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The importance of motivation in the implementation of effective marketing activities

Motivation in marketing is a multifaceted concept. An organization’s customers as well


as marketers and salespeople need motivation to enhance effective implementation of marketing
goals and activities. Marketing is a very complicated subject for many companies. Developing
effective marketing and advertising strategies is crucial to all corporations and businesses.
Selecting detailed advertising and marketing procedures ought to be done considering the factors
necessary to motivate a corporation’s major customer base. It is not possible to succeed in
marketing without a motivational strategy that persuades and convinces customers that one’s
business is offering the best goods and/or services in the industry. Marketing is purely
confrontational and can be very challenging at times. Making telephone calls to customers,
writing advertising and promotional letters, discussing the enterprise and its products can drive
one crazy or create fear of being rejected, harsh feedbacks and feelings of inadequacy. The good
news is that effective marketing does not have to be this unfriendly; effective marketing rests
upon the understanding of consumer behaviour. This creates an intimate relationship between the
marketer and the customer that enables the former to understand the needs, tastes and
preferences of the latter and consequently initiate means of motivating customers so as to win
loyalty (Scott, 2009, par.5). This paper aims at discussing the importance of motivation in
implementing effective marketing activities and strategies.

An enterprise’s marketing and sales department is always at the closest and direct
relationship with the customers. This being the case, it is mostly the initiative of this department
to maintain a motivated customer base at all times. This means that for the marketing objectives
of any organization to be achieved effectively and implemented efficiently, it calls for motivated
customer base as well as motivated marketing and sales workforce (Solomon et al 2006, p.57)

Organizations need customer and employee motivation more than ever before. They need
to keep on encouraging customers by motivating them to buy and remain loyal. They also need
to motivate the sales team to sell and create massive advertising campaigns. In addition, they
need to encourage the vendor channel partners to put more effort in ensuring that the commodity
arrives to the customer at the right time and in right quantities. Moreover, employees at other
levels also need to be motivated to make sure that all communications that relate to marketing
are carried on well. Managing motivation processes in these multiple departmental roles requires
proper people skills. There can be no motivation without people skills since motivation involves
the human resource aspect of an organization (Incentive Performance Centre 2009).
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The Importance of Customer (Consumer Motivation)

The success of any business enterprise rests upon the satisfaction of its customers in
meeting their demands and building a good business relationship with them. A customer is the
“king” of a business. All the activities of an enterprise are geared towards maintaining quality in
work and product so as to attract more and more customers, gain competitive advantage and
outdo competitors. This being the case, it therefore becomes very crucial to motivate one’s
customers on a regular and continued basis so as to gain their loyalty confidence (Foxall 2009,
p.36).

The understanding of customer motivation enables firms and businesses to improve and
develop their marketing and advertising strategies by gathering knowledge on issues like how the
customer thinks, reasons, feelings and his/her ability to choose amongst alternatives as well as
the factors that influence a customer’s choice of products. Such factors could be cultural,
environmental and geographical. Product consumption is always the greatest interest to
marketers, since this influences how the product is advertised, positioned and how the customers
will be motivated to consume more and regularly (Perner 2009, par.1)

There are many ways through which a company can motivate their customers to keep
them coming, so that they can assist the company in marketing the product(s) to friends,
colleagues and family. Such methods of motivating one’s customer base after sales services
include: providing quantity discounts and quality discounts, free samples, building a
personalized business relationship with them, constantly and promptly informing them about the
new products or the product improvements the company has made, appreciating them for making
the enterprise their choice and providing quick and the most recent services to them. Customers
can also be motivated by a marketing employee who constructively and positively handles any
differences or complains that may arise in the course of service to the customer. In addition, a
company can motivate its loyal customers by involving them in the organization’s management
and decision making. For example, by inquiring their views about the product decisions that the
organization is intending to make or having them represent the public during company functions
such as annual parties or even general meetings (Scott 2009, par.6- 8).

Motivating consumers or customers helps to make them feel part of the enterprise. Once
they have become part of the organization, they will be interested in the success and
development of such an organization. This ensures that they are not likely to switch to a
competitor system and abandon ‘their company’ (Evans 2009, p.14)

Customers who are motivated also act as marketers for an organization. When a company
is after sales services giving to customers discounts and free samples, they will automatically be

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impressed and they will tell their friends, family and colleagues so that they will also be
interested in the same services. This enables the marketing department to achieve one of their
objectives-which is increasing market share. An increased market share results in the attainment
of the overall goals of an organization (Schiffman 2008, p.37).

While interacting with an organization’s customers, a marketer is supposed to develop a


relationship with the customers such that the customers are able to freely air the complaints
and/or dissatisfactions to them. The marketing team acts as the company’s agent and
representative to the customers. One of the objectives of marketing is to ensure that the
consumers provide feedback to the company’s management and these complains act as feedback
that will enable the company to improve their services in an attempt to address the customer’s
dissatisfactions. Once the customers’ grievances have been addressed as they wished, it not only
keeps them loyal but also motivates them to be part of the organization (Perner 2009, par.4).

Motivating customers also helps in the effective implementation of marketing objectives


in that working with a motivated customer base motivates the salespeople because it proves to
them that their efforts in convincing and pursuing the customer are worthwhile. Therefore,
customers can also motivate employees in the manner by which they respond to their marketing
and advertising efforts (Scott, 2009 par.3)

Lastly, implementing the activities of marketing cannot effectively be accomplished


without motivating the customers through first understanding how to motivate them. Customers
are diverse and individually different. Therefore, it is very importance to understand needs of
each customer or market before trying to motivate them. An understanding of
customer/consumer psychology helps select the best method of motivating customers. This not
only ensures a positive response from customers but also reduces the marketing costs and
expenses that could have been used through trail methods. This implies that conducting a market
research should come first before motivation. The market research should here be conducted
based on identifying customer tastes, wants, and preferences as well as culture and background
since these factors affect the buying habits of consumers to a very great extent (Schiffman 2008,
p.41-43).

Importance of Motivation to Marketing Staff

Motivation puts staff into action. Every enterprise requires financial, physical and human
resources so as to accomplish their goals. Through motivation, the marketing staffs are utilized to
optimum. This is because motivation gives them additional energy and ensures that all the
marketing staff works towards achieving a common goal. Motivating marketing staff is done
through building enthusiasm in workers. This will assist the enterprise in gaining a competitive
advantage over rivals as well as winning confidence from customers and the general public
(Scarlett 2007, par.2-3).

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Motivating marketing team improves their efficiency. The efficiency of an employee not
only depends on his qualifications or abilities but also the enthusiasm with which they
handle their duties and responsibilities at workplace. Enthusiasm is the product of
motivation. For getting the best of their work performance and capability, the gap in
between enthusiasm and ability must be filled. This assists to improve the standard of
performance of the marketing staff. As a result, increased productivity, achievement of
marketing targets and reduced costs of marketing are obvious (Solomon et al 2006,
p.63).

Motivation of marketing staff Leads to the achievement of overall organizational goals.


The overall goals of any enterprise are achieved when there is optimum utilization of all
resources, cooperation and team spirit in the work environment and when the workers are result
oriented and enthusiastic towards achieving the goals. Goals will be effectively achieved if co-
operation and co-ordination happens concurrently and this can only be done through motivation.
When the marketing team has performed its roles perfectly within the set targets and deadlines, it
will enable other departments, for example, the production department (in the case of a
manufacturing enterprise) to also achieve its targets and deadlines. At the end of the day, since
all the departments within an organization are interrelated, the organization is able to achieve its
overall goals and objectives (Solomon et al 2006 p.63).

Motivation is important in building social relationship-inspiration. Motivation is an


essential factor that brings employees fulfilment. This is achieved through keeping in mind as
well as structuring an incentive program or plan that is specifically for the advantage of
employees. The plan could be either monetary or non financial incentives, as well as
disincentives to the unproductive workers. Employee structured plans include such things as
creating opportunities for promotion, taking an insurance policy for the employees or providing
them with an opportunity to further studies at the cost of the company or business. This creates a
positive mind in the employees since they are able to understand that a company is not only
interested in their ability to meet the marketing targets, but also in their educational and career
advancement. To build a pleasant, friendly environment in an enterprise, there will be effective
cooperation while the marketing employees are performing their duties and effective cooperation
brings about stability at work, and minimizes industrial unrest and disputes amongst the
employees (Foxall 2009, p.12).

In addition, marketing motivation makes marketers flexible to change. Resistance to


change is one of the greatest setbacks of marketing. The nature of marketing requires flexible
programs and procedures that have to keep changing in correspondence to the changes in the
consumer tastes and preferences as well as according to the marketing campaigns and methods
being used by other similar companies. Once motivated to work, employees become adjustable
to changes and new methods or procedures and they cannot have any resistance to change
(Incentive Performance Centre, 2009).

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A motivated workforce will first have the interests of the company before their personal gain.
Motivation helps employees to personalize the marketing activities and objectives as their own.
Consequently, each employee in the marketing department is able to pursue and implement the
marketing objectives as if they are his/her own personal objectives. This will facilitate a smooth,
sound working atmosphere whereby individual interests coincide with those of the organization.
Eventually, this results in yield maximization because of increased productivity in marketing
(Schiffman, 2008, p.37)

Finally, motivating marketers and sales people within an organization creates workforce
stability. Stability of labour force is very essential for both goodwill reputation of an enterprise
among its customers, potential customers and the general public. Employees will remain loyal
and dedicated to an activity only after having the feeling of involvement and contribution in
management, which is only possible through motivation. The efficiency and skills of employees
are always to the advantage of the employers. This will result to an excellent public image and
reputation in the market. It also attracts more customers to the enterprise, an initiative of the
marketing department of every organization.

In conclusion, therefore, marketing motivation can be summarized as an inevitable part of


marketing for any concern. The satisfaction and work fulfilment and security created through
motivation ensures optimum utilization of the marketing human resource and improves the
relationship between an enterprise and its customer base (Foxall, 2009, p.12). Motivation is thus
a continuous process given that its procedure is based upon needs that are unlimited. The practice
must continue throughout and be changed from time to time in the marketing department due to
its dynamic nature. Motivation of staff helps them to achieve personal goals, acquire job
satisfaction, individual self development and acquire the benefits associated with working in a
team.

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References

Evans, M, Jamal, A & Foxall, G 2009, Consumer Behaviour, 2nd ed, New York, John Wiley &
Sons Ltd

Incentive Performance Centre, 2009, Why Motivation, Incentive Performance Centre, viewed 14

Jan, 2010<http://www.incentivecentral.org/business_motivation/why_motivation.1856.html>.
Perner, L 2009, Consumer behavior the psychology of marketing, University of Southern
California, Viewed 14, Jan, 2010 <http://www.consumerpsychologist.com/>.
Scarlett, A 2007 Importance of motivation, management study guide, viewed 14, Jan, 2010
<http://www.managementstudyguide.com/importance_of_motivation.htm>.

Scott, R 2009, Differences in buyer motivation for marketing, vista-consulting, viewed 14, Jan,

2010 < http://www.vista-consulting.com/marketing-articles/b2b-b2c-marketing.htm>

Schiffman, G, Havard, H, & Kanuk, L 2008, Consumer behaviour: A European outlook, Upper

Saddle River Prentice Hall

Solomon, A., Bamossy, Askegaard & Hogg 2006, Consumer behaviour: A European
perspective, 3rd Ed, Upper Saddle River, Prentice Hall

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