22 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCINGMA~KFTING
KeystoMarketingSuccess
Aprimeguidelineformarketingsuccessistorealizethatestablishingcustomersatisfac-
tionshouldbethecompany'snumber-onepriority.Theonlypeoplewhoreallyknowwhat
customerswantarethecustomersthemselves.Acompanythatrealizes thiswilldevelopa
marketingmentalitythatfacilitatesinformationgatheringandmaintainseffectivecommu-
nicationwiththeprimaryreasonforthecompany'sexistence:thecustomer.
Asecondguidelineistoestablisha companyimagethatclearlyreflectsthevalues
andaspirationsofthecompanytoemployees,cus tomers, intermediaries,andthegeneral
public. PhilipsPetroleumhasdonethisforyearswiththeiradvertisingcampaignthatfocuses
onhowtheircompanybenefitssociety.
Third,whilemarketingrequiresworkthatisclearlydistinctfromotherbusinessactiv-
ities,itshOUldbecentraltotheentireorganization. Marketingistheaspectofthebusiness
thatcustomerssee.Iftheyseesomethingtheydonotlike, theylookelsewhere.
Fourth,thebusinessshoulddevelopauniquestrategythatis consistentwiththecir-
cumstancesthatit faces.T hemarketermustadapt basicmarketingprinciplestotheunique
productbeingsold.ThismeansthatwhatGeneralFoodsdoesmaynotworkfor GTEbecause
oneis inherentlya goodsproductandtheothera:.;~rviceproduct.Andneitherwillwork
fortheStateofKentucky' s ParksandRecreationDepartment,becausethatis a public,non-
profitorganization.Inotherwords,imitatingwhatotherorganizationsdowithoutfullyunder-
standingone'sownsituationisa dangerousstrategy.
Finally,technologicalprogressdictateshowmarketingwillbeperformedinthefuture.
Becauseofcomputertechnologyin ventiveness,bothconsumersandbusinessesarebetter
informed.Knowledgeis themostimportantcompetitiveadvantage.Theworldis onemar-
ket,andinformationischangingatlight-speed.
MARKETING CAPSULE •
1.The componentsofmarketingmanagementareasfollows:
a. Corporate-levelconsiderationsincludetheorganiza-
tion'smissionandobjectives.
b. Functional-levelconsiderationsincludenonmarketing
institutionsandmarketinginstitutions.
c. Marketing-levelconsiderationsincludethe mission,the
situationanalysis,objectives,strategy,implementation,
budget,andevaluation.
d. Themarketingmix includestheprimarytools available
tothemarketer:product, distribution, promotion, and
price.
2.Thekeys tomarketingsuccessare:
a.Satisfythecustomer.
b.Establisha clearcompanyunage.
c. Makemarketingcentral totheorganization.
d.Beproactive.
e. Developa strategyconsistentwiththesituation.
