Many people do not know exactly what marketing is. Some think it’s sales, business development, multi-level marketing (MLM), a bunch of blogs, etc. It is challenging to take something so huge as a term as this and narrow it down to a few sentences or less. Technically speaking, there are many definitions of what marketing is depending on your personal knowledge, working experience, and based on what textbooks say. ( colleges, classes, workshops, etc.) If I had to choose the top 3 definitions, I’d say in simple terms, Marketing is perception, strategic selling, and the art of combining the 4Ps ( Marketing principles) with a 5th p, I call “partnerships” –and at the end of the day, if marketing efforts are successful, they are driving you the traffic, brand awareness, sales, visits, conversions, to make it profitable. That is what matters.

With over 12 yrs. of marketing experience, I see it as an ever-evolving process and sometimes like “keeping up with the Jones” especially internet marketing. I t can be exhausting, but if you love what you do, you become impassioned, and it feels like second nature. My core background has been a blend of traditional marketing or corporate marketing ( marketing strategy, brand strategy, promotions, media relations, advertising, marketing communications, business development, etc.) and now online marketing. I do believe if I hadn’t evolved into interactive marketing, I’d be antiquated and out of a job! So, would your company if you do not move with the internet!

It is fascinating to see how much our way of doing business relies on online marketing. This hype of SEO, social media, or “new media” is taking marketing to new levels and new ways of converting sales. These are all additional channels for greater reach, leads, conversions, and brand awareness. Paid search is a great start to building online traffic, but eventually, you will need SEO to sustain the business as well.

I created Market Insight in 2004 because I wanted to share my knowlege to those that are building their own businesses, but don’t want to pay big agency fees that will break you in the beginning. My tagline is a “holistic approach to online and offline marketing” because both channels reinforce itself in delivering the targeted goal. Online is great, but I must say, meeting people, physical interaction and engagement is still very powerful…I encourage all businesses and people to still keep this human interaction. Your delivery, your approach, and people skills become paramount as well. It is all in the same.

In time, one knows how to discern what is “fluff” in the marketing world, and what is the “real stuff” that generates true results. Some people are great at talking the lingo of marketing, but they do not necessarily have the credentials or portfolio to back it up. I wanted to help those that are looking for seasoned experts to help them navigate thru the online and traditional marketing world. It’s like looking for a good mechanic that is not all about milking you for more money. I am a person that loves and enjoys taking a business concept, guiding and advising, and turning it into gold. It’s kinda fun & very fullfilling! It is a great feeling when you see ideas manifest to a living, breathing, business enterprise. If you are an entrepreneur like myself, I like to say, “It is far better for a man( woman) to go wrong in freedom than to go right in chains.-Thomas Huxley.