by Dustin
H. Cannon
http://www.VacationToRiches.com/
© 2008
When you read about a company that is
offering the best product at the best price, they are not marketing they are advertising.
In addition, if the advertisement claims the product will be around forever and
cannot possibly be replace by a different one for less money, there is a good
chance it is an exaggeration. For example when a product is advertised as new
and improved, it begs the question of whether it is new or improved since it cannot
be both.
If it is new, there would be no reason to improve
it, and if it is improved, it is not new, it is just a better version of the old
one. Advertising often offers basically true yet misleading statements and the
ad will disappear after a short run. However, marketing is delivering the same
message on a consistent basis, with little or no exaggeration, as repeated misstatements
will ruin the reputation of a customer leading to a negative marketing campaign
by competitors.
A good marketing plan can sell product
regardless of its price or its quality. Truth in advertising laws protect people
from fraudulent claims made for products, which is why marketing is so important
to many companies. Marketing will focus on the benefits of the product and what
it can do as opposed to pointing out the negatives and what it is not capable
of doing. Making the customer feel good about the company makes them feel good
about the product.
Think about some of the major companies
in the past who marketed products that may not have been the best, yet were more
expensive that those of equal quality. Consider the company that offer a lifetime
warranty on product bearing their brand name and how the costs compared to others
costing roughly the same, if not less. It was not the quality of the item that
was being advertised, rather it was the guaranteed free replacement marketing
that helped it rise to become the number one seller.
Other
companies may have advertised their products, possibly even pointing out they
were cheap enough that if they broke it can be replaced at less cost. What they
failed to recognize was the importance of the quality implied through marketing.
No where was it ever stated that the company was so confident in the quality that
if it ever breaks they will replace it for free. They left out the confidence
part in their ads, using the implication of quality or free replacement in their
marketing theme to build brand loyalty.
Yes, the items did
break and yes, they offered free replacement, but many consumers chose not to
take advantage of the guarantee at the moment it broke and by the time they remembered
it, it had been lost or discarded. It is this level of marketing that helps a
company develop strong brand loyalty and increase sales over implications never
stated in advertising. The same technique used in internet network marketing can
provide a strong loyal customer base, regardless of the price or the quality of
the merchandise.
