Leaning experiences marketing strategies of successful women entrepreneurs in Tanzania: an exploratory.

The objective of the study was to establish how women entrepreneurs ( WEs ) previous learning experiences influence the marketing strategies adopted by them. Using the qualitative approach, five cases of successful and unsuccessful Wes were explored in depth. Wes use marketing strategies which they learn cognitively, socially, or through classical and operant condioning from different socializations. These socializations are their childhood socialization, level and type of education, training groups and networks, business experience, work experience and presence of role models. Wes can learn once marketing strategy from multiple socializations which increase the opportunity to master it. Effectiveness of the marketing strategy depends on type and intensity of socialization. There are marketing strategies used by all Wes, while there are those used only by successful Wes. The later are relatively more “sophisticated” and include attending trade fairs, establish bland name, opening website, networking, product advertisement, provision of free samples and personal product promotion. These strategies were learned from workshops, networks and advice from foreign friends. Effective use of marketing strategies by Wes can use the same strategy but because they learn from different socialization through different methods at different level of intensity, they differ in effective implementation. Some implement correctively while others implement a part of it. The effectiveness of marketing strategy learned socially by imitation would be different from those learned cognitively through training. In case of short course, those tailored to specific types of business appear to be more effective learning experiences compared to generalized ones. Wes are advised to be more proactive in learning and adopt the marketing strategies associated with success.