TMCC OUT TO CREATE MARKETING MINDSET ACROSS ORGANISATIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE VALUE CREATION

The big business issue that was thrashed at the June 29^th edition of the Tanzania Marketing  Communications Conference TMCC is the role of marketing in any enterprise. We left the seminar agreeing that Marketing is indeed the engine that drives any enterprise - profit, non profit and public enterprises. As the topic suggests, Marketing for Non Marketing Executives, there was the need to intimate non Marketing professionals who usually constitute stumbling blocks when marketing decisions need to be made, with the decision making process to get them to imbibe the marketing mind set.

This edition of TMCC became a mini MBA session in Marketing as professionals from different fields took in all the information provided by the four marketing gurus who spoke at the conference. They were given the opportunity, not just to learn but also clarify any gray areas during the Q and A sessions.

 Mr Eddie Roberts, CEO of Push Observer here in Tanzania, opened the floor with his presentation ´The Role of Marketing in Business’. He had the task of beginning the discussion of the day without sounding very technical. He said in very simple terms, ‘the greatest task for any entrepreneur is the creation of awareness and the sustained campaign to get as many loyal clients as possible to keep the business running profitably with ease’

Besides the need to tackle competition, Mr Roberts also said, ‘Through marketing communications and interaction, you tell the consumer, “this is why you should buy my product or service.” If it’s done masterfully, that message will be communicated without the consumer realizing it: the product or service will have an intrinsic value to them’.

Mr Ephraim Mafuru, Marketing Director of Serengeti Breweries, took the floor to talk about the Marketing Plan and the planning process. He further explained the role of marketing to be developing products and communication messages, create motivations and manage the marketing tools like Advertising, Sponsorships and Events, Distribution infrastructure and PR.

Mafuru pointed out the key issues to consider when planning the Marketing function of any organisation being changes in consumer behaviour, number of players in the market, key competitor  activities, inflation pressure and its effect on purchasing power, consumers knowledge as well as increased pressure in the share of pocket.

In putting the Marketing plan together, Mr Mafuru pointed out, ‘Successful companies put consumers at the heart of the planning process. Marketing Managers need to be true CEOs of their brands. Excellency in Execution will lead from good to great results. Finally there is a need for localization of brand activities to encourage brand association and hence unlock brand growth’.

Mr Frank Maina, A chartered Marketer and the CEO of Sponge East Africa took his time to explain the Marketing return on Investment. His presentation was to get participants to rethink the value and process of marketing and how they look at the measurement of marketing inputs. He considered it important for businesses to get into the habit of measurement. In his words, ‘Persuade you …that marketers are not guesstimators and fluke artists’.

Mr. Frank Maina pointed out the need to rank and identify most important drivers in any category or consumer group and quantify each opportunity in consumption or purchase before measurement could be done.

Mr. Ikechukwu Kalu CEO/ Managing Partner Customer Passion Point also a Chartered Marketer addressed the Non-profit organizations who tend to be frugal when executing their projects. He referred to the kind of marketing required by NGOs as Social Marketing. Kalu said ‘Social marketing is focused on identifying, anticipating and satisfying citizens needs through interventions that people value and lead to measurable social improvement’. 

He further explained Social marketing to be marketing in conjunction with other concepts and techniques to achieve specific behavioral goals, for a social good. In marketing Non-profit campaigns, there is the need to establish quantifiable goals, Segment, Focus on single, simple doable behaviours one at a time, Develop products and services, improve environments while making it fun, easy and popular. At the end of the day measurement is key to determine how successful the campaign was.

Recognising the enormous resources that are required to build effective marketing units, Mr Kalu was of the opinion that Non-Profits should engage consultants to do their work well, ‘Embrace marketing principles to grow, flourish, and continue to make the world a better place. Strike a good balance between creative use of limited resources, and proper budgeting for marketing.  You don’t have to have a marketing team. Use good consultants.'

Marketing became something that accountants, architects, engineers wanted to understand as they engaged the panel of speakers to explain things they did not understand, wanting answers and solutions to business issues here in Tanzania. TMCC Marketing for Non Marketing Executives was engaging, highly educating, and value for money for all who attended. Preparations have begun for the main conference in September 2012. Details to be announced soon. Great brands like Push Observer, Clouds Media, Daily News, Aggrey &Clifford, TPSF, Serena Hotel, Customer Passion Point, Mark-Ad and East Africa Unique have continued to support TMCC to build capacity in the marketing and communication in Tanzania.