Definitions of marketing
There is a lot of debate and commentary about Seth Godin’s recent post about a definition of ‘marketing’.
The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) would have you think the definition is this. Ouch.
Is Seth’s definition any better? Does its brevity raise more questions than it actually answers? Do the four words focus the mind (an achievement in itself)?
I really think marketers need to make their own personal definition of marketing - in every role, and in every project. But I do think a little more Seth and a little less (CIM) would help focus the mind. Ofcourse the real message here is that if you under promise you are invisible. And over delivering needs to be a defacto response in your company. Why?
Consistent ‘over delivery’ = Reliability
Over delivery = ‘Delight’
As for under promising? R.I.P.
Filed under: Business, Ideas and Riffs, Strategy, ideas, marketing, trust | Tagged: Chartered Institute of Marketing, CIM, definition, delight, marketing, reliability, seth godin
I have long since abandoned the search for the holy grail of marketing definitions, and have developed a practical one that I can remember and use effectively: Marketing is letting the customer tell you what and how to sell.