In response to Eddie's Post...

Which company do you think has been doing the best at keeping their products on top of their competition?

Today there is so much competition between company's, sometimes it seems like too much. When I go to the grocery store there is almost a hundred different brands of everything! sometimes it seems over whelming. But the product I think is staying on top of the market the best is not found at the grocery store, I believe it is the Apple company. From laptops to IPods, IPhones, to a music downloading store online, they seem to have every technological product that people today want.

I think Apple stays on top of there competition by being the first with a new product. When MP3 player's first came out, everyone wanted one and most people would buy a Ipod, now there are so many chooses. also the Iphone was a big breakthrough for Apple. before the Iphone, many people never downloaded applications to there phones, other than games or ring tones, now there is an app for virtually anything. Many company's are following Verizon and adding apps to there phones as well. But apple will always be the original for the phone with apps. The Iphone also included a touchscreen, I don't know if it was the first phone with a touch screen, but it was the first one I had ever seen. After Apple came out with that, again the competition followed, now almost everything is touchscreen.

Because of Apple's stunning technology and innovation it is ahead of the competition. I think any company that is copied by it's competition is the one at the top. I don't know if Apple is the most profitable within there competition, but for me I think they are the best in the field.

Relationship Marketing

Relationship marketing is basically a focus on customer relationship management. it uses information about customers to create marketing strategies that develop and sustain desirable long term customer relationships. Because of the growth of technology, relationship marketing has expanded from not just face to face interaction, but e-interaction also. The goals of relationship marketing are simple, to find, attract and win new clients, nurture and retain those that the company already has, entice former clients back into the fold and reduce the costs of marketing and client services. Relationship marketing has been strongly influence by re engineering. according to the re engineering theory, organizations should be structured by complete tasks and processes rather than functions. Traditional marketing uses the marketing mix, but according to Ian Gordon's book on relationship marketing, "the marketing mix approach is too limited t provide a usable framework for assessing and developing customer relationships in many industries and should be replaced by the relationship marketing alternative model where the focus is on customers, relationships, and interaction over time, rather than markets and products."
Relationship marketing is so important to company's, and should be one of the main goals of any company. In a study found in the Journal of Retail Banking, it showed that a 5% improvement in customer retention can cause an increase in profitability between 25 and 85%. These increased profitability's in good relationships occur for many reasons, but some are:

• free word of mouth promotions from valued customers
• customers who are satisfied tend to stay with the company and are less likely to go to another competitor
• regular customers are less expensive to service, because they are familiar with the process of buying, so they need less education and therefore less company time.
• customers who are happy, make employees happy, in return happy employees make happy customers.

(above from the European Management Journal)

all in all, good customer relationships cause less hazards within the company. The company will have increased profitability, better customers, and happier employees. For me, I think that relationship marketing is the most important thing a company can do.

Do you think company's should focus more on relationship marketing? What company's do you think have strong customer service and therefore have good relationships with you or others?

In response to David Collis' blog...

In regards to Panera Catering..."What about you, would you rather get a generic mix, or exactly what you want?"

I also enjoyed the way Panera did it's "catering", but I agree that it is really more of a delivery. Many catering company's usually do not let you order separate items, making it more of a large group purchase, but it was much more convenient to be able to choose what we wanted. I think if I was having Panera Cater a large event I would not have people choose what they wanted individually because I can see that getting confusing. I would probably just order large amounts for everyone to share. With a small order, such as within our class, I think it was nice that we all got to pick just what we wanted. I don't know if Panera should consider this "catering" though, because when I think of catering, I think of them coming and setting up the food and everyone sharing he same kinds of food. I think this is more of a delivery service.

Do you think this should be considered catering or delivery? Should Panera start doing a delivery service with a smaller minimum so you can order from home? Would you order Panera more often if they delivered?

Selecting A Good Brand Name

There are several very important factors that marketers must consider when selecting a brand...

1. The name should be easy for customers worldwide to say, spell and remember. Short and simple brands with the same word meaning worldwide usually satisfy this requirement, such as the laundry detergent, Cheer.

2. The brand name should indicate the products major benefits and suggest in a positive way the products uses and special characteristics; negative or offensive references should be avoided. Research shows that names that produce a positive benefit are more likely to be bought. Such as Dirtdevil which indicates it cleans up any dirt, versus a name that has nothing to do with cleaning, like the new vacuum, the Dyson ball.

3. The brand should e distintive. Without a distinctive brand, it will not stand out from all the other products. Marketers should find a brand name that is compatible with all products within there product line.

4. The brand should be designed so it can be used and recognized in all types of media. Whether through the radio, tv, or conversation the brand shouldbe easily recognizable. Such as the McDonalds, "golden arches."

Brand names are tricky and many companys have special teams that creat these names.

What do you think the best brand name or symbol is? Why?

In Response to Arianne's Post...

Can you think of a time when you bought something on impulse?

There have been many times when I have bought something due to impulse. Many times, my feelings and timing will be the reasons as to why I buy impulsively.

Today, while I was returning a pair of shorts at the mall, I decided to stop into Sun glass Hut and look around. I didn't necessarily need any new sunglasses but right as I walked in I spotted a pair that I liked. After trying them on I went top the cashier and bought them. When i left the store I was happy with my purchase but now when I think back on it, I realize that I probably should have looked around for a better price or something I liked even better. The sunglasses were rather pricey and I feel as though since I was in the mood to shop and I haven't really bought anything recently, i ignored the price and just went for it. If i hadn't bought them i could have found a better price somewhere else.

I am not unhappy with my purchase and my post purchase mood is pretty satisfied, but I think I need to work on my impulse buying because this is one of the many times I have done that. Impulse buying is a problem because hen I go to buy something that I actually want and have shopped around for I won't have any money left.

What moods affect your impulse buying? Do you tend to shop better in a good mood or bad mood?

Psychological Influences on the Buying Decision Process

Psychological influences help determine people's behavior and influence their behavior as consumers. Most of the psychological influences are internal, but they can be affected by social forces externally. The most common psychological influences are perception, motives, learning, attitudes, personality and self-concept, and lifestyle.

Perception is the process of selecting, organizing, and interpreting information inputs to determine meaning. Our information inputs are the sensations we experience through sight, taste, hearing, smelling and touch. Marketers use advertisements, smells and touch to encourage consumers to buy or use there product or service. For example, when you walk by a restaurant and smell the food cooking, if it smells good, you will be more influenced to go eat at that restaurant. Westin hotels are using certain fragrances that evoke serenity and tranquility in there lobbies to attract guests. Because of selective exposure, which is the inputs we select or ignore, an individuals current set of needs affects there decisions. Many fast food restaurants are there commercials around dinner time, to encourage customers with that need of hunger. Another way of using selective exposure, is when bars hold beer specials on the weekends, because that is the time that most people will be going out and drinking.

Motive is an internal energizing force that orients peoples activities towards satisfying needs or achieving goals. According to Maslow's hierarchy of needs humans strive to satisfy there physiological, safety, social, esteem and self actualization needs. These needs influence are motives every day. Motives can be different depending on the time of the day. Most people have motives for cup of coffee in the morning rather than before bed. Other motives a person may have are price, location or customer service at a particular store.

learning refers to changes in a persons thought processes and behavior caused by information and experience. When buyer's purchase a product, they have certain experience with it. After this experience they can learn whether they like this product and will buy it again, or whether they dislike it. For example, the new commercials that Domino's has out, show what people are saying about there pizza and how they don't like certain parts of it and wouldn't eat there again. Fortunately Domino's has changed there pizza but that is just an example as to how people have reactions of certain products.

An attitude is an individuals enduring evaluation of, feelings about, and behavioral tendencies toward an object or idea. attitudes play a very important role for a company. When consumers have a bad attitude about a company they tend to not use the product, and through word of mouth can influence others attitudes towards a company. For many company's, doing surveys and research on consumers attitudes will help them improve there products, customer service and gain more customers for them.

As we grow up and try new things, we learn and develop attitudes and perceptions of different products. Company's can change your perceptions though by using colors, scents, sounds and feelings to enhance our inputs and change our attitudes.

What is an attitude you have towards a store or product? Have you ever noticed your perception being changed on purpose through certain sight or smell?

In Response to Ryan Beall's Post...

Do you believe it's unethical for a company to give personal information out, such as this instance, if there is fine print at the bottom stating that your information may be distributed?

I believe that it is unethical for a company to sell information, but if it is in fine print then they really are not being unethical. Obviously many people do not read the fine print, including myself, but as long as the company has it there somewhere where you are putting your information, then they have every right to sell your information and do whatever they want with it. Personally, I tend not to give my information out, I even have a separate e-mail account for company's that ask for my e-mail so that way it will not fill up my regular inbox. I think that people now a days need to be more careful about who they give information to. There are so many scandals and identity thefts every day. If people are aware of who they are giving information out too and if they read the fine print or even ask if there information will be distributed then the company has every right to sell it. The consumers just need to start being more careful about where there information is going.

AMA Statement & John Smith

John Smith is faced with a difficult dilemma. In my opinion I think although it is not ethical John would be better off selling the names of the people he surveyed. So many people are surveyed about different things every day that the people whose names got sold probably wouldn't even know that it happened. Also it would help his company and the 75 employees who work there. If he did not sell the names, he would ultimately have to lay people off, which would cause many family's economic hardship because they are the sole "breadwinners" in there family. In order to keep his company running successfully and the employees that he has stay there, it makes sense to sell the surveyed names for $8,000.

In terms of the AMA statement of ethics, It stresses honesty, responsibility, fairness, respect, transparency and citizenship. If John sells the names to the car company he is going against many of these terms and breaking ethics.

Unless he tells all of the surveyed people that he will be selling there names to a car company than he is not being honest. According to the AMA you must strive to be honest in all situations, and he definitely would not be being honest. Responsibility is a little different though. If he does sell the names then he is being responsible in terms of his company and trying to keep it going and not lay people off. To me that is responsible when he is helping his employees.

All in all, I believe that if John sells the names of the surveyed people he and his company will benefit, but in doing so he will be breaking ethical standards.

If you were in John's position, how much money would they have to offer for you to sell the names?

In Response to Dillan's Post...

In his post, he talked about how businesses are checking Facebook sites of new applicants as a way of doing a "background" check.

I agree with him that I think this is a little ridiculous and company's should not be using it as a way to choose to hire someone or not. Facebook is a way to connect with friends, share picture and keep in touch. If company's start using this as a way to check in on someone, it will no longer be fun or real. When I go on Facebook and post pictures, I usually don't monitor what I post. If I go out and drink with my friends and choose to put those pictures on my Facebook site that is my own choose and the company should not judge me on that. Also not everyone has a Facebook. Company's should not be able to decide on whether they are going to hire you based on what you do in your free time. If you get your work done and your not on company time, then what you do is your responsibility, not the company's.
So, in conclusion I agree that Facebook should not be used as a way for company's to do a background check and decide whether to hire someone.

Do you think it is right for a company to fire someone if they go on sites such as Facebook while at work, on company time?

Strategic Issues in Retailing

Consumers shop for many different reasons and there purchases may result from social and psychological influences. Because of this retailers must create shopping environments that influence purchases, keep products available and develop special marketing strategies...

Location- This is the most important issue for any retailer because it decides who and in which geographic area shoppers will come from. When choosing a location retailers look at many different factors. One thing they consider is the ease of movement within the area, this includes vehicle and pedestrian traffic, parking and transportation. Retailers also evaluate the characteristics of the area. This includes the size, shape and visibility of the building, plus what other stores are near the building, because multiple stores within an area will attract more customers. There are many options of locations for retailers, shopping centers are many stores connected in a specific area, grocery stores and various other local stores are usually found here. While other stores such as Wal Mart and Home Depot are usually free standing in there own area. Places like Subway choose locations virtually anywhere, including hospitals, schools and laundromats.

Retail Positioning is also a business strategy for many. Retail positioning involves identifying an unserved or under served market segment and serving it through s strategy that distinguishes the retailer from others in the minds of those customers. Many discount and specialty stores use this strategy to provide consumers with various budgets different items. This helps them gain market share at the expense of large department stores.

In order for any store to attract customers, they must provide a good store image. This includes the atmosphere as in the physical elements in the stores design that appeal to customers. Buy hanging posters in stores, using certain colors on walls, or providing certain elements stores can achieve a great store image and customers achieve a better buying experience. The Rain Forest Cafe provides a very unique store image. The whole restaurant is themed as a forest with big props and even live fish. It appeals to people of any age. The exterior image of a store plays a big role also. When people walk up to a store and there is trash outside, the windows are busted or anything else is not in good condition usually they are turned off and will not shop there. By providing a better outdoor environment and window displays they can attract customers.

What stores can you think of that have a good/bad store image? Have you ever not shopped at a store because of what it looked like?

Response to Caitlyn...

In response to Caitlyns question, Do you think all businesses could benefit from this?

I believe that businesses do benefit from electronic mailing and advertising because it is cheaper and easier and much more conveinent for them. I also agree with you that people now a days are much less personal with eachother. Personally, I text people or talk with them online a lot and I find it much more conveinent to do that. I aslo think that people text eachother way more then they call on the phone but it is just a easier way for people to connect. I don't think that people will ever go back to being more personal, it will only get more technologically advanced with the years to come.

E-marketing and Direct Mail

Question: What are some of the benefits of direct mail compared to electronic means of marketing?

There are many advantages and disadvantages of both direct mail and electronic mail. With direct mail, companies spend a lot more money, such as Alicia Settle at Per Annum Inc. who spent $20,000 on signed letters. Also many people stopped responding to the mail after it was sent electronically. This could be because people were not checking there e-mail or it got deleted or stuck in the junk mail folder. Also it is very important in America now a days to be "going green" so when many companies choose not to send direct mail, they are following along with the trend which may make them more favored by some people. Many companies also have the option to choose whether or not you want direct mail or e-mail. When I get my electric and cable bills in the mail they also send another letter in the package which encourages me to enroll in e-mail and online bill pay programs. This is a smart chose for these companies because it is nice to be able to choose which kind of mail you will receive.

Do you think e-marketing techniques will replace traditional forms of marketing (direct mail, phone calls, newspaper ads/promotions)?

I believe that eventually almost all mail will be e-mailed or be delivered via some sort of electronics. No longer do people generally get phone calls marketing things because there are laws such as the "no call list" that many people have signed up for to avoid phone calls. Also many households do not even have landlines any more and use cell phones as there primary phone, making companies unable to reach them through the phone. I have noticed within the last couple years that many companies market through text messages. If you sign up for there magazines such as at a shopping store or voluntarily give them your number, they will text you with the different promotions and offers that are coming up in there store.

I also like the idea of using scanners, like an app on a cell phone so that if you see something you like in a magazine or anywhere you can scan it and find out where to get that item. I think this is a good idea to promote products because when people see them in magazines it is sometimes hard to find that item somewhere else.

Would you use a scanner to purchase products and find them if you saw them in a magazine? How much would you be willing to spend on a product such as this? Do you think it would be easier to use a scanner of some sort or to just use a search engine online?

How Companies use Environmentalism to their Advantage

Environmentalism is such an important aspect to everyone now a day's. Lately, it seems as though every company has "gone green" somehow. For instance, uncertainty in the middle east and natural disasters here in America, have driven gas prices up. This has affected many of the company's that make "gas-guzzling" SUV's. Many consumers are looking for cars with over 40 mpg and hybrids that are even more "green." I believe for a company to say that they are "going green" is just a way for them to attract more customers who feel better about themselves if they purchase something that is "supposedly" better for the environment. Many companies can advertise a product as great for the environment or that it does something special or safer than another product, but the truth is most consumers don't research whether what these companies are saying is true or not. Environmentalism is pretty simple for most companies to practice and achieve because they can simply cut down on certain things and be able to advertise even more about how they are helping the environment. We don't know the truth about what these companies are actually doing we only know what we see and hear through the media.

So are these companies actually "going green"? Have you ever bought a product that you believed was environmentally friendly to find out it wasn't much safer than any other product? Do you think companies are using environmentalism to there advantage as a free way of advertising?

Response to Michelle's Post

This is in response to Michelle Corf's post, Marketing, Advertising, and Propaganda. I believe Michelle made a good point by using the example of cell phones for a difference between marketing and advertising. I agree that a good way to define the difference between marketing and advertising is to distinguish a person's needs from there wants. In response to her question about propaganda and the war on terror, Should people be influenced by propaganda such as this even if they believe differently? I think that people will always be influeced by the propaganda and the war no matter which side they are on. I think that unless you are there fighting in the actual war, then you can't really have too many thoughts because so many of the images in the media are distorted and exagerated so that we will believe what they want us to believe. No matter whether you are for the war or against it, I think the media and propaganda will influence everyone. Since propaganda and media tie togther so well, are they the same? Does proganda have to be through the media?

The Differences Between Marketing, Advertising & Propaganda

Marketing, Advertising & Propaganda may seem very similar but if you look past the idea of a company just trying to get a product or service out to people, then you will see they are very different from one another.

Marketing is more about satisfying customers wants and needs and trying to improve products for customers. Marketing involves stimulating a demand, while advertising is more involved in convincing customers to buy a product or service. Marketing and advertising have more similarities with each other than propaganda. Propaganda is a form of communication aimed at influencing the attitude of a community at some cause or position.

I believe that the "war on terror" is a form of propaganda. Through the media they influenced people on what position to take. No matter which side of the war you are on, there will always be propaganda misleading people with distorted ideas and exagerations. Peoples views can be altered so quickly just by the influence of media and propaganda. I don't believe the "war on terror" is in anyway marketing because it is not satisfying everyones ideas and demands.

Is the war on terror a form of advertising? Do businesses use the war to there advantage? If so, how?