The Science of Marketing
Fundamental marketing concepts, as well as marketing as a discipline, have evolved into a whole new group of ideas. Micro-marketing, maxi-marketing, database marketing, new marketing, wrap-around marketing, value-added marketing, relationship marketing and neo-marketing are but a few of today's marketing options. The very fact that there are so many off-shoots, illustrates and illuminates the eventual disintegration of the science of marketing as we know it.
In decades past it was absolutely imperative to consider your customer orientation in order to hone in on your local market.
However, today's over-informed, over-stressed, contemporary market has expanded into a new horizon, the Internet-a worldwide audience.
Consider the fact that exchange value is now based on customer use and loyalty to a product or brand. This is contrary to the opinion that exchange value is completely based on the 'point-of-sale'. Therefore today we must emphasize on the customer experience.
Traditional theory tells us that segmentation, targeting and position are how to identify customers. Yet, demographics alone is no longer the whole picture, you must also consider how your customer reacts.
Recently I listened attentively as a very young, Jonah Lehrer explained how the brain works and what stimulates us to make the leap from uninterested browser to customer status. Jonah asks, "How do we decide?" In his new book, "How We Decide," he answers this question. His answer, "The sum of our desires and preferences are largely centered in the unconscious, which actually drives your behavior and shapes what you do, unbeknownst to you. Most of the time," Lehrer further explains, "your customer's emotions drive what they do."
To better understand who your customer is and what spurs them to buy, try looking deeper. Analyze and quantify, if not qualify, your target market. Consider polling their opinions, whether they purchase your products or services or not.
If your business has grown past the niche' or segmented market you may be ready to grow faster with the mass-marketing techniques available through purchased lists or online marketing techniques such as tribal marketing, cross-marketing, email marketing, and yes, even RSS feeds to name just a few. Now, you may also want to consider affiliate marketing or 'many-to-many' marketing to use and 'old-school' term.
The bottom line, marketing as a whole has evolved since the advent of the computer and marketing techniques have expanded past the traditional 'old-school'. The Internet has evolved and expanded the very basic methods once thought all-encompassing.
Yes, use the Internet to market to a wider audience, but more importantly, use it to brand your business in the minds of your customers and create a loyal customer base for life.
©2009 Ginger Marks
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