There are five philosophies or practices that have been adopted by marketers in the history of promoting management. These philosophies give selling actions direction and purpose. They're expressed by the kind of promoting functions performed and therefore the means they're performed.
Production concept
Companies produce and distribute those products they are ready to supply most efficiently. The concept shows:
(a) Concern for production with very little or no concern for purchasers' satisfaction.
(b) It assumes that there is a market for the merchandise and that offer creates it own demand.
(c) Emphasis is placed on product availability and low prices.
This promoting philosophy holds where the subsequent conditions exist.
(i) When consumers have a low or little discretionary income.
(ii) When shortages exist within the economy.
(iii) Where there's low competition resulting from a cartel operation or monopoly.
Product concept
This concept holds that consumers will favor those products, that offer higher quality, performance and different benefits. This concept is built on the notion that "a good product can sell itself". Here too, the manufacturer will not take into thought the requirements of the consumers during the product design and planning. A characteristic feature of this concept is the production of superior products.
Sales concept
The sales concept operates in an economy where there's a rise in the standard of living and given rise in mass production. In keeping with Kotler (1997:19), the sign of the selling concept is to sell what they create instead of make what the market wants. The key features of this idea include onerous selling or aggressive selling techniques, use of distribution and promotion gimmicks to woo customers. There is no provision for customer satisfaction.
Selling concept
The marketing concept or marketing philosophy holds that producers ought to do an analysis of the potential customers and then build choices designed to satisfy these need. The businesses where marketing concepts are practiced are regarded as customer-oriented companies. Promoting ideas involves:
(a) target client desires
(b) Integration of all activities of the organization - productions, administration, finances to satisfy these needs.
(c) Achieving long-run profits through satisfaction of customers' needs.
The conditions under that promoting concept are seemingly to be applied are:
(a) a highly competitive market
(b) an economy where the majority of consumers have access to the fundamental natural needs of life and enjoys a high standard of living.
Societal promoting concept
The philosophy here is that marketers ought to consider societal consequences of their actions as they attempt to satisfy the needs of their customers. It is a call making approach that focuses on customers' needs and their societal consequences. It integrates all activities of the organization to satisfy these customers' desires, in a manner that's per concern for broader societal consequences. The aim is to attain long-run objectives through the satisfaction of these customers' needs, that should be balanced against the requirements of society as a whole. This means that markets are structured, organic in nature and participants have common and/ or shared needs and goals.
For instance, in an automobile market, customers in this market have a typical need for mobility, whereas the sellers of cars have would like to exchange mobility for one thing of value. It is structured because it is a factor in the quantity of consumers and sellers. It's organic in nature as a result of it is influenced by the quantity of products and services equipped by sellers and purchasing power of the buyers.