Advertising, Marketing, PR, Sales – All the same?
Marketing, marketing management, marketing strategy, call it what you will – is often misunderstood to the detriment of many businesses.
From our experience, if your company is seeking how best to maximise its budget, misunderstandings in the following areas often need to be resolved:
- Sales and Marketing
- Advertising and Marketing
- Marketing and PR
Sales and Marketing
‘Marketing is the management process responsible for identifying, anticipating and satisfying customer requirements profitably’.
– Definition by Chartered Institute of Marketing.
Marketing is a strategic function and should always be geared to generating profit over the long-term.
To achieve this, marketing has to undertake a comprehensive review and decision making process which encompasses, customer analysis, market segmentation, perceptions, market size/potential, but also competitive analysis and reactions, positioning, branding, advertising, promotions, channel of distribution, product portfolio, sales and commercial resource management, and more.
A Strategic Marketing Plan is then devised which is focussed on achieving key business objectives and setting a budget which covers both expenditure and return on investment.
Unfortunately in many companies, Marketing is often considered to be a subdivision of sales. Sales is focussed on one commercial aspect of the business. Ideally the sales function should be guided and directed by the strategic marketing function. In many companies this is not the case, and marketing often acts as a sales support function, as the business is very sales orientated. This means that while volumes may go up, profits continue to go down.
If this sounds familiar then contact our Marketing Consultancy. Our experience and understanding of marketing will help generate demand and profitable sales for your company.
Talk to a Marketing Consultant who delivers:
T: 07936 386 283 or
E: info@jtmarketingservices.co.uk
Advertising and Marketing
Marketing drives the strategy for overall communication – not the other way round!
Marketing is often confused with Advertising, where in fact Advertising is part of the marketing process. Advertising uses national and local newspapers, trade journals and online mechanisms to carry paid adverts about the company and its brands.
More often that not, Advertising is used by many people as a general term which in fact covers a whole range of tactical and strategic Marketing Communication actions to get the right message(s) across. This includes public relations, sales promotion, point of sale, telemarketing, direct mail, electronic and web based marketing.
As mentioned above, once the Strategic Marketing Plan is formulated then a decision is required on how best to reach that targeted potential customer base with the budget that has been set. An integrated Communication Plan is often the result of careful consideration, analysis and planning and means that there is a highly coordinated plan which ensures the most cost-effective marketing communication methods.
Our experience shows however that Advertising is an excellent tool to build a brand or message(s) over the long-term but this requires investment. Advertising can also be use for quick-wins for example such as making customers aware of the launch of a new product and availability or special price/offers.
Advertising is used to create short-term leads. However advertising is seen as too vague in its effect on the business because of the absence of a coherent marketing plan. Many commercial managers are disappointed because the volume, quality and cost of attaining these leads.
If this sounds familiar then contact our Marketing Consultancy to help your company to explore a more profitable way.
Our marketing consultancy will make your company brand stand out from the crowd and get the right message to the right customer at the right time.
Marketing Communication Strategy and Planning - contact our Marketing Consultant :
T: 07936 386 283 or
E: info@jtmarketingservices.co.uk
Marketing and PR
Public Relations (PR) is also another means of developing messages over the long-term. For instance articles which are written by journalists based on newsworthy information provided by the company through press releases or briefings and interviews.
Although coverage (the article or piece appearing) is never guaranteed, Public Relations is often overlooked and excellent opportunities to communicate to the market place are missed. All the more tragic when the costs involved can often be a small fraction of the cost of advertising and direct marketing.
PR should also be considered to ensure the right message and exposure when organising events such as brand/product launches, forthcoming events including exhibitions.
For advice on how to maximise your current marketing budget contact our Marketing Consultant :
T: 07936 386 283 or
E: info@jtmarketingservices.co.uk