What actually is marketing?

Silly question? I don’t think so.

Most of the time, when businesses come to me for marketing help, they’re only thinking about newsletters, social media, and ads. But marketing, real marketing, is way more than that. It should be shaping your business, not just shouting about it.

What actually is marketing?!

Here are a few things that sit firmly under marketing’s job description (but often get overlooked):

1. What you sell (and why anyone should care)

Marketing isn’t just about pushing products—it should help decide what you sell in the first place. What do customers actually want? Where’s the gap in the market? How do you stand out from competitors?

If marketing isn’t involved in these conversations, you risk launching things no one needs or missing a bigger opportunity altogether.

I often help businesses analyse what’s working and what’s not—looking at things like which products draw in new customers vs which ones keep existing ones coming back. Bundling, pricing structures, and positioning can all make a huge difference when it comes to sales and profitability.

2. Pricing: More than just sticking a number on It

Pricing isn’t just a finance decision. Marketing plays a huge role. How you price things affects how people perceive your brand, what they expect, and how much they’re willing to spend.

It’s also key to revenue growth. Smart marketing can drive up average order values, encourage repeat purchases, and increase customer lifetime value through things like bundling, loyalty incentives, and strategic discounting, all examples of marketing tactics that come out of having a clear strategic plan.

3. Customer experience: If it’s a pain, they won’t come back

Marketing isn’t just about getting people through the door, it’s about making sure they stick around. If your website is slow, your checkout process is frustrating, or it’s impossible to get a straight answer from customer service, people will leave.

A good marketing function looks at the whole customer journey and finds ways to make it smoother, faster, and more enjoyable - and ultimately give the customer a reason to come back.

4. Helping sales actually sell

Sales and marketing should work together, but in many businesses, they barely talk. Good marketing means giving your sales team the right tools - clear messaging, case studies, and a real understanding of what customers care about, so they can close deals faster and more effectively.

5. Why pick you? (And not someone else)

Your brand isn’t just your logo. It’s what people think of you when you’re not in the room. Marketing helps shape that perception. Why should someone choose you over a competitor? What’s the story you’re telling?

If you don’t define this, your competitors will do it for you.

So next time you think about marketing, don’t just think about social media posts and email campaigns. Done properly, marketing helps shape your business, drive revenue, and keep customers coming back.

Want to make marketing work harder for your business? Drop me a note or give me a call.