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Marketing Basics 101: Simplifying Marketing

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For beginners, marketing can be a confusing and daunting process to learn. All the theories, techniques, tactics, strategy, methods, all that kinds of metrics, and seemingly countless more to learn, and endless process to master.

But with all the intricacies, marketing actually can be described into small sets of rules that is easy enough to learn,understand, and apply.

It's not saying that all those techniques don't matter, they do. And all those intricate metrics will help you in the long run. But today, we're going to discuss the very basic, the heart and soul of marketing.

Value

The first and foremost thing about marketing is the value of the product or service itself. All marketable products or services must have some kind of value, not matter how small it is.

Your job as a marketer is to spread the words so that the value is known to potential customers. This is called building awareness. Back then, you can amplify the value through bluffing in an advertising, however in this modern era where information can easily be gathered, you cannot bluff your way anymore.

What you can do is making people realize the value will be beneficial for them. For example, people might not understand at first that drinking milk will bring value to their lives. By introducing that milk will provide calcium necessary for bone preservation and growth, you make them realize the value. Now they are aware of your product. Deciding what the value of the product or service is is your first step. Then, you need to decide to whom the value will be most beneficial. They are your target market.

Reaching Your Target Market

After you defined your value, and to whom the value will benefit the most -the target market-, your job as a marketer is to figure out how to reach them.

In the end, the basic rule of marketing is to put yourself in the customer's shoes and ask yourself the question "How usually I get introduced to a product?".

If your target market are young, tech savvy individuals, that answer might be by seeing it on the internet. For older people, that answer might be seeing a TV or magazine ads. It may also be by hearing them from friends and family.

After you answer that question, you can utilize the tactics to reach them. For example, If your answer is the internet, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), online banners, native advertising, and social media advertising will be your tactics. There, those marketing jargons actually aren't so daunting, aren't it? Know your target market and decide your tactics. Don't get overwhelmed with all those techniques and methods out there.

Conversion

After people get introduced and became aware of your product and its value, they will consider buying your product. In this phase, your job is to maximize the probability of the conversion from prospective customer to an actual customer. The basic step still applies. Again, put yourself in their shoes. How would you decide a purchase? For example, when considering buying a tv you will search for reviews, key features, etc. for the best product before deciding. In this case, the optimal tactic is to maximize and optimize the reviews, put a native advertising that discusses the features of your product, or similar ones. Your creativity will be your limit.

Enchanting

Going back to the previous point, how can you get good reviews to maximize conversion? You can always create artificial ones of course, by getting your employees, friends and family to give good reviews. But the most powerful one is to get organic, real reviews from real customers. This is called enchanting them to be your advocate. To achieve this, we go back to the first step, value. People will become advocates when the value of the products meets or exceeds their expectation. Or when they get a good experience. A process to maintain this is called customer loyalty program. And there, your marketing process goes back to a full cycle.

End Words

There we are. Marketing is not as daunting as it sounds anymore, right? When you understand these basic principles, you can follow the marketing process step-by-step logically. This way, next time you heard a new marketing jargons or techniques or whatever, go back to these basic principles. Which phase will they belong? Will they help you define or amplify value? Will they help you spread the words? Or Will they help you ensuring purchase or loyalty? That way, the jargons won't be as confusing as it initially sounds.