How should logistics enterprises market?

First, the relationship between logistics and marketing Logistics represents the huge strategic potential of enterprises and is the key factor for enterprises to obtain sustainable competitive advantage. Huishi Chong of Keio University in Japan believes in "On Strategic Marketing" that another extremely important factor for marketing to achieve the functional means of regulating demand is logistics. Many activities involved in logistics are related to marketing strategy, which constitutes the relationship between marketing and logistics. Only when logistics enterprises first understand the relationship between logistics activities and marketing activities of customer enterprises can they clearly understand customer needs and effectively provide corresponding logistics services to customers to support their marketing activities, that is to say, the logistics services provided by logistics enterprises to customers are ultimately to meet their marketing activities. 1. Customer marketing product strategy and logistics are intertwined. From the perspective of product strategy, the procurement, promotion and customer service in the logistics activities of customer enterprises are most closely related to it. The life cycle of a product will generally go through the introduction period, growth period, maturity period and decline period. After entering the mature stage, on the surface, the product scale is expanding, which is the peak season for sales, but in fact, the profits of product producers and sellers are gradually declining. From the marketing point of view, the huge sales volume at this time also means that the market demand for this product has reached saturation. If only this product is produced, the producers will gradually withdraw from the market. At this time, enterprises must immediately introduce new products to the market, or broaden and deepen the series of original products to offset the decrease in profits brought about by the decline in sales of such products, as all successful enterprises do. The sales staff of logistics system are most sensitive to the arrival of maturity, and can feedback this information to the marketing planning department in time. When planning and developing new products, salespeople can provide the most valuable information for developers because they often contact customers and know what their needs are, what new products and series of products should be developed with the greatest market potential, and what functions new products should have. 2. The impact of customer marketing price strategy and promotion activities on logistics. Price strategy will also have an impact on logistics and the services it provides. Whether the price strategy is correct or not will affect the breadth, depth and smoothness of logistics activities. The quantity discount given to customers in the price strategy will affect the order size of customers. Appropriate discounts will attract customers to increase their orders, warehouse operations will tend to handle bulk goods, and handling and transportation operations will become simple and efficient, especially in the case of implementing the distribution system. Therefore, only by considering marketing and logistics comprehensively can we formulate a pricing strategy that can meet the comprehensive needs of marketing and logistics. Promotional activities will also affect logistics activities. Vigorously investing in advertising, publicity and other promotional activities is a kind of support for sales staff to increase sales. But if the logistics system can't supply the products to customers in time, the sales volume can't be expanded as scheduled. Therefore, it is necessary to establish an information system between the logistics department and the marketing department to facilitate the rapid transmission of information, and constantly communicate and coordinate the scale of promotional activities with logistics links such as inventory, transportation and customer service. 3. Logistics is the artery of marketing. As the artery of marketing, all logistics activities are closely related to marketing objectives, plans, market activities, advertising, distribution and retail, after-sales service and so on. Therefore, the logistics strategic planning and positioning of customer enterprises should be at the top of the whole logistics system, which stipulates the logistics service positioning of customer enterprises. And the marketing system is in the middle layer. This level reflects the logistics ability and operation performance of the customer enterprise, and has intuitive interaction and contact with the customer. At this stage, the relationship between logistics and marketing is the most obvious and comprehensive. Marketing emphasizes providing the right goods or services to the target market at the right place and at the right time to meet the needs of customers. Whether marketing can achieve satisfactory results and attract and satisfy customers is largely restricted by the logistics management ability and decision-making of customer enterprises. Logistics ability directly affects the sales performance of enterprises. The customized value-added service of customer enterprises is a personalized service closely related to marketing, which has differences and uncertainties, so it requires higher logistics services for customer enterprises. The service level provided to customers in the logistics process is the key factor that affects customers' purchase and continuous purchase of customer products. The higher the customer service level, the higher the expected sales level. The improvement of service level also means the increase of cost. Customer enterprises should choose between reducing costs and satisfying customers' services. Logistics is a potential tool to respond to market demand and improve marketing performance. Customer enterprises require logistics enterprises to improve logistics management, improve service quality, reduce prices, attract new customers, and improve enterprise competitiveness and marketing effect. On the contrary, if the product cannot be delivered to customers in time, it will inevitably lose customers and market share. Logistics management is an important part of enterprise marketing management. 4. Logistics cost accounts for a large proportion in marketing cost. Generally speaking, the main components of the total cost of marketing logistics are transportation (46%), warehousing (26%), inventory management (10%), sending and receiving (6%), packaging (5%), management (4%) and order processing (3%). Logistics cost often accounts for more than 13.6% of the total marketing cost of production enterprises, so logistics cost is closely related to marketing cost, and managers pay more and more attention to it. Some economists believe that logistics has the potential to save costs and expenses, and describe logistics management as "the last line of defense in cost economy" and "the dark continent in economic field". If the logistics decision is not coordinated, the marketing cost will be too high. Second, the content of the marketing mix of logistics enterprises Logistics enterprises are a kind of service-oriented enterprises, mainly providing services to customers. Therefore, when designing marketing mix, we should follow the following strategies to carry out logistics activities: 1 Product strategy. Product strategy refers to decisions related to services or products provided by logistics enterprises. It includes several sub-factors: design, packaging, brand and the combination of products or services. Logistics enterprises should consider what kind of service to provide from the customer's point of view. Logistics service mainly helps customers to realize the spatial displacement of goods by means of transportation and information technology. Different types, varieties, packaged products and different stages of product life cycle need to be given different logistics services. 2. Price strategy. Price strategy refers to how an enterprise can provide a suitable price to attract customers according to their needs and costs. It includes basic price, price discounts and concessions, payment methods, etc. Price advantage is very important for enterprises to share the market and increase profits. Therefore, on the one hand, we should reduce the production cost, and at the same time, we should control the logistics cost reasonably, because the logistics cost accounts for a large proportion of the cost. Logistics enterprises should systematically optimize transportation tools, routes, distances and rates according to customers' needs, and formulate appropriate service standards and price levels according to the target market and customer groups targeted by enterprises, combined with customer expectations and service levels provided by competitors. 3. Distribution channel strategy. Distribution channel strategy refers to how logistics enterprises choose the best way to smoothly transfer services or products from suppliers to customers. Generally speaking, logistics services are provided by direct sales, and middlemen, such as agents, agents and brokers, are also used in many cases. 4. Promotion strategy. Promotion strategy refers to various measures taken by logistics enterprises to use various media to convey useful information to customers, so as to arouse customers' interest and improve their popularity. Including advertising, personnel promotion, business promotion, public relations and other marketing communication methods. Third, how to optimize the marketing activities of logistics enterprises Logistics is to serve the marketing activities of customers, logistics should meet the marketing objectives of customers, and efficient logistics service is an important means to ensure competitive advantage and differentiation. The competitive advantage of sustainable development of logistics enterprises can not be separated from the correct application of marketing strategies. Only by constantly optimizing marketing activities can logistics enterprises continuously introduce characteristic services in the competition and be in an invincible position. 1. Marketing channel strategy. Marketing channel strategy refers to the strategy that logistics enterprises choose which marketing channel to sell modern logistics services. This includes the strategies of establishing direct selling service network, borrowing other people's service marketing network and establishing marketing strategic alliance. Among them, the strategy of establishing direct selling service network is the marketing strategy of logistics enterprises to sell modern logistics services directly to customers through their own e-commerce network or personnel sales network; The strategy of borrowing other people's service marketing network is to sell their own logistics services through other people's agents; The strategy of establishing marketing strategic alliance is to establish strategic partnership with enterprises in the same industry or other industries to promote their goods or services. 2. Relationship marketing strategy. Relationship marketing strategy refers to the strategy of promoting the marketing of logistics enterprises by attracting, developing, maintaining and strengthening the service relationship with customers. This marketing strategy includes developing potential customers and gradually becoming actual customers, maintaining actual customers and further expanding the total service business of actual customers. This marketing strategy requires logistics enterprises to pay full attention to customers' needs and interests, cultivate open logistics service imagination, establish active service consciousness, fully consider customers' value orientation and consumption preferences, emphasize service commitment and service quality assurance to customers, adjust customer service in a targeted and timely manner, broaden service coverage, and continuously introduce new service varieties and value-added services on the basis of ensuring the original service quality to improve customer satisfaction. For logistics enterprises, relationship marketing strategy should be the core strategy in the whole marketing strategy combination. Because adopting this marketing strategy can make logistics enterprises and customers form an interdependent relationship, through which they can obtain long-term service business and sales. 3. Implement 4Cs marketing mix strategy. ) aim at customer consumption. Logistics enterprises should first understand, study and analyze customers' needs and demands, instead of considering what kind of logistics services they can provide. At present, many enterprises have begun to build their own logistics centers and distribution centers on a large scale. However, some successful logistics enterprises are unwilling to invest too much money and energy in the construction of logistics facilities. They are mainly committed to the analysis and development of the logistics market, and strive to achieve targeted goals. (2) The cost that customers are willing to pay. This requires logistics enterprises to first understand how much money (cost) the logistics demand subject is willing to pay to meet the logistics demand, instead of pricing their own logistics services first, that is, asking customers how much money they want. This strategy points out that the price of logistics is closely related to the customer's willingness to pay. When the customer's willingness to pay for logistics is low, even if the logistics enterprise can provide it with considerable benefits but is higher than this willingness to pay, the logistics service transaction between the logistics enterprise and the customer will not be realized. Therefore, only on the basis of analyzing the needs of target customers, can a personalized logistics solution be tailored and set up for target customers to be accepted by customers. (3) the convenience of customers. This strategy requires logistics enterprises to always consider what benefits logistics services can bring to customers from the customer's point of view. Such as saving time, reducing capital occupation, strengthening core work ability and enhancing market competitiveness. Only by bringing benefits and convenience to logistics demanders will they accept the services provided by logistics enterprises. (4) Communication with customers. That is, taking customers as the center, implementing marketing strategies, and integrating the services of logistics enterprises with the logistics needs of customers through interaction and communication, so that the interests of both customers and logistics enterprises can be invisibly integrated, providing users with integrated and systematic logistics solutions, establishing organic links, and forming a mutually beneficial relationship for common development. On the basis of good customer service, logistics enterprises can win more logistics market share, thus forming a certain scale of logistics services and realizing economies of scale. 4Cs marketing mix strategy is guided by customers' demand for logistics, actively adapts to customers' demand, integrates marketing with the idea of optimization and systematization, pays attention to the interaction between enterprises and customers, establishes a long-term and stable cooperative relationship with customers, forms a competitive advantage, adapts to the current situation of logistics supply and demand in China, and realizes a win-win situation in which logistics enterprises, customers and final customers can make profits. Therefore, this marketing mix will become the main marketing strategy of China logistics enterprises at present and for a long time to come. 4. Understand the potential needs of customers. Potential demand refers to people's vague and hazy demand desire and consciousness, which is the soil for the birth of products or services and the source for logistics enterprises to create markets. If there is potential demand, there must be potential customers. Potential customers are an important driving force for the development of modern logistics enterprises and the main goal of seeking development in the fierce market competition. Facing the market competition of survival of the fittest, enterprises should not only stabilize actual customers, but also seek breakthroughs among potential customers in order to develop. In order to tap potential customers, logistics enterprises should be good at discovering the potential needs of logistics buyers, fully meeting their needs, guiding and creating new logistics service needs, and transforming potential needs into actual needs in the market. In short, demand is the premise of social development and the development of logistics enterprises. It is of great significance to correctly understand the potential needs of customers for promoting the sustained, rapid and healthy development of logistics enterprises. 5. Scientifically subdivide the logistics market. The reasons of logistics market segmentation are as follows: firstly, through market segmentation, logistics enterprises can identify customer groups with similar needs, analyze the characteristics and purchasing behavior of these groups, and effectively provide professional logistics services; Second, market segmentation can provide information for logistics enterprises, help them find logistics customers accurately, and formulate marketing combinations that meet the characteristics and needs of one or more target markets; Third, the purpose of market segmentation and marketing is the same, that is, to meet the needs of customers while realizing the organization. Generally speaking, the market segmentation scale formed by market segmentation plan must be large enough to ensure the development and maintenance of special marketing mix, not only to have more potential customers, but also to make maximum use of logistics resources. Market segmentation is a powerful marketing tool and plays a key role in marketing strategy. Market segmentation can accurately define customers' logistics service needs and demands, help decision makers to set marketing goals more accurately and better allocate logistics resources. Logistics enterprises divide the whole logistics service market into several sub-markets according to certain classification marks, and then according to their own conditions and external environment, the scale and degree of competition of sub-markets and the service needs, preferences and characteristics of customers in sub-markets, determine the sub-market that enterprises mainly attack, and strive to develop and occupy the marketing strategy of this sub-market. At present and in the future, the demand of China logistics market is different in different regions and industries, so the logistics market can be subdivided according to regions and industries, and the markets in different regions and industries can be further subdivided according to the timeliness requirements of products, the ability of enterprises to accept service prices and the position of customers in the supply chain. 6. Provide logistics portfolio services. Logistics complex combination service refers to providing a service set composed of different logistics services, such as planning, supply, loading and unloading, warehouse management, warehousing, transportation and information processing. Any logistics enterprise, no matter how large its scale and capacity are or how diversified its services are, can't meet the overall needs of all customers and can only meet the needs of some markets. Therefore, logistics enterprises must subdivide the target market according to certain standards, select some customers as the target market according to their own conditions, and determine the appropriate logistics service strategy to better meet their needs, so that enterprises can survive and develop in the fierce market competition. 7. Establish a relatively stable customer base. Customers are the object of logistics service and the source of profit realization of logistics enterprises. Establishing a relatively stable customer base is the basis of logistics marketing. A stable customer base is manifested in: long-term acceptance and consumption of enterprise services, being able and willing to participate in the business plan of the enterprise, being able to understand the business adjustment of the enterprise, actively communicating their own requirements with the enterprise, and generally having strong resistance to the "inducement" of competitors of other logistics enterprises. Of course, the stable customer base of logistics enterprises is created by their long-term provision of logistics quality services. In prolonging the life of logistics enterprises, the logistics customer base has a great influence on the operation, financial resources, management and service quality of enterprises. Therefore, logistics enterprises must "manage" customers like products in order to gain the trust of customers. First of all, we must accurately judge the customer's desire for logistics services; Secondly, it is necessary to accurately judge the customer's "purchasing" ability; On this basis, we seek to collect customer information, strengthen the systematization of services, and use relationship marketing strategies to meet customer needs. To sum up, logistics enterprises can optimize marketing activities and realize the combination of logistics and marketing, which can make enterprises take customer demand as the "first driving force", accumulate internal core strength, continuously and healthily promote the healthy development of enterprises, continuously reduce costs and expand profits, thus maintaining abundant physical strength and flexible mind in the competition. Only by combining marketing and logistics into a * * * competitive strategy and implementing integration, the logistics system can become an effective system, providing strong support for realizing the goals of enterprises and improving their competitive advantages. (Author: Logistics Management Center of Nanjing Wei Gang Dairy Co., Ltd.)