Marketing: the core to any (successful) brand

When times get tough or crisis enter into a company’s boardroom, usually the first thing to go is Marketing. Many CFOs and CEOs confuse marketing with selling, and, marketing with advertising. In fact, many people think that they’re all the same thing.

For us marketeers, we know they’re not.

Marketing is how brands connect with their stakeholders. It’s all about communication, not selling. Marketing has so many facets to it. 

Once you decide whom you’re marketing to (or communicating with), the rest should fall into place. What media does this audience consume? When do they consume and how do they want to consume this information?

How do we create solutions for this group, not just by making more products and services? We should be providing extra value than our competitors are providing. Prove to your customers that they’re not just a number, but surprise and delight them with out of the ordinary service and value adding by allowing them two way communication and access.

Don Schultz founded the 21st Century SIVA principle that far outweighs the old Four Ps scenario. It makes far more sense in our modern world with consumers demanding two way communication and being involved in co-creational marketing where the brand and customer find solutions together. Solutions, Information, Value and Access is where it’s at. Yes I know bottom line is imperative, but without the customer and marketing at the centre of a brand, you can’t connect with your customers. You can’t build relationships. This is how you maintain long term success.

Tags: Advertising, Brand, brands, Business, co-creation, co-creational, Consulting, Don Schultz, information, Internet marketing, market, Marketing, Marketing and Advertising, marketing service, SIVA, solutions, value