Despite proven correlations between higher sales and customer concepts being integral to a company's culture, it is only the first step in implementing the marketing concept according to Ajay K. Kohli, Bernard J. Jaworski (1990). The next step according to these researchers is the ability to focus away purely from incremental sales and focus on profitability and the lifetime value of customers, which is the true basis of success for any company adopting the marketing concept and in turn aligning all processes, products, people and resources to align with the concept's key values.
Variations in the Marketing Concept vs. Selling
Levitt (1975) brings an excellent distinction to the differences between organizations that create the marketing concept as a core part of their organizations vs. simply using key values from the concept as an accelerated sales strategy. Levitt (1975) remarked in his landmark article...
Selling is preoccupied with the seller's need to convert his product into cash; marketing with the idea of satisfying the needs of the customer by means of the product and the whole cluster of things associated with creating, delivering and finally consuming it."
Examples of Marketing Strategies
American Suzuki
With the re-introduction of the American Suzuki brand including the flagship XL-7 cross-over SUV, American Suzuki has worked very hard from a marketing strategy and branding perspective to leverage their motorcycle image and leadership. American Suzuki relies heavily on the four Ps of marketing including product, price, promotion and place. In the case of products, American Suzuki has instituted a development team in the U.S. that works closely with Japanese development teams, aligning their product
