What Marketing Actually Is (And Why So Many Businesses Misunderstand It) 

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Introduction

Simply put, marketing is the act of truly understanding your customer and meeting their needs profitably. Blog post done! Congratulations, you can now go and sell marketing courses online and stop at that 5-star resort you’ve dreamed of going to with all the cash you’ve earned.

What is marketing?

It’s essential to begin by defining what marketing actually is, or rather, what it means to me. For that we need to zoom out and take a bird’s-eye view. The Chartered Institute of Marketing says, “Marketing is the management process responsible for identifying, anticipating, and satisfying customer requirements profitably.” While I like this definition—and it is by no means wrong—it gives my brain an itch that I badly want to scratch.

In contrast, Seth Godin mentions in his book Permission Marketing, “Marketing is the generous act of helping someone solve a problem.” Why do I like this version better? Isn’t it overly vague and simplistic? If we look at the language, it shifts our thinking; the former mentions “customer, while the latter uses “someone”. I’m probably being a little too pedantic. However, to me, “customer” feels like just another number; it feels a little detached and almost business-first. Whereas the second example places more emphasis on the individual, and most importantly, it doesn’t mention anything about profit (ironically, I’ll be using the word “customer” throughout this blog for ease of use). Obviously, profit is important—but so is breathing; however, it’s instinctive. Our brains put breathing on autopilot so we can use our mental resources for more dynamic and creative pursuits, and that’s how I see profit-making as essential, but it should be on autopilot. 

To hammer the point home, you are marketing to someone that happens to be a potential customer. You are trying to solve a problem that someone has. You need to know and understand that person as intimately as you know yourself so you can address that person’s needs.

How did marketing start?

I’m going to give you an ultra-quick history on marketing. Marketing goes back to the Middle Ages, where merchants and craftsmen would brand their wares to give themselves an identity and build trust with buyers. Fast forward to today; this remains somewhat the same. However, today we can get instant feedback on actions we make via digital means; everything we do or say moves quicker and is more complex, which creates a whole set of challenges. However, what I think is true for the past will be the same for the future, genuinely solving people’s problems and using marketing to facilitate that.

The confusion around marketing 

Marketing is an extremely broad space; it can be high-level with some jobs crossing multiple business disciplines as well as very niche roles solving specific customer/business-related needs. Then, there’s a plethora of tools, channels, tactics, analysis, and strategies, all of which add to the vagueness of marketing’s core purpose. As a business owner or entrepreneur, you’re thinking, “Where do I start?” For the moment I want you to forget about all of that

Marketing is just promotion and advertising 

When people say I need marketing, they really just mean promotion or advertising. These are just tools that marketers use. If a stranger came up to you and said, “I need transport,” you may give them a strange look. But, if you’re the really nice, generous person I know you to be, you pull out all the keys in your pocket. The one for your rocket, your Porsche 911, and your 50 ft yacht (all modes of transport). 

However, if they said, “Hey, I’m not from round here. Where is the local bus stop?” or “Can you direct me to the train station?” The difference being there is a specific problem, and they need a specific mode of transport. That is key in marketing, having a specific objective and using specific tools to reach your objectives.

You don’t need to be viral

You often hear small business owners and solo entrepreneurs say they want something to go “viral” (some big brands too), which just makes me cringe a little bit. If everyone’s viral… then surely no one’s viral. Some businesses lean more towards being naturally viral. 

Again, virality can be seen as a tool. It has to be about how this benefits the customers along with your goal and where your business is. Is your goal awareness, profit, etc.? Because if you’re not clear, you will be quickly disappointed. Imagine a scenario in which you don’t have the resources to meet the virality, or worse still, the core business structure is off. Your core business has to be more than a trend or a gimmick.

Only big businesses need marketing

Being small isn’t a bad thing; you obviously can’t go throwing round lots of cash—unless you’re backed by a tech billionaire. But it’s a big but; if you’re strategic in your planning, you can achieve great results. Being small allows you to be more flexible and make decisions more quickly.

Marketing is all about selling

If you’ve got this far, you’ll have realised marketing is about listening… not just selling. The hyperfocus on sales can erode a way at business over the long term. Yes, selling is vital; it’s the lifeblood of any business. But if your only focus is selling when you have outdated systems that slow you down, a product/service that only you and/or only the management team seem to like, you’re not trying to keep up with modern demand, customers have moved to your competitor, and you’ve not dealt with the reasons why, then you have bigger fish to fry than selling; you’re trading on unstable foundations. 

Great Products or Services Sell Themselves

I mean, they can do it; don’t get me wrong. But in the world we live in, our attention is constantly being grabbed. It’s a somewhat arrogant way to look at things. Rather, if you do have a genuinely good product, marketing should and will be easier for you.

Good Marketing vs Bad Marketing 

What is bad marketing? 

In my opinion bad marketing often stems from inexperience, bias, overconfidence, and a lack of strategic cohesion. However, stagnation is the primary culprit.

It manifests in 3 fatal ways:

• Lack of follow-through: New initiatives are launched with fanfare but abandoned within a week.
• The “we can’t do that” culture: A direct indicator that a business has lost its original spark and desire to innovate.
• Profit it all costs: With complete disregard to the customer or experience, customers are seen as nothing more than objects to bleed dry, not people who have helped a business grow or maintain its position. 

Sometimes it feels like once a company reaches a certain size, it often stops dreaming. Decision-making becomes mere “play-acting”—safe, incremental shifts that lack the hunger and vision required to truly disrupt or grow, or it has the kind of hunger that is only centred around profit—you can still be profitable and not alienate your customers. Ultimately, bad marketing is one in which you don’t put your customer first. 

What is good marketing?

Good marketing is simple in theory but difficult in practice: it’s about genuinely understanding the customer and adapting to meet their needs, rather than hiding behind “the way we’ve always done it”.

When fully integrated, marketing doesn’t just sell—it influences everything from R&D to finance and customer service. It’s the antithesis of stagnation; it’s the refusal to accept convenience over innovation, turning those “we can’t do that” barriers into opportunities for change. 

Do I need marketing?

Some business ideas just aren’t viable—they lack execution, demand, or have run their course. The smart move is to pivot or exit gracefully. But if you have a genuinely great product that satisfies customer needs, you absolutely should market it. In fact, I rank marketing right behind the business owner.

Here is what you need to keep in mind:

• Align with Your Goals: Match your marketing to what your customers actually need. You don’t need TikTok viral videos or podcasts if that’s not your style. Over-advertising can easily backfire and annoy people by interrupting their online experience.
• Keep it Scalable: Marketing looks different for everyone. It can range from simple word-of-mouth (my favourite) to complex omni-channel campaigns. Know your stage of business and don’t burn through resources you don’t have; that authenticity is what makes your brand unique.
• Understand Your Customer: Ultimately, it all comes down to knowing your audience—where they spend their time, attention, and money.