Marketing is supported by such sciences as: sociology, psychology, economics, mathematics and is applied in many spheres, such as: business, politics, education, religion and others. Thus we can meet such notions as: marketing of products and services, marketing of ideas and information, personal marketing, marketing of the organization, marketing of territories, etc. It can be used by both for-profit and non-profit organizations.
Studies show that 61% of online users look for the products they want directly online, and recently this percentage has grown considerably. Also, 44% of them end up buying what they wanted. In this age of information, it is almost impossible to have a business without marketing strategies. They are the key to the success of any company, because they provide visibility to the products and services offered.
Sales always happen between people. As a result, neither the company nor the department sells, but the man (the sales agent). In addition, people still buy, that is, the individual, even when it comes to sales to a company. And that's because the decision always belongs to a person in the company and not to a department.
Some business people say that their companies successfully operate in the market without marketing, given the lack of advertising and an in-house marketing division. It is important to mention that there is no business without marketing activity. More than that, marketing is a way of doing business that targets the entire company. Some marketing activities occur before a business is initiated. Thus, at the stage of business planning, it is necessary to decide on the characteristics of the product, the selling price, which will be the target consumer segment and what are the needs and requirements of the consumers, which will be satisfied by the new product/service, etc. . The larger the investment in the start-up, the more detailed the market analysis and marketing mix planning must be. If this aspect is neglected (especially in the case of acute competition, in a stagnant or declining market), the bankruptcy of the business will be inevitable.
If, with regard to the emergence of classical marketing, some authors refer to the merchants of ancient Greece, who were singing on the market the qualities of the goods they offered for sale, seeing this as one of the first forms of sales promotion, there is also the social- politicians, authors who penetrate deep into the past of humanity in an attempt to trace its sources.
Modern marketing is today considered the key factor in the success of an organization, indispensable in its economic and social development, a miraculous solution that solves its problems, a basic tool in achieving the great performances, but also in avoiding the risk. It has become omnipresent as it infuses everybody's life, being the means by which people are given the standard of living.
The evolution of marketing can be viewed today through a series of successive stages, which marked the process of receiving the idea of its practical development. Although among the specialists there is, regarding the periodicity of the evolution of the marketing, there are some points of view, the one that was imposed by a wide recognition, because it highlights the essential characteristic of each period.
Advertising, the important variable of the promotional policy of the modern enterprise, is one of the means by which the enterprise is involved and is related to the evolution of the market, embracing a whole range of techniques, which belong to several disciplines.
With the development of economic activities, with the evolution of the market relations and in the conditions of increasing the competition between the market agents and the products offered by them, the forms of advertising were multiplied and diversified.
The advertising message to be broadcast is expressed in various forms, depending on the type of product or service, the psychology of those addressed, etc. it is the result of both creative and imaginative activities that ensure an effective combination of a range of psychological, sociological, economic, etc. elements.
The Internet is an interactive, global environment that has changed the field of activity and the marketers' language, it has potential impact, influencing the competitive strategic choices of organizations.
In order for all these elements to be combined and cohesive harmoniously, 3 factors are needed: customer orientation, creativity and common sense. We can cite many examples when people without marketing studies, developed revolutionary business models, using creativity, common sense and knowing or even anticipating consumer needs (Henri Ford, Steve Jobs, Camprad (Ikea) and others. And on the contrary, marketing ( in fact the business) without these elements is impossible.
Customer orientation. Attracting and retaining customers is one of the main functions of marketing. Customer information is the most valuable information of a company that wants to achieve success in the market. The impossibility of segmenting and/or determining the target customer segment, the ignorance of customer needs and requirements, the reduction of customer relations to "site traffic", "conversions", "sales funnels", etc., without establishing an effective dialogue with customers, results in errors, waste of resources and as a result the ruin of the business. Serious mistakes are also made due to the belief that different customer segments think alike, share the same desires, expectations, dreams, emotions, etc. I have often encountered situations when the director's opinions are raised to the level of absolute truth or when the "tastes" of the patrons are projected onto the target customers. It sounds something like this: "What the boss likes, the customers will like."
Marketing identifies unmet needs and wants. It defines, measures and quantifies market size and profit potential. It identifies the segments of the company it can best serve and creates and promotes the most appropriate products and services.” In short, he defines marketing as "meeting needs while generating profit." These definitions do not miss the central objective of companies: profit. After all, this is what guarantees its survival and competitiveness in the market – and it is one of the reasons why marketing exists. But it is worth noting that marketing can also be adopted by non-profit organizations – public institutions and NGOs, for example. In these cases, marketing goals come back in other ways, such as engagement or brand reinforcement. Now, since we're talking about marketing goals, let's take a look at them.
Human desires represent the form of manifestation of human needs as they are shaped by the culture and personality of the individual. A hungry person from Bahrain will want a meal based on local vegetables and fruits. A hungry person from Eindhoven will want a hamburger, a piece of cheese, salad and a beer. A hungry person in Hong Kong will want a bowl of noodles, a roast pork and a jasmine tea. Desires are presented in the form of things that will satisfy needs. As society evolves, the desires of its members grow in complexity and, gradually, people are presented with more and more things that increase their interest and desire, and manufacturers try to offer more and more performing products and services. People have few needs (food and shelter, for example), but almost unlimited desires. That's why they want to choose those products that give them the greatest satisfaction for the money spent. When they are doubled by the ability to pay - that is, by the purchasing power - the desires and requests. Consumers see the products as packages of advantages and choose those that offer them the best package for the money paid. Thus, a Ford Fiesta car means basic transport conditions, low price and fuel economy. A Mercedes means comfort, luxury and a certain social condition. According to their own wishes and resources, people choose the product depending on the advantages offered and, implicitly, the satisfaction it brings them.
People satisfy their needs and desires with products. A product is anything that can be offered on a market to satisfy a need or want. As a rule, the word product refers to a physical object, such as a car, a TV or a bar of soap. However, the product concept is not limited to physical objects - anything that can satisfy a need can be called a product. The importance of material goods resides not so much in their possession, as in the advantages they offer. We don't buy food to look at it, but to satisfy our hunger. We don't buy a microwave oven to admire it, but to prepare our food. Specialists usually use the expressions goods and services to differentiate between physical and intangible products. in addition, consumers obtain the advantages they are looking for through other means, such as people, places, organizations, activities and ideas. Consumers decide which shows and television presenters to watch, which places to visit on vacation, which organizations to support through donations and which party to vote with. Thus, the term product covers the sphere of material goods, products and many other means by which the needs and desires of consumers can be satisfied. If sometimes we have the impression that the term product does not seem to be the most suitable, we could replace it with other terms such as generator of satisfaction, resource or offer.
