Creating an Exchange Relationship for a "Hard Sell"
Creating an Exchange Relationship for a “Hard Sell”
Jayne Diaz
BUS 620: Managerial Marketing
Professor David Kalicharan
January16, 2012
Creating an Exchange Relationship for a “Hard Sell”
Marketing a product or service is crucial for organizational success in any industry. Depending on the nature of the product, marketing firms may or may not have a difficult task demonstrating to the customers the desirability of the product. This paper will discuss how to create an exchange relationship between business and consumers for the products and services that are not an “easy sell”. The impact on the exchange relationship will also be discussed when customers do not necessarily want to be customers, using funeral arrangements as the primary example. Dealing with death is a difficult but necessary market that should not be overlooked because of the sensitivity of the subject. Lastly, an effective approach to dealing with “hard sell” products and services will be reviewed from a marketing standpoint. This paper will show that there is no product that cannot be marketed effectively. “Marketing is a social process involving the activities necessary to enable individuals and organizations to obtain what they need and want through exchanges with others and to develop ongoing exchange relationships” (Mullins & Walker, 2010). There are many products out on the market that may not be an “easy sell” for various reasons. This may be the pack of cigarettes in an anti-smoking country, or the SUV in a time when fuel is skyrocketing. When there is a product or service that is difficult to sell, organizations must rely on their marketing department to create a need in the minds of customers for such products. The needs and wants of consumers must be identified, along with the benefits that create value for the consumer.
When Customers don’t want to be Customers
There are many times when a customer does not necessarily want to be a customer. This
Jayne Diaz
BUS 620: Managerial Marketing
Professor David Kalicharan
January16, 2012
Creating an Exchange Relationship for a “Hard Sell”
Marketing a product or service is crucial for organizational success in any industry. Depending on the nature of the product, marketing firms may or may not have a difficult task demonstrating to the customers the desirability of the product. This paper will discuss how to create an exchange relationship between business and consumers for the products and services that are not an “easy sell”. The impact on the exchange relationship will also be discussed when customers do not necessarily want to be customers, using funeral arrangements as the primary example. Dealing with death is a difficult but necessary market that should not be overlooked because of the sensitivity of the subject. Lastly, an effective approach to dealing with “hard sell” products and services will be reviewed from a marketing standpoint. This paper will show that there is no product that cannot be marketed effectively. “Marketing is a social process involving the activities necessary to enable individuals and organizations to obtain what they need and want through exchanges with others and to develop ongoing exchange relationships” (Mullins & Walker, 2010). There are many products out on the market that may not be an “easy sell” for various reasons. This may be the pack of cigarettes in an anti-smoking country, or the SUV in a time when fuel is skyrocketing. When there is a product or service that is difficult to sell, organizations must rely on their marketing department to create a need in the minds of customers for such products. The needs and wants of consumers must be identified, along with the benefits that create value for the consumer.
When Customers don’t want to be Customers
There are many times when a customer does not necessarily want to be a customer. This
References: Bolander, J. (2011). How to sell ice in the Arctic. Retrieved January 16, 2012 from: http://www.thedailymba.com/2011/07/04/how-to-sell-ice-in-the-arctic/. Local-Marketer. (2010). How to market your funeral home. Retrieved January 16, 2012 from: http://local-marketer.hubpages.com/hub/funeral-home-marketing. Mullins, J. W., & Walker, O. C. (2010). Marketing management: A strategic decision-making approach. (7th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.