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    Strategic Marketing in Specialty Chemicals

    The Challenge

    A global specialty chemicals company, with 7 B USD in sales and operations in five continents, wanted to design and implement a common strategic marketing planning process. The company is a category leader in a wide range of B2B markets, including automotive, oil and gas, coatings and personal care, and is organized into seven divisions. Consequently, the initiative would have to provide a common process and ‘standard toolbox’, as well as ‘specialty’ concepts and tools that would be applied in specific market situations or business units.

    The Approach

    Market Edge worked with the client to

    • Engage key stakeholders to assess current processes and capability compared to Market Edge proprietary benchmarks
    • Develop core content based on proven B2B best practice
        1. Market Edge Strategic Marketing Process (Concepts, Tools and Frameworks)
        2. Relevant case studies / examples
        3. Supporting tools tailored to the client’s markets and existing processes
    • Design an applied learning program to develop skilled practitioners
        1. Participants organized as intact teams from all 7 divisions
        2. Program included 2 x 3 day modules with extensive coaching between modules, delivered both online and face to face
        3. Participant teams agreed upon ‘application targets’ with sponsoring managers in advance

    Strategic Marketing Planning Process

    The Outcome

    Over 12 months, the Strategic Marketing Program was delivered to ~150 commercial managers in Europe, North and South America and Asia. 25 Strategic Marketing Plans were developed to the agreed global standard and approved by global Business Unit Heads. The Strategic Marketing Planning process has been aligned and fully integrated into the company’s CRM system (Salesforce) and proprietary stage gate process.