The Five Concepts of Marketing

The American Marketing Association defines marketing as "an organizational function and a set of processes for creating, communicating and delivering value to customers and for managing customer relationships in ways that benefit the organization and its stakeholders". (2005) Simply put, marketing is the process by which businesses assess the needs and desires of consumers in order to provide products and/or services to meet those needs in the most efficient and cost effective manner. Truly effective marketers do market research in an effort to understand their target market and create marketing strategies based on the characterization of those in the target area.

Marketing is often thought of as advertising and selling, but marketing encompasses more than just selling a product or service and advertising it to entice customers to make a purchase. Perrault, Cannon, and McCarthy (2009) defined marketing as "the performance of activities that seek to accomplish an organization’s objectives by anticipating customer or client needs and directing a flow of need satisfying goods and services from producer to customer or client" (p. 6). However, Kotler and Keller (2009) stated one of the shortest definitions is "meeting needs profitably" (p. 5). The author's definition of marketing includes all of the activities a business

‘Marketing is the social process by which individuals and groups obtain what they need and want through creating and exchanging products and value with others.’ - Kotler

The essence of marketing is value creation, where the goal is a long-term satisfaction by building relationships and attracting new customers by offering better value than the competition. Because marketing is based on exchanges where the objective is for all parties in the exchange to feel satisfied and gain some kind of value (Jobber and Ellis-Chadwick, 2013).

Marketing Concept The marketing concept can be defined as the idea that an organization should strive to satisfy the needs of customers, while also trying to achieve the organization’s goals.1 The marketing concept is about matching a company 's capabilities with customer wants. This matching process takes place in what is called the marketing environment. Businesses have to take into account their competitors, as well as changes in the political, economic, social and technological environment. The before mentioned factors must be taken into account as an organization tries to match its capabilities with the needs and wants of its target customers. An organization that adopts the

The overall concept of marketing is a management philosophy according to which a firm 's goals can be best achieved through identification and satisfaction of the customers stated and unstated needs and wants. Companies should identify the needs of their customer and produce products and

| The marketing concept stresses the commitment to satisfying customer needs and wants with an entire range of marketing tools, not just selling or advertising.

Which of the following core standards of marketing involves collecting and using data to make future business decisions?

Marketing is a management function which involves creating, communicating and delivering value for an organisation’s customers (Kotler, Brown, Burton, Deans & Armstrong (2010). Although many earlier academics define marketing as merely a process of satisfying customer needs in order to gain profits, more recent developments of the definition include its inherent connection with delivering superior value to customers in order to maintain ongoing relationships (Webster, 1992).

            The Marketing Concept.  This is a business philosophy that challenges the above three business orientations.  Its central tenets crystallized in the 1950s.  It holds that the key to achieving its organizational goals (goals of the selling company) consists of the company being more effective than competitors in creating, delivering, and communicating customer value to its selected target customers. The Marketing Concept represents the major change in today’s company orientation that provides the foundation to achieve competitive advantage.  This philosophy is the foundation of consultative selling.

As Jobber(2012) was claiming, the marketing concept is "Achieving corporate goals by meeting and exceeding customer needs, better than the competition". Marketing is the process of telling a true story in an unforgettable manner. As a consequence, it became an essential tool in the competitive business environment. The main objective is to maximize the company 's profit by showing up with stunning adverts. Bearing in mind the development of technology, "It is well known that markets grow by the reduction of unit prices: this is how the computer became a household necessity", this could not be possible without a good marketing strategy (Kapferer 2012, p.205).

An internet only store focused on selling shoes. Who would think, when hearing that description, that Zappos.com would become a billion dollar business that Amazon would eventually buy out? Alfred Lin did and decided to invest in this company. How did a seemingly failing company become such a huge success?

The marketing segmentation concept allows a company to focus on a specific group of customers that it is best prepared and suited to satisfy. Rather than trying to be all things to all people, selecting a target market enables a company to tailor its offerings to more specific customer needs and preferences (Schewe & Hiam, 1998, p. 200). When a company focuses its efforts and capital (both tangible and intangible) on a more narrowly defined set of needs, it is more likely that the customers will get the product they desire. Companies that use the marketing segmentation concept typically have a more intimate knowledge of the customers they target, and customers usually relate better with companies that understand their interests. As such a relationship is built.

The Marketing Concept The marketing concept has evolved over the last years, marketing reflects to a key approach to doing business. An organisations objective is to make profit, to do this they have to consider the marketing concept, in order to satisfy customers. For an organisation to be successful should divert its attention away from particular products and towards the interest of the customers. Customers changing their needs and wants influence an organisations strategies and plans. Meeting customer’s needs is the main key in marketing.

“Marketing is the management process responsible for identifying, anticipating and satisfying customer requirements profitably.” – CIM Definition.