Marketing Warfare Strategies

In the 1980s, business strategists realized that there was a vast knowledge base stretching back thousands of years that they had barely examined. They turned to military strategy for guidance. Military strategy books like “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu, “On War” by Von Clausewitz, and “The Red Book” by Mao Tse Tung became instant business classics. From Sun Tzu they learned the tactical side of military strategy and specific tactical proscriptions. From Von Clausewitz they learned the dynamic and unpredictable nature of military strategy. From Mao Tse Tung they learned the principles of guerrilla warfare. The main marketing warfare books were:

·         “Business War Games” by Barrie James, 1984

·         “Marketing Warfare” by Al Ries and Jack Trout, 1986

·         “Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun” by A Weiss, 1987

Various Marketing Strategies are summarized below:

·        Offensive marketing warfare strategies - Attack the target competitor with an objective such as “liberating” some of its market share

·        Defensive marketing warfare strategies - Strategies intended to maintain your market share, profitability, sales revenue, or some other objective.

·        Flanking marketing warfare strategies - Operate in areas of little importance to the competitor.

·        Guerrilla marketing warfare strategies - Attack, retreat, hide, then do it again, and again, until the competitor moves on to other markets.

·        Deterrence Strategies - Deterrence is a battle won in the minds of the enemy. You convince the competitor that it would be prudent to keep out of your markets.

·        Pre-emptive strike - Attack before you are attacked.

·        Frontal Attack - A direct head-on confrontation, attacking the core customers of the competitors.

·        Flanking Attack - Attack the competitor noncore customers.

·        Sequential Strategies - A strategy that consists of a series of sub-strategies that must all be successfully carried out in the right order.

·        Alliance Strategies - The use of alliances and partnerships to build strength and stabilize situations.

·        Position Defense - The erection of fortifications.

·        Mobile defense - Constantly changing positions.

·        Encirclement strategy - Envelop the opponents position and attack him from many directions.

·        Cumulative strategies - A collection of seemingly random operations that, when complete, obtain your objective.

·        Counter-offensive - When you are under attack, launch a counter-offensive at the attacker’s weak point.

·        Strategic withdrawal - Retreat and regroup so you can live to fight another day.

·        Flank positioning - Strengthen your flank, increase your core customer base.

·        Leapfrog strategy - Avoid confrontation by bypassing enemy forces.