Things every marketer should know

1. Marketing – it's not just sales. It is a set of actions that create a link between product and consumer. Among other things, be sure to do all of the following.

• Аnswer the question, “Who is a customer?” and distinguish different types of customers;

• Identify customer's needs and requirements, it is necessary to create the “right” product;

• Develop a pricing policy;

• Create a “bridge to the customer”, i.e, establish channels of delivery and marketing;

• Develop a communication strategy to convey to the customer information about advantages and benefits of a product.

2. Companies do not sell products or services. They sell the benefits. Understanding the difference between product sale and benefits which can get a consumer and the ability to convey to him that information is extremely important for any marketer. Restaurants don't sell food, they sell a pleasant ambience and atmosphere to accompany a delicious lunch. Bank services – security savings and car companies do not sell cars, and comfort, speed and freedom of movement in space.

3. The fundamental task of the marketing department of any company is to select a product from the crowd like this, so that consumers do not get the feeling “consumer goods.” Products of mass consumption, by and large, do not need advertising and marketing. For example, most customers do not care, milk or sugar which brand to buy – they just need these products, they buy them anyway.

To be noticeable, brands can take some simple steps:

• Make the buying process easy. For example, a gas station located next to the check-in / motorway, will be able to sell a lot more fuel than the same gas station, located in the middle of the route where cars go at high speed and braking to refuel is not convenient;

• Set up more confidence with a customer. The bank, which gives the impression of light and an aura of confidence, get more customers than a bank, whose office is located in a dark alley;

• Sell at the right time. Selling water on the beach in the heat you can earn much more money than if the same bottle of mineral water was sold in a supermarket with air conditioning;

• Constantly work to ensure that the product is different from its competitors. A striking example of this – the smartphone market before Apple found it. Devices from different manufacturers were similar, like twins, both externally and in its functions. And then iPhone has been released.

4. Traditionally, in marketing, product oriented approach prevailed. Therefore, marketers have used the classical model 7P: Product, Placement, Price, Promotion, Physical Space, People, Process – these principles define the way in which the product will be linked to the consumer. Pay attention to “classical” approaches, and you'll probably see that change.

5. In the 90's in place of 7P was 4C concept: Customer, Cost, Communication and Convenience, which focuses on building communication between brand and customer. The main objective is to sell the right product to the right client the most convenient and cost-effective way.

6. Branding – the most important component of marketing. It is a direct connection between product and customer. Having heard the slogan “Just Do it”, you will immediately associate it in mind with quality sports equipment and the company producing it. Branding implicitly helps build trust with the customer – indicate the quality of goods and can help to achieve sustainable livelihoods.

Example: two large companies can sell much like sweet drinks and get profit only through the development of brand management strategy.

99% of those who think they understand marketing – are mistaken.

Bernd Harzog on Qoura leads his belief that every marketer needs to know about marketing.

According to him, 99% of people who believe that know marketing, are mistaken. Along with the understanding that the task of marketing is to bring benefits to a common denominator, given by the product or service of the company, and expected needs and requirements of customers, marketers often miss some important things.

1. In the future, the company won't necessarily solve the same problem, it is now.

2. Audience that buys products and services now, will not necessarily do so in the future. The other words – customers can become completely different people than now.

3. The current value proposition of the company and its products can not meet the wishes of the audience in the future.

4. There is no such product that could suddenly adapt to audience wishes or to a change of the aodience of potential customers.

5. So, marketing efforts need to focus not only on immediate problems, but also to see a couple of steps forward.

6. It can be concluded that marketing (if properly selected employees implemented the right strategy) might be of more benefit than a simple understanding of how to present the current products available to customers.

7. In fact, marketing is to understand how to make new products so as to meet the needs that may arise from the customers in the future, and of which they are unaware, at the same time as these new needs arise, and consumers perceive this fact.

8. Marketing is at the same time to support sales, the study of current market conditions and creating a strategy for the future.

9. Only good marketers can follow all of these tasks at the same time.

10. It's extremely difficult to find true professionals and are worth their weight in gold. So, to find such a professional – not an easy task.