Introduction to marketing A southern African perspective

There are a number of misconceptions about marketing. Many assume that it focuses on simply communicating the product or service the organisation offers through activities like advertising. Marketing is far more complex than this. It is a vital activity for the success of any organisation. How do consumers become aware of products and services? How do they know which product or service is right for them? How do organisations know which products and services their consumers would like to buy? The answer is through the organisation’s marketing efforts. This means that if the marketing activity is not included at the beginning of the process, the organisation may end up developing a product or service and communicating about it in a way that does not resonate with its target audience. This will have a serious impact on the organisation’s success.