimer

The contents of this module does not necessarily represent the opinions of the Commission and sole responsibility lies with the authors. The module is a training resources and neither the authors nor the Commission are responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.

Introduction

The module has been devised by John Dallimore and Hans Jurgen Burmeister TNC Partners, Germany for AquaTT , Ireland (copyright protected) February, 2005.

Developing a marketing concept for fish products

What is marketing and why do we need it?

Often when we review a company or organization, under the different departments listed there will be the Sales & Marketing Department. To put these two activities together is appropriate however they are two significantly different exercises. Sales are not marketing. Marketing creates sales. Marketing is the activity that analyses the markets which then enables the trader to put products in to the markets which have the greatest potential for profitable sales. The aim is to maximize profits from the products produced by the organization. If the product cannot be sold at a profit, why produce it?

The development of a successful marketing strategy for products from fishery and aquaculture projects is often an under-funded and neglected issue in the feasibility study stage for new or expanding projects. The excitement of being able to produce raw material (fresh fish) seems to make project designers forget that they will have to sell it, and unfortunately this has led to many failures in both sectors. The development of a marketing concept and a marketing strategy that are realistic is essential if a project is to survive, and if profit margins and returns to the investors are to be maximized.

Unfortunately this basic concept is often missed in aquaculture with technology leading production, rather than market-led production. This module is designed to provide an overview of how marketing functions, and how this activity should focus production and investments, optimizing the returns for the organization. Marketing is not a perfect science, and cannot be formulated having too many variables to consider. However, if the basic steps are followed as outlined in this module, and existing trends analyzed, serious risks to a project's profitability can be minimized.

To do this, this manual has been developed into a series of learning units that lead the reader through the most important facets of developing a marketing plan which are laid out as follows:

Section 1: Defining the marketing system and questioning techniques
Section 2: Marketing instruments and the marketing mix (price, product, place, promotion, phasing, packaging and people)
Section 3: The use of marketing instruments
Section 4: Data collection and assessment
Section 5: Assessment of target market structure
Section 6: Channels of distribution
Section 7: Analysis of competitors
Section 8: Analysis of socio-economic environment
Section 9: Corporate and internal analysis
Section 10: Legislation affecting shellfish and fish products
Section 11: Development of a strategic marketing plan
Section 12: Managing the on-going marketing activities

It is suggested that the reader follows the sections in the order that they are presented in this document as there is a gradual build-up of ideas and techniques, and these are linked to case studies from the fish sector.

The case studies are from a wide range of sources related to different aspects of the marketing of fish products and are designed to reflect on past situations and developments in the sector, while providing positive and negative results from good and bad marketing actions. It is always worth questioning why these results have occurred and consider how �real� marketing activities could have assisted the product sales.

The list case studies included with this document are:

Case study 1: FF of Denmark sustainability and traceability
Case study 2: Nutreco and food quality
Case study 3: France quality labels in fish farming
Case study 4: Value adding to a product
Case study 5: Consumer demographics the single German
Case study 6: Supply and demand the sea bass and sea bream story
Case study 7: Salmon  the trendsetter with maturity
Case study 8: Shrimp small but tasty, but a billion dollar industry
Case study 9: Distributor margins and internal marketing
Case study 10: Consumer concerns

Marketing of fishery products is a constantly evolving process, with new products and consumers entering the market place. Just because a product is successful now does not mean in two years it will be as successful. Strategic marketing should always consider now, what happened in the past, and essentially consider the future. Past sales and profits do not guarantee future sales and profits. This is not only in the fish industry. In any sector from cars to meat or from music recording and playing systems to fruit, this has always been the same. Consumer preferences, fashions and consumption trends change and move on, so must a fish producers marketing strategy, markets and products.

To view this learning module or the case studies click on the individual links for each section/case study.
 

Marketing Material - Presentation

Please click on the following link to view the presentation used by John Dallimore (April 2005) for the Marketing Module of Science in Aquaculture and Fisheries Programme at Ghent University, Belgium. www.MAqFish.com

Ghent University Marketing Presentation 2005 - TNC PARTNERS, Germany 2005