We all know people who get overly concerned about definitions; they tend to be the annoying ones who are constantly correcting people's usage. Knowing the distinctions between words, though, is actually incredibly helpful. It's a good way to keep communications clear to others, and it also helps to organize thoughts and maintain a clear focus on what needs to be accomplished. I've pulled together quick definitions for a handful of marketing terms.

Advertising, Direct Marketing and Marketing

Advertising is the paid communication of a product or service to a wider community. The individual creative pieces, e.g. banners ads, bill boards, etc., are all called ads.

Direct marketing is closely akin to advertising. Like advertising, it seeks to inform a large number of people about a product. A defining goal of direct marketing, though, is to quantify the affect of the piece through a tracking method, e.g. a priority code. This is accompanied by a call to action.

Marketing encompasses a very broad universe, but covers pretty much anything that has to do with the strategy and tactics for promoting products. It includes everything from data analysis to managing product launches to optimizing websites.

Strategy, Tactics and the Marketing Plan

This brings us to the next set of definitions — the difference between strategy and tactics. Strategy is a long-term plan which is designed to achieve a specific objective. In marketing, it almost always has measurable objectives, e.g. a 25% lift in sales. Tactics are short term and are the individual plans set in motion to achieve the long-term strategy. For instance, if the objective of the long-term plan (strategy) is a 25% lift in sales, then one tactic employed might be to send out a direct mail piece.

Closely related to strategy and tactics is the marketing plan. The marketing plan is a written copy of the strategy for promoting a product or line of products. Typically, the marketing plan covers one or more years. The plan outlines the tactics that will be used to achieve the long-term goals. The marketing plan is not static; as results come in and are analyzed, the marketing plan is adjusted.

These are quick definitions for complicated topics. I will be returning to these topics in future posts.