Marketing is the process businesses use to create and increase the number of products sold in the marketplace to a specific group of people that a business would target.

A marketing strategy or plan describes the different channels a company has to use to bring their product or services to the market.

There are four major factors in any good marketing plan:

• Product – the item, or service you present to the market
• Price – the amount you charge for the product, service or item
• Place – how and where you distribute the product
• Promotion – how you communicate with the marketplace to let them know about your product

Awareness / Attention 

• Attract customers
• Advertising is intended to attract attention and ensure that the potential customer “listens”. It usually begins with an interesting, compelling introduction that creates focus.
• The object is to avoid boring messages that could possibly be ignored

Interest

After gaining the customers' attention, the focus is then directed to the product. A popular way of doing this is by telling a story, a joke or a punch line. Interest to spark curiosity.

Desire

Desire triggers a want or a need in the consumer society where many identical products and services are available. Emotional reasons play a decisive role in buying. The customer receives information about why they should buy the product. 

Action

Action provokes buying and this is the result of attention, interest and desire.

• Developing products that satisfy needs, including products that enhance society’s quality of life
• Creating a competitive environment that helps lower product prices
• Developing product distribution systems that offer access to products to a large number of customers in many geographic regions
• Building demand for products that require organisations to expand their labour force
• Offering techniques that have the ability to convey messages that change societal behaviour in a positive way

Your personal brand is your reputation. It is made up of the image that you have in the eyes of others and the impressions they have about you.

It is about what you are known for, about what people would say about you if you were not listening. There are five areas that make up your personal brand.

Key areas that make up personal branding

• Appearance – the way you dress, carry yourself, sit, stand etc.
• Personality – behaviour, communication skills, attitude towards people
• Abilities – things you are able to do, talents, skills, education
• Uniqueness – what separates you from the others
• Values – what you believe in, hold high, consider important

It helps customers determine if they want to do business with you or not.