Demystifying the Marketing Process

At Marketing Flexibility, we believe there are five building blocks to great marketing. Thousands of books have been written on the subject of marketing, making it all feel a little (or a lot!) confusing. Here is all you need to remember to get started: DRASE. Don’t you love a good acronym? Let’s get a little more specific:

Discover

What is your market opportunity? Simply put, this is a market need or desire which is not currently met. Sometimes your discovery is inside-out, meaning you go looking for it. Other times, your discovery is outside-in, meaning it comes looking for you!

Research

What do you know about your opportunity? What do you need to learn? Your research can be primary, meaning you’re the one asking the questions and getting the info firsthand, or secondary, meaning good information already exists, and you simply need to find and read it!

Analyze

Now that you’ve created or found the information you need, it’s time to analyze. In other words, what the heck does it mean?! You’ll need to think critically about how this new intelligence impacts your opportunity and strategy. Sometimes, sadly, you even need to know when to fold ‘em, in the words of Kenny.

Strategize

Strat-e-gy (noun): a careful plan or method. Clear as mud, right? Basically, your strategy is your market attack plan. Your strategic plan will create a road map which details what and who you are targeting, your goals, and a specific and measurable action plan to get there. Be sure to include your full marketing mix in the strategic plan – details about your Product, Price, Place (channel to market), and Promotion – also called the ‘4 Ps’.

Execute 

Now it’s time to execute your strategy. Remember that even the best laid plans are subject to change. It’s essential to have a solid promotional plan (how you’re going to reach and convince your target market to buy), but markets and life are dynamic. Stay flexible. Oh! And make sure you’re committed to the plan before starting. It’s better to not start something than to start and let it fizzle (we’re talking to you, abandoned Facebook and Twitter pages)!

Now that you’re a marketing guru, go forth and conquer! If you need a little more guidance, the Marketing Flexibility team is here to help!

DRASE Building Blocks