Marketing firms should focus their campaigns on what generates sales. The best campaigns are those that influence product purchases. If consumers dislike the campaign, but it sells product better than favored campaigns, then the advertisement would be considered a success. The goal of any campaign is to generate sales. The ideal campaign should build trust, influence sales, and generate brand awareness. Businesses should target and adapt their marketing strategies to focus on what consumers want and will purchase. The consumer is the ultimate power broker within any organization. Organizations should structure their marketing efforts on identifying and meeting their consumers’ individual needs. Those needs must be met within all aspects of the business, including price, customer support, and sales.
My opinion is that marketing both reflects and shapes the needs of consumers. For instance, Apple Inc. is introducing a new watch to the market in a few days. I want a watch, but I do not want to spend $400 on an apple watch. Because of the price, I will not get the watch without being convinced that it can offer me something worth the price. In this sense, the idea/marketing of the watch is reflecting what I know based on the information I have. However, if apple markets the watch effectively, I can convince myself that I need the watch even if I do not really want to spend the money. In this sense, the marketing is shaping my needs and wants. The reality is that effective marketing can convince me of something that is outside of my desires.
The implication is that marketing agency’s can capitalize off my internal weakness and pursued me to purchase without me desiring to do so. Though I may not need or want the product or service, the marketing campaign could create the campaign to be attractive by targeting it toward solving my hesitations to purchase. In addition, marketing is generated to serve the needs and wants of consumers. If the purchasing item is something that I already know I want, but have not purchased it for whatever reason, the marketing should influence my decision by resolving my concerns.
From a personal perspective, I purchase based on three factors; Whether or not the item will help me become more productive, can it satisfy the things or people I love, or will is satisfy a fetish. I love electronics and tools that make me more productive, so if I give a salesperson my daily schedule, I expect them to convince me as to how their product can fit into that schedule and make it better. From there, I will take care of the third factor to convince my wife about why I “need” it.
If the marketing firm can convince me that their product or service can enhance my productivity and quality of life, then I will make the purchase. The issue with this is that marketers can sell ideals that are not necessarily good for individuals. For example; unhealthy eating habits, weight loss goals, and purchasing items that are not financially responsible. The result is that the consumer should make the right decision.
Marketing audits are crucial to achieving business success. Having the ability to find and understand your consumer, competitors, and product potential will make the process of marketing your product or service much easier than if done without it. A problem that I often see being in the marketing industry is that organizations don’t get audits, and within the middle of their marketing efforts, they realize they have no real plan or way to monitor the effects of their marketing campaigns. Having a plan of action helps pace and organizes the marketing efforts. Marketing audits help organizations identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and risks specific to their industry and market. Marketing audits can also satisfy the vision of the organization, the value of products offered, and the effectiveness of current, previous and future marketing efforts and organizational efficiency’s. A good marketing audit should assist with the implementation of a marketing strategy, which should help in generating brand awareness and sales.
