3M’s David Windorski used an excellent strategy to get ideas from college students to help him in designing the final commercial version of the Post-it® Flag Highlighter. Instead of using face-to-face interview with students to obtain their ideas regarding how to best design the final commercial version of the Post-it® Flag Highlighter, Windorski used the textbook approach for marketing. In this approach, Windorski first established the needs and wants of potential consumers and then developed his product. Thus, Windorski used a lot of marketing research along the way after he developed the concept of the Post-it® Flag Highlighter. The idea of the classic approach for the marketing research guided Wimdorski in identifying the potential market for the product.
In introducing the new highlighter-with-flags product for the college students, 3M had both advantages and problems. One of the special advantages of 3M was that it led to innovation of flags that were easier to hold and permanently accessible without twisting. Besides, the 3M was critical in communicating the flag-plus-highlighter idea, it was attractive, and achieved both goals with the fewest words. Also, innovation at 3M never stops. For instance, 3M led to the introduction of 3-in-1 combination that contained a highlighter, a pen, and 3M Post-it® Flags. However, 3M’s budgets were limited, as it relied heavily on its technology for a competitive advantage. It was also challenging for 3M to find ways of making the Post-it® Flag Highlighter prominent on shelves of college bookstores and retail chains.
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The best place to display the Post-it® Flag Highlighter in a college bookstore is at the front of the bookshelves. Displaying the Post-it® Flag Highlighter in front of the bookshelves may play a significant role in increasing the students’ awareness of the display. For instance, as the students come searching for their desired books in the bookshelves, they see the display and feel the urge to know more about the display. As a result, the students make detailed examination of the Post-it® Flag Highlighter, and subsequently become potential customers for the product.
There are several ways in which 3M might try to promote its Post-it® Flag Highlighter and make students aware of the product. One of the ways is through conducting a continuous search for simple, effective promotions aimed at alerting students about the product. For example, 3M may create a website where students may log in and read about the products in terms of where and how they can access it, its advantages over the other products, and its cost. Besides, 3M may opt to use some of the students in promoting and marketing the product at some fee. 3M may also try convincing the available retail chains that selling space devoted to its highlighter line will yield more profits than just stocking competing products. In this way, the retails will avail more of Post-it® Flag Highlighter Flags in the market, and subsequently make them popular among the students.
One of the opportunities that 3M may have while venturing into the global market is investing in its experience. The Post-it® Flag Highlighter has done well in the United States and, therefore, may use the same strategies it used to become competitive in the United States’ market to expand its operations in the international market. Another opportunity is utilizing its innovative power to increase competitive ability in the international market. For example, Windorski’s recent innovation of the students based on 3M’s adhesive technology makes the product popular and competitive in the global market, and hence likely to gain demand in the international market.
However, 3M faces a great challenge in identifying the countries which may offer the best market for its product. In addition, 3M lacks the knowledge regarding the best colors for each country, and how to physically get the product to the new markets in a timely and cost-efficient manner. Some of the countries that 3M may focus its marketing efforts include China, India, Switzerland, Panama, and Singapore. These countries have a high demand for Post-it® Flag Highlighter, have a good transport and communication system, and are unlikely to impose heavy taxes for the exportation of the product.
