Before Kotler, marketing was synonymous with the 4P marketing mix (product, pricing, place, promotion). With the continuous broadening of the marketing concept, it has been redefined. The 4Ps have become a top priority, and the central idea of ??this book is that companies must actively create and nourish markets. "Excellent companies meet needs; outstanding companies create markets." This is Kotler's famous saying.
Marketing involves market arrangements, market research, and customer relationship management. Kotler once wrote that marketing is the key to "creating value and improving living standards around the world." It can " Make money while meeting people's needs." He has been trying to elevate the discussion of marketing above products and services. The book "High Visibility" (1998) published in 1987 is centered around the location and concept of marketing. In line with his popularity, some of his writings are aimed at specific audiences, including non-profit organizations, religions, and even museums. He firmly believes that the most fulfilling marketing work in the world should "bring people more health and education, and fundamentally improve people's quality of life."
From the publication of "Marketing Management" to the present , the business world has undergone tremendous changes, and the nature of the 4Ps has also evolved several times. Kotler believes that although they are still important basic materials in marketing, each has developed its own subset of tools. Nowadays, not only does the market Combination, as well as price combination, positioning combination and so on. Markets and media are becoming increasingly complex and sophisticated, brands are growing in power, and manufacturers and suppliers are constantly inventing new ways to increase product visibility. Today's marketing is a global activity and the world of marketing is dynamic.
Kotler has devoted himself to studying the impact of the Internet on the concept of marketing, which he published in his "Marketing Moves: A New Approach to Profits, Growth and Renewal, 2002" There is an in-depth explanation in . He defined all-round marketing as "...the company integrates information energy such as the arrangement of entrepreneurial resources, supply chain management and customer relationship management in order to achieve greater success in the market." This requires the use of the Internet, The internal network and external network of the enterprise are combined into a cooperative network to achieve development. It will be all-round, because marketing is no longer regarded as an activity that is independent of each department. It must also become "an enterprise-wide network". Designer of supply chains and cooperation networks. ”
Marketing must become the center of business activities, and its focus must be on the customer: “In a world where products are abundant and customers are scarce, putting customers first "The center is the key to success." He looked at companies like Amazon, which seemed to have a big competitive advantage because it didn't have huge fixed assets, but it had to work hard on marketing to build its brand image and maintain customer loyalty. .
The authoritative British media "Financial Times" commented that Kotler's contribution to marketing and management is mainly reflected in three aspects: 1. He advocated the importance of marketing more than any other scholar. Or business writers have done a lot, thus promoting marketing from a marginal corporate activity to an important task in the production and operation process.
Second, he continued to move forward along a trend proposed by Peter Drucker, the father of modern management, shifting the focus of enterprises from price and distribution to meeting customer needs.
3. He broadened the concept of marketing from just sales work in the past to a more comprehensive communication and exchange process. Most industries around the world have a surplus of products. In fact, the problem is not at the supply level, but at the demand level. Too many products chasing the favor of too few customers. At the same time, globalization, information technology and the Internet have also brought about huge market changes and had a revolutionary impact on the living environment of enterprises, all of which require enterprises to transform. Only by escaping the limitations of traditional marketing and turning to marketing to create corporate strategies can we more clearly define market capacity and the company's own positioning, and succeed in this transformation.