National Strategic Agency

Developing new products

The ability to stay ahead of the curve and continuously update the product range form the basis of the business’s competitiveness. This requirement is conditioned by the product life cycle, which just like changing consumer requirements, should be monitored. New products may vary in terms of make-up and manufacturing:

  • a revolutionary new product
  • new product for the manufacturer
  • improved product for the next generation
  • rebranding of an existing product

The development process and introducing a new product onto the Russian market poses a unique set of challenges:

  • tighter deadlines
  • based on western models (often a copy of them)
  • mass import substitution
  • priority consumer product in the design phase

Our specialists tailor the design and market launch of a new product taking into account all the aforementioned factors, examining all the separate phases in the design stage and coming up with a tailored market launch strategy. A tried-and-tested approach to developing new products ensures the elimination of all risks before a product launches on the market and avoids any excess spending on evaluating new design concepts at different stages of development.

Advertising Strategy

On the one hand, this involves increasing distribution volume and promoting the brand are the primary objectives of an advertising strategy. And on the other, it’s about making effective use of financial resources on promotional activity.
 The advertising strategy describes how a company is going to meet its pre-defined goals and what effect it will have on the consumer.

There are two principle methods for strategic advertising management:

  • Market approach, whereby promotional activities are determined by the sales markets, with a particular focus placed on positioning of goods in relation to those of competitors.
  • Marketing approach, whereby product distribution is dictated by advertiser market behaviour, which in turn reflects marketing and advertising strategies under which the company operates. Based on this approach, the product and advertising it become the two most important facets of a company’s marketing activity.

The following factors should be taken into account before choosing a marketing strategy:

  • the specific product category and the product itself
  • opportunities for highlighting the product and its key features to consumers
  • competitor promotional activity
  • target audience mood
  • promotional messaging strategy
  • choice of channels for promotional activity

NSA specialists are on hand to help you formulate an effective promotional strategy in line with your budget, excluding any advertising media in which a competitor holds a dominant position. Instead, we look at media in which your company can occupy a leading position.

Commercial Strategy

The success of a modern-day organisation is largely dependent on the quality of strategic planning and management. Developing a functional, commercial strategy is a key condition for devising effective, strategic planning.

Developing a commercial strategy includes:

  • coming up with product range and brand portfolio policies
  • sales and distribution policies
  • strategic sales plans
  • developing company marketing strategies and policies
  • strategic marketing plans
  • creating an optimal and effective organisational structure for implementing commercial strategies
  • an incentive scheme for company employees, aimed at implementing the new strategy and developing key performance indicators (KPIs)
  • developing an implementation schedule for the commercial strategy

Not only do NSA specialists formulate commercial strategies and distribution schemes, they are also able to help with the creation of a structured affiliate and dealer network, establishing their status, structure, geography, aims and tasks.

Over the course of the process the following are defined:

  • priority distribution channels for different product groups/ territories
  • the typology of target customers
  • operational policies for distribution channels
  • company pricing policy and price setting according to the relevant channels
  • company credit policy.

Strategy Development

Strategy development comprises integrated work to determine the direction for future business growth. Developing a strategy consists of the following key stages:

  • analysis of the current state of the business and determining future objectives
  • analysis of the internal and external conditions
  • defining growth potential, identifying clear advantages and limitations
  • creation of a development strategy.

Company strategy development is required in the following situations:

  • entering new markets or regions
  • boosting a company’s market position
  • improving a company’s financial situation

As a result of the development strategy, a company’s strategic aims and functional strategies are established. Functional strategies consist of commercial and marketing strategies, promotional strategies, as well as organisational development strategie, etc.
A business development strategy is a structured scheme for creating new levels of business.