Marketing is basically the act of consciously promoting sales of products and services; and prospecting of an target market; both theoretically and practically. Marketing is part of the advertising function and an active component of the strategic management of marketing. The term “marketing” has two distinct senses. In one sense, marketing is essentially a process. In another sense, marketing is part of the discipline of the arts of being creative and incorporating the use of technology, communication, and other such factors.
The art of marketing can be seen as the integration of the science of selling with the art of communication and creativity. The objective is to persuade people to respond to our offers based on our marketing concepts and strategies. A marketing management consultant will design a process that effectively integrates these three disciplines. This ensures that we are meeting the needs of the buying public. We call this comprehensive marketing management.
In the United States in particular, there is a relatively new concept that has been introduced by the Ford Motor Company as “marketing research and analysis.” This concept was created by Henry Ford’s research and development department. Marketing research and analysis attempts to provide information to decision makers so they can make informed decisions about what to sell. It is not enough just to state what your product is all about. You must explain why consumers should buy it and why you are different from your competitors.
In fact, marketing myopia severely limits the potential of product concept and marketing strategies. Marketing myopia is a concept that pervades much of the industry. Marketers and advertisers become blinded by their own desire to sell. They lose sight of the ultimate goal which is to persuade consumers to purchase a product. For example, marketers become confused when they introduce the concept of “green” and think in terms of selling “green” cleaning products.
To effectively market a product and create a market, marketers need to clearly define their goals and objectives. They also need to measure those goals and objectives on a regular basis. Marketers who don’t measure their results will have a difficult time keeping customers satisfied with their products or services. The concept of coordinated marketing is based on measuring the results so a marketer knows where they are in relation to their goals. Coordinated marketing is really about knowing your customers needs and focusing on providing them with what they need. Customers need to know that you are listening to their needs and providing them with solutions.
If you are going to successfully implement a marketing concept into your marketing management strategy, you must make sure it is something that works. Remember that your competitors are also selling to the same audience and if you use the same selling method as your competitors you will be out of luck. Be innovative, listen to your customers and most importantly ask a lot of questions.
