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Marketing is the craft of linking the producers (or potential producers) of a product or service with
customers, both existing and potential. It is an inevitable and necessary
consequence of capitalism. However marketing is not limited to capitalist
countries. Marketing techniques are applied in all political systems, and in many aspects of life. Marketing methods are informed
by many of the social sciences, particularly psychology, sociology, and economics. Marketing research underpins these
activities. Through advertising, it is also related to many of the creative arts. Successful marketers typically have a customer orientation or focus.
What marketing involves
Contrary to the popular conception, marketing is not just about promotion -- it can be divided into four sections, often
called the "four Ps". They are:
- Product - The Product management aspect of
marketing deals with the specifications of the actual good or service, and how it relates to the end-user's needs and wants.
- Pricing - This refers to the process of setting a price for a product, including discounts.
- Promotion - This includes advertising, publicity, word of mouth, and personal selling,
and refers to the various methods of promoting the product, brand, or company.
- Place or distribution refers
to how the product gets to the customer; for example, point of sale placement or retailing.
These four elements are often referred to as the marketing mix. A
marketer will use these variables to craft a marketing plan. For a
marketing plan to be successful, the mix of the four "p's" must reflect the wants and desires of the consumers in the target market. Trying to convince a
market segment to buy something they don't want is extremely expensive
and seldom successful. Marketers depend on marketing research
to determine what consumers want and what they are willing to pay for. Marketers hope that this process will give them a sustainable competitive advantage.
Marketing management is the practical application of this
process.
Finding marketing articles
What follows is a list of over 200 Wikipedia articles on marketing topics. If you create a marketing article, please add it to
this list.
Marketing fundamentals
Marketing strategies
Marketing management
Product management
Pricing
Promotion
Distribution
Direct marketing
Consumer Behaviour
Marketing research
- Marketing research
- qualitative marketing research
- quantitative marketing research
- experimental techniques
- observational techniques
- industry or market research
- data analysis techniques used in marketing research
Services marketing
E-Marketing
Evolution of marketing
- evolution of marketing
- production orientation
- sales orientation
- marketing orientation
- personal marketing orientation
Criticisms
Related topics
External sources
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