Crisis - is a risk, and a chance…

How to increase sales in crisis? How the KLM airline offered clients what they considered impossible? How Rolls-Royce sold not engines, but 1 km of flight? These and other unique marketing tools were discussed in Almaty Management University (former MAB) where on December 28 were held the round table on the subject "Effective Marketing in the conditions of Crisis". 

The event, organized by the department of "Management, Entrepreneurship and Marketing", attended by members of the university, representatives of the hotel business and large Kazakhstani companies. One of participants, the head of department of strategic marketing of AlmaU Nikita Kovalev, reminded that Chinese designate crisis by two hieroglyphs one of which designates risk, another – opportunity. Thus, crisis is not only danger to take off from the market as competitive fight becomes aggravated, but also opportunity to intercept an initiative and to occupy good niches.

"Those who will survive, after an economic recovery will be the owners of a bigger share of the market, - N. Kovalev emphasized, - in the conditions of crisis and recession of economy many companies are forced to cut the marketing budget – this is an opportunity for others to get ahead". The speaker also touched the need to create small and inexpensive products – which is now especially actual.

The main part of the event was a half-hour master class from the president of Kazakhstan Federation of marketing, advertising and PR Timur Sabitov, business coach of Graduate School of Business AlmaU. The seminar was devoted to the main issue, which excites many owners of business today: how to increase sales in crisis? T.Sabitov considers that, if the consumer changes, then methods of marketing must be changed.

“If to speak shortly, the one who can change" survives, - the guest reminded. According to the expert, for business schools time of essential changes also came. One of innovations in this area is online education which market will reach 50 billion dollars in 2016, according to the estimates of experts. Therefore, to business schools, in particular AlmaU, Timur Sabitov recommended to pay serious attention to the transition from offline to online education. "It is important to develop a comprehensive system of online education, which includes an online library, online examination, training, communication with the coaches and others" - said the speaker.

Among the anti-crisis tools, T. Sabitov named several steps. Therefore, it is important not just simply to meet the needs of the client (it is already past day), but to anticipate them. It is unlikely that the women of the Middle Ages thought about pampers, but need for hygiene of the kid always existed. It was simply satisfied differently. That is pampers in fact – new means of satisfaction of old needs.

Other decision – to give to the client something that he considered impossible. As an example, the expert cited the company KLM, who invented service "Choose a neighbor": So, when booking tickets via the Internet, the customer sees on each occupied seat letter F and T (Facebook and twitter) by clicking on a certain place, he can view the photos of this person, position, what he does, and his/her interests. If this person meets the interests of the client, he can book a place next to her/him. Sales through this service increased twice.

Other great example of the smart anti-crises tool – marketing technique of the Rolls-Royce Company, which, except cars, also sells aircraft engines. In 2009, in the falling market and crises conditions the company has increased sales. How? If the engine itself is worth a million dollar, 1 km of flight cost $10. Generally speaking, you put the engine for free, and pay only for the fact of the mileage - this worked perfectly. Timur Sabitov told about other successful marketing techniques, which caused great interest of the audience. At the end of the master class, each student received a certificate.