This document discusses lateral marketing strategy and its benefits for healthcare industries. It notes that traditional target marketing involves vertically segmenting markets by drilling down into them, which can result in overlooked opportunities. Lateral segmentation instead looks broadly at markets to identify new segments. The document recommends that healthcare marketers examine which customer segments and needs they may have previously bypassed through vertical thinking alone. Adopting a lateral perspective can help identify new categories and broaden their served markets. Following principles like innovating to grow and avoiding hyper-segmentation can make lateral marketing a sustainable part of their organizational culture.

1. Kotler and Trias de Bes
Lateral Marketing strategy
Dr. Subhodip Mitra,
Dept. of Hospital Administration,
KMC, Manipal.

2. Points to be noted
• The value of target marketing as an
important healthcare marketing activity.
• Vertical segmentation by identifying viable
segments by drilling down into markets.
• Lateral segmentation to look broadly at
markets to identify previously overlooked
opportunities.
• Appreciate the value of Lateral Marketing
Strategy for realizing the true depth and
breadth of marketplace opportunities.

3. Introduction
Market segmentation
• Target marketing Targeting
Product positioning
• Tailors products for specific market segments.
• More productive than mass marketing , which involves marketing
goods and services to broad markets.
• Target marketing places a defined emphasis on serving specific
customer populations.
• Despite it’s benefits, refinements can be made. E.g.: Market
segmentation.

4. Market segmentation
• Process of diving the market in to groups of individuals
who share common interests
• Typically effected by drilling down into markets,
bypassing layers that are deemed undesirable.
• Appealing market segments are then targeted.
• This method of drilling down is known as VERTICAL
SEGMENTATION.
• Therefore it helps markets to look broadly at their
markets to serve the customers who have been
previously overlooked.
• Also benefits the customers who’s needs might have
gone unnoticed.

5. Discarded needs
Discarded customers
Discarded
situations/uses
Discarded
Opportunities
Discarded needs
Discarded customers
Discarded
situations/uses
Discarded
Opportunities

6. In the healthcare industry
• Examine their served markets segments and the products that
are used to address those segments.
• Endeavour to determine what market segment opportunities
have been overlooked or bypassed.
• Evaluation of previously foregone segments to determine
whether they are worthy of pursuit.
• Requires a degree of creativity and exploration on part of the
healthcare marketers.
• Affords a range of segmentation opportunities that might be
overlooked.
• Kotler and Trias de Bes maintains that lateral segmentation is
NOT a substitute for target segmentation.
• Gives the healthcare marketers an edge in the ever
increasing competitive intensity of the marketplace.

7. 7 principles for successful lateral
marketing
1. Healthcare industries need to innovate if they are to grow
and prosper.
2. New products fail due to the traditional innovation process.
3. Most of the products offer just a specialized version of
something already on the market.
4. Repeated application of vertical thinking can lead to
hypersegmented market.
5. New products of services must be thought up in a
complementary way which will lead to new categories or
markets.
6. Teaches a distinct framework and process that can be made
the organization’s culture.
7. Lateral marketing thinking might occur spontaneously or
consciously.

8. Thank you! 😄