DEFINE MARKETING AND THE MARKETING PROCESS

Summary: Marketing can be defined as a series of activities to meet consumer needs and
satisfaction, either by producing products and then providing prices and promoting them to
consumers so that sales occur1. Another understanding of marketing can be termed as
different activities that are interrelated to provide what consumers need so that businesses
benefit from what consumers buy. Marketing implementation requires a strategy to deliver
results in line with the business. The right marketing strategy can help companies build
customer engagement and relationships.

Keywords: marketing, consumers, strategy

PREMATURE

Marketing can be defined as a series of activities to meet the needs and satisfaction of
consumers, either by producing products and then providing prices and promoting them to
consumers so that sales take place. Understanding the target market and consumer needs is
one of the important factors in marketing. This understanding also needs to be deepened so
that we can understand things in more detail, such as consumer needs, market offerings,
customer value, customer relationship management, and the marketplace. Customer value
must also be well designed so that marketing strategies and plans can work well. Moreover,
as discussed earlier, marketing implementation requires a strategy so that it can be precisely
targeted. The preparation of the strategy should be adapted to the objectives of the company.
Marketing strategy development includes marketing mix and marketing efforts such as
marketing analysis, marketing planning, marketing implementation, marketing department
organization and marketing control.
 DISCUSSION

Marketing can be defined as a series of activities to meet the needs and satisfaction of
consumers, either by producing products and then providing prices and promoting them to
consumers so that sales take place. Marketing implementation has several processes, namely
understanding customer needs and wants, designing customer-centric marketing strategies,
designing integrated marketing programs, building relationships with customers, and
capturing value from consumers. The process starts with understanding customer needs and
wants. However, it can develop to recognize their needs and wants. Need. This covers all
basic requirements, including housing, food, clothing, security, self-expression,
communication, transportation, and personal information needs. This desire cannot be
created; they are just a fundamental part of human markings. Want. Needs are simply
developed versions of wants, but this time it is society or culture that influences them. While
an Audi or a Lexus, for example, is a wish, transport is a need3. to demand. In fact, demand
functions as a representation of people's great purchasing power. When a company meets the
needs of its customers, it not only satisfies them.

The second process is designing a customer-centric marketing strategy. In this

process, we have to choose the customers we want to serve, the company first chooses which
customers it will serve and divides the market into customer divisions. Then focus on certain
market segments or certain markets. Based on their level, timing and type of demand, they
choose which customers to target. Apart from that, we also have to determine the value
proposition, we have to choose the value proposition based on how it will benefit their target
audience. It will break free and take that position in the market. A brand's value proposition is
the set of ideals and benefits it guarantees to offer its customers4.

The third process is designing an integrated marketing program. The company's

marketing strategy determines which customers are served and how value is created. We then
create an integrated marketing plan that delivers the desired value to the target customers. It
consists of a company's marketing mix (4Ps), a set of marketing tools used to implement a
company's marketing strategy. By implementing marketing strategies, marketing programs
foster customer relationships. To achieve this, it must integrate all of these marketing tools
into a comprehensive and integrated marketing program that communicates and delivers
expected value to customers5.
 The fourth process is building relationships with customers. Customer Relationship
Management (CRM) is the process of developing and maintaining profitable customer
relationships by delivering superior customer value and customer satisfaction. Customer
Relationship Management strives for high customer value, which is defined as the combined
total customer lifetime value of all its customers. The key to developing long-lasting
relationships is providing superior customer value and satisfaction. Companies today want to
establish profitable relationships and build relationships that increase the share of customer
purchases that companies receive in their product categories.

The final process is capturing value from consumers. The ultimate goal of customer
relationship management is to generate high customer equity - the combined total lifetime
value of all of a company's current and potential customers. The higher the Customer Equity,
the more loyal the profitable company's customers will be. Customer Equity can be even a
better indicator of success than current market share or current revenue. We cannot create
customer value or build customer relationships alone. They must work closely with other
business units and external partners. They must be proficient not only in customer
relationship management, but also in partner relationship management7.

In addition to the marketing process, understanding the target market and consumer
needs is also an important factor in marketing. The target market is the group of potential
customers willing to pay for goods and services. In addition, each customer has specific
product preferences and budgets. As a result, the company tailors its offerings to consumer
demand and develops marketing strategies accordingly. This allows the company to acquire
new customers and expand into new markets, making it a profitable segment.

This understanding also needs to be expanded so that we can better understand things
like consumer needs, market offerings, customer value, customer relationship management,
and markets. An entrepreneur or small business needs to consider four key customer needs.
These are price, quality, variety and ease of use. The price of the company is how much it
charges for its product or service. When buying a product or service, customers expect a fair
price. Low prices usually attract many customers, but ultimately people want value for
money. It is very important that the price corresponds to the quality of the product or service
that the company sells.
 The quality of the product or service offered is called the quality. Customers, no
matter how much they pay for a product or service, always expect a certain level of quality.
In general, those who pay a low price expect a lower level of quality, while those who pay a
higher price expect a higher level of quality. Similarly, the quality of service provided by
companies varies. A low price often indicates a lower level of service, while a higher price
often indicates a higher level of service. And the latter is convenience, customers and
consumers want convenience and are often prepared to pay a higher price for it. Convenience
refers to something that is easier, faster or less troublesome for the customer.

A company's marketing offerings are goods or services offered to customers to meet

their requirements. The product or service is only one aspect of the offer. Includes added
value provided by the company in the form of convenience, superiority and support for its
products8. To attract as many customers as possible, it is very important to have a variety of
features and benefits with each offer. Customers may rate these components differently.
Effective marketing offers can increase awareness of your goods and services. You can boost
sales and drive customer brand loyalty by creating goods that match the needs and wants of
your target market. There are different types of marketing offers, including unsolicited offers,
convenience offers, shopping offers, and special offers9.

Unsought bargains are low-cost items that consumers routinely purchase, such as
basic groceries and toiletries10. Customers usually don't take the time to compare prices or
quality. Store deals are more expensive items that buyers compare before making a decision,
such as a car or oversized furniture9. Customers can spend days or even weeks searching for
the best product to suit their needs and preferences. Special offers are less widespread and
more expensive goods that consumers can recognize by the brand, such as designer clothing
or accessories10. By purchasing the same type of product from their favorite brand,
customers show their brand loyalty. And finally, convenience offers are low-cost items that
customers buy frequently, such as regular supermarket and cleaning items, which are
convenience services11. Customers usually don't take the time to compare prices or quality.

In addition to the issues discussed above, customer value also plays an important role
in marketing. Customer value is a measure used to assess the value of a product or service in
relation to alternatives. It is a tool for assessing whether consumers feel they are getting
enough value for their money. Technically, it provides insight into customer regret.
Customers will feel guilty if they think they are not getting their money's worth, and the
reverse is also true. Customer value basically means: the value of an item or service in the
eyes of consumers, price comparison and the benefits of a product or service, and the degree
of customer satisfaction with a product or service12.

Customer value is clearly important because we can only retain customers if we

deliver the value they demand or pay for13. Customer value has a major influence on
marketing. Customer value makes more resources available. This provides customers with
more and more value and helps companies make more money.

Customer value is also very useful if the company wants to focus on developing CRM
or customer relationship management. Customer Relationship Management is a business
approach that integrates technology and manual procedures14. Help retain current, satisfied
and loyal customers while attracting new, qualified sales opportunities. Every business has a
unique marketing plan to retain customers, which requires marketing communications to use
that marketing language.

Businesses need to implement relationship management plan with customers, in

addition to developing new items, pay more attention to competitors' products and sell more
to survive and grow in business. CRM is critical for businesses today as consumers are less
loyal to brands than ever before. The cornerstone of CRM is a company's willingness to
increase customer happiness and loyalty without increasing costs or demanding staff15.

The last and most important thing in marketing is the marketing mix and marketing
efforts. The company's marketing mix is a group of marketing factors integrated and
managed to get the desired response from the target market16. The work of companies of a
number of marketing actions or tactics to publicize the goods or services they sell in the
market is known as the marketing mix, also known as the marketing mix.

The 4Ps of the marketing concept, which stands for "Product, Price, Place and
Promotion", is the original term for this marketing strategy. However, as the marketing
strategy evolved, the idea of the marketing mix was also extended to the 7P model with the
addition of People, Process and Physical Evidence. When these seven factors are effectively
executed, a company will benefit in a number of ways, including the ability to develop its
competitive advantages, reduce weaknesses, become more marketable and competitive, and
form more fruitful partnerships with other companies. Basically, a company can use these
marketing ideas to make up its marketing approach. As a result, a product can be well
received by certain target markets.

While marketing efforts consist of several parts namely marketing analysis, marketing
planning, marketing implementation, marketing department organization and marketing
control17. A thorough evaluation of your company's target market and the competitive
environment in a particular industry is a market analysis. This research enables companies to
estimate the level of success they can expect when presenting their brand and goods to the
market. In addition to qualitative information about consumer values, aspirations and buying
intentions, market analysis also contains quantitative information about the actual size of the
market you want to serve, consumer prices, willingness to pay and expected revenues18.

More specifically, marketing planning is the process of evaluating one or more

potentially attractive markets to decide whether a company can compete profitably against
other similar organizations. Usually, the marketing planning process produces a marketing
strategy that is then used to increase sales for the company that creates it. Defined goals
established in a company-specific timeline are outlined in a marketing plan, which includes
specific, market-specific, or company-wide policies. Marketing strategies are developed after
identifying more specific consumer needs (through market research) and how the company
intends to meet those needs while providing a reasonable return.

An examination of the existing market situation, trends, outlook, strategic planning to

be implemented, financial projections, forecasted transactions, turnarounds and expected
(proforma) financial reports are all part of marketing planning. However, a marketing plan
can be more broadly defined as a business document that describes marketing methods and
strategies. This marketing strategy combines various marketing aspects, such as action steps,
costs and targets, and is set for a specific period of time (ie for the coming year).

Implementation of marketing, advertising and sales tasks, initiatives, strategies and

plans is carried out through a marketing implementation plan19. Implementation plans help
ensure that each phase meets or exceeds objectives or identifies issues that can be resolved
immediately, as execution is often an essential part of a successful marketing strategy. A
marketing implementation plan describes the exact procedures and actions to get there, while
a marketing plan provides an overarching view of what you want to achieve.

A marketing implementation plan has several benefits, it often helps a team

implement a marketing strategy, but a successful project ultimately helps the entire company.
A marketing implementation plan breaks down your marketing strategy into manageable and
actionable tasks, responsibilities, and objectives that have a clear direction. Implementing
marketing clearly provides ownership, responsibility and deadlines.
An important part of the marketing role is marketing control. It serves as a tool to
ensure that the company's marketing initiatives and activities are always aimed at achieving
the marketing objectives. The ability to assess whether objectives and desired outcomes are
being achieved is enabled by marketing controls. It is an ongoing investigation into all
aspects of marketing activities.

This approach is based on the idea that the desired outcomes can be predicted. And to
understand how to achieve the desired goal, planning is required. Planning and control are
thus intertwined. In fact, the four interrelated stages of marketing work are "Plan - Do -
Evaluate - Control".

Controlling marketing activities can be summarized as a management task to monitor,

provide feedback, measure and resolve the actual marketing performance against pre-planned
performance standards with the aim of identifying deviations, resolving deviations and
providing inputs for reformulation of plans.

CONCLUSION

The process starts with understanding customer needs and wants. In this process, we
have to choose the customers we want to serve, the company first chooses which customers it
will serve and divides the market into customer divisions. The company's marketing strategy
determines which customers are served and how value is created. Customer Relationship
Management (CRM) is the process of developing and maintaining profitable customer
relationships by delivering superior customer value and customer satisfaction. In addition to
the marketing process, understanding the target market and consumer needs is also an
important factor in marketing. A company's marketing offerings are goods or services offered
to customers to meet their requirements.

Customer value also plays an important role in marketing. Customer value is also very
useful if the company wants to focus on developing CRM or customer relationship
management. Businesses need to implement relationship management plan with customers, in
addition to developing new items, pay more attention to competitors' products and sell more
to survive and grow in business. More specifically, marketing planning is the process of
evaluating one or more potentially attractive markets to decide whether a company can
compete profitably against other similar organizations. Marketing strategies are developed
after identifying more specific consumer needs (through market research) and how the
company intends to meet those needs while providing a reasonable return.

However, a marketing plan can be more broadly defined as a business document that
describes marketing methods and strategies. Implementation plans help ensure that each
phase meets or exceeds objectives or identifies issues that can be resolved immediately, as
execution is often an essential part of a successful marketing strategy. A marketing
implementation plan has several benefits, it often helps a team implement a marketing
strategy, but a successful project ultimately helps the entire company.