Every company depends on an efficient marketing program to fulfill customers ' needs. Marketing is a process of finding out what the customer wants and meeting those requirements. Within the company, the marketing group has to consider customer values and customer satisfaction before considering offering a product. Marketing is part of our everyday world, and can be perceived everywhere and every time. At any time, everyone has been exposed to different kinds of marketing or advertising depending upon personal necessities such as T.V commercials, radio, internet, etc.
Another definition of marketing is the "selling of products or services: the business activity of presenting products or services in such a way as to make them desirable" (MSN Encarta). However, according to (Kotler & Keller, 2006) the formal definition of "marketing is an organizational function and a set of processes for creating, communication, and delivering value to customers and for managing customer relationships in ways that benefit the organization and its shareholders"(Kotler & Keller, p.4). According to these definitions, marketing needs to cover customers ' necessities and at the same time sell products to increase future revenues. However, marketing is more extensive than just selling a product. Moreover, marketing activities are all activities associated with identifying the particular wants and needs of a target market of customers, and then going about satisfying those customers better than the competitors. This involves doing market research on customers, analyzing their needs, and then making strategic decisions about product design, pricing, promotion and distribution.
In other words, if a company develops a strong marketing plan, the concept of selling is not needed if the product is marketed properly. After performing a proper marketing plan, the company profits and sales will increase substantially. This entire process is known as marketing management "
References: Donaton, S. (2004, February 23). It is time to take a fresh look at the definition of marketing. Advertising Age, 75(8), p-16. Dubrouski, D. (). The importance of services marketing for organizational change from Slovenian perspective. Retrieved September 11, 2005, from http://www.utdt.edu/congresos/empresarial/papers-ama/047.pdf Kotler, P., & Keller, K. (2006). Defining marketing for the 21st century. In (Ed.), Marketing management (12 ed., pp.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson / Prentice Hall. MSN Encarta (). Marketing definition. Retrieved September 11, 2005, from http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_18616284551prevpage.html