Most marketing texts used today take a traditional view of the famous four "P"'s. The marketing mix is presented in the same way it's been presented for decades. Yet, a paradigm shift has taken place, the famous four "P"'s are no longer relevant in the traditional sense. There are technology drivers and market factors which have led to the death of mass marketing, the death of manipulative consumer behavior techniques and even the death of broad demographic categorizations. The primary objectives for the proposed text include synthesizing new customer driven relationship marketing techniques with the powerful integrated marketing communications tools of; advertising, public relations, sales promotion, personal selling, and direct marketing.
Few authors address the new customer driven marketing perspective referred to above. Rapp and Collins, in their text, "The Great Marketing Turnaround", and Peppers and Rogers, in their series of 1:1 marketing texts do a formidable job leading us away from mass marketing and toward a more individualized and customized approach. While these texts are powerful, they don't integrate the five important marketing communications tools referred to above.
Very few texts address the five integrated marketing communications tools which are so important to this new marketing methodology I'm proposing. Belch and Belch authored the first text I am aware of "Advertising and Promotions; an integrated approach", and in my humble opinion, the methodology is seriously flawed, each of the five IMC tools presented incorrectly.
What is missing from all available marketing texts I've reviewed is the 1:1 relationship marketing theory being used as a foundation for the application of the five IMC (Integrated Marketing Communications) tools.
Over a five year period, I have consulted, lectured, and taught (over 300 courses at seven different universities) and throughout this time, I have refined the methodology and have begun the task of compiling the material into a text book. I'm excited to provide you with sample chapter drafts and a proposed table of contents for the text.
THE STORY -- CONTENT:
The most important message I could deliver to instructors is that the concern of marketing is dynamic, constantly changing, and that a paradigm shift has taken place, a shift that makes the traditional view of the famous four P's obsolete, a shift that spells the death of mass marketing, the death of manipulative consumer behavior, a shift from a market driven economy to a customer driven global marketplace. The most important message that could be delivered to instructors is that they must seriously question the validity of traditional marketing methodology, that they must look objectively at new paradigm thinking, that they should be prepared to embrace a completely new view of the four "P"'s and embrace the five marketing communications tools of; advertising, public relations, sales promotion, personal selling and direct marketing as the tools necessary for building insulated, loyal and profitable customer relationships.
Instructors that will find this proposed text appealing are the instructor's that believe that "what worked in the past, will not work in the future", instructors that believe it's no longer possible to sustain lasting competitive advantage through superior product orientation, superior technology, or superior manufacturing processes. This text is for instructors that understand that he/she who knows the customer best will own all of the customer's business, 100% customer share.
The text is unique in that is is not written in traditional dry text book format. It's an "exciting read", it's full of very practical real world examples. It's informal in it's presentation and it's designed to be thought provoking, designed to motivate students and teachers alike to re-consider what they've always held to be true about marketing.
THE FORMAT:
This text is not being conceived to look (or read) like a traditional text book. This text reads much more informally and contains many real life applications, case studies, and references to many world famous corporations. As an Integrated Marketing Communications consultant, I've applied these concepts to many real life organizations, and many of the success stories are discussed in the text. It is indeed a very practical text and contains many proofs that the material stands up to real world marketing challenges. This text is designed to create new paradigm thinking, to stir the minds of students, to help students consider that companies like Nike, Coca Cola, and others practice dangerous and flawed marketing methodology. The text should cause students to look inward at their own organizations and to realize that there may be serious flaws in their approach toward marketing.
The text will be rich with examples, case studies and "food for thought" questions.
ANNOTATED TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Chapter 1: Blowing up old paradigm thinking, a new view of the "P" of Product.
Before we can begin to truly understand what relationship marketing is and what it isn't, we'll have to blow up some old paradigm thinking about the famous four P's and the Marketing Communications mix. So, before you read on, please be prepared to challenge everything you thought you knew about marketing.
Chapter 2: Leave the price tool at the bottom of the tool box!
Open up your tool box. What's on top? The hammer of course. Why? Because it's the last tool you used, it's the tool you always use. O.K., close the tool box, now pretend it's a marketing tool box and open it up. What's on top? Price. Why? Because it's the last tool you used, it's the tool you always use. Take the price tool out of the box. Look at all those other marketing communications tools! Turn the box over, dump out all the tools, turn the empty box upright, put price at the bottom, put all the other tools on top. DON'T EVER TAKE THE PRICE TOOL OUT AGAIN!
Chapter 3: Let's go DIRECT! (bypassing traditional "place" channels)
We want insulated, loyal customer relationships, relationships which are mutually beneficial. But any entity that stands between us and our ultimate customer prevents us from understanding their unique needs and building loyalty. So, let's go direct, let's eliminate anyone in our distribution channel that isn't adding value.
Chapter 4: Synergy, linkage, measurability, the building blocks of IMC
Why do CFO's and Marketing Managers always feud? Because the Marketing Manager can't speak the language of the Finance Officer. When the Marketing Manager says "trust me baby, I have a great idea", that won't cut it. Marketing is strategic, pro-active and highly measurable (if done correctly).
Chapter 5: Reach and frequency lies, advertising as an awareness tool
Advertising is the most cost effective marketing communications tool we have, it's highly creative and only pennies per exposure. Lies. Lies. Lies.
What about the power of brand image you ask????
Chapter 6: Non paid for broadcast media, increased credibility.
Public relations is the most misused, misunderstood of all marketing communications tools. Yet, it is highly credible and if used correctly will be a great substitute for expensive broadcast media. This chapter is all about using Public relations as an awareness tool and a substitute for advertising.
Chapter 7: Turn the key on, motivate response, turn the key off.
Sales promotion is the most dangerous and destructive of all IMC tools. It will destroy loyalty, destroy good strategy, destroy relationships, throw you into a downward spiraling price war. Ah, but it is also the most necessary IMC tool of all, it is the great linkage tool, and the great response motivation tool.
Chapter 8: Down with intrusive, confrontational, manipulative cold calling
You can't sell something and then assume the relationship has begun. Today, we must first build the relationship and then we may be able to sell products and services that meet customer's pre-existing needs. This chapter is all about the use of personal selling as a pre-qualified secondary marketing communications tool. Why spend all your time trying to "churn" in new customers when you could be building insulated relationships with your best existing customers?
Chapter 9: If it's not timely, relevant, pre-qualified and highly personalized, it's not direct marketing.
This chapter first exposes the myths of direct marketing. Direct marketing isn't being an Amway rep. Direct marketing isn't running a sweat shop telemarketing outfit. It's not about junk mail, not about list brokering. Direct marketing is dialogue with our customers and prospects, it's database building, it's the tool that will eventually allow us to anticipate needs and meet those needs better than our competition.
Chapter 10: What's your passion?
This chapter will bring together all the concepts discussed throughout the book with several practical examples and is designed to motivate people to pursue their marketing ideas. Students will now realize that they can launch their own businesses without huge advertising budgets. There's a blessing and a curse that comes with reading this last chapter. Readers will realize that most "so called" marketers practice flawed methodology and that they now know more than the so called "professionals" (that's the blessing). The curse is that after reading this book, every day of their lives they will be exposed to senseless, flawed, unmeasurable marketing tactics and will not be able to understand why so many large companies just don't get it.
