Marketing
AIMS
This chapter sets the scene for the remainder of the book, by introducing a number of key marketing concepts, and by explaining how the elements of marketing practice that are discussed in greater depth in the later chapters can be drawn together to inform marketing strategy. This chapter:
This chapter sets the scene for the remainder of the book, by introducing a number of key marketing concepts, and by explaining how the elements of marketing practice that are discussed in greater depth in the later chapters can be drawn together to inform marketing strategy. This chapter:
● explains why marketing is important to information organizations and in the information marketplace
● explores the nature of marketing
● promotes marketing orientation or the marketing concept
● introduces the marketing mix.
INTRODUCTION
● explores the nature of marketing
● promotes marketing orientation or the marketing concept
● introduces the marketing mix.
INTRODUCTION
Marketing is a social and managerial process by which individuals and groups obtain what they need and want through creating and exchanging products and value with others. (Kotler et al., 2004, p. 5.)
Librarians and information professionals will need to recognise that developing effective marketing strategies is more difficult today, not because of the digital revolution, but because of a society in which customers are becoming more sophisticated and knowledgeable, maybe even cynical, about marketing activities.
(De Saez, 2002, p. 3) Organizations and professionals in the information marketplace have a wide range
of different levels of experience with marketing. These experiences, both as professionals and consumers, will colour reactions to the concept of marketing. Responses to marketing fall into two groups typified by one of the following:
‘Marketing is concerned with encouraging people to buy things that they don’t really need or want, and interfering with people’s behaviours, attitudes and values.’
● ‘Marketing is designed to bring you the products you do want, when you want them, where you want them, at prices you can afford, and with the information that is necessary to make informed and satisfying customer choices.’ Most people could cite examples of marketing that fit both of these descriptions.
Aggressive marketing tactics pursued by some of the organizations in the consumer marketplace have had a major influence on what we eat, what we wear, how we spend our leisure time, and a host of other dimensions of our social and cultural experience. In addition, privatization and corresponding marketization of
the public sector in recent years have justifiably made employees in the public sector (in sectors such as education and public libraries) sceptical as to the relevance and impact of marketing in these environments. Unquestionably, there are significant ethical issues associated with marketing. Marketing is designed to influence, and where there are significant commercial gains at stake, high-profile advertising campaigns can be very attractive. Yet this very statement is merely a confirmation of the importance of marketing in our society. All organizations, whether they be in the public or private sector can and are expected to use marketing to enhance the success of their organization. As De Saaz (2002) suggests, consumers (people/users/citizens) are exposed to ever more sophisticated marketing; their expectations of the ways in which organizations communicate and interact with them (and seek to deliver value and benefits) are coloured by their experience of marketing. Information organizations need to embrace and embed marketing in pursuit of their various commercial, economic, social, educational, scholarly, knowledge-based and cultural missions. As the earlier definition from Kotler et al. (2004) suggests, marketing has moved on from its emphasis on products to focus on the delivery of customer value, and benefits that the customer appreciates. Key aspects of this perspective
on marketing can be summarized as follows:
● Marketing is a social and managerial process, and is about people and communication.
● Marketing is an exchange process through which individuals, groups and organizations obtain benefits and value, defined in their own terms.
● Marketing is a process through which relationships with customers or users can be developed.
The stance that is developed throughout this book is that marketing is about everything that an organization does or says. Actions and words are both important; marketing is concerned with communicating to others what you are.
Librarians and information professionals will need to recognise that developing effective marketing strategies is more difficult today, not because of the digital revolution, but because of a society in which customers are becoming more sophisticated and knowledgeable, maybe even cynical, about marketing activities.
(De Saez, 2002, p. 3) Organizations and professionals in the information marketplace have a wide range
of different levels of experience with marketing. These experiences, both as professionals and consumers, will colour reactions to the concept of marketing. Responses to marketing fall into two groups typified by one of the following:
‘Marketing is concerned with encouraging people to buy things that they don’t really need or want, and interfering with people’s behaviours, attitudes and values.’
● ‘Marketing is designed to bring you the products you do want, when you want them, where you want them, at prices you can afford, and with the information that is necessary to make informed and satisfying customer choices.’ Most people could cite examples of marketing that fit both of these descriptions.
Aggressive marketing tactics pursued by some of the organizations in the consumer marketplace have had a major influence on what we eat, what we wear, how we spend our leisure time, and a host of other dimensions of our social and cultural experience. In addition, privatization and corresponding marketization of
the public sector in recent years have justifiably made employees in the public sector (in sectors such as education and public libraries) sceptical as to the relevance and impact of marketing in these environments. Unquestionably, there are significant ethical issues associated with marketing. Marketing is designed to influence, and where there are significant commercial gains at stake, high-profile advertising campaigns can be very attractive. Yet this very statement is merely a confirmation of the importance of marketing in our society. All organizations, whether they be in the public or private sector can and are expected to use marketing to enhance the success of their organization. As De Saaz (2002) suggests, consumers (people/users/citizens) are exposed to ever more sophisticated marketing; their expectations of the ways in which organizations communicate and interact with them (and seek to deliver value and benefits) are coloured by their experience of marketing. Information organizations need to embrace and embed marketing in pursuit of their various commercial, economic, social, educational, scholarly, knowledge-based and cultural missions. As the earlier definition from Kotler et al. (2004) suggests, marketing has moved on from its emphasis on products to focus on the delivery of customer value, and benefits that the customer appreciates. Key aspects of this perspective
on marketing can be summarized as follows:
● Marketing is a social and managerial process, and is about people and communication.
● Marketing is an exchange process through which individuals, groups and organizations obtain benefits and value, defined in their own terms.
● Marketing is a process through which relationships with customers or users can be developed.
The stance that is developed throughout this book is that marketing is about everything that an organization does or says. Actions and words are both important; marketing is concerned with communicating to others what you are.
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