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Marketing is Business 行销就是做生意

课文朗读

课文讲解

繁體中文譯本

It would be an exaggeration to say that business is marketing. But it’s difficult to overstate the importance of marketing, since it really is the lifeline that ties a business to its customers.

若说做生意就是行销，或许有点夸张，但行销的重要性，绝对没有言过其实，因为靠行销才能把生意与客户拉在一起。

Indeed, the first step in any marketing plan is determining who exactly those customers are: the target market. It is especially important for entrepreneurs and small business to establish a well-defined niche in which they can enjoy a competitive edge. It never pays to go toe-to-toe with a gorilla like a major multinational company that dominates a market already. At the same time, the target market can’t be so narrowly defined that it won’t support sales. For example, no amount of marketing could make a viable target market out of, say, surfers in Alaska.

的确，任何行销计划的第一步就是决定客人究竟是谁：先确定目标市场。奠定良好的利基所在，再利用强势的竞争力悠游于其间，这对企业经营者和中小型公司而言特别重要。用近距离方式，与大猩猩般已经主导一方市场的国际性企业正面交锋，绝对划不来。同时，所选的目标市场也不能太狭窄，因为太小的市场无法撑起整个销售量。譬如阿拉斯加的冲浪人口市场，就因为太小而不可行。

The other major requirement in a marketing program is assessing access to your target market. Develop products potential customers want or need; promote those products in a way that focuses on them; set up distribution channels that lead to places where they shop; and set prices that will both attract them and turn a profit. These are known as the Four P’s of the marketing mix and it’s no exaggeration to say that they constitute the cornerstone of any sound business.

行销计划的另一项要件就是评估通路，决定如何切入目标市场。端出潜在顾客想要或需要的产品、针对他们促销这些产品、在他们消费之处建立销货通路、订价需能吸引他们又能获利。上述就是一般所熟悉的行销组合p原则，而且说它们就是组成任何健全企业的基石，一点也不夸张。

Vocabulary

单词发音

overstate [ˋovɚˋstet] v. 把……讲得过分；夸张

lifeline [ˋlaɪf͵laɪn] n. 生命线﹐命脉

entrepreneur [͵ɑntrəprəˋnɝ] n. 企业家；事业创办者

well-defined [ˋwɛldɪˋfaɪnd] adj. 定义明确的；界限清楚的

niche [nɪtʃ] n. 利基

pay [pe] v. 有利，划算

toe-to-toe  近距离的，面对面的 in close combat or at close quarters

gorilla [gəˋrɪlə] n. 大猩猩

assess [əˋsɛs] v. 评价﹐ 评定; 估计

constitute [ˋkɑnstə͵tjut] v. 构成，组成

cornerstone [ˋkɔrnɚ͵ston] n.【喻】基础；柱石

Sentence of the Day

You must know which side your bread is buttered on.

你必须知道自己的利益所在。

know which side one’s bread is buttered【口】【谚】知道自己利益所在; 善于为个人打算

课文讲解

Denise is visiting Gordon at his factory in Shenzhen, China;  丹妮丝正在拜访朋友葛登，葛登在中国大陆深圳开设工厂：

D: So, you’re selling designer SARS masks for dogs?

原来你在卖专给狗戴的防SARS名牌口罩哦？

G: Trying to, but so far I haven’t been as successful as I’d hoped. Actually, I was hoping to tap into some of your marketing expertise.

有这么打算，不过至今不如原先计划的那般顺利。我还希望仰仗你的专业行销知识，能有所突破呢。

D: Let’s see. Could you tell me what demographic you’re aiming at?

我们好好合计一下。你能告诉我，你的目标客层是哪些吗？

G: My target market? Dog owners, of course, fashion-conscious dog owners … with money to burn. Basically, trophy wives. I’ve got ads in all the gossip mags in Hong Kong, and I’ve modeled my in-store displays after an Italian fashion designer’s promotion.

我的目标市场吗？狗主人啊，关注流行的宠物狗主人…有大笔钞票花不完的那一群。基本上像是少奶奶那一类的人。我已经在香港几乎所有的八卦杂志【注】上登了广告，而且也把我的店面摆设陈列得像意大利服装设计师在做促销一样。

D: I think the promotion should be effective, and you’ve using the correct sales channels. You’ve set prices too low for your target market, though.

我想促销会有效的，你的行销管道也没错，但依所订目标市场而言，你的产品订价太低。

G: Really? I was trying to introduce my doggie masks at a discount price so as to penetrate the market and build up a client base.

当真？我还打算用打折特卖，让我的狗狗口罩切入市场，以增加客源呢。

D: The problem is that your target market will probably equate low costs with poor quality and a second-rate brand. Also, realize that time’s not on your side. This product’s life cycle will only last as long as everybody’s skittish about SARS.

问题是你目标市场的客人们，或许会把低价产品等同于低劣质量和次等品牌。还有，你得了解，时间因素对你不利，因为这个产品的生命周期，只有大家都害怕SARS这一小段时间而已。

G: I’ve recouped most of my costs already, but hopefully this SARS thing willcatch on globally.

我已经回收了大部份的本钱，真希望这个SARS漫及全球。

D: You hope what?!

你刚才说希望什么来着？！

G: Uhhh… nothing.

嗯…我没说什么。

【注】gossip mags：八卦杂志，mags是magazines的缩写。

－by Charles Yonts

Vocabulary

单词发音

designer [dɪˋzaɪnɚ] adj.（产品）由设计师专门设计的

tap into 利用，开发

expertise [͵ɛkspɚˋtiz] n. 专门知识；专门技术

demographic [͵diməˋgræfɪk] n.(某个地方或社会的)人口特征，人口统计数据

fashion-conscious [ˋfæʃən͵kɑnʃəs] adj. 讲究时髦的；赶时髦的

have money to burn 有的是钱 If someone is very rich, they have money to burn.

trophy wife  奖杯老婆；花瓶老婆 An attractive woman who is married to a usually much older, affluent man.

model [ˋmɑd!] v.（用蜡，泥等）塑造

doggie [ˋdɔgɪ] n.【儿】狗；小狗

so as to 为了

equate [ɪˋkwet] v. 等同

second-rate [ˋsɛkəndˋret] adj. 二流的﹐ 较差的﹐ 次等的

life cycle 盛衰周期; 【生】生命周期

skittish [ˋskɪtɪʃ] adj. 易受惊吓的; 怯懦的

recoup [rɪˋkup] v. 收回；取回

catch on  流行

Sentence of the Day

You must strike while the iron is hot.

打铁要趁热。

strike while the iron is hot【谚】(常用于祈使句)勿错失良机; 趁热打铁