If you’re trying to segment your market in the traditional way, what you may be looking for would be groups of consumers sorted out in such a way that their likenesses and differences are displayed and highlighted.  The variable which determines the likeness or difference between those groups and its importance is the segmentation variable. A trivial segmentation variable, just for example, could be hair color in the Tampa Bay Area. However, after having segmented the customers into groups, it is reasonable to assume that you would expect to use the data gathered. If you have decided to target a certain segment, you would need to perform marketing activities that will appeal to this segment, or else, to communicate some kind of enticing message to it. In other words, you would have to define what describes the customers in that segment, beyond your segmentation variable, and also, what makes them different from consumers in other market segments. The characterization of a segment is a task that is not the same as defining your segment. It is merely the next step.

Marketing, by definition is an organizational function and set of processes for creating, communication, and delivering value to consumers and managing customer relationships in ways that benefit the organization and its stakeholders. Marketing produces cash when we create value for customers.

Selling is part of marketing, but marketing covers a wider range of disciplines. Marketing’s task is to discover unreached needs and create appropriate and effective solutions.  Marketing is most successful when consumers are satisfied

There is a difference between branding and positioning although both are important to the success of a business. Branding refers to the mental image that one forms when they hear a word, in this instance a brand. It is the same for people, companies, products, and more. Whatever thought comes to mind when you hear words such as “McDonald’s” or “Coca Cola” can be identified as branding.

Now positioning is the brand of your product/person/company relative to

Unlike advertising, logo design, corporate identity, branding identifies and solidifies a company’s core promise. Branding is identifies a company and its goals to its business partners, employees, investors, and customers.  Branding establishes a company’s role in the marketplace.  Branding is not advertising, logo design, corporate identity, or any other marketing discipline associated. Branding can be considered more or less corporate story telling. Branding identifies, articulates a company’s core purpose.

Branding is important because it is the story of your company, an imperative combination of documentation and narrative with intentions to inspire customers, associates, and investors. When fully leveraged, a brand position is a guide for everything a company says, does, and how it says and does. The type of company you are, what you believe, and guarantees you make are factors that lay the foundation for mergers, acquisitions and new business initiatives. This story of your brand animates your company and grants the permission for people inside and outside of your company to believe.