Product Positioning and Customer Targeting Practices Adopted by Small-Scale Manufacturing Firms in Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigates the role of product positioning and customer targeting practices in small-scale manufacturing firms in Rivers State, Nigeria. 385 small scale manufacturing firms registered with the Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists, Rivers State Chapter constituted the target population. The Krejcie and Morgan (1970) table was used to determine a sample size of 191. A structured questionnaire was designed by the researcher and administered to owners/managers of the SME manufacturing firms and responses analysed using means score and standard deviations to determine which practices are most adopted. Findings indicate that characteristics-based positioning was the most adopted product positioning practice while undifferentiated marketing was the most preferred customer targeting practice. It was concluded that product positioning and customer targeting play significant roles in providing a strategic direction for the small scale manufacturing firms.