Marketing Is What Makes Businesses Work

A well developed and deployed marketing strategy will always ensure that a business would, more likely than not, flourish and its sales and profits head northwards.

It is extremely essential that businesses do not neglect this important aspect of overall business strategy and activity.

The 'P's in marketing have to be scrutinised and catered in such a way that ensure success to the business.

International Marketing

When businesses expand and break into overseas markets, they have to consider the differences in culture of the country that they are expanding into with that of their own.

This is easier said than done and in reality, many businesses fail miserably in their attempts to reap benefits from overseas markets.

Cultural differences have to be taken seriously if businesses want to capture a slice of the international market.

An example would be sending a business representative, who is direct and straightforward with his/her words, to promote business products/services in China. This particular business representative should be asked to help with promotional activities in a country such as Australia, where his/her style would be more welcome. China is a place which emphasises more on subtlety and sensitiveness and relationship building and management through the Chinese terms ''guanxi''.

Another example would be to send a female representative to some Middle Eastern countries for business talks or promotion, again, this would defeat the main purpose of building up the business profile in those countries. Women are regarded as people who should stay home and mind the house rather than appear in public, let alone take the lead in business activities.

Stepping Up On Marketing Efforts

With the popularity of air-con supermarkets gaining ground since a good 10 years or more ago, smaller neighbourhood mini-marts have to either suffer losses, close down, or step up a notch and innovate with skillful marketing efforts to counter the threat of their bigger competitors, and remain profitable.

They could:
- keep loyal/regular customers coming back to them by giving them discounts,
- giving them membership privileges,
- extending promotional gifts every now and then,
- keeping up with the big boys by offering a clean and cool environment to shop in,
- employing cool and customer-oriented staff to woo in the crowds etc.

University or Polytechnic Marketing Assignment Help/Guidance, Marketing Assistance For Businesses

Hi There,

You may be a student looking for someone who can assist you with your Marketing Essays, Reports, Plans etc, or you could be a business person looking for assistance with promoting your business.

Please contact me and we can see how we can work together to achieve the grade that you are aiming for (for students) or the sales results (for business persons) that you are dreaming of.

Thanks.

Have a pleasant day.

Away From Marketing : A Book About Life In Cabin Crew

For an interesting read about life as a cabin crew, you might like to consider this book. It is out at most book stores in Singapore. The price is S$19.90 if I am not mistaken.

You can also get it online.

Titled ''Fasten Your Seat Belts Cabin Crew Confessions'' by Bohtong.

Please go to http://www.bohtong.org/ for details.

Marketing A Business Takes Time

One cannot expect the marketing techniques used for a new business to take shape immediately and results to follow as soon as the logistical aspects of the business has been set up.

Patience is key and be prepared to endure some downs before the ups come into place.

Staying motivated and possessing the ''never give up'' attitude will be the challenge for a new business owner.

Analysis Of Competitors

A successful business will always keep an eye on its competition.

Knowing what competitors are up to, (what prices they are offering, what new promotional tactics they are employing, what they plan to do in the future, how they are doing in terms of their sales and profits etc etc) is key to success.

Negative Media Influence

The Media is very powerful and can have a huge influence on consumer choices.

Businesses must avoid negative media reports.

This article from yahoo illustrates an example. http://sg.news.yahoo.com/afp/20100709/tap-health-china-food-safety-mcdonalds-8d4ea94.html

Marketing Related Assistance/Guidance

All Marketing Assignments (Essay, Reports, Case-Studies etc) could possibly be guided towards the grade ''A'' direction.

For more info, please contact me.

Thanks.

Marketing Subjects/Units: Guidance For Students

Guidance can be provided face-to-face or online. Please feel free to contact me for more details.

Have a nice day.

Marketing Mix

The Marketing Mix, which consists of the Ps, (such as Product Price Place Promotion and other intangibles), once combined and used well and effectively, will lead to increased sales for a business.

The difficult part is to execute the Marketing Mix in the best possible doses. That is the challenge.

Promotion Cont.....

A skillful marketer knows and understands the huge importance of Promotion. Done well, it will attract the correct target audience and if the business already has a solid Product, value for money Price, a convenient and good location (Place), 75% of the battle is won.

Marketing Mix : Place

Another very important element of the Marketing Mix is Place or Distribution as it is commonly known.

How customers get to you or how your product or service gets to them is crucial in deciding if it is easy and convenient for them to buy.

Place or Distribution

Place or Distribution is crucial in determining how consumers can get to the business. Traditional shops and retail outlets are still in operation, but online shopping is indeed catching up in terms of popularity with shoppers.

Online shops or websites/blogs which offer shopping cart services and checkout services with convenient payment modes using credit cards are gaining popularity in many parts of the world.

Marketing Mix : Product

One of the Ps in marketing is product.

The Product has to be something that people or consumers need. It cannot be something that the business owner wants to sell, but rather it must be something that people or consumers are willing to buy.

The challenge for any business is to think of a good, ideal and suitable product to place onto the market. The product has to be what consumers need and want, and also it has to be sellable and perhaps stand out from the crowd. Product features and designs could be made in such a way (after market research) that attracts consumers or differentiated from competitors' products.

Marketing Teacher : Businesses Adopting The Marketing Concept Cont.....

I know of a business which fully adopts the marketing concept. It is a service-related business that started in 2006.

The boss is someone with an entrepreneurial spirit. He runs the business almost single-handedly, with only one part-time assistant.

He understands the importance of the marketing mix (product, price, place, promotion, service, goodwill etc) and applies it in an effective and balanced manner to ensure that sales stay at a very healthy level, while keeping costs low.

The boss first started with a service that he knew consumers need and that there were not many competitors at that time. So he did his market research and combined the use of the marketing mix in such a way that he did well in his first year of business operations. From 2007 and 2008, he diversified into other service areas, and has done equally well, particularly in the promotional aspect of his various service lines.

Now, he could easily make a net profit of between $90,000 - $99,000 a year. It certainly beats working for someone, where one has to listen to mostly demanding orders from the bosses and cope with the everyday office politics. Mind you, an average graduate's pay (someone in his/her 30s) is only about $50,000 - $60,000 a year.

Marketing : It Is Everywhere

When you think of it, Marketing is actually present in almost every part of our lives.

You yourself are always marketing yourself. You could be going for a job interview, you could be after that dream girl/lady/woman or guy/gentleman/man, you could be running for election for a club president position, you could be doing a home business, you could be playing professionally as a sportsman etc etc.

All of the above and many more aspects of our lives require us to do some form of marketing of ourselves. Product, price, place or distribution, promotion, service, goodwill etc are all activated so as to enable us to do well in our quest for our aim(s) or goal(s).

Target Market

Once market segmentation has been conducted, the market segment(s) that the business wants to target can then be chosen.

The chosen market segment(s) to be targeted, will be the target market(s).

The Business will then put forth all of its marketing efforts into aiming at the target market(s).

Market Segments or Segmentation

This is a crucial concept that students have to first understand before embarking on their marketing knowledge journey.

When a business starts off initially, it has to divide or break up the huge consumer market into segments. They can do this by simply grouping consumers according to income levels, geographical regions, age groups etc; and then decide which market segment or segments they want to target.

Once decided, they will have derived their target markets to 'aim' at for sales of their products/services.

Market Positioning

Marketers within organisations usually try their best to create an image or 'position' for their product, brand or organisation name in the eyes of their target market vis-a-vis competitors' market position of their own product, brand or organisation name (competitors').

For example, their product, brand or organisation name could be seen as a useful budget product or a good product priced for the middle income earners or it could be something that consumers feel is an expensive yet quality and 'high class' product.