B.

Com Sem-V
Paper: CC-11
Principles of Marketing

Chapter –I: Introduction

Market

A market is a composition of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations or

infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods
and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services to
buyers in exchange for money

A market is a place where parties can gather to facilitate the exchange of goods and
services. The parties involved are usually buyers and sellers. The market may be physical
like a retail outlet, where people meet face-to-face, or virtual like an online market, where
there is no direct physical contact between buyers and sellers.

Key points

 A market is a place where buyers and sellers can meet to facilitate the exchange or
transaction of goods and services.
 Markets can be physical like a retail outlet, or virtual like an e-retailer.
 Other examples include the illegal markets, auction markets, and financial markets.
 Markets establish the prices of goods and services that are determined by supply and
demand.

Marketing

Marketing refers to activities a company undertakes to promote the buying or selling of a

product or service. Marketing includes advertising, selling, and delivering products to
consumers or other businesses. Some marketing is done by affiliates on behalf of a
company.

Professionals who work in a corporation's marketing and promotion departments seek to

get the attention of key potential audiences through advertising. Promotions are targeted
to certain audiences and may involve celebrity endorsements, catchy phrases or slogans,
memorable packaging or graphic designs and overall media exposure.

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Understanding Marketing

Marketing as a discipline involves all the actions a company undertakes to draw in

customers and maintain relationships with them. Networking with potential or past clients
is part of the work too, and may include writing thank you emails, playing golf with
prospective clients, returning calls and emails quickly, and meeting with clients for coffee
or a meal.

At its most basic level, marketing seeks to match a company's products and services to
customers who want access to those products. Matching products to customers ultimately
ensures profitability.

Product, price, place, and promotion are the Four Ps of marketing. The Four Ps collectively
makes up the essential mix a company needs to market a product or service. Neil Borden
popularized the idea of the marketing mix and the concept of the Four Ps in the 1950s.

Key points

 Marketing refers to all activities a company does to promote and sell products or
services to consumers.
 Marketing makes use of the "marketing mix," also known as the four Ps—product, price,
place, and promotion.
 At its core, marketing seeks to take a product or service, identify its ideal customers,
and draw the customers' attention to the product or service available.

Scopes of Marketing

Marketing being a part of social science is highly dynamic and complex in nature. The rapid
changes in various sectors have brought great changes in the concept of marketing.
Traditionally, marketing was concerned with buying and selling of goods and services only
but now its scope has widened and it encompasses a range of activities from consumer
satisfaction to consumer delight and management of customer relationship.

1. Study of Consumer wants and need

Goods are purchase to satisfy consumer wants. Therefore study is conducted to satisfy
consumer needs and wants. These needs and wants motivates customer to purchase.

2. Study of consumer behavior

A marketer performs study of consumer behavior. Analysis of buyer behavior helps

marketers in market segmentation and targeting.

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3. Product Planning

A product refers to a bundle of benefits that offers satisfaction to the consumers.

Product planning starts with the generation of the idea and continues until the product is
ready to be launched in the market. To create a successful product the company must
understand the needs of the consumer and the currently available competition in the
market.

4. Product design
Product design is the fore most important elements in marketing the communication needs
& problems of the consumer have to be considered before marketing a new product design.

5. Implementation of product
Once the decision is finalized about the design of the product more focus should be there
on communication with the production department regarding the implementation of
product features.

6. Pricing of Product
Pricing is the most important aspect of the product because it only decides the major
buying decision of the consumer. So if the product is very new to the market correct &
affordable pricing should be done.

7. Selection of Layout
The layout is the place where actually the product /services will be availed so more focus
should be done on the exact location and layout.

8. Publicity of the product

Publicity means communication about the product and services for creating awareness &
demand for the product by publicity & Advertisement.

9. Distribution channel
Distribution channel means the number of media t or like whole-sellers, Retailers,
distributors, Agent who all are involved in the marketing channel.

10. Selling of Product

Selling involves the actual challenge of marketing. The selling of products and services
involves different strategies like distribution through stores, salesmen, Advertisements,
Exhibitions, trade fairs, etc.

11. Consumer Satisfaction

The product or service offered must satisfy consumer. Consumer satisfaction is the main
objective of marketing.

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12. Collecting the Feedback
This begins after the product is marketed and sold collecting feedback
regarding satisfaction or dissatisfaction related features like price, to make availability etc
it is to make changes in the marketing mix.

Importance of Marketing

1. Marketing informs

To attract consumers in a crowded marketplace, your target audience needs to know why
they should choose your business over someone else’s. This is where marketing comes in to
educate current and potential customers about your business and how it serves a need they
have.

The content on your website that communicates your business’s mission, product
demonstration videos you post, photos you display that show exactly what your products
look like — elements like these let prospective customers know who you are and what
makes you unique.

2. Marketing engages

It’s one thing to offer a superior in-person experience or an easy online shopping journey.
But marketing keeps your business in people’s minds after a transaction is over — and
before they need you again.

To turn first-time customers into lifelong fans who will sustain your business, you have to
establish and build relationships with the people who’ve interacted with your business.
Sending post-purchase follow-up emails, replying to customers on Twitter and Facebook,
and mailing out postcards with special offers or information on new services are just a few
of the ways that marketing can help you stay in touch with your target audience.

3. Marketing builds reputations

As a business owner or aspiring entrepreneur, you likely already understand how

important your reputation is to your success. It truly can be the deciding factor in whether
or not a consumer chooses to reach out to you or one of your competitors. Because
marketing spreads the word about your business, it’s a major factor in the reputation your
business takes on. Strong, professional marketing indicates that you’re a reputable
business. The connection is undeniable.

Whether it’s a well-designed email campaign, high-quality images in all of your marketing
materials, or engaging website copy that reflects your unique brand voice, marketing can
help you establish credibility, build trust and engender goodwill toward your company.

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4. Marketing sells

It’s simple logic — you can’t make a sale if no one knows about your products or services.
And while setting up shop in your neighborhood may bring in some walk-in business,
marketing extends your reach and draws attention to what you’re selling so that people can
buy it.

Emails showcasing new releases, social media posts alerting customers to an upcoming sale
and online business listings that help local consumers find you are a few examples of how
you can use marketing to build the kind of awareness that generates revenue.

5. Marketing grows businesses

This function of marketing is partly the culmination of the first four. Strategic marketing
often results in growth for your business. If you successfully educate customers, keep them
engaged, create a strong reputation in their minds and smartly sell to them, your business
will most likely do well. On top of that, most (if not all) businesses thrive on the acquisition
of new customers. Marketing is how you attract those customers in the first place.

Sales Vs Marketing

BASIS FOR
SALES MARKETING
COMPARISON

Meaning Sales refers to Marketing understands the requirements of the

the process of customers in such a way that whenever any new product
selling, is introduced, it sells itself.
whereby
product is
offered for
sale to the
customer at a
certain price
and at a given
period of time.

Orientation Product- Customer-oriented

oriented

Approach Fragmented Integrated approach

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BASIS FOR
SALES MARKETING
COMPARISON

approach

Focus Company Market needs

needs

Related to Related to flow Related to all the activities which facilitates flow of goods
of goods to to customers.
customers.

Duration Short-term Long-term

Objective To instigate To identify the needs of customers and create products to

shoppers in satisfy those needs.
such a way
that they turn
out as buyers.

Relationship One-to-One One-to-Many

Target Individual or General Public

small group

Scope Selling of the Advertisement, Sales, Research, Customer satisfaction,

product. After sales services etc.

Activity Customer Media driven

driven

Strategy Push Strategy Pull Strategy

used

Process Involves Entails identifying and satisfying customer's needs.

exchange of
goods for
adequate
consideration.

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BASIS FOR
SALES MARKETING
COMPARISON

Technique Price Customer relationship through integration of

promotion, organization with the needs of customers.
Discounts and
Special offers.

Skills Selling and Analytical skills

required Conversational
skills

Aims at Profit Profit maximization through increased consumer

maximization satisfaction and market share.
through sales
maximization.

Marketing Mix

The marketing mix refers to the set of actions, or tactics, that a company uses to promote
its brand or product in the market. The 4Ps make up a typical marketing mix-Price,
Product, Promotion and Place. However, nowadays, the marketing mix increasingly
includes several other Ps like Packaging, Positioning, People and even Politics as vital mix
elements.

Understanding Marketing Mix

The four Ps classifications for developing an effective marketing strategy was first
introduced in 1960 by marketing professor and author E. Jerome McCarthy. Depending on
the industry and the target of the marketing plan, marketing managers may take various
approaches to each of the four Ps. Each element can be examined independently, but in
practice, they often are often dependent on one another.

Product

This represents an item or service designed to satisfy customer needs and wants. To
effectively market a product or service, it's important to identify what differentiates it from
competing products or services. It's also important to determine if other products or
services can be marketed in conjunction with it.
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Price

The sale price of the product reflects what consumers are willing to pay for it. Marketing
professionals need to consider costs related to research and development, manufacturing,
marketing, and distribution—otherwise known as cost-based pricing. Pricing based
primarily on consumers' perceived quality or value is known as value-based pricing.

Place

The type of product sold is important to consider when determining areas of distribution.
Basic consumer products, such as paper goods, often are readily available in many stores.
Premium consumer products, however, typically are available only in select stores. Another
consideration is whether to place a product in a physical store, online, or both.

Promotion

Joint marketing campaigns also are called a promotional mix. Activities might include
advertising, sales promotion, personal selling, and public relations. A key consideration
should be for the budget assigned to the marketing mix. Marketing professionals carefully
construct a message that often incorporates details from the other three Ps when trying to
reach their target audience. Determination of the best mediums to communicate the
message and decisions about the frequency of the communication also are important.

All the elements of the marketing mix influence each other. They make up the business plan
for a company and handled right, can give it great success. But handled wrong and the
business could take years to recover. The marketing mix needs a lot of understanding,
market research and consultation with several people, from users to trade to
manufacturing and several others.

Marketing Environment?

Marketing Environment is the combination of external and internal factors and forces
which affect the company's ability to establish a relationship and serve its customers.
The marketing environment of a business consists of an internal and an
external environment.

Marketing Environment is the combination of external and internal factors and forces
which affect the company’s ability to establish a relationship and serve its customers.

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The marketing environment of a business consists of an internal and an external
environment. The internal environment is company-specific and includes owners, workers,
machines, materials etc. The external environment is further divided into two components:
micro & macro. The micro or the task environment is also specific to the business but
external. It consists of factors engaged in producing, distributing, and promoting the
offering. The macro or the broad environment includes larger societal forces which affect
society as a whole. The broad environment is made up of six components: demographic,
economic, physical, technological, political-legal, and social-cultural environment.

“A company’s marketing environment consists of the factors and forces outside of marketing
that affect marketing management ability to build and maintain successful relationships with
target customers”. – Philip Kotler

Components of Marketing Environment

The marketing environment is made up of the internal and external environment of the
business. While the internal environment can be controlled, the business has very less or
no control over the external environment.

Internal Environment

The internal environment of the business includes all the forces and factors inside the
organization which affect its marketing operations. These components can be grouped
under the Five Ms of the business, which are:

 Men
 Money
 Machinery
 Materials
 Markets
The internal environment is under the control of the marketer and can be changed with the
changing external environment. Nevertheless, the internal marketing environment is as

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important for the business as the external marketing environment. This environment
includes the sales department, marketing department, the manufacturing unit, the human
resource department, etc.

External Environment

The external environment constitutes factors and forces which are external to the business
and on which the marketer has little or no control. The external environment is of two
types:

Micro Environment

The micro-component of the external environment is also known as the task environment.
It comprises of external forces and factors that are directly related to the business. These
include suppliers, market intermediaries, customers, partners, competitors and the public

 Suppliers include all the parties which provide resources needed by the organization.
 Market intermediaries include parties involved in distributing the product or service
of the organization.
 Partners are all the separate entities like advertising agencies, market research
organizations, banking and insurance companies, transportation companies, brokers,
etc. which conduct business with the organization.
 Customers comprise of the target group of the organization.
 Competitors are the players in the same market who targets similar customers as that
of the organization.
 Public is made up of any other group that has an actual or potential interest or affects
the company’s ability to serve its customers.

Macro Environment

The macro component of the marketing environment is also known as the broad
environment. It constitutes the external factors and forces which affect the industry as a

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whole but don’t have a direct effect on the business. The macro-environment can be
divided into 6 parts.

Demographic Environment

The demographic environment is made up of the people who constitute the market. It is
characterized as the factual investigation and segregation of the population according to
their size, density, location, age, gender and occupation.

Economic Environment

The economic environment constitutes factors which influence customers’ purchasing

power and spending patterns. These factors include the GDP, GNP, interest rates, inflation,
income distribution, government funding and subsidies, and other major economic
variables.

Physical Environment

The physical environment includes the natural environment in which the business
operates. This includes the climatic conditions, environmental change, accessibility to
water and raw materials, natural disasters, pollution etc.

Technological Environment

The technological environment constitutes innovation, research and development in

technology, technological alternatives, innovation inducements also technological barriers
to smooth operation. Technology is one of the biggest sources of threats and opportunities
for the organization and it is very dynamic.

Political-Legal Environment

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The political &legal environment includes laws and government’s policies prevailing in the
country. It also includes other pressure groups and agencies which influence or limit the
working of the industry and/or the business in the society.

Social-Cultural Environment

The social-cultural aspect of the macro-environment is made up of the lifestyle, values,

culture, narrow-mindedness and beliefs of the people. This differs in different regions.

Importance of Marketing Environment

Every business, no matter how big or small, operates within the marketing
environment. Its present and future existence, profits, image, and positioning depend on its
internal and external environment. The business environment is one of the most dynamic
aspects of the business. In order to operate and stay in the market for long, one has to
understand and analyze the marketing environment and its components properly.

Essential for planning

An understanding of the external and internal environment is essential for planning for the
future. A marketer needs to be fully aware of the current scenario, dynamism, and future
predictions of the marketing environment if he wants his plans to succeed.

Understanding Customers

Thorough knowledge of the marketing environment helps marketers acknowledge and

predict what the customer actually wants. In-depth analysis of the marketing environment
reduces (and even removes) the noise between the marketer and customers and helps the
marketer to understand consumer behaviour better.

Tapping Trends

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Breaking into new markets and capitalizing on new trends requires a lot of insight about
the marketing environment. The marketer needs to research about every aspect of the
environment to create a foolproof plan.

Threats and Opportunities

Sound knowledge of the market environment often gives a first-mover advantage to the
marketer as he makes sure that his business is safe from future threats and taps the future
opportunities.

Understanding the Competitors

Every place has different players fighting for the same spot. A better understanding of the
marketing environment allows the marketer to understand more about the competitions
and about what advantages do the competitors have over his business and vice versa.

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