Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
in the fi rst place? Did farmers fi nd the weekly text message on pest pressure in their area
helpful, or was it simply “one more message they had to delete”? Analysis of such imple-
mentation issues forces the marketer to think deeply about whether or not the current mar-
keting strategy is still the correct one.
Given a thorough examination of where the fi rm has been and new forecasts for the
future, the goal of this step is to make sure the fi rm's market strategy still fi ts. This is some-
times called
gap analysis
(
Figure 8.2)
. The gap is the difference between desired perform-
ance at some point in the future and what performance will be if the fi rm does not change
marketing strategies. Obviously, the larger the gap that exists, then the greater the need for
the fi rm to revisit its marketing strategy. Through this analysis, the next marketing plan can
be made more effective in terms of the current and expected market conditions.
Finally, the marketing audit objectively evaluates the fi rm's human resources and
organizational structure. Given the critical role people and organizational structure play
in the marketing process, this area deserves special attention. Consider the following
questions:
Are salespeople adequately trained to advise growers on technical matters?
Should technical specialists in the fi eld report to the area sales manager, or should they
report to the home offi ce?
Do fi eld salespeople have the right level of price authority to meet the marketing
objectives?
Does the organizational structure promote adequate cross-communications between
salespeople, marketing staff, and the research and development department?
Is there adequate support and talent to drive the fi rm's digital media strategy?
The fi rm's revised marketing strategy becomes the focal point for this fi nal step. The fi rm
must determine if available human resources and the current organizational structure support
what the fi rm wants to accomplish in the future. Evaluating human and organizational fac-
tors is one of the most critical facets of the marketing audit.
The marketing audit should be performed as objectively as possible. Sometimes it is diffi cult
for managers to evaluate their own program objectively because they created it, so managers
should consider hiring an outsider to periodically review the program. A qualifi ed consultant
can objectively evaluate a marketing program and raise important questions about the allo-
cation of time, effort, and fi nancial resources. In smaller fi rms with localized markets, a peer
running a similar business in a different market may fi ll the role of the consultant nicely and
offer important, objective insights into the fi rm's marketing efforts.
Desired performance
Performance
Performance gap
Current trend
Time
Figure 8.2
Gap analysis
