Office de la Formation Professionnelle

et de la Promotion du Travail

OFPPT

Target markets
A company must be able to measure the possible demand for the product it wants to sell. It
must equally consider market segmentation as consumers vary from one group to another.
They vary according to sex, age, and income but also according to social classes and life
styles.
Generally speaking a market segment includes all consumers who respond in a similar way
to a given marketing product. The third step a company must go through is the choice of
serving one or more segments. Usually companies first try a single segment and then if it
works they add other segments with the hope of getting a great market share. Finally a
company arranges for its product.Market positioning means that a company arranges for its
product to occupy a place (position) in the market and in the minds of consumers. An
example of well-positioned products are Proctor and Gamble’s powder soap
« Tide »,Johnson and Johnson’s shampoo , and Coca Cola.
Companies also follow strategies.These marketing strategies are based on consumer needs
but also on the company’s position in relation to competitors. Therefore, a company may
decide to become a market leader, a market follower, or a market nicher. The latter strategy
consists in choosing to serve a market niche that powerful competitors ignored. By so doing,
they avoid confrontation with these great competitors.

I -Reading and Comprehension:

1- In your opinion why do companies first target one single segment?

2- List all the things a company should do to position a product.
3- What other products, apart from those mentioned in the text, are well-positioned in
your country?
4- What makes Coca Cola a well positioned product?
5- What are the three strategies mentioned in the text?
6- Why does a company first start as a nicher ?
II - Find the synonyms of these words in the text:

a) Ranks:....................... b) policies:...............................

III- Find the acronyms of these words in the text:

a) Supply : .......................... b) Nicher: ..............................

III- PRODUCTION
Write a paragraph talking about how to target a market .