But back to the basics- marketing is an easy field, but so understated. There is so much theory that supports the ads we've all seen, it is no wonder I fell in love with my major. I especially love the heart of the whole subject: satisfying customer needs. We like to think marketing is just selling crap to whoever will buy it. But going to the hear of the matter, those true marketers- who actually care about what they are doing- are not selling products but satisfying customer needs. It is the marketer's job to understand what people want, and then fulfill that desire. Disney Land doesn't make cartoon characters. It satisfies the desire to be entertained. Nike does not sell shoes. If fulfills the desire to (1) have supportive footwear and (2) take part of an established identity-- the Nike Brand.
This is the beauty of social media. It allows that gap between marketer and customer to be small- at some points virtually invisible. If someone tweets: "This new yogurt place should have more varieties of flavor!" the yogurt shop in question can add more flavors, and satisfy that need. Before, the yogurt shop would have had to go out and ASK for suggestions. Now, they just have to monitor simple web-sites like Twitter, or read blogs- such as this one- and voila! their job is already done for them.
So whatever field you're in- journalism, construction science, book writing, sandwich making, taxi cab driving- remember to look back to the basics of what your field entails. Maybe what you find will inspire you to do better, go farther, and do more!
Thanks and Gig 'Em.
