EBS 5041 Marketing for Managers: Kotler & Keller's Deadly Sins Report

This report examines five of Kotler and Keller's ten deadly sins of marketing, focusing on issues such as a lack of market focus, insufficient understanding of target customers, deficient marketing plans, weak brand-building skills, and underutilization of technology. It emphasizes the importance of customer-centric strategies, thorough market segmentation, comprehensive marketing plans, strong brand development, and leveraging technology to enhance marketing effectiveness. The report provides actionable solutions for each sin, including advanced market segmentation, customer research, SWOT analysis, ROI-driven marketing, and embracing digital tools. It highlights that early detection and implementation of appropriate solutions are crucial for avoiding these marketing pitfalls and achieving long-term business success.

Running Head: THE DEADLY SINS OF MARKETING 1
Mutinta Siamuyoba
The 10 Deadly Sins of Marketing
EBS 5041/ Marketing for Managers
July 2021
Dr. Ayansola Ayandibu
September 12, 2021

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Kotler and Keller’s 10 Deadly Sins of Marketing
In their study, Kotler and Keller (2016) identified the 10 deadly sins of marketing that
organizations must look out for to combat ineffectiveness or weakness in the development and
implementation of organizational marketing strategy. This study will concentrate on five of the
ten deadly sins of marketing identified.
Your company is not sufficiently market-focused and customer-driven
When a company is not sufficiently market-focused and customer-driven, it exhibits poor
market segment identification, inappropriate market segment prioritization, a lack of market
segment managers, employees who believe that dealing with customers is the responsibility of
marketing and sales, and no incentive to treat customers well.
Most products are heavily market and customer-reliant, and losing this focus can cost a
company a critical differentiation or aspect of competing in a global market. This is especially
true for high-tech products, where market conditions are highly volatile and product focus is
heavily influenced by trends and purchasing behavior. For instance, when Apple releases a new
and latest model encompassing certain features that appeal to customers, Samsung will come up
with a rather similar product to compete with the competitor products. Being market-focused
shows that a company must actively monitor the changes in customer buying patterns and react
to meet that demand. However, new products that are driven by technological innovations rather
than customer needs may fail to make a significant impact in the business world. Companies
must therefore incorporate customer focus into their product development and design to pay
close attention to the needs of their customers. This is what will and can drive long-term business
success. When products are geared towards customers, marketing must follow to ensure that
goods/services are marketed to the appropriate audience. Using the voice of the customer,

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surveys, feedback tools and so on- is a good way to gain valuable insight into what customers
want, which can ultimately determine the firm’s direction (Dugal and Schroeder, 1995).
To solve this marketing problem of a company not sufficiently focusing on its markets
and not being customer-driven, companies must use advanced market segmentation techniques,
prioritize relevant segments of the market, and utilize a specialized Salesforce. A clear system of
company values should be developed, and employees should be encouraged to think more
customer-focused. A company should also make it as simple as possible for customers to contact
the company and respond to any inquiries.
Lanning and Phillips (1989) suggested five key steps an organization must take to
become market-focused. At the outset, the organization must understand the principles and
concepts of market focus. Only by intellectually and emotionally accepting this philosophy can
an organization prepare to climb these steps:
1. Segment the market by value delivery system.
2. Select the value delivery system to execute.
3. Formalize that decision in the business plan, each structured by the value delivery
system.
4. Execute and monitor these value delivery systems.
5. Build capabilities required for future imposition.
Your Company Does Not Fully Understand Its Target Customers
The business has no idea who its ideal customer is. The most recent customer survey was
conducted a few years ago. Customers are not buying as much of the product as they used to, and
competitors' products are selling better. Numerous customer returns and complaints have been
received.

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There is also a tendency for fast-moving or highly creative product firms to not fully
understand the target audience for which the products are designed. This can lead to a greater
emphasis on the product rather than the services/use it can provide to customers. Approaches like
‘if we build it, they will come’ can even completely disregard the actual market segment that the
company is catering to. This can result in marketing being directed at very different customer
bases than would otherwise be the case. Uncertainty about who the product is intended for can
result in marketing communications not reaching their intended recipients and incorrect or
missed messaging. As a result, marketing may fail to reach customers who are interested in the
products.
To avoid this, a thorough market segmentation must be carried out to understand all of
the customer profiles who may use the product. To ensure that all target audiences are included,
businesses must focus on both the supply-side and demand-side of marketing.
Another solution to this marketing sin is companies should conduct more sophisticated
and frequent consumer research, employ advanced analytical techniques, create customer panels,
employ professional customer relationship software, and engage in data mining. The utilization
of big data analysis is recommended.
Your Company’s Marketing Plans and Planning Process are Deficient
Shethna (2021) defines marketing planning as the process of scrutinizing one or more
potentially interesting marketplaces to determine whether the business can compete optimally
with other similar firms. Typically, the market planning process results in the marketing strategy,
which is then used to increase sales for the company that created it. Marketing planning is a
specific, market-specific, or company-wide policy that describes actions involved in achieving a

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specific goal that is set within a specific timeframe for the business. A marketing plan emerges
from the more precise identification of customer needs.
When the marketing strategy lacks the necessary components. The firm is unable to
estimate the financial implications of strategies, and no contingency planning is in place.
Many businesses also rush into marketing to be the first-to-market, without taking the
time to finalize and perfect their marketing strategies. Rushing through the marketing process to
be the first may backfire if the marketing is not done properly or the product does not live up to
the marketing. If being the first to market is a distinct advantage, more emphasis should be
placed on developing the best marketing strategy possible. Ensure that adequate market research
is conducted, that your market is segmented, that you target customers with specific messaging,
and that you continue to refine the target market and messaging to suit the current climate. A
full-fledged and comprehensive marketing strategy laid out in well-defined phases can ensure
that marketing remains consistent with the company, product, and its own messaging, which can
play a significant role in gaining customer trust and interest.
Organizations should develop a standard format that includes situational analysis, SWOT
analysis, objectives, strategies, budgets, and controls. Furthermore, running an annual marketing
awards program with prizes for best plans and performance may be beneficial.
Your Company’s Brand-building and Communications skills are weak
This marketing sin occurs when the target market is unfamiliar with the company. The
brand is not perceived to be unique. The company continues to allocate budgets to the same
marketing tools it has used for the past years, with little evaluation of the return on investment
(ROI) impact of these tools.

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Creating a brand is a difficult task that can take a long time to be truly effective.
Understanding the business environment, as well as who your customers and competitors are,
contributes to brand equity. Effective marketing must reflect the company's strategy and be
rooted in the brand image and message that the company wishes to promote. Stronger brands
enjoy higher levels of customer loyalty, which must be managed through consistent and effective
marketing. If this aspect of marketing is lacking, it must be strengthened to ensure that the
correct information about the company is communicated to the world. Companies must prioritize
brand development to emerge as market leaders.
Companies must prioritize brand development to emerge as well-known leaders in their
industries. The right message should be developed to resonate with customers and differentiate
themselves from competitors, while clearly and comprehensively representing what the company
stands for and can/will do in the future.
The company must improve its brand-building strategies and results from measurement
before investing in the most effective marketing tools. Marketers should be required to estimate
the ROI impact before launching marketing campaigns.
Your Company Has not Made Maximum Use of Technology
Most paper-based companies fail to utilize the technological innovations at their disposal
which limits their assess to customers that would buy their products. This marketing sin occurs
when there is little to no use of technological advancements such as the internet, social media
platforms. This is highly characterized by an out-of-date sales system, no marketing forecast
dashboards, and proper decision-support models.
Digital marketing is a key factor that can influence the success of a marketing plan in this
day and age of high digital content consumption. Most businesses use various social media

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channels, and each one will try to stand out, be noticed, and be remembered by their
viewers/customers. Aaker and Joachimsthaler (2000) emphasize that differentiation can be
achieved through the mediums used, the imagery associated with the company, and the
emotional responses elicited by effective marketing.
With today's technological tools, advertising can be targeted to people based on their
web activity, purchase preferences, online content consumed, and so on, using their preferred
communicator.
This investment in digital and online marketing is becoming even more important in
these days of the Coronavirus when more people are searching for information online.
Companies must therefore incorporate cutting-edge technologies into their marketing strategies
for them to be truly effective.
The company should make better use of the internet, improve its sales system, and try to
automate routine decisions. It should also create a formal marketing decision process and
implement marketing dashboards.
As you can see, the presence of one or more of these deadly marketing sins does not spell
the end of the world. However, early detection is critical for implementing powerful solutions
and avoiding future sins.

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References
Aaker, D. A., & Joachimsthaler, E. (2000). Brand leadership. The Free Press. New York, NY.
Dugal, S. S., & Schroeder, J. E. (1995). Strategic Positioning for Market Entry in Different
Technological Environments. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, vol 11, pp 23-
37.
Kotler, P., & Keller, K. (2016). Marketing Management (15th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Prentice-Hall. ISBN-13: 978-0133856460. ISBN-10: 0133856461
Lanning, M.J., & Phillips, L.W.(1989). Building market-focused organizations. Retrieved from
www.dpvgroup.com/wp-content/uploada/2009/11/1989-90-BMFO-White-Paper-pdf
Shethna, J. (2021). Marketing Planning Process. Retrieved from
https://www.educba.com/marketing-planning-process/