1/26/2011
Response To Doug Sacks Week 2 Post
I would definatley agree with Dougs point that using the marketing mix forces you to come up with a plan of attack as well as helps you figure out your strengths and weaknesses. It is crucial to be able to highlight your strengths as much as possible as well as work around your weaknesses while in a job interview. I also agree with Dougs take on pricing. It is definatley important not to undersell yourself, but at the same time it might not hurt to be willing to settle for less pay when there is more competition, especially in times like theses in which job competition is the highest it has been in years. If the employer is viewed as a consumer of you, it would make sense that he or she would be looking for the lowest prices.
Marketing Myself Using the Four Ps
The four variables of marketing can not only be applied to a firm trying to promote a product, service, or idea, but also an individual that is trying to promote themselves to potential employers. As we discussed in class, the four main aspects of marketing can be summarized as Product, Place, Promotion, and Price. My goal upon graduation of college is to get into to music entertainment management. So how will I apply the four Ps of marketing to my attempts at getting a job in this industry upon graduation?
The first variable of marketing is product. This describes how a firm must distinguish their product, service, or idea from the rest of the competition. In a traditional product marketing setting this would be characterstics such as the quality, size, style, or quantity of a product. In job application setting such as mine I would have to differentiate myself individually from others applying for the same position. I would site things such as my education in business management, my knowledge of music from all genres and eras, my experience managaing/booking a loacal band in my hometown, as well as other managmenet skills that i have aquired over the years.
The second P, Place (or distribution) refers to where, in terms of location and coverage, a firm will market their product. For example, Burton Snowboards Inc. probably does not spend a large portion of their marketing budget in places like Florida and Texas, but rather Colorado and Vermont. For my situation, I will look to apply for postitions in large cities, such as New York and Boston, where there are large talent agencies, lots of music venues and recording studios, and most importantly tons of undiscovered bands and other talent.
Third is Promotion. This refers to any activity used to inform the potential consumer about the organization and the products they offer. For a firm this might come in the form of T.V. and radio advertising, viral marketing and PR. In a job search setting promotion usually comes in the form of a resume or a portfolio with work experience, education, and references. Promotion is, in my opinon, the most important part of marketing both a firm and their products, as well as an individual looking for a job.
Finally, the Price aspect of marketing is, for the consumers, probably the most important aspect of marketing. In a traditional setting consumers are constantly searching for the lowest prices available. In a job setting this is perhaps a college students biggest advantage. A college student, though he may not have as much experience as other competitors, he is probably willing to work for a much lower price than the older applicants.
The four Ps of marketing for a firms product to its customers can easily be transferred to the concept of marketing yourself to employers. It is a very useful way of thinking about it.
The first variable of marketing is product. This describes how a firm must distinguish their product, service, or idea from the rest of the competition. In a traditional product marketing setting this would be characterstics such as the quality, size, style, or quantity of a product. In job application setting such as mine I would have to differentiate myself individually from others applying for the same position. I would site things such as my education in business management, my knowledge of music from all genres and eras, my experience managaing/booking a loacal band in my hometown, as well as other managmenet skills that i have aquired over the years.
The second P, Place (or distribution) refers to where, in terms of location and coverage, a firm will market their product. For example, Burton Snowboards Inc. probably does not spend a large portion of their marketing budget in places like Florida and Texas, but rather Colorado and Vermont. For my situation, I will look to apply for postitions in large cities, such as New York and Boston, where there are large talent agencies, lots of music venues and recording studios, and most importantly tons of undiscovered bands and other talent.
Third is Promotion. This refers to any activity used to inform the potential consumer about the organization and the products they offer. For a firm this might come in the form of T.V. and radio advertising, viral marketing and PR. In a job search setting promotion usually comes in the form of a resume or a portfolio with work experience, education, and references. Promotion is, in my opinon, the most important part of marketing both a firm and their products, as well as an individual looking for a job.
Finally, the Price aspect of marketing is, for the consumers, probably the most important aspect of marketing. In a traditional setting consumers are constantly searching for the lowest prices available. In a job setting this is perhaps a college students biggest advantage. A college student, though he may not have as much experience as other competitors, he is probably willing to work for a much lower price than the older applicants.
The four Ps of marketing for a firms product to its customers can easily be transferred to the concept of marketing yourself to employers. It is a very useful way of thinking about it.
1/25/2011
In Response to Erik
I agree with Eric and his take on marketing vs. advertising vs. propoganda. I would agree that advertising and propoganda would fall under the promoting aspect of the overall series of actions that is marketing as a whole. I also agree with Eriks point that while propoganda is, more often than not used to spread lies against an opponent, it can also be a legitmate and positive form of marketing. Propoganda is a good tool to evoke strong feelings about something which can be very useful in terms of marketing. The terms advertising and propoganda fall under the broader umbrella of marketing.
1/24/2011
Marketing, Advertising, and Propaganda
I would have to say the main difference between marketing, advertising and propoganda is the purpose of each of the terms. In all three instances, the goal is to convince the audience of something. The difference, however, is what exactly your are trying to convince the audience of.
I think the goal of marketing is an attempt to sell something to your audience. Whether it be a product, a service, or something else, the goal of marketing is to convince the audience that your product or service is better than anyone else in your specific market. For example, if you were trying to sell a car you would "market" the car on t.v., magazines, etc.and tell the audience all the positive aspects of the car and why it is the best choice for anyone currently in the market for a new car.
The term advertising on the other hand is similar to marketing, however it is not necessarily an attempt to profit financially from selling a good or service. Advertising can simply be means of making an audience more aware of something that they may not have been aware of before they saw your advertisement. For example, the "Above the Influence" advertisements that encourage kids to say "no" to drugs are not an attempt to sell anything to its audience but rather to convince them of the dangers of drugs.
Finally, while advertising and marketing attempt to convince an audience that what they have to say is right, the goal of propaganda is to convince the audience that what the opponent or enemy has to say is wrong. Propaganda, is often false and an attempt to bring a negative image of an enemy or opponent to the audience. For example, the Nazi regime used propaganda to convince the public that the Jewish community was the enemy and needed to be destroyed.
While the goals of all three terms is to convince an audience of something, the difference comes in what the audience is being convinced of.
I think the goal of marketing is an attempt to sell something to your audience. Whether it be a product, a service, or something else, the goal of marketing is to convince the audience that your product or service is better than anyone else in your specific market. For example, if you were trying to sell a car you would "market" the car on t.v., magazines, etc.and tell the audience all the positive aspects of the car and why it is the best choice for anyone currently in the market for a new car.
The term advertising on the other hand is similar to marketing, however it is not necessarily an attempt to profit financially from selling a good or service. Advertising can simply be means of making an audience more aware of something that they may not have been aware of before they saw your advertisement. For example, the "Above the Influence" advertisements that encourage kids to say "no" to drugs are not an attempt to sell anything to its audience but rather to convince them of the dangers of drugs.
Finally, while advertising and marketing attempt to convince an audience that what they have to say is right, the goal of propaganda is to convince the audience that what the opponent or enemy has to say is wrong. Propaganda, is often false and an attempt to bring a negative image of an enemy or opponent to the audience. For example, the Nazi regime used propaganda to convince the public that the Jewish community was the enemy and needed to be destroyed.
While the goals of all three terms is to convince an audience of something, the difference comes in what the audience is being convinced of.
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