A definition of Marketing
The purpose of this newsletter is to share tips and lessons learned working as a marketing manager in a B2B company; that’s why I want to start this editorial project with the definition of marketing that leads my actions:
Marketing is about knowing people and their needs – explicit or latent – and then satisfying them profitably. Marketing is about cultivating relations and solving people’s problems.
From this definition comes the fact that marketing can no longer be seen merely as a set of tasks performed by designated departments but must become something different: an integral aspect of the organizational culture. And talking about marketing as a company culture means acknowledging its pervasive influence throughout the entire company.
Making culture means that anyone, at any level, contributes to creating value…that value that the client buys to satisfy its needs. By aligning marketing with the organization’s core values, businesses can foster a culture where every employee becomes a brand ambassador and customer experience is a real journey, not just a deal. This is how a customer-centric company works. Every touchpoint matters, and therefore, anyone is doing marketing! That’s why it’s important for everyone to feel involved and engaged in what they do.
Building culture means teaching to listen to even the subtle signals that our customers leave us—every tiny detail, every piece of ‘small data’ matters to understand explicit needs or identify latent ones. Marketing isn’t about creating needs but responding to existing ones, even if we are unaware of them—understanding deep motivations and building relationships.
Building culture means adding value to what is sold, the value of the people working with us. Their motivation, their knowledge, and the passion they put into it. All this must be reflected in the product or service because if we truly want to differentiate ourselves, the customer must buy the company behind the product. And they can only do that if the values are clear and shared to the extent that they become tangible experiences.
Finally, when I say marketing is a cultural pillar, I also think about the transformative impact of adopting a marketing culture on employee motivation, innovation, and overall organizational performance. That’s why it is essential to create a shared vision and narrative that resonates not only with external audiences but also with the internal community.
This way, marketing becomes a unifying force that aligns the entire organization toward a common goal, creating a cohesive and authentic brand identity.