THERE IS CONFUSION in meaning between advertising and marketing. Often used interchangeably, both of these terms are associated with making the brand name of a given company known; this is what heightens the confusion. These terms are used to heighten the awareness of consumers about the services or products so as to create loyal customers and increase the sales of a company. Do you know the difference between the two?
Advertising is a way of communicating about the benefits of services and products offered by a given company with the aim of getting potential clientele who are interested in what you offer. There are a number of ways through which advertising takes place. Historically, the most common ways were TV, radio, and print media advertisements. The modern world has, however, seen the rise in Internet advertising in the form of web-based ads like banner ads, pay-per-click campaigns, and email blast campaigns.
On the other hand, marketing is a psychological trigger that sets people into the mood of receiving a new product. It is meant to help customers understand why they need to choose a certain product and why they should spend money over the same or comparable competing product. Marketing is the implementation and taking control of communication, exchanging and delivering services or products.
Marketing is a process as a whole while advertising is part of the process.
Once a company has employed advertising/marketing experts, they will help the company know the most crucial things for the success of the company, from a marketing/advertising standpoint. They will be able to apply their skills to come up with creative strategies that will attract new customers and satisfy your current ones, while maximizing the efficiency of the tactics.
It’s good to work closely with your advertising team so that you can ascertain whether your products or services are appealing, get to know your target market and growth strategies, and become familiar with your communication needs for both now and in the future. Whether your business is currently in operation or you’re in the conceptual phases of a startup, you will [eventually] need a marketing plan. Advertising cannot work without a marketing plan. This is because advertising is a vital part of the whole process of marketing.
Some researchers have defined marketing as an art of inspiring and empowering customers in regard to their needs, wants and desires. This is achieved through beautiful pictures, colorful canvases and well composed musical jingles. Marketing is like a dance that is influenced by the rhythm of the music. If the rhythm moves people, they will dance to it. Conversely, if it’s bad, people will shy away from it. This analogy holds true in marketing; if the ad used is appealing, people will try the products or services. It is, therefore, good to focus on other people when you want to market given products or services.
