Development of marketing strategy on the example of it company

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Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University

Department of Management and Business Administration

DEVELOPMENT OF MARKETING STRATEGY ON THE EXAMPLE OF IT COMPANY

Iryna Boryshkevych, PhD in Economics, Lecturer

Nataliia Hoi, PhD in Economics, Associate Professor

Olha Zhuk, PhD in Economics, Associate Professor

Ivano-Frankivsk



Abstract

marketing strategy management sale

In modern conditions, when market factors have gained even more influence, and the behavior of business structures has become less predictable, companies have to rethink their activities and focus on using the concept of marketing as a management tool. The growth of competition has created conditions for the active use of a marketing approach in order to solve management and sales tasks and increase competitive advantages. The chronology of the development of marketing, which includes 6 main stages, was studied. The main approaches to the interpretation of the concept of "marketing" are analyzed, among which the following are distinguished: philosophical, managerial, organizational, functional, essential, valuable and institutional. Marketing is an activity aimed to generate demand, promote the company's products/services, attract the attention of consumers and satisfy their needs through the purchase process. The main elements of the marketing strategy were characterized, namely: analysis of the promotion market, research of the target audience, definition of competitors, analysis of the current state of the company, definition of development goals, positioning and development of advertising promotion. The object of the study was the IT company "Uvik Software", which has been operating on the market since 2013 and specializes in IT services. The current state of marketing activities of the IT company "Uvik Software" was analyzed. A marketing strategy was developed for the IT company "Uvik Software", in particular, a market analysis was carried out, an analysis of competitors and their products, an analysis of the target audience (a portrait of the target audience was drawn up according to the following parameters: industry, location, financial condition, number of employees and necessary services), carried out SWOT analysis of the company, development goals (business goals, marketing goals, communication goals and media goals), positioning and advertising promotion advice are given. A content plan of publications for the company under study has been created.

Keywords; marketing, management, marketing management, marketing activity, marketing strategy, IT company.



Анотація

Боришкевич Ірина, Гой Наталія, Жук Ольга, Даріуш Сала. Формування маркетингової стратегії на прикладі IT-компанії. Журнал Прикарпатського університету імені Василя Стефаника, 10 (4) (2023), 31-45.

У сучасних умовах, коли ринкові фактори набули ще більшого впливу, а поведінка бізнес-структур стала не такою передбачуваною, компанії повинні переосмислити свою діяльність і акцентувати увагу на використанні концепції маркетингу як засобу управління. Зростання конкуренції створило умови для активного використання маркетингового підходу з метою вирішення управлінських та збутових завдань та нарощення конкурентних переваг. Досліджено хронологію розвитку маркетингу, що включає 6 основних етапів. Проаналізовано основні підходи до трактування поняття "маркетинг", серед яких виокремлено: філософський, управлінський, організаційний, функціональний, сутнісний, ціннісний та інституціональний. Маркетинг являє собою діяльність в напрямку формування попиту, просування продукції/послуг компанії, приваблення уваги споживачів та задоволення їх потреб через процес купівлі. Здійснено характеристику основних елементів маркетингової стратегії, а саме: аналізу ринку просування, дослідження цільової аудиторії, визначення конкурентів, аналізу поточного стану компанії, визначення цілей розвитку, позиціонування та розробки рекламного просування. Об'єктом дослідження обрано IT- компанію "Uvik Software", що працює на ринку з 2015 року та спеціалізується на сервісному обслуговуванні в галузі IT. Проаналізовано поточний стан маркетингової діяльності IT-компанії "Uvik Software". Розроблено маркетингову стратегію для IT-компанії "Uvik Software", зокрема здійснено аналіз ринку, аналіз конкурентів і їх продуктів, аналіз цільової аудиторії (складено портрет цільової аудиторії за такими параметрами: галузь, місцезнаходження, фінансовий стан, кількість працівників й необхідні послуги), здійснено SWOT-аналіз компанії, визначено цілі розвитку (бізнес-цілі, маркетингові цілі, комунікаційні цілі та медіа цілі), позиціонування та наведено поради щодо рекламного просування. Сформовано контент- план публікацій для досліджуваної компанії.



INTRODUCTION

The development of market relations in Ukraine requires companies to be focused on both the client and the market, taking into account all its directions. Uncertainty, a high level of competition and a significant number of other problems faced by modern companies require quick and high-quality management solutions. Ukrainian companies have to compete not only on the domestic market, but also on the foreign market, because foreign companies often offer more favorable conditions for customers, lower prices or better quality. All this necessitates the use of marketing technologies by each company, which will provide an opportunity to increase their consumer value in the market. It should be noted that the key task of any company is to meet the needs of customers and provide them with the goods or services they expect to receive. Marketing is one of the main management decisions, which makes it possible to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the company.

Modern IT companies work in conditions of constant changes, dynamic market environment and growing competition. The rapid pace of technological development and changing consumer preferences create a need for constant improvement of marketing strategies to ensure competitiveness and access to new markets. Taking into account the importance of using innovative marketing methods, as well as the introduction of modern data analysis tools and communication technologies with the audience in the form of research, strategic planning and development of advertising campaigns, becomes crucial for the success of IT companies in the modern market environment. Thus, research and improvement of the marketing management system in IT companies is an important stage for achieving their strategic goals and sustainable development.



THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK / LITERATURE REVIEW

For the first time, the term "marketing" appeared in the 20th century, but some elements of marketing were used in Japan in 1650. Then, in Tokyo, a member of the Mitsui family opened the first store, which was very similar to a modern department store. In this store, sections were formed and systematization of information about consumer needs was applied, which formed the basis for the production of goods that were in high demand. When purchasing the product, the client was provided with a guarantee, during which he could return the product and get his money back (Pavlenko & Dashevska, 2015).

We can say that the concept of "marketing" appeared at the turn of the XIX -XX centuries in the economic literature of the United States of America. The first marketing courses were taught at American universities in 1902. In particular, teacher Edward Jones taught the first marketing course at the University of Michigan, teacher Simon Litman at the University of California, Berkeley, and teacher George Fisk at the University of Illinois.

From 1910 to 1925, marketing not only served as a tool for market research, but also began to be used in business, where separate marketing departments began to be created. Later, the first publications appeared in which marketing is explained as an art that allows you to manage the sale of goods or services.

In 1926, the National Marketing and Advertising Association was formed in the USA. It became the foundation for the American Marketing Society, which in 1937 was renamed the American Marketing Association. Later, similar associations appeared in Japan, Australia, Western Europe and Canada (Senyshyn & Kryveshko, 2020).

The well-known "4P" model of the marketing mix by J. McCarthy was p roposed in 1960. This model is explained by the existence of four main elements of marketing: product, price, place, and promotion. This model marked the beginning of scientific research on the understanding of the essence of marketing and its impact on the company's activities (Shaw et al., 2007).

In 1965, the English Institute of Marketing first defined marketing as follows: "marketing is a practical activity and a set of managerial functions used to organize and manage a set of activities related to the assessment of the purchasing power of customers, the transformation of this power into real demand for goods or services, as well as their sale for profit or other purposes". This definition was widely recognized and became widespread (Shaw, 2009).

There are many interpretations of the term "marketing" in scientific literature. Some scientists consider the structure of this concept as a combination of the verb "market", which in translation means to market or sell, and the suffix "mg", which is a sign of a ctive activity. Literally, marketing is translated as sales. Other scientists consider the term "marketing" as a noun, which in translation means "market" and interpret "marketing" as market formation or market activity. Given that in the Ukrainian languag e this concept was new in its essence and application, it began to be used as "marketing" (Ivanenko & Boyenko, 2022).

Fig. 1 Chronology of marketing development Source: author's research based on (Budnikevich et al., 2018)

The development of marketing can be depicted in the form of six stages (Figure 1).

Among the main prerequisites for the emergence of marketing, the following should be noted:

1) greater supply compared to demand, i.e. oversaturation of markets with goods and services;

2) presence of a high level of competition;

3) development of the market infrastructure;

4) the desire of companies to earn more profits and expand their own sales markets;

5) raising the standard of living of the population and, as a result, the desire to choose goods (services) of better quality.

O.V. Zozulyov and T. O. Tsaryova in their scientific studies single out seven main approaches to the interpretation of the concept of "marketing" (Table 1).

Tab. 1

Basic approaches to the interpretation of the term “marketing"

Approach	Treatment
Philosophical	Marketing is a business philosophy and enables the formation of the mindset of the company and all its employees.
Administrative	Marketing is the theory and practice of company management, its marketing strategy, which allows you to make effective management decisions based on the analysis of the internal and external environment in order to reconcile the various interests of market subjects.
Organizational	Marketing is a system of organizing the company's activities ba sed on the study and analysis of market demand, where all business processes are subordinated to the mission of successful sales of products (services).
Functional	Marketing is the process of planning and implementing ideas related to pricing, advertising and sales of products to achieve company goals.
Substantial	Marketing is a theory that examines the issue of increasing the efficiency of market exchanges.
Valuable	Marketing is such a theory and practice in the company, which is aimed at the formation of values both for the company and for consumers.
Approach	Treatment
Institutional	Marketing is understood through the existence of an institutional tool that ensures the existence and functioning of the market economy and consumer society in general.

Source: author's research based on (Zozulyov & Tsareva, 2021)

In one of his works, Philip Kotler considers the term "marketing" as a type of human activity aimed at meeting needs through exchange (Kotler, 2021). O. I. Shaporenko understands marketing as "the process of organization and coordination of production and sales activities in a company in conditions of uncertainty, which is aimed at obtaining the maximum level of profit by optimizing the mechanism of distribution of products or services on the market in order to meet the actual and potential needs of consumers" (Shaporenko, 2019). In our opinion, this interpretation is comprehensive and fully reflects the real essence of marketing. It is also worth adding that modern marketing involves the use of innovative tools, approaches and methods of promotion.

Marketing management is a process that includes the analysis, strategic planning, implementation, and control of activities aimed at creating, maintaining, and strengthening mutually beneficial relationships with the target market to achieve specific company goals, such as generating profits, increasing sales, and expanding market, share market or entering new markets. This process includes product, pricing, communications, and distribution strategies. It is important to take into account the fact that the conceptual foundations of marketing management may vary depending on the nature of the markets in which the company operates. Market needs and opportunities may require different levels of marketing intensity.

N. M. Kalmykova considers marketing management in a broad and narrow sense. In a broad sense, marketing management is a set of measures aimed at increasing the company's competitive advantages by winning a larger market share. In a narrow sense, marketing management is considered in the context of the functioning of the marketing service and the fulfillment of its tasks (Kalmykova, 2013).

D. V. Rayko and L. E. Lebedeva understand marketing management as a modern concept of marketing that uses new approaches to promoting products or services based on market orientation, as well as one of the tools of strategic management of the company (Raiko & Lebedeva, 2015).

Management of marketing activities, according to S. A. Yaromych and T. G. Velychko, is the science and art of managing a company by applying in practical activities not only the energy of an entrepreneur, his knowledge and creativity, but also effective and modern marketing tools (Yaromich & Velichko, 2017). Marketing management is a combination of two directions: marketing and management, and also involves researching consumer needs, manufacturing goods or providing services in accordance with these needs, setting optimal prices, as well as effective promotion of the company's product and entering new markets.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE, METHODOLOGY AND DATA

The purpose of our research is the formation of an effective marketing strategy on the example of an IT company, as well as the development of theoretical and practical recommendations for improving the marketing management system in an IT company.

The marketing activity of any company should be aimed at ensuring its long-term and stable existence, at developing strong and long-term relationships with customers and other market participants, as well as at increasing the competitiveness of the offered products and services. In this regard, one of the most important tasks of the company's marketing is the creation of competitive market strategies, which aim, in a scientific aspect, to ensure the long-term humanistic orientation of market theory and practice.

D. Kobets notes that the marketing strategy is the main plan of the company's marketing activities, which is formed for the long term and involves the selection of target segments (Kobets, 2017). It should be aimed at optimal use of available opportunities to promote goods/services and avoid erroneous actions, taking into account the conditions of the internal and external environment.

The essence of the marketing strategy reflects the main approaches to its understanding, namely:

1) general plan of agreed actions;

2) modern business philosophy;

3) a model for achieving the company's marketing goals;

4) a set of marketing tools and measures to achieve the company's long-term goals;

5) systematic analysis and search for consumer needs and their satisfaction;

6) a set of certain measures to enter the target markets and capture a larger share of the market;

7) focusing the company's efforts in the direction of achieving favorable market positions (Kovalchuk, 2018).

Thus, the company's marketing strategy is a set of marketing measures and tools, their implementation, which ensures the achievement of the company's long-term goals and its mission, as well as the satisfaction of existing customer needs.

The company's marketing strategy includes 7 main components (Figure 2).

Fig. 2 Basic elements of marketing strategy Source: author's research based on (Savina, 2018)

1. Analysis of the promotion market. The promotion market for IT companies is constantly changing due to the rapid development of technology and growing competition, so it is necessary to follow the latest technological trends, it will help the company to be aware of the latest innovations and use them to promote products or services (Bolotina & Semenets, 2022).

2. Study of the target audience. Defining the target audience and its segmentation is an integral stage of creating any advertising campaign. The target audience is a set of actual and potential customers who are interested in a certain product or service, and are also ready to buy it from a specific seller under the influence of certain marketing tools.

Among the main segmentation criteria, the following can be distinguished:

1) socio-demographic: gender, age, income, education, social status;

2) geography: region, city/village, population density;

3) behavior: what task does the product or service solve, intensity of consumption;

4) psychographics: lifestyle, motivation, values, other personal factors (Samolinska, 2021).

Customers within the same segment have roughly the same expectations for products or services, and respond similarly to certain promotional offers, types of messages, or existing company content.

1. Definition of competitors. All the company's competitors can be divided into three groups: direct, indirect and potential competitors (Chikov, 2019). To better study information about competitors and their communication with customers, you should find answers to the following questions:

1) How much do competitors' goods/services cost?

2) How do they advertise and promote themselves?

3) What sales channels do they use?

4) How is the customer experience formed?

5) How is the delivery?

6) How quickly does the customer receive the order?

Competition is closely related to consumer behavior. This interdependence forces companies to develop development strategies that promote constant innovation, change and improvement implemented in all aspects of their operations. In conclusion, we can say that competition stimulates companies to innovate and improve.

2. Analysis of the current state. Analysis of the current state of the company can be carried out using a SWOT analysis. SWOT analysis involves analyzing the internal (strengths and weaknesses) and external (opportunities and threats) environment. This is one of the most popular tools for analysis.

3. Determination of development goals. Setting strategic marketing goals can be carried out using the "goal tree" method, which involves the decomposition of strategic goals into tactical and operational ones. The "goal tree" method is a graphical representation of the sequential relationships between a strategic goal and smaller goals. Also, an important role in the effective use of this method is its construction in accordance with the principle of a hierarchical structure. Within this structure: a higher- level goal serves as a reference for the development of lower-level goals; goals at a lower level are presented as means of achieving higher-level goals and should be formulated so that their combined result contributes to the achievement of the initial goal (Kopylchak, 2017).

4. Positioning. In the conditions of a saturated market, where goods and services are widely represented, companies pay attention to the differentiation of their offers in order to stand out among competitors and occupy a prominent position in the minds of not only consumers, but also all market participants. This leads to the creation of a unique positioning of their products (Primak, 2012).

Positioning features include the following:

1) positioning is an element of a long-term strategy, not a tactic designed for a shorter period. Correctly taken positions of the company in the market should be stable, protected and adapted to future development;

2) positioning is about the reflection of the product or service in the minds of consumers, as well as what they think about the company;

3) positioning is based on benefits that customers receive as a result of purchasing goods or services;

4) one buyer's perception of a product or service may differ from another buyer's perception. This is primarily related to the individual vision, thinking, and experience of each individual consumer.

5. Development of advertising promotion. Among the main promotion tools, we can highlight: SMM marketing, TV and radio advertising, content marketing, outdoor advertising (big boards, city lights), printed products (postcards, catalogs), etc.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The object of our research is the IT company "Uvik Software", which was established in 2013, b ut the founders and employees of the company have been working in the field of information technologies for a long time. More than 50 employees work in the company, and this company is a service company by type (it combines outsourcing and outstaffing models). Service IT companies perform work to order, they undertake "turnkey" development.

The company "Uvik Software" provides the following services:

1) Python consulting services;

2) Django consulting services;

3) consulting in Data Science (The official website of the IT company "Uvik Software").

The Clutch.co online platform conducts a rating assessment of IT companies depending on their various areas of work. Thus, the company "Uvik Software" is among the top 15 leaders of Python & Django Developers (Figure 3).

Fig. 3 Top-15 leaders Python & Django Developers

Source: data (The official website of the Online database Clutch.co)

The Leaderboard is an interactive graph where Clutch's employees display the top -ranked companies in an individual market, in this case Python & Django Developers. This matrix is divided into 4 quadrants:

1. Market leaders (upper right quadrant).

2. Proven leaders (upper left quadrant).

3. Niche leaders (lower right quadrant).

4. New leaders (lower left quadrant).

As we can see from Figure 3, the company "Uvik Software" belongs to the leaders of the niche, as it is placed in the lower right quadrant. The market leaders include the following companies: Django Stars, STX Next, Merixstudio, AnyforSoft, Netguru and Profil Software. The following companies were among the proven leaders: Toptal, Octobot and The Story | UX Design + Custom Development. Niche leaders, in addition to the investigated company "Uvik Software", also included Torchbox, AnvilEight, PLANEKS, Caktus Group and Sunscrapers. And none of the companies has yet entered the "new leaders" quadrant. Note that this rating was made from among 6,511 companies belonging to Python & Django Developers.

In total, the company "Uvik Software" received 33.4 points, of which: 16.2 - for positive customer feedback, 9.3 - for customer experience and 7.9 - for the company's presence on the market.

In today's world, the marketing activities of any company are mostly implemented through the Internet, namely official websites, landing pages, various online platforms, social networks, etc. The use of Internet technologies in corporate management is of great importance. Internet marketing helps to form and develop the market, as well as to orient companies to the consumer and to carry out effective sales activities.

Internet marketing communication channels of the researched IT company "Uvik Software" are shown in Figure 4.

The company "Uvik Software" has its own modern official website: https://uvic.net/ (The official website of the IT company "Uvik Software"). It is presented in English, as it is designed primarily for the foreign market. The IT company "Uvik Software" has its own pages on the following social networks: LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook. If we analyze the PR events or events in which the Uvik Software company is involved, then among them we can single out various types of trainings and courses organized by the company, public initiatives, cooperation with educational institutions, etc.

Fig. 4 Internet marketing communication channels for company analysis “Uvik Software"

Source: author's research

Let's consider the main stages of forming a marketing strategy.

1. Market analysis. At this stage, it is necessary to analyze what services are offered, what programming languages are popular and what their trends are.

If you analyze the volume of the domestic IT market of Ukraine in 2022-2023, you can trace its decrease. This is primarily due to the fact that military operations continue in Ukraine, and therefore customers are afraid of risks that may arise in connection with missile attacks or power outages. However, if we look at the IT market development forecast until 2027, we can see its growth (Figure 5).



Fig. 5 Forecast of the volume of the domestic IT market of Ukraine for 2023-2027 Source: data (Melnyk, 2023)

In general, it is clear that the field of information technology will continue to develop, and the services of IT companies will be in demand for a long time, even despite the emergence of artificial intelligence. It is worth noting that the company "Uvik Software" is among the 15 leaders of Python & Django Developers and is the leader of the niche, so let's analyze how popular the Python programming language is. According to the rating conducted by the largest IT community DOU, Python entered the top 3 in terms of popularity (Figure 6).

Fig. 6 Ranking of programming languages in 2023

Source: data (Melnyk, 2023)

Figure 6 shows that Python is used by 13.4% of IT professionals, which is an increase of 2.34 compared to 2022. Python is slightly ahead of two other programming languages: JavaScript and Java. In general, the liking index is 73.8%.

It can be said that the market analysis showed a favorable environment for the activity of the investigated company "Uvik Software".

2. Analysis of competitors and their products. At this stage, the main competitors of the company "Uvik Software" should be analyzed. As already mentioned above, the closest competitors of this company are those who are also leaders in the Python & Django Developers niche, namely: AnvilEight, Torchbox, Sunscrapers, PLANEKS and Caktus Group.

To analyze the company "Uvik Software" and its competitors, we will take as a basis 4 main criteria for evaluating companies offered by the Clutch platform for customers (Table 2).

Tab. 2

Analysis of the main competitors of the company “Uvik Software"

Criteria	Quality	Meeting deadlines	Cost and adherence to	Willingness to recommend	Final Score
Companies^\			budgets	clients
Uvik Software	5,0	5,0	4,9	5,0	19,9
AnvilEight	4,7	4,3	4,4	4,9	18,3
Torchbox	5,0	5,0	4,7	5,0	19,7
Sunscrapers	4,9	4,8	4,7	5,0	19,4
PLANEKS	5,0	4,9	4,9	5,0	19,8
Caktus Group	5,0	5,0	4,8	5,0	19,8

Source: author's research based on (The official website of the Online database Clutch.co)

For a better perception and comparative analysis of the main competitors of the company "Uvik Software", we will illustrate the obtained data in the Table 2 in the form of a diagram (Figure 7).

Fig. 7 Analysis of the main competitors of the company "Uvik Software", points

Source: created by the author based on the data in the Table. 2

From Figure 7 shows that according to the 4 main criteria compared to the nearest competitors, the company "Uvik Software" has the highest score - 19.9, the 2nd place is shared by two IT companies: PLANEKS and Caktus Group (19.8 points each), on the third Torchbox took first place (19.7 points), Sunscrapers took fourth place (19.4 points), and AnvilEight (18.3 points) scored the lowest number of points, taking 5th place.

3. Analysis of the target audience. At this stage, you need to carry out a comprehensive analysis of the target audience, its industry, features, interests, financial status, etc.

The target audience is a set of people (companies) interested in the product. For the B2B audience, the following characteristics can be distinguished that are worth considering: industry, location, financial status, number of employees, required services (data SendPuls, 2023).

Based on the analyzed information, we will create a portrait of the target audience of the company "Uvik Software" (Table 3).



Tab. 3

Portrait of the “Uvik Software" company's target audience

Indexes	Target audience
Branch	Education, financial services, media, medicine
Location	USA
Financial position	Middle market ($10 million to $1 billion)
Number of employees	1-50 employees
Required services	Software development, web development, mobile application development.

Source: author's research

4. Carrying out a SWOT analysis of the company. The main purpose of the SWOT analysis is to investigate both internal and external strategic factors affectin g the company's activities. The SWOT analysis evaluates the company's strengths and weaknesses, as well as opportunities and threats arising in the foreign market. It is important to draw conclusions about what strategic changes should be implemented in the company after the analysis (Boryshkevych & Iwaszczuk, 2020). A successful company strategy involves eliminating weaknesses, as well as using strengths to achieve competitive advantages. If the strengths are not enough, the company's management should consider the possibilities of forming additional grounds for a successful strategy.

The SWOT analysis of the IT company "Uvik Software" is given in the Table 4.

Tab. 4

SWOT analysis of the IT company “Uvik Software"

The internal environmen	of the company
Strenghts	Weaknesses
1. A wide range of consulting and development services (Python, Django and Data Science). 2. High level of qualification of IT specialists and availability of various technical specialists. 3. Experience in the market for the implementation of various technological solutions. 4. Long-term cooperation with large clients in various industries. 5. Compliance with general technological requirements put forward by the market. 6. Using various Python frameworks (Django, Flask, Pyramid, Tornado, Bottle), libraries, AWS, REST API and ORM, machine learning and artificial intelligence. 7. Availability of own service delivery models adapted to each client. 8. High positions of the company in various leading success ratings. 9. Positive feedback from customers of services from various sectors of the economy. 10. Presence of an IT Academy in the company. 11. Social responsibility of the company. 12. Functional official website of the company.	1. Weak presence of the company at the world's largest industry conferences, forums, exhibitions, etc. 2. Low recognition of the company's brand. 3. Insufficient number of representative offices of the company in developed countries of the world. 4. Weak SMM-marketing (pages in social networks are present, but not active enough). 5. Lack of partner network and significant experience of working with partners. 6. Low market share compared to IT industry leaders. 7. Low awareness of potential customers about the company and low costs for marketing activities. 8. Lack of a company development strategy.
The external environment of the company
Opportunities	Threats
1. Increasing the number of customers in various industries due to increasing brand recognition. 2. Increasing the level of sales by opening representative offices in new countries and regions. 3. The company's participation in various global industry conferences, exhibitions, forums. 4. Formation of a marketing strategy and strengthening of SMM-marketing. 5. Finding new partners and improving communication with partners. 6. Increasing the company's market share by attracting new IT specialists. 7. Formation of an effective company development strategy.	1. Escalation of hostilities and increased risks of working with clients. 2. Increasing the level of competition on the market. 3. Mobilization of the best IT specialists. 4. The possibility of technological lag behind world leaders in the industry. 5. Insufficient financial stability of clients. 6. Hunting of the best employees by competing companies. 7. The emergence of a negative reputation of the company due to the unsuccessful implementation of the project. 8. Reducing the number of projects and reducing the company's performance.

Source: author's research

The results of the analysis showed that the company has many strengths and opportunities, but is not without weaknesses and external threats.

5. Determination of development goals. At this stage, it is necessary to clearly define the specific goals that need to be achieved within the framework of the developed plan. They must be achievable, and also correspond to the overall strategy of the company. Marketing strategy is based on 4 levels of goals: business goals, marketing goals, communication goals, and media goals.

We will form the goals of the marketing strategy for the company "Uvik Software" (Figure 8).

6. Positioning. Correct positioning allows you to win the trust of customers and build long-term relationships. If the IT company has a well-thought-out positioning, it is easier for it to stand out among competitors. The main emphasis in the positioning of the investigated company "Uvik Software" is on its expertise in Python, Django and Data Science. As James Sim (President & Co-Founder, Drakontas LLC) rightly notes: "A disciplined and persistent team with an excellent work ethic" (The official website of the IT company "Uvik Software").

7. Development of advertising promotion. For advertising, we recommend using social networks: LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook. Among the main advantages of using SMM can be noted:

1) gradual creation of an image through active maintenance of social pages, and therefore such content is organic;

2) increasing the audience, because it is possible to attract people from different territories (cities, countries, continents);

3) it is possible to set up targeted advertising for the selected target audience;

4) a relatively small budget for the promotion of its services;

5) availability of feedback and effective communication with the audience (Semenenko et al., 2019).



Tab. 5

Content plan of publications for an IT " company "Ivik Software"

Time	Time of day	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
10:00	Morning 1 И
15:00	Dinner
20:00	Evening
News from an IT company
	Internal "kitchen" that happens	behind the scenes"
	Interesting content
	Interviews with famous people
	Expert opinion
	Customer stories
	Current information about the IT sector
	A day in the life of a team

Source: author's research

In our opinion, the created content plan will enable the quality and systematic management of the social networks of the IT company "Uvik Software".

The developed marketing strategy will give the IT company the opportunity to effectively use available communication channels to promote its products or services, position itself in the market as an expert in the relevant field, provide support and interaction with customers, as well as constantly improve the strategy based on the analysis of results and changes in the industry. which will allow the company to increase its competitiveness, attract new customers and increase sales.



Fig. 8 Goals of the marketing strategy for the company "Uvik Software"

Source: author's research

For the sake of quality promotion of content in social networks, it is important to develop a content plan, that is, a schedule of publications. We will create a content plan for the IT company "Uvik Software" (Table 5).



CONCLUSION

The marketing management system in an IT company is a set of strategies, methods, tools and processes aimed at planning, implementing and controlling marketing activities to achieve the company's strategic goals in the field of information technologies. This s ystem includes market analysis, product development, pricing strategies, product promotion, interaction with customers and competitors, and studying and responding to industry changes and consumer needs. It is focused on identifying and satisfying market needs through the effective use of marketing strategies and tools in the context of information technologies.

The main component of marketing management is the development of a system of strategies for the enterprise. At the same time, the marketing strategy has an important status and should be singled out in the system of enterprise strategies. It is important that the marketing strategy is harmonious and interconnected with the overall corporate strategy. The formation and implementation of a marketing strategy in the work of the company will ensure the effective achievement of goals and the fulfillment of tasks, taking into account the peculiarities of modern business conditions.

When implementing the marketing strategy of an IT company, it is important to take into account the diversity of digital communication channels, ensure high quality content and focus on the target audience, identify innovative approaches to promotion, constantly improve products or services in accordance with market needs, systematically analyze the effectiveness of the strategy using measurable KPIs and carry out adjustments to achieve maximum results. It is also important to remember to ensure customer engagement through feedback and implementing community development strategies to maintain and develop long-term customer relationships.



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