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The History of Marketing & How it Affects a Business

The history of marketing is one of the most vast and rich subjects with a plethora of information. From the very beginning of time, people have bartered and traded for consumables. Before long, it became apparent that forms of advertisement could help sell products. At the earliest times of civilization, people understood the concept of marketing, whether they understood the terms or not. Busy market stalls and outdoor markets established what we understand marketing to be today.

THE CONCEPT

With advances in technology, the concept of marketing has developed and changed drastically over the years. The industrial revolution of the 1800s and the 1900s has significantly changed the way marketing effects consumers. During those centuries, there was rapid growth and social changes driven by scientific innovation and technology. For once, the consumption of goods was separate from production. As soon as people could figure a way to advertise and market, the business world flourished. The following chart marks the growth in marketing from its origins. Every concept listed has been perfected and advanced to create today’s current marketing techniques.

The History of Marketing
1450 – 1900 The first types of marketing were simple yet extraordinary for their time
1450 Moveable type
1730 Magazines
1839 Posters
1867 Billboards
1920 – 1949 With each decade, passing new forms of marketing enhanced the old
1922 Radio ads
1941 Television
1946 Telephones
1950 – 1972 Types of marketing changed but remained steady in certain fields
1954 Television ads advanced
1970 Telemarketing
1973 – 1994 Technological advances allowed for more marketing strategy
1973 Mobile phones
1981 Computers
1985 Print
1994 Internet & email spam
1995 – 2002 The evolution of computers marked a dramatic change in marketing
1995 Search marketing
1997 Search engine optimization
1998 Search evolves & blogging begins
2000 Inbound marketing
2003 – 2004 Social media allows for sharp marketing strategies
2003 Social media begins
2004 Email marketing
2005 – 2010 Mobile marketing increases
2005 HubSpot
2007 Mobile marketing increases
2009 SEO increases
2010 Email marketing and spam increases
2011 – 2012 The Internet increases every marketing aspect
2011 Google – Palooza
Inbound marketing
Social media & blogs create customers & leads
2012 Online Video & eCommerce

Since the time marketing began, people have created ways to constantly improve the distribution of goods. Today, mass media dominates the marketing scene and presents many opportunities in the form of social media. The brief historical perspective of marketing charted above shows, in the past, marketing was more focused on the products that were produced instead of looking for the markets that could be utilized. With a perspective that has been broadened over time, marketing is more outwardly focused on consumers and how to attract them.

Marketing Today

Today, marketing is more of a recent development. With technology that keeps advancing and offering new ways to market products, the field is still growing and somewhat unfamiliar. Depending on the size of a business, their marketing techniques will vary too. Small to medium-sized businesses may not have the means to support large production lines and therefore still focus on the production and sales that rely on demand, not forward outlook.

The marketing industry proves to be ever-changing. There is not an industry that has not been affected by marketing or the use of strategies that align businesses and consumers to create a market that flourishes. Some businesses have yet to employ as many marketing techniques as others. The need is still growing, while marketing strategies adapt and change for an evolving market.

Changes in the world economy will dictate marketing strategies. Technology and changes in society will also change the ebb and flow of marketing techniques. All of these factors come together, allowing marketing strategists to continue to create new marketing concepts. Today, people have more access to social media which has become the perfect platform for marketing. Cutting-edge technology allows for the average person to walk around with mobile devices that can access the Internet any time they want. This allows for marketing opportunities to be utilized during all times of the day and night.

With the control in the consumer’s hands, it is more important than ever for marketers to attract them and keep up the pace in a fast-paced world with many media platforms in which to speak. Consumers want to be heard, and they want to see action take place when their opinions are concerned. Successful marketers take stock in this and navigate a .com and click happy world to produce marketing strategies that work for businesses and attract a tech savvy consumer.

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