What is Marketing? Get to Know the Definition, Benefits, and Types!
If you are currently running a business, you should first learn everything related to marketing.
The role of marketing in business, increasing brand reputation and the turnover achieved can be according to the target. Of course, with the note that if you do it with the right marketing strategy, you have chosen the right type of marketing and executed it well.
As the times progress, more and more types of marketing that we will encounter. So, to learn more, read more below!
What is Marketing?
What is Marketing? Marketing is one of the most important processes in the implementation of a business or industry. One of the tasks of marketing is to promote products in the form of goods or services to consumers so that market needs are met. These efforts are carried out with several activities ranging from promotion, distribution, sales, to product development strategies.
In practice, marketing activities will be effective if they start with conducting market research and analyzing consumer needs according to their buyer persona. However, even though these two things are basic steps, it is very important to evaluate marketing strategies that are up-to-date with the times and customer needs.
Marketing has started from the idea process followed by product development, distribution methods to be carried out, sales of products or services, and advertising.
Technological developments make the definition of marketing broaden. Following this development, currently, marketing is divided into two types of marketing: online and offline. Two concepts are divided according to the medium, namely online using the internet, while offline using conventional media.
Why is Marketing Important?
Why is Marketing Important? In a business, marketing has many functions. Starting from the initial process of introducing the products and services offered to the public, increasing sales to making the business grow.
In the marketing process, to use a product or service, people need education.
According to Creativs, marketing is the most effective way to explain a product or service to potential users. To add value, use fun and interesting materials.
According to Forty, marketing is the best way to keep the value of the product or service offered high.
In the midst of business competition, this process will determine what products or services will make buyers survive and help them grow.
Corporate Marketing Function
Here are some marketing functions in a company that you don't seem to know about:
1. Exchange Function
In the world of marketing, consumers have the freedom to choose products from any company based on their needs and desires, and exchange them for money.
Or you can exchange products with products that you use yourself or those that will be resold.
2. Physical Distribution Function
The product distribution function is carried out by moving the product, it can be transported and/or stored.
Products owned by producers will be distributed to consumers either by land, sea or air.
Product storage is carried out so that the supply of products is maintained in the market so that there is no shortage when needed by consumers.
3. Intermediary Function
To be able to deliver products to consumers, a salesperson is a liaison from the producer to the consumer.
4. Other Marketing Functions
Another function of marketing is not only as an exchange, physical distribution, and intermediary, but there are still other important functions possessed by a marketing based on marketing management, including the following:
- Marketing Sales – The main task of a marketing officer is to generate sales or sales of products owned by the company, so that the company benefits from every product sold.
- Promotion Marketing – Marketers have a duty to introduce a product to the wider community so that the company's products can be known.
- Marketing Research and Development – Marketers are tasked with finding information about a product that is needed by consumers or developing existing products regarding their advantages and disadvantages. Then report all the results to the company for immediate follow-up.
- Marketing Communications – Marketers are also tasked with creating good relationships between companies and consumers, companies with surrounding communities and companies with parties involved in the business.
Marketing Strategy
Marketing strategy is a collection of business steps that have been combined both at the product introduction level to make consumers make purchases.
This strategy in a company is divided into two main types:
- Business to Business (B2B) Marketing
- Business to Consumer (B2C) Marketing
Because businesses usually deal directly with consumers, the most developed form of marketing is business-to-consumer (B2C) marketing. Type strategy involves 7 crucial aspects, including segmentation, targeting, positioning, pricing and distribution.
1. Market Segmentation
This strategy involves dividing the market into customer groups based on characteristics such as age, gender, geographic location, and income level. Once the market is segmented, the company can develop appropriate marketing strategies for each customer group.
2. Targeting Market
After determining the customer groups to target, the company can develop appropriate marketing strategies to attract these customers.
3. Differentiation
This strategy involves developing products or services that have advantages that are visible to customers, so that the company can differentiate these products or services from competitors.
4. Positioning
This strategy involves placing a product or service in the mind of the customer in a way that matches the merits of the product or service.
5. Promotion
This strategy involves various ways of conveying marketing messages to potential customers, such as advertising, public relations and sales promotions.
6. Price
This strategy involves setting appropriate prices for the products or services offered, which must take into account production costs, desired profits, and customer price preferences.
7. Distribution
This strategy involves selecting ways to deliver products or services to customers, such as through retail stores, e-commerce, or distributors.
Types of Marketing
The marketing approach for different company cases is different. The following is an explanation of the types of marketing strategies that can be applied to your business:
1. Outbound Marketing
Outbound Marketing is a marketing model that refers more to promotions using various media such as print ads, TV ads, telephone to email.
2. Inbound Marketing
Unlike outbound marketing, inbound marketing is a marketing mode that is more focused on attracting customers by involving them in the strategy.
3.Digital Marketing
What is Digital marketing? Is a marketing method that makes more use of electronic media and technology and no longer uses traditional methods.
The media used include search engines on the internet, social media, e-mail to websites.
Because digital platforms are diverse, the types of digital marketing marketing are also divided according to their use:
- Search engine optimization (SEO) - techniques for optimizing websites so that they appear on the first page of search engines.
- Pay Per Click (PPC) – a marketing effort where businesses only need to pay for each ad that their audience clicks or sees
- PR online
- Content marketing – a strategy of producing and distributing content that captures the target market and converts them into customers
- Video marketing – product marketing with video as the main medium
- Social media Marketing – a digital marketing strategy that uses social media
- Native Advertising – paid content installed on certain platforms in a format similar to regular content
- Search engine marketing (SEM) – Website marketing using paid advertisements on Google search pages
- Email Marketing – product marketing via email
- Influencer marketing – Marketing using influencer services, usually on social media.
- Mobile app – product marketing using smartphone applications
- Geotargeting – product marketing by region
- Affiliate marketing – Website marketing with services to earn commissions for referring users to your business.
- Podcast sponsors
By learning digital marketing, you will be able to increase the effectiveness of your marketing. This is because this type of marketing is effective in targeting the target market, making it easier for you to evaluate and build promotional strategies that are relevant to the needs of potential customers.
Now to execute the digital marketing method above, you can take advantage of various marketing channels such as websites, landing pages, blogs, to increase engagement with consumers via WhatsApp Business.
4. PR Marketing
Public Relations marketing is a type of marketing that focuses more on brand awareness.
Examples of marketing with this method are companies that work with the media to increase awareness of their products and promote the benefits that consumers get from these products.
5.MLM
MLM or Multi Level Marketing is a type of marketing that is quite familiar among the public. The reason is, this example of marketing has been very widely used by many companies.
Usually, one of the marketing tasks with this method is to increase income and reduce distribution costs using registered members because the product is closer to the customer through agent distributors.
6. Marketing Mix
As the name implies, marketing mix is a combination of various strategies to achieve the desired sales target.
The marketing mix has 7 basic elements that must be applied in order to get the best marketing results. The 7 elements are:
- products,
- price,
- place,
- promotions,
- physical evidence,
- people, and
- process.
How Does Marketing Work?
How marketing works consists of several stages, including:
1. Determine the Target Market
The first stage, conducting market research to determine consumer needs, preferences, and behavior. This can be based on factors such as age, gender, income, geographic location or interests.
2. Determine the Marketing Strategy
After determining the target market, the company must develop the right strategy to reach these customers. This could include using print or television advertising, promoting products through social media or the internet, or promoting directly to customers through events or exhibitions.
3. Product or Service Marketing
After knowing consumer needs, companies must develop appropriate marketing strategies to sell these products or services. This includes determining the right price, determining the right distribution channels, and developing an effective promotional campaign.
4. Selling Products
After advertising the product, the company must sell the product to the customer. This can be done through retail stores, e-commerce, or through sales agents.
5. Long Term Marketing
After selling products or services to consumers for the first time, companies must continue to maintain relationships with consumers and continue to develop marketing strategies to maintain and increase sales in the future. This includes running loyalty programs, offering special promotions, and conducting direct marketing to existing customers.
Skills Required to Dive into the World of Marketing
To become a reliable marketer, there are several skills that need to be mastered. Here are the details.
- Analytical ability to assess consumer behavior and habits, assess performance that has been carried out, and analyze profit and loss.
- You must understand Search Engine Optimization and Search Engine Marketing. The reason is, these two skills will be very useful in the midst of the digital marketing era as it is today.
- The ability to make interesting videos must also be mastered. The reason is that videos really help increase traffic to the company's website. You can use Tiktok or Youtube to upload marketing videos.
- Also master marketing in e-commerce. This is done because people's shopping habits have shifted to being completely online.
- Maximize social media to improve the business image you build. Learn how to make the most of the latest social media trends to improve your marketing.
Not only hard skills as above that need to be mastered. If you want to become a marketer, you must also have soft skills such as being creative, adaptable, able to communicate well, have a leadership spirit, and have high empathy.