Marketing is an Ongoing Love Affair

Why can’t we have a commonsensical approach to business in general and marketing in particular? We have this habit of complicating things way beyond what is necessary. There are instances when marketing managers get into intellectual masturbation by using data points, pie charts and cross tabs without there being any reason for it. Graphs and data are meant for clarity and not to confuse.

What is marketing? It is a relationship that you build with your customer through various means/ devices. And come to think of it pretty much like a love affair!

Since I am experienced in these worldly matters let me explain.

• You need to decide which girl is right for you. Some are good and some are not the match – Consumer Research 
• Based on your thoughts you have an idea who she is. You decide to focus on her – Target Audience 
• Then starts the huge task of wooing her. You ask her out for dates, meetings, etc. At every right moment, you try to connect with her. You show your best behaviour – Advertising/ Direct Marketing/ Promotion 
• She has many people wooing her and you are one of them – Consideration Set & Competition 
• Since you have shown you are the best you are showcasing the best in you – USP & Product Benefits 
• She is impressed with you and decides that she likes you amongst the various guys she knows – Consumer Adoption & Purchase
• Once she decides to date you start the next phase. She does not like to be ignored. She needs to be listened to, her needs to be addressed – Customer Service 
• Once in a while, since you have to be the best for her and you decide to make her feel special again by buying some goodies like roses, gifts, treating her on special days and not so special days – Customer Relationship Program 
• An investment now will last a lifetime and the returns can be good like marriage and….. – Lifetime Value 
• In case she says she has had it with you, she dumps you! – Customer Dissatisfaction. Yuck! Maybe she was not the correct TA! 
• You woo her back, you correct your mistakes – Service Recovery

I could go on and on but then again this blog is not to confuse but show how simple marketing is! Marketing begins in your backyard! There are small and big examples around you, relate to them and then solve problems.

Marketing was never easy but then again neither was maintaining a relationship! You have to keep working on it and working on it!