A large part of beginning any job search is based on what you, the seeker, want. Are you looking to be a part of a large firm, or a small business? Are you looking for an opportunity for promotions, or a title that you can call your own for a longer amount of time? But a job search involves so much more. In order to be successful and happy in your new placement, it is also important to take time to reflect on your values, your personal goals, and your dreams. The marketing mix can help job seekers take time to understand these different parts, and find efficient ways to display your unique characteristics.
The place is probably one of the first things people thing about when they begin a job search. Do I want to try something in another part of the country or world? Or would I rather stay in a place that I am comfortable and familiar with? Obviously, this decision is critical in order to move forward in the search process. The location of your future job can also have an effect on whether or not you need to start searching for a new home, or a new mode of transportation. For example, if you live in the city, you can rely on public transportation, but in the country, you may need to think about financing for a vehicle.
The price is also another important aspect when considering a new job. Are you willing to work for less in order to outdo your competition? Or have you set on a minimum asking salary, within reason, to be able to pay off bills and loans? This may also have an effect on the place you choose to live due to financing and the funds that are available to you. I would expect price to be one of the more difficult aspects of job searching. Not only do seekers have less control over their pay, but the subject is rarely brought up in the first initial meeting(s). Many people find it difficult and rather uncomfortable to talk about. Therefore, it is important that time is taken to really figure out what your reasonable goals are, financially, and be able to voice those opinions and concerns with your future employer.
The product in this case, ourselves, is rather straight forward. This includes the relative basics of a general interview. What is our background experience? What kind of degree(s) have we received; and from which school(s)? Are we able to present ourselves in a professional manner? This may involve the language we use throughout the interview, to the way our resume is organized. In this assignment, I believe the product aspect and the promotion aspect work hand-in-hand. So, lets address some of the subjects that could be included in the promotion category.
The promotion is quite possibly the most crucial aspect in any job search. It is also, for the most part, entirely in your control. This is a seeker's chance to show a potential employer that they are the right candidate for the job. With this, we must be sure that we come prepared, and be able to successfully and efficiently promote ourselves. This may include our background, and previous experience(s), but it can also include our strengths and the variety of things that we can bring to the table. In my opinion, this is the part that requires the MOST thought and reflection. How do we want our employers to view us? Is it the type of job that would rather have me portray a comical and laid back self? Or should I promote my professionalism and attention to detail? The promotional aspect seems to give us a second chance at describing who we are, and lets us, in a way, control the way people see us- to a certain extent. So, when you're ready to begin searching for that new job...I suggest you spend the most time looking in the mirror and reflecting on the promotional aspect of the marketing mix.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Deciphering the Difference Among Marketing, Propaganda, and Advertising
Prior to reading the definitions and descriptions of these three words, I have to admit that I had been using the terms marketing, propaganda, and advertising interchangeably. In my mind, all three were used to lure the public into purchasing a service or product. However, after reading each of their definitions, and more detailed descriptions of their purposes and strategies, I have come to find them incredibly different from one another.
From the information I have gathered, marketing is a very strategic approach used by companies around the world. Its job is to recognize and extract people and clients that are the most likely to be interested in their product or service. This includes marketing to people in a certain age group, for example, or to a specific group within that, such as females from the age of 20 to 35 who have a full-time job and at least one child. The latter example is known as a target market- a very specific group that you aim to please with a given product or service.
Even though the general idea of propaganda is also to entice buyers to purchase a specific good or service, it has a slightly different approach than marketing. Propaganda often has a negative connotation, and is usually considered the motive behind political commercials and other such sources. The focus of propaganda is to mainly persuade viewers and listeners into supporting or rejecting the idea or product.
Probably the most popular examples of advertising are television commercials. The idea behind this technique is to create a short, but effective message to its viewers. Instead of marketing, which seems to focus on a more statistic-based level, I would say that advertising is functioning on more of a psychological level. When commercials flash pictures of fast food, you may not think that the picture has any effect on what you may think, or the way you think about something after you have watched it. However, as quickly as the photos flash before your eyes, the brain is able to catch these glimpses, and can, in turn, create a variety of different thoughts. Advertising reaches so many people through the numerous amounts and variations of the mass media.
After reading and reflecting on the variations available to companies to promote their products and services, the biggest distinction I noticed was the difference in the number of people that were targeted by each of these strategies. Clearly marketing and, more specifically, target marketing concentrates on a very small and specific group of people. Propaganda, though they naturally address a larger group, still has a focus group in mind. For example, in campaign promotions, the candidate typically focuses primarily on a specific party. Advertising, however, has a much larger target audience. Though each company has its own niche, advertising in general, because it is used in all different types of sources, a larger number of people are introduced to their messages. But, after all the money that is spent on all different types of advertising for literally everyone to see, wouldn't it be more efficient to use more of a marketing approach instead? Wouldn't it, as a manager, make more sense to focus the sales on those that you are confident already trust your product, or can at least be more easily persuaded to switch to your goods or services, as opposed to posting thousands of dollars worth in posters and commercials in hopes that someone will actually notice it and be convinced to immediately switch providers?
From the information I have gathered, marketing is a very strategic approach used by companies around the world. Its job is to recognize and extract people and clients that are the most likely to be interested in their product or service. This includes marketing to people in a certain age group, for example, or to a specific group within that, such as females from the age of 20 to 35 who have a full-time job and at least one child. The latter example is known as a target market- a very specific group that you aim to please with a given product or service.
Even though the general idea of propaganda is also to entice buyers to purchase a specific good or service, it has a slightly different approach than marketing. Propaganda often has a negative connotation, and is usually considered the motive behind political commercials and other such sources. The focus of propaganda is to mainly persuade viewers and listeners into supporting or rejecting the idea or product.
Probably the most popular examples of advertising are television commercials. The idea behind this technique is to create a short, but effective message to its viewers. Instead of marketing, which seems to focus on a more statistic-based level, I would say that advertising is functioning on more of a psychological level. When commercials flash pictures of fast food, you may not think that the picture has any effect on what you may think, or the way you think about something after you have watched it. However, as quickly as the photos flash before your eyes, the brain is able to catch these glimpses, and can, in turn, create a variety of different thoughts. Advertising reaches so many people through the numerous amounts and variations of the mass media.
After reading and reflecting on the variations available to companies to promote their products and services, the biggest distinction I noticed was the difference in the number of people that were targeted by each of these strategies. Clearly marketing and, more specifically, target marketing concentrates on a very small and specific group of people. Propaganda, though they naturally address a larger group, still has a focus group in mind. For example, in campaign promotions, the candidate typically focuses primarily on a specific party. Advertising, however, has a much larger target audience. Though each company has its own niche, advertising in general, because it is used in all different types of sources, a larger number of people are introduced to their messages. But, after all the money that is spent on all different types of advertising for literally everyone to see, wouldn't it be more efficient to use more of a marketing approach instead? Wouldn't it, as a manager, make more sense to focus the sales on those that you are confident already trust your product, or can at least be more easily persuaded to switch to your goods or services, as opposed to posting thousands of dollars worth in posters and commercials in hopes that someone will actually notice it and be convinced to immediately switch providers?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)