What does the word MARKETING mean for the Melaleuca marketer? Many business owners ask this question everyday. Most people believe that marketing is selling, advertising or public relations. Only a small group of top level marketers recognize that marketing also includes needs assessment, marketing research, product development, pricing and distribution. Most people mistakenly equate marketing with selling and promotion only.
It’s No wonder! We are all barraged with television commercials, newspaper ads, direct mail, Radio, email and sales calls. Somebody somewhere is always trying to sell us a product or service. It may be clich and it seems that we cannot get away from death, taxes or getting sold something.
Consequently many beginning and seasoned small business owners are surprised to learn that the most important part of marketing is not selling. Selling is only the part of the marketing iceberg that is visible publicly. Selling is only one of a number of critical marketing functions and often not the most important one. If a marketer does a good job of identifying potential clients needs, developing or representing appropriate products, adjusting pricing, determining efficient distributing, and promoting them effectively, any product or service will sell very easily.
Everyone knows about “hot” products and services to which consumers flock too. When Microsoft designed its Xbox, when Chevrolet designed its first corvette, and when Larry Page and Sergey Brin first introduced Google, these innovators were swamped with orders because they had designed the “right” product. Not me-too products, but distinct ones offering new benefits.
Mike Dillard, one of Network Marketings leading attraction publishers, put it this way: the answer lies in basic human psychology, so thats where we need to start.
This is not to say that selling and promotion are unimportant, but rather that they are part of a more comprehensive “marketing mix”. Selling is part of a set of marketing tools that must be organized for maximum impact on the marketplace and individual consumers.
Here is my characterization of Marketing: Marketing is any human activity directed at full fill needs, wants and desires through a transaction system. Needs are products and services that are necessary such as food, water and shelter. Wants are needs that have been influenced by our environment like a specific brand, color or model. Desires are needs for a product or service that are in limited supply. Unfortunately we desire what is difficult or possessed by an elite few.
In future postings, I will explain these definitions further and will put in plain words the following terms: Needs, wants, demands, products, exchange, transactions and there importance to the complete Melaleuca marketing process.
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