Marketing Strategy Planning

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The following definition was approved by the American Marketing Association Board of Directors:

Marketing:

“Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large. (Approved October 2007)”

So what is your definition?

I attended a seminar for the last 3 days and I heard various misconceptions of what marketing really is.  I realized there are a lot of people even small business owners that just don’t have a clue.  The stuff I heard if it was my truth would make me feel like I was manipulating, cheating and lying to my customers, prospects and in general not a nice person.

I view marketing as the most honorable profession in the world.  Marketers make the world go around.  We drive the economy, provide jobs and products and services for the world.  Now that being said I will not market certain products and services and use my gift for evil.  Our job is to tell the world, to get the word out. Ministers use us.  In fact I cannot think of an industry that doesn’t use us.  Like any talent we can use it for good or evil and all the grey areas in between.

Back to the AMA definition above, providing value that can mean information, education, above all communication.  Advertising is nothing more or less than communication with the masses.  We mirror back what is going on in society not try to manipulate society.  We have ethics and integrity just like you and your industries.

I also detected a lot of confusion with the definition of marketing and marketing vehicles.  Be it the internet, radio, direct mail, whatever these are vehicles that deliver our message.  I hear oh I tried that but it didn’t work.  It is not the vehicle it is your message a lot of the time that is ineffective!  The average business owner doesn’t know how to write copy, headlines, create irresistible offers, etc.  This is a science not an art!  We have proven ways that work and don’t. 

Writing in general is a craft.  Just because we can write a letter to Grandma or a college term paper does not mean we are writers. I learned it through apprenticeships, sitting at the feet of the masters and paying big bucks for my expertise and education.  Much like a doctor, we can’t diagnose or write a prescription until we ask questions and learn more about what is going on.

What good marketing isn’t?

It isn’t exaggeration, hype, cute, puns, and bait and switch, etc.  It isn’t evil, it is to be embraced.  It is the engine that grows your business.  Without customers you have no business.  It is selecting the people you want to do business with and repelling those you do not.  It is not being all thing to all people.

Marketing is targeted, specific and meaningful to your prospects, existing customers and others.  It is a set of systems and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and offers that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large.  It is both science and art.  In a nutshell it is buying customers.  Of course we want to purchase them at wholesale rates not retail.  We want to spend as little as possible and get the most bang for our buck.  All of this is measurable.

I welcome your comments and feedback as to what you think marketing is or isn’t.

Lucendia