What Is Marketing

Marketing is a very valuable part of a business. Marketing should begin with potential customer needs, not with the production process. Marketing should try to anticipate the customer's needs. And then marketing, rather than production, should determine what goods and services are to be developed, including decisions about product design and packaging; prices or fees; credit and collection policies; use of middlemen; transporting and storing policies; advertising and sales policies; and, after the sale, installation, customer service, warranty, and perhaps even disposal policies.

Some of the most popular examples of companies who use marketing everyday to help boost sales are McDonald's, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and M&M's. I believe that marketing is the most important part of an organization. It is the main source for getting business. Marketing brings the product to the customer through commercial and advertising, making the consumer want the product, and were to get it.

A great example of this is Coca-Cola and Pepsi, their on-going rivalry gives the marketing side of their companies something to work with. A great marketing tool is the "taste test." The taste test helps the customer decide which product is better for them. They also have numerous commercials on television. Television makes the consumer desire to go out and buy a soda. Both Pepsi and Coca-Cola also hire famous people to enjoy and promote their products on television and radio commercials.

Another great example is McDonald's. They have commercials enticing the children to come and play and they offer toys in there meals. This marketing tool gives the children a reason to want to go there and eat. They also hire famous people to enjoy and promote their food on commercials. They use "jingles" or catchy songs that seem to stay with us all through out the day. These are some examples of what I would consider marketing, they are promoting there business through giving the public what they want.

According to one author, "Marketing is the process of planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion, and distribution of ideas, goods, services, organizations, and events to create and maintain relationships that will satisfy individual and organizational objectives ("Contemporary Marketing Wired (1998) by Boone and Kurtz. Dryden Press). In this definition of marketing it says to me that the objective to marketing is to take the needs of consumers or customers and incorporated it into their products to boost the company.

When a company is first starting off it needs to reach the public to make itself known and get its name into the household. By marketing the products that it has it can effectively find its way into the homes if done correctly, making the business successful.

Another example of marketing that comes to mind is, M&M. The came up with a