...THE CHANGING ROLE OF THE MARKETING PROFESSIONAL IN A COMPETITIVE CAREER DRIVEN MARKET A research report presented to IMM Graduate School of Marketing In partial fulfilment of the Postgraduate Diploma By Gerhardus Francois Nel Student Number: N67513 July 2012 Supervisor: Dr Sidney Shipham Executive Summary The marketing profession worldwide has for the last decade been under pressure to show its worth. Marketers are finding it harder to show value and at an executive level, this is even more pronounced. The lack of being able to show clear return on investment in their activities has meant that many marketers and indeed marketing departments are being questioned as to their role in the fulfilment of the business strategy. In the light of all this negative attention, marketers themselves have not branded themselves as strategically important and through the ever increasingly complex role of a marketer today, the gap between how marketers are viewed by their counterparts and how they view themselves, has begun to show. In an effort to establish how marketers view themselves, their perceptions of their value and how that impacts on their career advancement and acceptance at an executive level, the research aims to highlight the need for a professional marketing standard in which marketers can gain a positive impression of themselves and the profession in general. Simply having a recognised qualification will obviously not be the only solution but the subsequent understanding...
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...dysfunctional meaning they do not always operate properly or as they should (Kotler, Rackham & Krishnaswamy, 2006). One of the key goals of a business is to make profits, which is done by making sales, which only happens by providing a product that satisfying the customer’s needs (Futrell, 2013). This requires both sales and marketing. You would expect sales and marketing to be well aligned in a successful organization, however this is far from the case. This essay will first look at the causes that usually lie behind the concern that sales and marketing do not always act collaboratively to the benefit of the organization but in fact have a dysfunctional relationship exists between marketing and sales divisions. It will look into the ways in which this problem can negatively impact on an organization's ability to serve its customers and compete effectively. Finally potential solutions will be identified and discussed in relation to improving the synergy and integration between sales and marketing, which will ultimately allow organizations serve their customers and compete most effectively in this ever changing world. What causes Sales and Marketing relationship to be dysfunctional? Within a business to business organization, sales and marketing do not always act collaboratively to the benefit of the organization (Rouziès, Anderson, Kohli, Michaels, Weitz & Zoltners, 2005).This lack of collaboration and subsequent deficiency of communication originates from what (Kotler et al., 2006)...
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...Does marketing create or satisfy needs? Take a position, marketing shapes or merely reflects needs and wants of consumer? When we talk about marketing, there are lot things that we should know first. Marketing is activities of creating value that desired by the potential buyers and receiving value from the potential buyers for the value that they have received. When marketers want to create something that has value to the potential buyers, marketers must know first, what do the potential buyers need or want. As a marketer, it does not make any sense if we sell something that does not have value, or if the marketers want people to purchase something that they do not need of even want. Marketers can not force anyone to do something. They can only ask them to buy their product or service. Some people might not care about what they are asking for. So, in the business of selling product or service, we know word “marketing”. Marketing is an art of identifying and meeting the people’s needs and wants. It is all about communication between two parties that profitable for the both sides by exchanging value. Marketing is not that easy to do. As we know, we can not mess with the “free will” of the people around us or people that we see as the potential buyers. It is up to them if they are willing to buy the marketers’ products or service. In this case, the marketers have to do their marketing activities. Their job is to tell people that their product or service is suit with the people’s...
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...Does Marketing Create need or Satisfy Need or manipulate need? “The real journey of discovery consists not in seeing new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” - Marcel Proust The traditional concept of marketing was only about sales or meeting the “current needs” of a consumer Example: Mac Books or laptops are such a common commodity among students and even school kids irrespective of the fact that it is not really needed. Can’t they manage with a desktop at home? But now day’s companies do more! They educate people and give them reason to buy their products and this is what people might call it “creation of needs” people purchase something when they need it, if they think they do not need the product they may not purchase it. How many people today in Pakistan need I-pod? How many people really need Mobile + Internet + Camera + TV all in one set? Can we call it marketers created their needs? Looking at advertisements today the word 'free' is the most common denominator found in the ads, free is used in combinations such as free home trial, free inspection, and buy one get one free, free installation, free parking, free demonstration and free consultation. The word free is usually a powerful catalyst that springs the consumer into buying that particular product or idea even though he or she might not need it. I think it also attract people into buying things they don't need. Also terms such as 'no payments till 2010' or 'money back guarantee' 'no down payment' 'offer good...
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...business. Therefore, marketers play an important part in generating revenue , and how the revenues translate into profit (Elwood, 2014). Sharp (2013) states that the role of a marketer ‘requires a combination of skills and knowledge’(p.6) which enable them to ‘analyse the market and financial data’(p.6). They must also have a high level of communication skills to enable them to explain their marketing strategy to their staff, the retailers and the customer (Sharp, 2013). To understand what the customer wants, and to identify opportunities in the market, marketers use market research in order to do so (Sharp, 2013). Research is used to help them make decisions on things such as whether or not to offer a particular product or service, who the product or service is marketed for, the price, and what kind of advertisement they want to use (Sharp, 2013). This enables them to keep the organisation competitive with other similar organisations, ensuring that their customer’s maintain their awareness and loyalty to the brand (Sharp, 2013). Ensuring customers are loyal will lead to greater financial profit as customers would return for the product or service. Market research can also ‘help organisations understand customer needs and how these translate into wants’ (Sharp, 2013, p.15). In order to satisfy the needs of the customer, marketers ‘encourage a company culture that is responsive to customer’s demand’(Sharp, 2013, p.16). Sharp (2013) says that if an organisation does not keep up to...
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...covers the fundamental which is 4Ps. * Expectations * Tutor’s expectations. * Importance of attendance. * Those with less than 50% attendance will have to meet up with the lead lecturer and stand a chance to be barred from final exam. Tutorial 2 Lecture 1 – Introduction to Marketing ______________________________ 1. How does an organization create a customer? 2. (a) Identify the four types of utility and give an example of each. (b) Why is utility such an important feature of marketing? 3. (a) Define relationship marketing, and describe how it fits into the marketing concept. (b) Why is determining the lifetime value of a customer an important analysis for a company to take? Tutorial 3 Lecture 2 – Understanding Marketing Management _________________________________________ 1. What is the difference between a firm’s mission and its objectives? Why is it important that both are conveyed clearly to employees and to customers? 2. How does the BCG matrix help marketers decide which products to offer? According to the matrix, which...
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... Consumer traits and behavior Several topics will be discussed throughout this presentation starting with psychological and social processes that may influence consumer behavior. It has been determined that the consumer play the role of demander and care receiver through good harmony with consumer behavior as the bases of emotion. The corporation plays the role of supplier and philanthropist, through effective corporate strategy and policies based on reason. Finally public policy plays the role of guider and regulator based on the law. The dynamic relationships among consumer behavior, corporate strategy, and public policy are explored here through feedback with a system perspective and dynamics of cause-effect. Corporate ethics fell into five stages, since the 1960's the social expectations of the public with regard to corporations has increased substantially. Carroll (1979) stated that corporate achievement is essential for revaluating a business and those certain social criteria are also important. Consumers want to know about a corporation. If consumers have a good impression of a corporation and they have access to positive information and understand what a firm thinks, says and tends to do in relation to others make it also likely to strengthen the perception of corporate social responsibility. Corporate profits are positively and directly affected by consumer purchase behaviors, while corporate image positively affects...
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...What do Marketers do? Marketing has become an essential part of any business regardless as to whether they are big or small. It helps the business to establish the needs and wants of a consumer even before a product is produced. Not only does it involve the design, color, logo, layouts, and the physical appearance of a product, but it also involves the strategies that would need to be implemented for a product to get a proportion of the market share. According to Byron Sharp “Marketing – theory, evidence & practice” a characteristic of a marketer involves a combination of skills which may involve analyzing market and financial data, knowledge, sound judgement as well as creativity, but most importantly they must have great communication skills. The role of a marketer involves getting to know and understand the consumers present and future needs and wants. This can be done by conducting market research with either the whole market or targeting a specific type of market. With the data collected, marketers are able to analyse and establish consumer behavior and buying patterns, this process would be part of the business’s marketing strategy. “A marketing strategy should include a plan of action for developing, distributing, promoting and pricing products that meet the need of the target market. It is best formulated when it reflects the overall direction of the organization and it coordinated with all its function areas.” (Elliot et al. 2006 pg 32) The role of a marketer...
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...Market Leader Issue 27, Winter 2004 www.warc.com What Do CEOs Want From Marketing? Anthony Freeling McKinsey Fiona Stewart Antennae Fran Cassidy The Cassidy Media Partnership Top of the CEO agenda is the need to deliver consistent top-line growth within an existing business portfolio, rather than from a continued reliance on acquisition. This objective was identified from our research into the opinions of CEOs and CMOs and highlights the importance of good marketing in running a successful company. We identified five consistent themes and these were: strong brands as a significant asset; more effective use of consumer data; the role of innovation, the need for better implementation and continued focus on business efficiency. Each area has significant implications for the role of the marketing function. Brands as a company asset In an increasingly clamorous society with a proliferation in the sheer volume of offerings, strong brands are significant assets in enabling companies to compete effectively. The challenges are building and maintaining brand equity by keeping brands refreshed and relevant and restoring trust in brands, particularly in sectors under attack from regulatory or consumer groups. Fmcg businesses typically have a strong brand focus across the organisation, but there is no room for complacency. Here, the main challenge is optimising resource allocation. As a result, a number of CEOs and CMOs talked about further rationalisation of the brand portfolio so that...
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...Chapter Eleven Marketing: Building Profitable Customer Connections Questions 1. How does the American Marketing Association define marketing? How can marketers deliver value to their customers over the long term? How do they define America Marketing Association, as the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communication, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large. How can marketers deliver value to their customers over the long term, they have to deliver value to customers with by successful marketers deliver by customer needs in ways that exceed their expectations. 2. What are the 4 different kinds of utility that marketers can provide? Give an example (not from the book) of a product that delivers each type of utility. |Type of Utility |Example | |Form |iPhone | |Time |Drive through open 24/7 | |Place |Cafeteria on campus | |Ownership |Laptop ...
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...What is Consumer Buying Behavior? Definition of Buying Behavior: Buying Behavior is the decision processes and acts of people involved in buying and using products. Need to understand: * why consumers make the purchases that they make? * what factors influence consumer purchases? * the changing factors in our society. Consumer Buying Behavior refers to the buying behavior of the ultimate consumer. A firm needs to analyze buying behavior for: * Buyers reactions to a firms marketing strategy has a great impact on the firms success. * The marketing concept stresses that a firm should create a Marketing Mix (MM) that satisfies (gives utility to) customers, therefore need to analyze the what, where, when and how consumers buy. * Marketers can better predict how consumers will respond to marketing strategies. Stages of the Consumer Buying Process Six Stages to the Consumer Buying Decision Process (For complex decisions). Actual purchasing is only one stage of the process. Not all decision processes lead to a purchase. All consumer decisions do not always include all 6 stages, determined by the degree of complexity...discussed next. The 6 stages are: 1. Problem Recognition (awareness of need)--difference between the desired state and the actual condition. Deficit in assortment of products. Hunger--Food. Hunger stimulates your need to eat. Can be stimulated by the marketer through product information--did not know you were deficient? I.E., see a commercial for a...
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...CONSUMERS RULE CHAPTER OBJECTIVES When students finish this chapter they should understand that: • Consumers use products to help them define their identities in different settings. • Consumer behavior is a process. • Marketers need to understand the wants and needs of different consumer segments. • The Web is changing consumer behavior. • Consumer behavior is related to other issues in our lives. • Consumer activities can be harmful to individuals and to society. • A wide range of specialists study consumer behavior. • There are two major perspectives on understanding and studying consumer behavior. CHAPTER SUMMARY After reading this chapter, students should understand that: Consumers use products to help them define their identities in different settings. A consumer may purchase, use, and dispose of a product, but different people may perform these functions. In addition, we can think of consumers as role players who need different products to help them play their various parts. Consumer behavior is a process. Consumer behavior is the study of the processes involved when individuals or groups select, purchase, use, or dispose of products, services, ideas, or experiences to satisfy needs and desires. Marketers need to understand the wants and needs of different consumer segments. Market segmentation is an important aspect of consumer behavior. Consumers can be segmented according to many dimensions, including product usage, demographics...
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...). Marketers play crucial role in marketing activities. They work between companies and consumers, design and implement marketing plans and strategies to achieve marketing goal of companies, satisfy consumers demand at the same time. This essay will demonstrate two types of marketers and their duties, also suggest possible challenge faced by marketers. Companies’ aim is to sell their products to consumers, as well as promote their brand and products to attract more consumers. Therefore overall marketers’ obligation is to search for potential markets, select one or multiple markets as target, take the market environment and all other related factors that will impact on their brand into consideration to design appropriate marketing strategies, and manage the undertaking marketing activities (Mbalib n.d.). In order to seeking potential market opportunities, it is essential for marketers to do comprehensive market research in forms of observations and surveys, which helps marketers to understand consumers’ needs and wants, as well as their behaviour (Sharp 2013, p.6). Generally, there are two types of marketers. One is mainly involved in routine marketing activities, they are performers of marketing decisions, experiments and proposals (Laura n.d.). They also are information collectors and product promoters. They promoting and selling brands, conduct market researches and report the results, collect and report the market matrix figures (Sharp 2013, p.9). This type of marketers are...
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...the digital age. by Marc de Swaan Arons, Frank van den Driest, and Keith Weed July–August 2014 Harvard Business Review 55 SPOTLIGHT ON THE NEW MARKETING ORGANIZATION In the past decade, what marketers do to engage customers has changed almost beyond recognition. With the possible exception of information technology, we can’t think of another discipline that has evolved so quickly. Tools and strategies that were cutting-edge just a few years ago are fast becoming obsolete, and new approaches are appearing every day. Yet in most companies the organizational structure of the marketing function hasn’t changed since the practice of brand management emerged, more than 40 years ago. Hidebound hierarchies from another era are still commonplace. Marketers understand that their organizations need an overhaul, and many chief marketing o cers are tearing up their org charts. But in our research and our work with hundreds of global marketing organizations, we’ve found that those CMOs are struggling with how to draw the new chart. What does the ideal structure look like? Our answer is that this is the wrong question. A simple blueprint does not exist. Marketing leaders instead must ask, “What values and goals guide our brand strategy, what capabilities drive marketing excellence, and what structures and ways of working will support them?” Structure must follow strategy—not the other way around. Former McDonald’s CMO Larry Light understood that principle when he became the chief brand ...
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...CHAPTER 1 136) What should sellers consider if they wish to avoid marketing myopia? Answer: Sellers should consider the particular benefits and experiences desired by their customers, and not just pay attention to the specific products they offer. Diff: 1 Page Ref: 6 AACSB: Analytic Skills Skill: Application Objective: 1-2 137) You are a manufacturer of tents, sleeping bags, and outdoor cooking equipment. How might you go about creating brand experiences for your customers? Answer: Such manufacturers should focus on the benefits enjoyed through the use of their products-access to the great outdoors, shared family experiences, and relived memories of the consumer’s youth. Diff: 1 Page Ref: 7 AACSB: Analytic Skills Skill: Application Objective: 1-2 138) Think about suppliers and other marketing partners. A modern marketing system relies on profitable relationships all along the way. How might Wal-Mart rely on their marketing partners in order to offer low prices? Answer: Wal-Mart must rely on suppliers that will provide merchandise at low costs, a low-cost and efficient distribution system, an accurate and efficient customer relationship database system, and a strong partnership with each of the members of its supply chain. Diff: 1 Page Ref: 8 AACSB: Analytic Skills Skill: Application Objective: 1-2 139) When demand for the latest talking Elmo was at its highest, it was suggested that manufacturers purposefully maintain strong demand by limiting...
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