MARKETING SEGMENTATION STRATEGY AS A BASIS FOR DETERMINING THE STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS OF ENTERPRISE ACTIVITY

This article deepens the understanding of the essence of a company’s marketing segmentation strategy. The strategy is interpreted as a comprehensive program of actions aimed at achieving strategic objectives through the maximum coverage of target audiences by applying relevant market segmentation factors and implementing the most effective strategic marketing activities. Such an interpretation of the essence of a marketing segmentation strategy makes it possible to include not only current but also strategic tasks in the procedures of its development and implementation, which elevates its role to a higher level among functional strategies. The study identifies and systematizes the key characteristics of a marketing segmentation strategy that distinguish it from other strategies. These characteristics include high effectiveness in competitive environments, the concentration of efforts on a specific market segment or niche, and the justification of the marketing mix, which ensures the development of a more effective marketing strategy for the enterprise. The place of the marketing segmentation strategy in relation to other functional strategies and business strategies of the enterprise is determined. It is emphasized that the marketing segmentation strategy should not be regarded as equivalent to other functional strategies, which allows its importance to be raised to a qualitatively new level. It is also noted that the results of segmentation determine the strategic priorities of enterprise activity within each target segment, for which a separate marketing mix is subsequently developed. In general, all these strategic decisions and strategies form part of the overall marketing strategy of the enterprise, which encompasses the entire portfolio of strategic decisions and determines the overall behavior of the enterprise in the market. The results obtained in the study can be used in the development of a marketing segmentation strategy and in the formation of the enterprise’s overall marketing strategy.