Types of Marketing Warfare Strategies

* Offensive marketing warfare strategies -Attack the target competitor with an objective such as “liberating� some of its market share

* Defensive marketing warfare strategies - Strategies intended to maintain your market share, profitability, sales revenue, or some other objective.

* Flanking marketing warfare strategies - Operate in areas of little importance to the competitor.

* Guerrilla marketing warfare strategies - Attack, retreat, hide, then do it again, and again, until the competitor moves on to other markets.

* Deterrence Strategies - Deterrence is a battle won in the minds of the enemy. You convince the competitor that it would be prudent to keep out of your markets.

* Pre-emptive strike - Attack before you are attacked. (see Defensive marketing warfare strategies for a description)

* Frontal Attack - A direct head-on confrontation. (see Offensive marketing warfare strategies for a description)

* Flanking Attack - Attack the competitor’s flank. (see Flanking marketing warfare strategies for a description)

* Sequential Strategies - A strategy that consists of a series of sub-strategies that must all be successfully carried out in the right order.

* Alliance Strategies - The use of alliances and partnerships to build strength and stabilize situations.

* Position Defense - The erection of fortifications. (see Defensive marketing warfare strategies for a description)

* Mobile defense - Constantly changing positions. (see Defensive marketing warfare strategies for a description)

* Encirclement strategy - Envelop the opponents position. (see Offensive marketing warfare strategies for a description)

* Cumulative strategies - A collection of seemingly random operations that, when complete, obtain your objective.

* Counter-offensive - When you are under attack, launch a counter-offensive at the attacker’s weak point. (see Defensive marketing warfare strategies for a description)

* Strategic withdrawal - Retreat and regroup so you can live to fight another day. (see Defensive marketing warfare strategies for a description)

* Flank positioning - Strengthen your flank. (see Defensive marketing warfare strategies for a description)

* Leapfrog strategy - Avoid confrontation by bypassing enemy or competitive forces. (see Offensive marketing warfare strategies for a description)

Companies typically use many strategies concurrently, some defensive, some offensive, and always some deterrents. According to the business literature of the period, offensive strategies were more important that defensive one. Defensive strategies were used when needed, but an offensive strategy was requisite. Only by offensive strategies, were market gains made. Defensive strategies could at best keep you from falling too far behind.

The marketing warfare literature also examined leadership and motivation, intelligence gathering, types of marketing weapons, logistics, and communications.