Is Target Marketing Ethical?
One of the basics of all marketing and advertising training is a teaching of “Maslow’s needs pyramid”. Yes, many old-school salespeople (or go-getter small business entrepreneurs) are quite capable of drumming up business on their own, and may even have some tried-and-true marketing tactics up their sleeve – but few have the time, skill, or technological resources to effectively capitalize on the true potential of their market.
The marketing department creates awareness, builds engagement by creating information that will invite audience members to take action, and targets and tracks engagement by motivating audience members to provide contact information or initiate a free trial or consultation (converting them from a cold prospect to a known lead or potential buyer).
Those email newsletters you receive after becoming a customer somewhere are not random – they have a purpose and are often tailored to things you’ve viewed or expressed interest in. A sales team simply doesn’t have the insights, time, or often the resources to execute these types of strategic campaigns.
Marketing channels are also used by companies to reach their consumers. As a result, decisions are often made without the consultation of the marketing strategy, and that means they are not likely to be in alignment with the strategy. Especially for small companies, one thing or another can come up that gets the business owner off track, and unfortunately, when that happens, marketing tends to move to the back burner.
Maslow’s Marketing Filter
A. Marketing merely reflects the needs and wants of customers. Other tactics that companies use to shape consumers needs and wants is to use celebrities or other famous people to sell their products. Marketers and salespeople work together to determine what consumers need and how to deliver it. Sales and marketing should motivate, inspire and feed one other.
Some companies do act unethical in their advertising, for example I have seen some ads on the internet especially where companies would advertise a product and make it very appealing to the consumer then at the very bottom is tiny fonts the word ‘restrictions apply’ they would hide the link that takes you to where the restrictions are listed.
For most small businesses, overcoming all of the obstacles that get in the way of creating and executing a sound marketing strategy is not really feasible. There are many chocolate producing companies whose target market is children. A wellness provider, for example, may offer a multitude of therapies, but instead of rhyming off that long list, which can be overwhelming and confusing, share the outcome of how your customers will feel after they’ve experienced your services.
Marketing With A Telephone
Marketing to specific groups of consumers, or target marketing, is one of the most important concepts in marketing. Now, none of what I have said above gives companies a free license to do whatever they want, especially when it comes to my one, very absolute exception: Marketing to children and those who cannot be held accountable for their actions. With so much … Read More..