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Driving forward: Exploring Subaru’s Market Share and Expansion Strategies

Subaru is a Japanese automobile manufacturer that has been producing high quality vehicles for over 50 years. Subaru’s are known for their unique designs and engineering, but more sought after for their focus on safety and reliability. Without looking below, what percentage of the market do you think Subaru makes up? In this blog I want to look into Subaru’s market share and 3 ways I think they can continue to expand their market share.

What percentage of market share does Subaru have?

If you guessed anywhere from 3-5% of the market you are correct. In 2021, Subaru made up 3.9% of the total market in the U.S. This still puts them in the top ten, but they remain behind giants like Toyota, Ford, Chevrolet, etc. Do you think Subaru will ever surpass any of the competitors above them?

Picture via: Market share post in MKT 402

Despite a relatively small market share, Subaru has been content during these hectic times with chip shortages and chaos in the auto industry. In a post by Subaru Media they show that they sold a total of 556,581 vehicles in 2022. This can be attributed to factors such as growing popularity around SUVs like the Forester and Outback, as well as a commitment to safety and reliability. What do you think Subaru’s nicest vehicle is? 

With this being said, how can Subaru expand their market share?

Expand their lineup: Currently SUVs are the one of the most popular segments in all of the automotive industry, and Subaru has seen success with models such as the Forester and the Outback. Subaru also released the Ascent a few years ago, which has gained popularity and is a great car for a family. By expanding their SUV lineup with new models, such as a full-size SUVs or a luxury SUV, this could lead to new customers and then increase market share. Subaru can also do vertical stretching where they add or take off features on a vehicle which allows for different price ranges on their vehicles. This is something they already do, but you can continue to innovate and create bigger price ranges for more customers! What type of vehicle do you think Subaru should make?

Expand Global Reach: As a current Subaru intern I see how much of an impact Subaru’s have in the U.S. and Japan, but I haven’t seen Subaru really attract to other markets. In other parts of the world, I would say they are not really known, but giant companies are known worldwide. If Subaru can expand their global reach and enter new markets, such as Europe or China, this could tap into new customer bases and increase market share.

Focus on Electric Vehicles: In December Subaru launched the Solterra, which they have collaborated with Toyota to make. This is the first electric vehicle made by the company, and they are going to continue to advance this vehicle and expand into making more EV’s. The whole auto industry is starting to make a shift towards electric vehicles, so don’t be surprised when the future model lineups coming out are primarily all electric. Do you like the idea of electric vehicles? What do you think the downfalls are? By having a focus on electric vehicles and investing in the technology and infrastructure now, Subaru could position themselves as a leader in this emerging market. 

Subaru may have a small market share, but they have proven to be a popular and successful brand. With a focus of safety, reliability, and a unique design, Subaru has attracted a loyal customer base. However, there is still plenty of room to expand their market share. If they can take advantage of the ideas listed above (which I will show my boss) Subaru will continue to grow and thrive in years to come.

[joeyhiller23]

Beyond the Badge: 4 Sustainable Competitive Advantages for Police Agencies in Providing Public Safety and Security

A sustainable competitive advantage is a unique attribute or capability that allows a company or organization to outperform its competitors in the long run. What companies do you think hold a significant sustainable competitive advantage? Why does competitive advantage only get mentioned in the business world though? In the case of a police agency, a sustainable competitive advantage can work the same way as it does for a business but provide a different outcome. For a police department you want your competitive advantage to be a unique attribute or capability that allows the agency to provide better safety and security services than its competitors over the long run. Same idea as a business, just a different outcome. Here are some examples of sustainable competitive advantages that a police agency can have:

Advanced technology and data analytics: A police agency that invests more in advanced technology and data analytics can have a sustainable competitive advantage in terms of crime prevention and resolution. In an article by Sintelix they talk about two crucial analytical tools that help police officers. One is predicting and monitoring crime locations and the other is criminal identification. Through various databases, web/social media data, and other factors cops can use advanced technology to predict locations of where crime may appear next or prevent a crime from ever happening. If you invest in advanced technology and data, you also can have better identification systems that can detect the face of a criminal and allow the police to arrest the person. All in all, analytics and better technology will set your department apart from the rest.

What ways do you think Police officers can benefit from advanced technology and data analytics that are different than the ideas listed above?

2. Specialized units and expertise: A policy agency that has specialized units and expertise coming from different areas can have a sustainable competitive advantage over other agencies because it can provide a higher level of service in specific areas that smaller/other agencies can’t. For example, if you have units that focus on counterterrorism, bomb squads, drug enforcement, SWOT, cybercrime, etc. you can prevent more crimes from happening and this allows for more job opportunities in your department. It also allows people that have knowledge in certain areas to do a job they have trained for in order to make sure everything goes smoothly. Are there any specialized units you think police should invest more into?

Picture via: City of Sacramento

3. Leadership and Management: Policy agencies that have effective leadership and management can create a work culture that is focused on excellence which can lead to better public safety. It is important to have a leader that officers want to work for and will follow their orders. This allows for the best overall safety for your town/city/state and the most efficient way to handle the prevention of crime. A great leader/upper management can also be a sustainable competitive advantage as other agencies will try to copy what you do, but they won’t be able to do the same because they don’t have your Chiefs, Sergeants, Commanders, Captains, etc… This really sets your department apart from the rest and can lead to your agency becoming very competitive/a prestigious department to work for.

4. Community-based Policing/Events: A police agency that has strong ties with its community and engages in community-based policing can build trust and credibility in the community. What ways does your local police agency interact with the public? A strong tie within the community is a sustainable competitive advantage as it allows for better cooperation, can help prevent crimes, better resolutions to problems, and it is difficult for other agencies to replicate the relationship you have within your own community. Where I grew up our local police department did a lot with our community and as a result people were friendly with the police and the crime rate around me was low. It pays to have a good relationship with the people you are going to protect/save!  

A police agency can have a sustainable competitive advantage through their technology and analytics, having specialized units, good leadership, and community-based policing. Especially in today’s world, law enforcement agencies must create a positive perception among the public to increase trust and cooperation. This is the reality due to the tendency of the mainstream media to exaggerate or in most cases choose very select incidents, which shine a negative light on police officers. There is a saying "All Cops Are Bad," but do you think this is true? Agencies are reconstructing their forces and if they implement these ideas they can have a significant competitive advantage over their peers!

In what ways can law enforcement agencies change their perception?

[joeyhiller23]

New Apple Patent

What new idea do you think Apple will create?

Apple’s AirPods have been on the market since 2016 and have received multiple upgrades during this time. For example, on their website they have four different types of AirPods being currently sold. The AirPods currently available are AirPods 2nd generation, AirPods 3rd generation, AirPods Pro Second Generation, and AirPods Max. With all this being said, it is rumored by multiple sources that Apple has just received the patent to create an AirPod’s case with touchscreen capability. 

(Example below)

Apple continues to stay ahead of their competition with innovative ideas like these new AirPods. This adds another stream of revenue for Apple in the AirPods category and they continue to make everything convenient for the customer. AirPods are easy to use, wireless, compact, and have good sound quality. Now with a touchscreen being added you won’t have to pull out your phone constantly, you can use your case which makes things much easier. If you own AirPods what version do you have and do you like them? 

Based on the current market I would say that AirPods are in the growth stage of the product life cycle but are in the later stages of it. People may be wondering “why is this important,” and it is important to know because Apple is yet again creating hype around AirPods with this new patent, and it will lead to new sales/growth in this category. During the growth stage, sales continue to increase, and the public becomes aware of the product. Since AirPods have been out since 2016 everyone knows about AirPods, but their sales continue to increase, and new competitors still enter the market to try and compete. Apple is notorious for continuing to expand their line of products so this is just one of the many new ideas we will see for AirPods. Apple also continues to invest in research and development, and we have seen that with the noise cancelling headphones recently. Do you think AirPods are still in the growth stage or do you think they have reached maturity? I am excited to see what is next!

Do you think these AirPods will be a major hit or a flop?

Now I haven’t seen anything officially posted from Apple on this patent, but I keep seeing it pop up all over the web. If they do go through with this, I think it will be a good idea and will become popular amongst the public. It is essentially an iPod which everyone loved. Apple is one of the most known brands in the entire world so it is difficult to say anything they release will flop.

[joeyhiller23]

4 Essential Marketing Tactics For A Small Businesses

Establishing your own enterprise is a challenging endeavor. While the idea of being in charge of yourself appeals to many, the level of effort required is often underestimated. The recent impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has amplified the significant financial pressures associated with starting your own business. Most small businesses fail to take advantage of marketing strategies and don’t reach their full potential. Now, I want to dive further into 4 marketing tactics that are essential for your small business!

Social media

What companies have you seen grow via social media ?

As social media usage continues to grow, so does the importance of incorporating social media into the marketing strategy for your small business. On social media you can schedule post, post directly, post stories, create polls, create ads, and much more. This allows you to communicate with your existing fans/customers, friends/family, and potential new customers! Via Social app report there are 4 apps (Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram) that all have over 2 billion users worldwide. Furthermore, there are about 4.88 billion people that have a social media account or over 55% of the world’s population. 

Facebook continues to rain supreme in the social media category with 2.9 billion active users. YouTube is in a close second followed by WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, and WeChat. Over the last few years Twitter has decreased immensely and so has snapchat. This could be due to other apps updating their abilities to take pictures and write text. I believe that TikTok is going to continue to grow and so is the China based app WeChat. 

The average person spends about 2 hours and 20 minutes a day on social media apps. An easy way to reach a wide audience is through paid ads via Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. This allows you to reach out to new potential customers. If you don’t want to pay you don’t have to. A number of social media accounts have grown through their consistent posting, fan engagement, commenting on other people’s post, and creating content that people want to see. People often forget that these apps are FREE, so take advantage of the large number of users and use social media to grow your business

What are some effective content marketing strategies you use to drive traffic to your website/social media pages?

2. Email Marketing

Email marketing is an easy and effective way to create and build a relationship with your audience over time. An easy way to get a large number of emails is to have a section on your website that allows visitors to leave their emails. This allows you to send updates regarding content, services, products, general announcements, or anything of interest to a customer! How do you use email marketing to increase customer engagement and loyalty?

Example of a place to contact a company / leave email: via Conglomerate Marketing Agency

There seems to be a widespread belief that social media is the sole significant channel for marketing. However, email marketing is a direct and uncomplicated method to connect with your intended audience through their email inbox. A great email marketing strategy can trigger a substantial surge in website traffic and sales, all with the simple click of a button! You can also go onto a potential client’s website and find emails on there and email them that way. When sending an email this way, make sure to keep it short and make it worth their time, if not, they won’t respond or won’t even read the email.

3. Create a website

As simple as it sounds, many small businesses do not create a website. It may not be the first thing on your mind with all the other things that are going on, but it should be. A website is the one thing that will be able to display and sell your product and services when you aren’t around. A website is available 24/7 and it will be able to display what your company is and what you do/sell. Make sure that your website runs smoothly, and the loading time is fast. If your website freezes customers will leave and go to a competitor’s website.  How long do you usually wait for a website to load before you leave and go to a competitors page?

Great chart via: Hobo-web

4. Blog post

One of the most effective ways to establish an online presence is through blogging. A blog is a valuable tool for small businesses as it allows them to connect with their audience, increase brand awareness, and potentially drive sales. A blog allows you as a small business owner to speak more in detail about your product or service. It also allows you to write on anything you are passionate about or may have some expertise on. What is something you want to start creating blog post about?

In a post by Hub Spot it talks about how companies that have a blog post have better marketing results. The post shows a chart that states: 55% more website visitors for companies that blog. This is crucial for a small business to attract this type of exposure on their website as it allows them to become known, but also have more traffic on their website. If you do a good job setting up your website and what you are offering is something people need, you will see increased sales!

Please take advantage of these 4 marketing tactics for your small business. These tactics will allow your business to grow, and you will start to gain new customers/fans and new followers!