pilot marketing

Definition:
Fulfils the same function for the marketer as the pilot plant does for the production engineer, i.e. it tests the feasibility of the proposed course of action. In many instances companies become so involved with the development of a new product that by the time successful product tests have been completed they feel irrevocably committed, and any course of action other than full-scale marketing is unthinkable. However, companies of this type are usually aware of the critical importance of a well-designed and coordinated marketing plan, and so tests its feasibility in practice prior to full-scale operations. Pilot marketing on a regional basis may also serve to give the firm valuable marketing experience while commissioning new plant to meet the anticipated demands of a national market.

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