Marketing is the art of promoting products and services, drawing attention to them, and creating awareness. Marketing is a very broad field, and there are different methods and goals that people use to make money marketing products or services. It is not a one-way street. Marketing is an ever-evolving discipline. The internet has made marketing easier and more accessible, but it still requires the same core principles that have helped businesses succeed for years. Even if you’re only beginning your journey, and just finished scrolling through BizOp for ideas on how to start, a knowledge of marketing and how to implement its concepts is important.
A marketing system is any structured method allowing many stakeholders to offer and receive: the seller, buyers, and suppliers interacting and making deals. The goal of a marketing system is to create a need for the product or service. It is often based on information provided by stakeholders who want to sell and who need to buy. The key stakeholders in any marketing campaign are the office staff, managers, the owners/managers, finance and marketing departments.
Office staff should be involved from the beginning of the marketing system so they can be kept on task and help manage the project. Managers need to have a clear understanding of the objectives and the purpose of the project. They will also need to define the roles of all stakeholders and the type of activities required to produce results. The marketing system needs to be managed and delivered as part of the operational workflow at the workplace.
When implementing marketing systems, businesses must decide how they intend to work with their suppliers. Most often, the goal is increased sales with minimal cost. Work with suppliers to agree on a fair price and establish a regular cash flow. Where this is not possible, try to establish an improved working relationship where suppliers know they can rely on the business to pay on time. Where possible, involve the suppliers in the early stages of the project to gain their confidence and participation.
Managing client relationships is another important aspect of the achievement of an effective marketing system. Good client relationships will foster an increase in earnings and can result in the referral of more potential clients to the business. Establishing effective client relationships should form part of the overall process of developing the marketing system.
Where possible, use a marketing system that combines traditional and creative approaches to increasing customer reach and awareness. It is common practice for an advertiser to use a combination of print, television, and outdoor advertising in order to gain a wide consumer base. However, where television and outdoor advertising is the only method of reaching the market, this strategy usually proves to be ineffective. Using a creative approach means that a marketing manager considers other forms of advertising to reach more people. The testing model can be used to find out which methods are most successful and employ these in the overall marketing system.
A key component to a successful marketing system is the creation of a marketing plan. The plan is made up of a number of strategic decisions that will contribute to the achievement of the advertising objectives. Once the marketing plan is finalized, it can then be used as a basis by the external resources and by the client to ensure that a consistent level of performance is maintained. The various sources of input provided by the client and external resources help to make the marketing implementation process more successful.
A crucial part of the success of the marketing plan is the collection of information needed for the purpose of monitoring progress. This information collection takes place after the marketing plan has been developed. The collected data can then be used by the advertising agency and the external resources to measure progress. The measurement of progress in the monitoring phase provides valuable information that can then be used to improve future performance and extend the longevity of the advertising campaigns.
