Baerads: December 2015

Saturday, December 26, 2015

Baerads: Criticisms of Marketing: Part 3.(Knowthis.com).

Baerads: Criticisms of Marketing: Part 3.(Knowthis.com).: Marketing Encroaches on Customers’ Right to Privacy As we will see later in our discussion of Marketing Research , gatheri...

Criticisms of Marketing: Part 3.(Knowthis.com).

Marketing Encroaches on Customers’ Right to Privacy

As we will see later in our discussion of Marketing Research, gathering and analyzing information on the market in which marketers conduct business is a vital step in making good marketing decisions. Often the most valuable information deals with customers’ buying behavior and especially determining which factors influence how customers make purchase decisions.

But to some consumer advocates digging deep into customer buying behavior crosses the line of what is considered private information. Of most concern to privacy advocates is marketers’ use of methods that track user activity. In particular, they are critical of the growing use of advanced technologies that allow marketers to gain access to customer shopping and information gathering habits. For instance, marketers can use highly advanced techniques to track user activity on the Internet. Some marketers do so using questionable practices, such as loading tracking software onto a user’s computer, without the knowledge or permission of the user. One type of software called adware allows marketers to monitor users’ website browsing activity and use this information to deliver advertisements based on users Internet habits.

Privacy issues are not limited to concerns with online tracking; marketers also use techniques to track customers’ offline purchase activity. One example of offline tracking occurs when retail stores match sales transactions to individual shoppers. This is easy to do when customers use purchase cards (a.k.a. loyalty cards, discount cards, club cards, etc.) as part of the buying process.

Privacy issues are not restricted to marketing research. Other areas of marketing have also experienced problems. For instance, there have been several recent incidences, most notably those involving mishandled credit card payment information, where a breach in customer privacy has placed customers at risk.

The issue of customer privacy is likely to become one of the most contentious issues marketers face in the coming years. If this continues marketers may soon face greater legal limits on how they conduct business.

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To Your Success,
Patrick
www.baerads.com

Baerads: Criticisms of Marketing: Part 2.(Knowthis.com).

Baerads: Criticisms of Marketing: Part 2.(Knowthis.com).: Marketing Discriminates in Customer Selection We will see later that a key to marketing success is to engage in a deliberate pro...

Criticisms of Marketing: Part 2.(Knowthis.com).

Marketing Discriminates in Customer Selection

We will see later that a key to marketing success is to engage in a deliberate process that identifies customers who offer marketers the best chance for satisfying organizational objectives. This method, called target marketing, often drives most marketing decisions, including product development and price setting. But some argue that target marketing leads marketers to focus their efforts primarily on customers who have the financial means to make more expensive purchases. They contend that doing so intentionally discriminates against others, especially lower income customers who cannot afford to purchase higher priced products. This group ends ups being targeted with lower quality (and in some cases less safe) products or for some groups, no product options.

While this criticism is often valid, it is worth noting that while many “lower quality” products are inferior to current high-end products, comparison of their quality to similar products from just a few years ago shows there has been significant improvement. For instance, low cost electronic equipment, such as digital cameras, offer more features compared to low cost cameras of just a few years ago. Thus, while certain customer groups may not be the target market for certain new product offerings they may eventually benefit from higher-end products.

Marketing Contributes to Environmental Waste

In recent years one of the loudest complaints against marketing concerns its impact on the environment. Those critical of marketing’s effect on the environment point to such issues as:

the use of excessive, non-biodegradable packaging (e.g., use of plastics, placing small products in large packages, etc.)
the continual development of resource consuming products (e.g., construction of new buildings, golf courses, shopping malls, etc.)
the proliferation of unsightly and wasteful methods of promotions (e.g., outdoor billboards, direct mail, etc.).

Marketers have begun to respond to these concerns by introducing “green marketing” campaigns that are not only intended to appease critics but also take advantage of potential business opportunities. For example, auto makers see opportunity by creating new fuel efficient hybrid vehicles, the demand for which has accelerated in the last few years. Also, certain retailers are finding financial opportunity and promotional value by asserting their marketing muscle to encourage customers to become more environmentally responsible. This can be seen with retailers, such as Wal-Mart, that are shifting its inventory of light bulbs from standard incandescent types to more efficient fluorescent products. It is expected that as environmental activism gains political clout and more consumer support, marketers will see even more opportunity to market environmentally friendly products.

Baerads: Criticisms of Marketing: Part 1.(Knowthis.com).

Baerads: Criticisms of Marketing: Part 1.(Knowthis.com).: While marketing is viewed as offering significant benefits to organizations and to society, the fact that marketing is a business ...

Criticisms of Marketing: Part 1.(Knowthis.com).

While marketing is viewed as offering significant benefits to organizations and to society, the fact that marketing is a business function operating in close contact with the public opens this functional area to extensive criticism.

Among the issues cited by those who criticize marketing are:

Marketing Encourages People to Purchase What They Do Not Need

Possibly the criticism most frequently made about marketing is that marketers are only concerned with getting customers to buy whether they want the product or not. The root of this argument stems from the belief that marketers are only out to satisfy their own needs and really do not care about the needs of their customers.

As we will discuss, while many marketers are guilty of manipulating customers into making unwanted purchases, the vast majority understand that undertaking such tactics will not lead to loyal customers and, consequently, is unlikely to lead to longer term success.

Marketers Embellish Product Claims

Marketers are often criticized for exaggerating the benefits offered by their products. This is especially the case with the part of marketing that engages in customer communication, such as advertising and salespeople. The most serious problems arise when product claims are seen as misleading customers into believing a product can offer a certain level of value that, in fact, it cannot.

But sometimes there is a fine line between what a rational person should accept as a “reasonable exaggeration” and what is considered downright misleading. Fortunately, many countries offer customers some level of protection from misleading claims since such business practices may subject the marketer to legal action. Again, using such tactics is likely to lead to marketing failure as customers will not be satisfied and will likely not return.

Baerads: The Role of Marketing.(Knowthis.com).

Baerads: The Role of Marketing.(Knowthis.com).: As we’ve seen the key objective of an organization’s marketing efforts is to develop satisfying relationships with customers that ...

The Role of Marketing.(Knowthis.com).

As we’ve seen the key objective of an organization’s marketing efforts is to develop satisfying relationships with customers that benefit both the customer and the organization. These efforts lead marketing to serve an important role within most organizations and within society.

At the organizational level, marketing is a vital business function that is necessary in nearly all industries whether the organization operates as a for-profit or as a not-for-profit. For the for-profit organization, marketing is responsible for most tasks that bring revenue and, hopefully, profits to an organization. For the not-for-profit organization, marketing is responsible for attracting customers needed to support the not-for-profit’s mission, such as raising donations or supporting a cause. For both types of organizations, it is unlikely they can survive without a strong marketing effort.

Marketing is also the organizational business area that interacts most frequently with the public and, consequently, what the public knows about an organization is determined by their interactions with marketers. For example, customers may believe a company is dynamic and creative based on its advertising message.

At a broader level marketing offers significant benefits to society. These benefits include:

Developing products that satisfy needs, including products that enhance society’s quality of life
Creating a competitive environment that helps lower product prices
Developing product distribution systems that offer access to products to a large number of customers and many geographic regions
Building demand for products that require organizations to expand their labor force
Offering techniques that have the ability to convey messages that change societal behavior in a positive way (e.g., anti-smoking advertising).

Thursday, December 24, 2015

Baerads: Marketing e-Books

Baerads: Marketing e-Books: Some e-books that might be of interest for your study and that might refresh your mind and help you learn more beneficial means of m...

Marketing e-Books

Baerads: Marketing Definition Dissected.(Knowthis.com).

Baerads: Marketing Definition Dissected.(Knowthis.com).: Let’s examine our definition of marketing in a little more detail by looking at the key terms. Strategies and Tactics Stra...

Marketing Definition Dissected.(Knowthis.com).

Let’s examine our definition of marketing in a little more detail by looking at the key terms.

Strategies and Tactics

Strategies are best explained as the direction the marketing effort takes over some period of time while tactics are actionable steps or decisions made in order to follow the strategies established. For instance, if a company’s strategy is to begin selling its products in a new country, the tactics may involve the marketing decisions made to carry this out. Performing strategic and tactical planning activities in advance of taking action is considered critical for long-term marketing success.

Identify

Arguably the most important marketing function involves efforts needed to gain knowledge of customers, competitors, and markets (i.e., where marketers do business). We will see throughout this tutorial how marketing research is utilized in all decision areas.

Create

Competition forces marketers to be creative people. When marketers begin new ventures, such as building a new company, it is often based around something that is new (e.g., a new product, a new way of getting products to customers, a new advertising approach, etc.). But once something new is launched innovation does not end. Competitive pressure is continually felt by the marketer, who must respond by again devising new strategies and tactics that help the organization remain successful. For marketers, the cycle of creating something new never ends.

Maintain

Today’s marketers work hard to ensure their customers return to purchase from them again and again. Long gone (see our discussion of History of Marketing below) are the days when success for a marketer was measured simply in how many sales they made each day. Now, in most marketing situations, marketing success is evaluated not only in terms of sales figures but also by how long a marketer retains good customers. Consequently, marketers’ efforts to attract customers do not end when a customer makes a purchase. It continues in various ways for, hopefully, a long time after the initial purchase.

Satisfying Relationships

A key objective of marketing is to provide products and services that customers really want AND to make customers feel their contact with the marketer is helping build a good relationship between the two. In this way the customer becomes a partner in the transaction, not just a source of revenue for the marketer.

Value for Both Customer and Marketer

Value refers to the perception of benefits received for what someone must give up. For customers, value is most often measured by how much benefit they feel they are getting for their money, though the value one customer feels may differ from what another customer feels even though they purchase the same product. On the other side of the transaction, the marketer for a for-profit organization may measure value in terms of how much profit they make for the marketing efforts and resources expended. For a successful marketing effort to take place both the customer and the marketer must feel they are receiving something worth while in return for their efforts. Without a strong perception of value it is unlikely a strong relationship can be built. Throughout this tutorial we will emphasize value and show ways marketers build value into the products they offer.

Patrick Abboud

Baerads

Baerads: Definition Of Marketing(Knowthis.com).

Baerads: Definition Of Marketing(Knowthis.com).: Our starting point for learning about marketing is to begin with the basics and that starts with defining marketing. Since marke...

Definition Of Marketing(Knowthis.com).

Our starting point for learning about marketing is to begin with the basics and that starts with defining marketing. Since marketing has been an important part of business for a long time we could consult one of the many hundreds of books written on the subject to locate a definition. Or, as is more the custom today, we could search the Internet to see how marketing is defined. Whether we search print or electronic form we will find that marketing is defined in many different ways.

Some definitions focus on marketing in terms of what it means to an organization, such as being the key functional area for generating revenue, while other definitions lean more toward defining marketing in terms of its most visible tasks, such as advertising and creating new products.

There probably is no one best way to define marketing, however, whatever definition is used should have an orientation that focuses on the key to marketing success – customers.

For the purpose of this tutorial we will define marketing as follows:

Marketing consists of the strategies and tactics used to identify, create and maintain satisfying relationships with customers that result in value for both the customer and the marketer.

Patrick Abboud

Baerads

Baerads: Advantages of a Marketing Plan Source: Boundless

Baerads: Advantages of a Marketing Plan Source: Boundless: Every company, from the smallest to the largest, should have a marketing plan. A marketing plan helps remove the fog and barriers ...

Advantages of a Marketing Plan Source: Boundless

Every company, from the smallest to the largest, should have a marketing plan. A marketing plan helps remove the fog and barriers to vision. Marketing plans help organizations to:

Obtain a clear direction regarding how to get and keep customers;
Become better at using strategy to build brand awareness;
Sell their products and services easier;
Address and identify potential problems; and
Take advantage of new opportunities.

And that's just for starters.

Additional Marketing Plan Benefits

A marketing plan can also have the following benefits:

It can serve as a motivator -- Employees generally like to know they are working for a company with a plan. Thus, a marketing plan can serve as a rallying point for employees. Like a ship that has a good captain at its helm, the presence of a marketing plan can comfort employees during tough times. A lack of knowledge can send good employees looking for new jobs or lead to the spread of rumors that can poison the company from within.

It can pave the road to success -- Even though everything is subject to change, it is still a smart idea to make a good plan for your business. If you want to cover meaningful ground, then you must know in which direction to travel. While you won't proceed with zero mistakes, it is possible to avoid making a lot of them. You will grow to appreciate the power of planning because it can make your business life much more profitable.

It can serve as operational instructions for an organization -- A marketing plan provides a step-by-step guide detailing how you are going to reach your goals.

Patrick Abboud
baerads

Baerads: Seven Benefits of A Strategic Marketing Plan(By Mi...

Baerads: Seven Benefits of A Strategic Marketing Plan(By Mi...: Companies have amazing marketing tools at their disposal these days. Just ten years ago no one had heard of social media and blogs were...

Seven Benefits of A Strategic Marketing Plan(By Mike Gastin).

Companies have amazing marketing tools at their disposal these days. Just ten years ago no one had heard of social media and blogs were popular only among the internet elite.

The great thing about all the tools we have these days is they make it easy to communicate. Whereas it used to take six months to create, print and distribute your general brochure, you can now open Twitter or Facebook and start interacting with your customers immediately. The same goes for your corporate blog, email blasts, banner ads and search engine optimization: they are all quick and easy to do.

But, beware. When it’s easy to talk to your target market it’s just as easy to forego a strategic marketing plan.

The following are seven reasons you should have a marketing plan.

1. A plan keeps your marketing efforts aligned with corporate goals and objectives

It’s easy to be busy. Companies have fewer people doing more work and the digital world has made it so that there’s no shortage of things to do. With so many activities your organization can engage in the trick is to know which ones make sense. A sound marketing plan will help you determine what should be done and what should be ignored. This will keep your team focused on work that matters—work that accomplishes your company’s goals and objectives.

2. A plan keeps your marketing efforts proactive

These days change is the only constant. With change comes the temptation to react every time there’s a new technology, new marketing platform or a new opportunity. When you’re constantly reacting to outside forces you’re not in control, but rather being pushed and pulled in a multitude of directions. A plan will protect your organization against that trap. A plan will define your strategies, it will create the path to executing those strategies and will define the things you need to do to win. This keeps you on the offensive and protects you from becoming reactive.

3. A sound plan makes it easy to evaluate new opportunities

Since we know the world around us is always changing (see #2) we can assume that new opportunities will present themselves from time to time. It might be as simple as a new advertising vehicle or as big as a new market sector that’s opening. How do you know if these opportunities are good for you? A plan will prove priceless in these circumstances as it will give you the criteria to evaluate them and determine if they make sense for your company.

4. A plan gets your whole organization on the same page

Many organizations suffer from a lack of unity. Everyone has different goals and objectives and everyone has an opinion on what the company should do and how it should do it. A sound plan will help get your people in agreement on your problems, challenges, goals, objectives, strategies and tactics, ultimately getting everyone aligned and contributing.

5. A plan helps you to keep sight of the big picture

A lot of the tactics we engage in these days tend to be very specialized and focus on the small picture. Twitter, for example, is a micro-exchange between you and your audience, 140 characters at a time. It’s a powerful tool, but one that’s very much about the moment. A good plan will help you and your company keep sight of the big picture so you don’t get lost in the weeds and you don’t miss out on opportunities.

6. A plan gives you confidence

Every company goes through cycles and that includes descending into the trough of despair. When you’re doing all you can and it seems like nothing is working, a good plan will guide you through. It will confirm your direction, provide insight into your situation and remind you of where you’re heading. Tactical things like social media alone can’t do that for you because they are granular and in the moment. Only a sound plan can give you confidence to stay the course when times get tough.

7. A marketing plan facilitates measurement

A plan gives you a framework to measure your efforts. One of the great things about all the newer tactics we have at our disposal is they are easily measurable. We can see web site traffic, banner ad clicks, number of followers and email click-through. But, all that data on its own does not mean a whole lot. A plan gives you the ability to evaluate all the data and determine if your efforts are moving you towards your corporate goals.

There are many more reasons to develop a marketing plan in addition to the ones I’ve listed here. The value of a sound plan far outweighs any investment you make to create one and the benefits will last for years. If you don’t have a strategic marketing plan, I highly suggest you develop one.

Patrick Abboud

baerads

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Baerads: Privacy concerns in mobile marketing.(Wikipedia).

Baerads: Privacy concerns in mobile marketing.(Wikipedia).: Mobile advertising has become more and more popular. However, some mobile advertising is sent without a required permission from t...

Privacy concerns in mobile marketing.(Wikipedia).

Mobile advertising has become more and more popular. However, some mobile advertising is sent without a required permission from the consumer causing privacy violations. It should be understood that irrespective of how well advertising messages are designed and how many additional possibilities they provide, if consumers do not have confidence that their privacy will be protected, this will hinder their widespread deployment.^[19] But if the messages originate from a source where the user is enrolled in a relationship/loyalty program, privacy is not considered violated and even interruptions can generate goodwill.^[20]

The privacy issue became even more salient as it was before with the arrival of mobile data networks. A number of important new concerns emerged mainly stemming from the fact that mobile devices are intimately personal^[21] and are always with the user, and four major concerns can be identified: mobile spam, personal identification, location information and wireless security.^[22] Aggregate presence of mobile phone users could be tracked in a privacy-preserving fashion.

Baerads: User-controlled media.(Wikipedia).

Baerads: User-controlled media.(Wikipedia).: Mobile marketing differs from most other forms of marketing communication in that it is often user (consumer) initiated (mobile ...

User-controlled media.(Wikipedia).

Mobile marketing differs from most other forms of marketing communication in that it is often user (consumer) initiated (mobile originated, or MO) message, and requires the express consent of the consumer to receive future communications. A call delivered from a server (business) to a user (consumer) is called a mobile terminated (MT) message. This infrastructure points to a trend set by mobile marketing of consumer controlled marketing communications.^[17]

Due to the demands for more user controlled media, mobile messaging infrastructure providers have responded by developing architectures that offer applications to operators with more freedom for the users, as opposed to the network-controlled media. Along with these advances to user-controlled Mobile Messaging 2.0, blog events throughout the world have been implemented in order to launch popularity in the latest advances in mobile technology. In June 2007, Airwide Solutions became the official sponsor for the Mobile Messaging 2.0 blog that provides the opinions of many through the discussion of mobility with freedom.^[18]

GPS plays an important role in location-based marketing.

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