Based on these definitions, explain the importance of marketing in organizational

success. Provide at least three examples from the business world to support your explanation.

Properly cite sources used in the paper.

People have been trying to sell things for years, and customers have learned something

from their techniques – advertisements, price markdowns, special contests, enticing displays of

merchandise. But despite marketing’s high visibility, the term marketing is difficult to define.

Marketing has changed over the years the American Marketing Association (AMA)

defined marketing 20 years ago as planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion,

and distribution of ideas, goods, and services to create exchanges that satisfy individual and

organizational objectives (Rachman, Mescon, Bovee, & Thill, 1990). The AMA’s definition of

marketing today is an organizational function and a set of processes for creating, communicating,

and delivering value to customers and for managing customer relationships in ways that benefit

the organization and its stakeholders (Kotler & Keller, 2009). I researched many definitions of

marketing, and surveyed friends and family to compile a personal definition. My personal

definition of marketing is pricing, distributing, and promoting products and services to change

the buying behavior of the public to produce a profit.

Marketing can be defined as the process by which organizations target and relate to customers,

and create strategies to use in sales and business development. Organizational success depends

heavily upon effective marketing. At second glance however, marketing involves much more.
 “Marketing is everywhere. Formally or informally, people and organizations engage in a

vast number of activities that we could call marketing. Good marketing has become an

increasingly vital ingredient for business success. And marketing profoundly affects our day-to-

day lives. It is embedded in everything we do—from the clothes we wear, to the Web sites we

click on, to the ads we see (Philip Kotler, 2009).”

Marketing is not just about selling a product. “In fact, the aim of marketing is to identify

customers’ needs and meet those needs so well that the product almost “sells itself.” This is true

whether the product is a physical good, a service, or even an idea. If the whole marketing job has

been done well, customers don’t need much persuading. They should be ready to buy. And after

they buy, they’ll be satisfied and ready to buy the same way the next time (William D. Perreault,

2009).”

Thus, if marketing allows an organization to formulate a product that consumers will

purchase, marketing plays a critical role in organizational success. “Financial success often

depends on marketing ability. Finance, operations, accounting, and other business functions will

not really matter if there isn’t sufficient demand for products and services so the company can

make a profit (Philip Kotler, 2009).”

Examples of how marketing contributes to organizational success are plentiful. An

aerospace company such as Sikorsky Aircraft is always fighting to make sales and win contracts.

Its success is due in part to successful marketing. For example, Sikorsky has established a proven

military and commercial track record by upholding high performance and safety ratings.

Additionally, Sikorsky has one of its aircraft in a staple market placement; the medium lift

workhorse of the American army. Because of these factors, military and commercial customers
on a global scale consider Sikorsky first when in the market for rotary aircraft. This is an

example of a product “selling itself”, a key factor of effective marketing.

Many companies find organizational success due to aggressive brand marketing. Brand

marketing increases the perceived value of a brand name to consumers. A familiar clothing

company called the GAP finds value in marketing their name brand in a way that identifies with

casual, yet fashionable clothing. The GAP brand name is easy to remember, highly recognizable,

and generally represents quality clothing. Because of effective brand marketing, The GAP and its

parent company have profited.

Microsoft markets their new Windows & operating system as more stable and user

friendly than ever before. This invites consumers reluctant to buy a windows based pc to make

the plunge. This strategy also re-invites those who lost trust in Microsoft after the less than

acclaimed Windows Vista launch to give the organization another chance.

“Companies generally establish a marketing department to be responsible for creating

and delivering customer value, but as the late David Packard of Hewlett-Packard observed,

“Marketing is far too important to leave to the marketing department.” Companies now know

that every employee has an impact on the customer and must see the customer as the source of

the company’s prosperity (Philip Kotler, 2009).”

There are many facets of marketing that do not immediately meet the eye. Today’s high

performance organizations are realizing that marketing is not about just selling a product. Rather,

marketing focuses more on consumer wants and needs, and designing a fine tuned product that

virtually sells itself.

Kotler, P. & Keller, K. (2009) Marketing management (13th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ:

Prentice-Hall.

Rachman, D., Mescon, M., Bovee, C., & Thill, J. (1990) Business today (6th ed.). New York,

NY: McGraw Hill.