Maturity and Decline: The End of the Semester

Maturity and Decline: The End of the Semester
April 16, 2018
8:17pm

            As the semester draws to an end I would like to take time and reflect on my experiences in marketing class. The topics covered were applicable to my business, as well as my everyday life. This is what makes marketing so interesting; it is all around us whether or not we realize it.
Course Objective 1: To examine and convey basic and emerging marketing concepts and terminologies

Throughout the course we implemented a lot of marketing concepts in everything we did. We continually built off of previous concepts, such as the four P’s, to create a deeper understanding of marketing. Personally, I was able to connect these terms and concepts to my business almost immediately. On a weekly basis I would take what we learned and try to relate it to my business. I analyzed my four P’s, computed my mark-up, narrowed in on my target market, and much more. This direct application of class material helped solidify the material in my head.
Course Objective 2: To study and understand the marketing mix, target markets, consumer behavior, service marketing, social media marketing and the strategic and financial implications of marketing decisions on the other functional areas of business
Exploring these concepts was easier said than done. Marketing is so much more complex than what meets the eye. My views on marketing have definitely shifted since the start of the semester. As we learned each concept we were building on previous concepts. Not only applying it to my own business but seeing other business examples throughout class helped me understand the concepts better. By analyzing the good, and not so good, marketing strategies and campaigns certain businesses have gone into I was able to think about these concepts in a real life situation. These examples helped me to push myself beyond the textbook and apply what I was learning. This showed me if I was comfortable with a topic or if it was still confusing.
Course Objective 3: To recognize the importance of the consumer and the vital need for consumer orientation on the part of all employees in all firms and organizations

The consumer is everything in business and marketing. If nobody is seeing your product, nobody will buy it, and you won’t be in business for long. We examined in-depth the different types of consumers and how to segment the market. Previously, I would’ve assumed you would try to market to as many people as possible. However, after talking about market segments and target markets I see the importance of targeting the right consumer. Consumers really are the core of your business, they create the sales and keep you in business. I think it was also important that we addressed how to be transparent and honest with your consumer. Better consumer-company relations are extremely valuable for companies.
Course Objective 4: To have the opportunity to put marketing into action via team and individual projects, research, reports and presentations
Our Marketing for a Cause event taught us a lot. The concepts we learned in class were easier said than done. Once we were trying to put on an actual event we saw how complex marketing can be. Although I believe there are things we could’ve done better, overall we had a very successful event. It was a good experience to be put into an actual marketing situation. This definitely showed me where my weaknesses were but also were my strengths were. The in class presentations were daunting, but extremely helpful. I pushed myself to complete the requirements as accurately as possible, from timing to content. I was very happy with how I completed my presentations and feel much more confident in my presentation abilities now.
Course Objective 5: To set personal and professional goals and positively contribute in an engaged class

At the beginning of the semester I was definitely focused on the professional goals aspect of this objective. However, after completing the course I also see a lot of personal growth. Working in our groups to host our event as well as the presentations have changed the way I communicate with others and the way I present myself. The course also caused me to think more in depth about all of the topics and not just think of marketing as advertisements. As I talked about earlier, I was able to connect all of our lessons to my business which helped to solidify the concepts for me. Throughout the semester I have spent a lot of time thinking about my business marketing. This has shown me a new facet of my business that I will here on out be spending much more time on.
Overall, when I started this semester I was hoping to connect the course information to my business. I believe that I have been able to connect the five course objectives discussed above, as well as many other aspects of the course, to my business. I also have a new appreciation for the many layers of marketing. My marketing knowledge has expanded immensely throughout the course with each lesson. Through our team events and classwork, I am able to communicate what I have learned into the real world, in various situations. Although I know there is much more to learn about marketing, I believe I have an excellent foundation to build on after completing this course.







Sources:
Source 1: https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-4-Ps-of-marketing-with-examples
Source 2: http://edelalon.com/blog/2018/01/latest-hottest-marketing-strategy-industry-ecommerce/
Source 5: Visit
Source 4: https://www.lynda.com/Excel-tutorials/Evaluate-marketings-business-contribution/624263/667144-4.html
Source 5: Visit
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