Qatar Airways Company is among the leading flight companies in the world. The company with its headquarters in Doha is said to own a fleet of over 100 air craft which links over 100 destinations globally. The company operates in Europe, Middle East, Far East, Africa, central Asia and United States. The company which was established in 1993 was initially owned by the royal family of Qatar. However the ownership of the company has changed over the years whereby 50% stake of the company is currently owned by the Qatar government.

The company operates in a very dynamic industry where there is intensive competition especially from Virgin Atlantic, Fly Emirates, and British Airways among other flight companies. In order to match this competition, it is essential for the company to adopt a good strategy that will give the company a competitive edge. Every strategic plan in a successful organization must touch on customers, competencies and competitors.

One of the major strategic decisions that firms must consider is the marketing strategy that the organization will adopt in pursuit of a competitive advantage. This is the process through which the organization makes its products to known to potential and existing customers. A good marketing strategy must be put in place to ensure that the firm maintains its existing customers and fetch new customers. Communication of the existence of services and products is a core business in an organization that craves for success.

Over the past years, Qatar airways have embraced very effective marketing strategy which could explain the level of success achieved by the company in the recent past. For instance, the company launched about 22 new destinations and added its fleet of aircrafts in the recent years. This is a clear indication of a good marketing strategy that leads to the growth of a company both in terms of customer base and profitability.

Discussion

Over the years, Qatar airways have been in vigorous marketing campaign to create brand awareness of its new products. This has been through vigorous advertising and promotional activities which have been through print media, audio visual, internet, bill boards and other advertising channels. These channels have enabled the company to attain its current level of success but there is still a chance to improve.

A good marketing strategy is the one which will enable an organization in concentrating its resources on the optimal opportunities leading to increased sales as well as achieving a competitive advantage.  Before deciding on a marketing strategy, it is essential to come up with one that meets the current market requirements and fulfills the marketing objectives. Several factors relating to the organization in question must also be considered.

For instance, it is important to clearly examine both internal and external environment of the business. Example of internal environmental factors include strategic constraints, marketing mix and plus performance analysis. The external factors that requires a lot of consideration includes competitor analysis, target market, customer analysis, technological analysis, economic factors among others. These analyses can easily be implemented through SWOT and PEST analysis.

During previous years, the company has concentrated in advertising, direct marketing and public relations. Qatar Airways have over the years strived to consolidate its customer base in Asia and pacific region. However, with the dynamic nature in this industry and the intensity of the competition it has become necessary for the company to initiate new mechanismsto increase its market share and competitiveness. For the company to match the competitiveness of British Airways and Fly Emirates, it is essential that the marketing mix is changed. The company must aim at providing its services all over the world. This call for change in its marketing strategy and digital marketing could be very ideal.

Digital marketing is a process whereby the marketing exercise is carried out online. There is extensive use of electronic gadgets such as computers, smartphones, tablets, digital bill boards and cellphones. A well-executed digital marketing strategy will help maximize the firms’ potential at minimum cost. It is an effective marketing strategy that can help achieve organizations main objectives such as creating brand awareness and enhanced communication. For instance, brand awareness is made possible through the large scope of target consumers reached. Digital marketing also builds up a good relationship between the customers and the business entity. This is more enhanced by the ability of the customers to comment and suggest on the quality of services or products offered. There is an opportunity to respond to queries and complaints swiftly thus enabling a good relationship between consumers and the company.

There are several elements for consideration in adopting a digital marketing strategy. These elements include affiliate marketing, PPC & Facebook advertising, video marketing, social media management, website design & functionality and email marketing. However, the decision on which of the above digital elements to use must be clearly and extensively scrutinized. Several factors relating to the organization such as the target group, level of technology, financial capabilities and other competencies are essential in such decisions. Proper understanding of the functionality and effectiveness of the digital elements is crucial in digital marketing strategy.

It is always vital to understand why digital marketing is important for a growth oriented company like Qatar Airways. For instance, digital marketing have been associated with increased sales and growth in various companies which have adopted the method. It is also believed that the effect of this marketing strategy is long term to consumers. Digital marketing enables quick location of the company and previous information regarding the company can also be easily accessed. This information is vital especially to potential customers as they make decision to use the company’s products or services.

The best digital marketing strategy that can meet the demand for Qatar airways is a website design. A good website must be designed that clearly outlines all the services and products offered by the company. Website design and functionality is not a question of prettiness alone but the design itself carries a lot of weight o the effectiveness of the website. Intensive research should be carried out to ensure that the design is pretty and also functional. The design and functionality should be tied closely together such that the site builds the brand and the functions are lead generation and capture tool.

The website for Qatar airways must be unique and offer a competitive edge over its competitors. All the destinations that the fleet of the company serves must all be exhibited in the website. The website must all have clear graphics of the company’s best transport facilities. This is very vital in creating an attractive company image. Airline service provider must also have smart and full of etiquette staff that treats the customers well. The website must also try to figure out that the employees of the company are world class and can offer the best services.

In every marketing strategy, it is essential to ensure that the customers’ needs are fully met. It is essential that you make the customers feel better treated as compared to your competitors. For instance, major airline companies have lately adopted online booking and e-ticketing. This has been a major step in customer satisfaction. This is because less time will be spent in the booking exercise. It is a cost saving exercise to the company. Qatar airways will have to employ fewer attendants in case of an effective digital marketing strategy. Adoption of online booking in the digital strategy will give the company a competitive edge which is also cost effective. However, it is important for the company’s management to note that prices and products offered must offer optimum satisfaction to the customers.

For this website to be effective, there are several measures that must be taken. The website must put in consideration and identify brand promoters. Qatar airways have entered into the airline services later than other established companies like Air France, British airways, Fly Emirates and many others. It is for this reason that brand promoters identification remains core. This is referred to as customer relationship marketing which is vital in digital marketing mix. This strategy enables the loyal customers of the company to spread the good message on the company’s products to other potential customers. Qatar airways management must take a step of identifying brand evangelists and their contacts to facilitate the process of promotion. The website design must also provide space for the clients to make comments on the quality of services offered. Constant online reviews are also important in influencing purchase decisions.

A good digital marketing strategy must be well plannedfor its effectiveness to be realized. The marketing strategy must greatly consider the target market, segmentation and positioning of the company’s products. A web design which is well implemented is likely to meet all these factors. For instance, Qatar airways do not discriminate on issues of age, gender, sex or class of their customers. This makes it easy in its promotion exercise since the information is not restricted to any group of clients. A good digital marketing strategy must incorporate intensive research, setting of objectives which should be followed by processes that help in achieving the said objectives.

The management of a firm must put in place evaluation measures that will help determine the effectiveness of the strategy. Qatar airways must routinely evaluate the progress made by the digital marketing strategy. There should be regular meetings between the company’s management and the sales and marketing departments to evaluate the progress made by the strategy. This is a very vital step as it will help in continuous development and improving of the strategy. If the strategy fails to deliver intended results, necessary steps can be undertaken to rectify the shortcomings.

The web design marketing strategy must be in alignment with the overall business strategy of the company if it is to be of value. It must be integrated to create a multi-channel marketing strategy that will help in the company’s growth and sustainability. The bottom line of any marketing strategy should be delivering clear information to the target consumers on the existence and benefits of a product or the service in question. it is essential that a marketing strategy should be in consistent with the expectations of the target consumers. Differentiation is also vital in any effective marketing strategy. There must be a great difference among the approaches taken by various competing firms.

Conclusion

The use of digital marketing has been on the increase in the recent past. This could be explained by the recent surge in the use of internet and the increasing number of electronic devices such as tablets, smart phones and computers. The marketing industry has taken advantage of this tremendous change to communicate the existence of their products. Qatar airways could also take this opportunity to expand its presence digitally in the very dynamic industry. This will greatly increase its sales and profit levels since majority of the modern population have turned to their devices in almost every task that they perform.

However, it must be noted that marketing strategies only work best if they support the sole objective of the company. There must be a clear distinction between online and offline marketing since the modes of engagements are also very different. All the necessary processes and steps must be followed to ensure effectiveness in the marketing strategy. There has been constant debate on whether traditional or modern marketing strategies should be implemented. The decision on which to adopt depends entirely on the management of the organization. However, it should be noted that digital strategy, if used, should be consistent and complementary with all other marketing strategies in an organization. This will greatly help in achieving the company’s objectives.

References

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