UNIT 2

MARKETING
2.1. STARTING UP
Match the terms with their definition. What do you know about each of these terms?
Words Definition
1. Market a. To make public announcement of, especially to proclaim the qualities or
advantages of (a product or business) so as to increase sales.
2. Sales b. An agreement between a buyer and seller on the price of a security.
3. Sale promotion c. The set of marketing activities undertaken to boost sales of the
product or service.
4. Advertise d. Material before being processed or manufactured into a final form.

5. Raw materials e. Any place where the sellers of a particular good or service can meet
with the buyers of that goods and service where there is a potential for
a transaction to take place. The buyers must have something they can
offer in exchange for there to be a potential transaction.

2.2. GRAMMAR
ALTHOUGH, THOUGH, DESPITE, IN SPITE OF
1. Despite, in spite of
Despite, in spite of are prepositions, and have the same meaning. They are used with this
structure:
• despite + noun, or despite + verb + -ing
• in spite of + a noun, or in spite of + verb + -ing
Uses Form Examples
Despite and in spite Despite/in spite of In spite of / despite the
of have the same meaning + something (noun) heavy traffic, we got there
and are prepositions. Despite/ in spite of on time.
We use despite / in spite + verb + -ing In spite of / despite the
of to express that Despite/in spite of traffic being heavy, we got
something is unexpected the fact that there on time.
or surprising. In spite of / despite
being much older than the
others, he won the race.
In spite of / despite the
fact that he is much older
than the others, he won
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 the race.
Despite is used more often than in spite of in informal written English.
2. Although, even though
Although, even though have a similar meaning to despite and in spite of. We use all of these
words to say that a thing is surprising, unusual, or unexpected.
While the meaning of these words is similar, there is a difference in how we use them.
Although and even though are conjunctions. They have the same meaning. In spoken English
we can use even though or though instead of although. We use them with this structure:
 although + a clause
 even though + a clause
 though + a clause
Although, even though vs. despite
Here are some examples showing us that although / even though and despite / in spite of
are similar in meaning, but are used with different structures.
Although, even though, though Despite, in spite of (+ verb + -ing)
(+ clause) E.g: Despite / in spite of being a
E.g: Even though he's a millionaire, he millionaire, he lives in a very small flat.
lives in a very small flat. He lives in a very small flat,
He hives in a very small flat, even though despite / in spite of being a millionaire.
he's a millionaire. Although / even Despite / in spite of being much older than
though / though he's much older than the the others, he won the race.
others, he won the race. He won the race, He won the race, despite / in spite of being
although / even though / though he's much older than the others.
much older than the others.
Although, even though, though Despite, in spite of (+ noun)
(+ clause) Despite / in spite of the rain, I enjoyed the
Even though / although /though it holiday.
rained a lot, I enjoyed the holiday. Despite / in spite of their money, they're
Even though / although / though still not happy.
they have a lot of money, they're still not
happy.

Exercise: Rewrite the sentences with the same meaning

1. Although he is younger than the other players, he has no problem fitting in with the team.
Despite ……………. younger than the others, he has no problem fitting in with team.
2. It’s a small house but it’s big enough for our needs.
Although ……………. a small house, it’s big enough for our needs.
3. Although he had very little time, he offered to help us.

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 In spite of ……………. very little time, he offered to help us.
4. Despite a lot of problems last year, I continued to work on the project.
Although ……………. a lot of problems last year, I continued to work on the project.
5. Although they split up over forty years ago, the Beatles are still incredibly popular.
Despite the fact that ……………. up over forty years ago, the Beatles are still incredibly
popular.
6. Although they split up over forty years ago, the Beatles are still incredibly popular.
Despite ……………. up over forty years ago, the Beatles are still incredibly popular.
7. Despite revenues being very low last year, the company spent a lot of money on expansion.
Even though ……………. very low last year, the company spent a lot of money.

2.3. WORD STUDY

GLOSSARY
No. Words Meaning No. Words Meaning
1. Grocery (n) Cửa hàng tạp hóa 8. Bulk (n) Kích thước lớn
2. Freight (n) Hànghóachuyênchở 9. Encompass (v) Vâyquanh,baoquanh
3. Exchange rate Tỉ giá hối đoái 10. Fundamental Cơ bản, cơ sở
(np) (adj)
4. Grading (n) Tuyểnchọn,phânloại 11. Horizon (n) Phạmvi,tầmhiểubiết
5. Merchandise (n) Hàng hóa mua và 12. Non-profit (adj) Phi lợi nhuận
bán
6. Offering (n) Biếu, tặng 13. Responsive Đápứngnhiệttình
(adj)
7. Segmentation (n) Phân đoạn, phân 14. Tactical (adj) Chiếnlược,sáchlược
khúc

Exercise 1: Choose the right words to fill the blanks

Another Decision Research Marketing Consumers Profit
Term Definition Promotions Widely Concept Sale off

DEFINITION OF MARKETING
There is no single universally accepted definition of the (1) _________ marketing because it is a
complex process and differs from one type of organization to (2) _________. For example, the
(3) _________ objectives strategies of charitable and non-profit organizations differ from those
of large for-profit multinational companies. Probably the most (4) _________ used and accepted

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definition in provided by the Chartered Institute of Marketing which defines marketing as “the
management process involved in identifying, anticipating and satisfying (5) _________
requirements profitably”.
This definition is commonly used as it covers the nature of marketing.
Marketing is a management process so it requires people to take responsibility for (6) _________
making.
Marketing involves identifying the needs and wants of customers.
Marketing also involves anticipating of predicting what customers might want in the future. For
example, market (7) _________ and product development have created markets for mobile
phone, laptop and 3D televisions. The movie industry in constantly trying to produce firms that
audiences might want to see.
Marketing seeks to satisfy the consumer. Products must satisfy the consumer’s need or want and
should represent value for money. Price availability and quality are essential factors that
customers consider when assessing value for money. Satisfied customers are more likely to
become loyal customers.
Marketing is about earning profit. Prices must therefore cover the costs. Moto manufacturers
would not use (8) _________ such as “price one, get one free” as part of their marketing. Non-
profit organizations must ensure that the benefits of marketing outweigh the costs. Marketing is
fundamental to the success of a business as it effects the sales and profits of the organization.
However, marketing alone does not ensure success; other aspects of the business must be
considered such as: Operations management, finance, human resources management.

Exercise 2: Word formation

PROCESS AND CONCEPTS OF MARKETING
Marketing is the process of (1) ____________ (COMMUNICATE) the value of a product or
service to customers, for selling that product or service. From a societal point of view, marketing
is the link between a society’s material (2) ____________ (REQUIRE) and its economic patterns
of response. Marketing satisfies these needs and wants through exchange processes and building
long term relationships. Marketing can be looked at as an organizational function and a set of
processes for (3) ____________ (CREATE), delivering and communicating value to customers,
and managing customer relationships in ways that also benefit the organization and its
shareholders. Marketing is the science of choosing target markets through market (4)
____________ (ANALYZE) and market segmentation, as well as understanding consumer
buying (5) ____________ (BEHAVE) and providing superior customer value.
There are five (6) ____________ (COMPETE) concepts under which organizations can choose
to operate their business: the production concept, the product concept, the selling concept, the
marketing concept, and the holistic marketing concept. The four components of holistic
marketing are relationship marketing, internal marketing, (7) ____________ (INTEGRATE)
marketing, and socially responsive marketing. The set of (8) ____________ (ENGAGE)

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necessary for successful marketing management includes capturing marketing insights,
connecting with customers, building strong brands, shaping the market offerings, delivering and
communicating value, creating long-term growth, and developing marketing strategies and plans.

Exercise 3: Match the words or word phrases with its definitions

Word/ Phrase Definition

1. Distribution channels a. Temporary ways to boost sales and attract new buyers.

2. Agents (or brokers) b. Agents or firms that act as a middle person in the chain of
distribution between the producer and consumers of a product.
3. Direct mail c. Independent business that act as intermediaries by specializing in
the trade of products made by certain manufacturers.
4. Direct marketing d. Refers to the process of getting products to customers at the right
time and place in the most cost-effective way.
5. Distribution (or e. Refers to promotional material sent directly to peoples’ homes or
placement) place of work.

6. Distributors f. The ways that a product gets from the manufacturer to the
consumer. Examples include wholesalers, agents, retailers, e-
commerce and vending machines.
7. Intermediaries g. Negotiators who help to sell the vendor’s products, such as real
estate agents selling residential property for their clients.
8. Sales promotions h. The art of managing and controlling the sequence of activities
from the production of a product to its delivery to the consumer.
i. Refers to any promotional activity that involves making direct
contact with customers, such as door-to-door selling, personal
selling and direct mail.
j. Is based on the cost of living and be used as the basis for the
calculation of the salaries.
k. A circumstance that increases the likelihood or probable severity
of a loss.

l. Coverage for losses above the limit of an underlying policy or

policies such as homeowners and auto insurance.

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2.4. READING COMPREHENSION
THE CHANGING CONCEPTS OF MARKETING
The term market and marketing can have several meanings depending upon how they are used.
The term stock market refers to the buying and selling of shares in corporations as well as other
activities related to stock trading and pricing. The important world stock markets are in London,
Geneve, New York, Tokyo, and Singapore. Another type of market is a grocery market, which is
a place where people purchase food. When economists use the world market they mean a set of
forces or conditions that determine the price of a product, such as the supply available for and the
demand for it by consumers. The term market in business includes all of these meanings, and
more.
In the past, the concept of marketing emphasized sales. The producer or manufacturer made a
product he wanted to sell. Marketing was the task of figuring out how to sell the product.
Basically, selling the product would be accomplished by sales promotion, marketing also involved
the physical distribution of the product to the places where it was actually sold. Distribution consisted
of transportation, storage, and related services such as financing standardization and grading, and the
related risks.
The modern marketing concept encompasses all of the activities mentioned. But it is based on a
different set of principles. It subscribes to the notion that production can be economically
justified only by consumption. In other words, goods should be produced only if they can be sold.
Therefore, the producers should consider who is going to buy the product, or what the market is for the
production before production begins. This is very different from making a product and then thinking
about how to sell it.
Marketing now involves deciding first what the consumer wants, and then designing and
producing ad product that satisfies these wants at profit to the company. Instead of concentrating
solely on production, the company must consider the desires of consumer, and this is much more
difficult since it involves human behavior. Production, on the other hand, is mostly and
engineering problem. Thus, demand and market forces are still an important aspect of modern
marketing, but they are considered prior to the production process.
Because products are often marketed internationally, distribution has increased in importance. Goods
must be at the place where the customer needs them or brought there. This is known as place utility:
it adds value to a product. However, many markets are separated from the place of production, which
means that often both raw materials and finished products must be transported to the points where
they are needed.
Raw materials requiring little or special treatment can be transported by rail, ship or barge at low
cost. Large quantities of raw materials travel as bulk freight, but finished products that often
require special treatment, transported by truck. The merchandise freight is usually smaller in
volume and requires quicker delivery. Merchandise freight is a term for the transportation of
manufactured goods.

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Along all points of the distribution channel various amounts of storage are required. The time
and manner of such storage depends upon the type of product. Inventories of this stored
merchandise often need to be financed.
Modern marketing is therefore a coordinated system of many business activities, but basically it
involves four things: (1) selling the correct product at the proper place, (2) selling it at a price
determined by demand, (3) satisfying a customer’s need and wants, (4) and producing a profit for
the company.
(Adapted from Financial Times)
Comprehension questions
1. In general, what is said about the term marketing?
2. What are two aspects of marketing?
3. What are two activities of sales promotion in the second paragraph?
4. What are three aspects of distribution?
5. How does modern marketing differ from the past ideas and practices of marketing?
6. What makes solving marketing problems more difficult than solving production problem?

2.5. LISTENING: Marketing

Pat Hill is a brand strategy consultant. Listen to her talk about the importance of brands
and answer the questions.
1. Why do companies need to create brands?
2. What are the five most important characteristics of a brand?
3. Why has Chanel No 5 been successful for so long?
4. What helped establish the No 5 brand in the 1960s?

2.6. TRANSLATION
MARKETING STRATEGIES
Marketing strategies serve as the fundamental underpinning of marketing plans designed to fill
market needs and reach marketing objectives. Plans and objectives are general tested for
measurable results. Commonly, marketing strategies are developed as multi-year plans, with a
tactical plan dealing specific actions to be accomplished in the current year. Time horizons
covered by the marketing plan vary by company, by industry, and by nation, however, time
horizons are becoming shorter as the speed of change in the environment increases. Marketing
strategies are dynamic and interactive. They are partially planned and partially unplanned. See
strategy dynamics. Marketing strategy needs to take a long-term view, and tools such as
customer lifetime value models can be very powerful in helping to simulate the effects of
strategy on acquisition, revenue per customer and churn rate.
Marketing strategy involves careful and precise scanning of the internal and external
environments. Internal environmental factors include the marketing mix and marketing mix

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model, plus performance analysis and strategic constraints. External environmental factors
include customer analysis, competitor analysis, target market analysis, as well as evaluation of
any elements of the technological, economic, cultural or political/ legal environment likely to
impact success. A key component of marketing strategy is often to keep marketing in line with a
company’s overarching mission statement.
Once a through environmental scan is complete, a strategic plan can be constructed to identify
business alternatives, establish challenging goals, determine the optimal marketing mix to attain
these goals, and detail implementation. A final step in developing a marketing strategy is to
create a plan to monitor progress and a set of contingencies if problems arise in the
implementation of the plan.

2.7. DISCUSSION
Do you agree with this map? Give your opinion.

Advertising Sales Production

Pricing Packaging

Marketing
Market
Research Distribution

Research
and Public Events
Development Relations Management

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2.8. WRITING
MINUTES OF MEETING
Minutes are the written record of a meeting. The document usually gives:
 date, time, and place of the meeting
 a list of those present
 apologies for absence for those not present
 approval of the previous meeting’s minutes
 matters arising: a report on the discussion of issues arising from the minutes of the previous
meeting
 for each item on the agenda, a record of the principal points discussed and decisions taken
 AOB (Any Other Business): a record of any discussion of items not listed on the agenda
 time, date, and place of the next meeting
 name of the person taking the minutes
In fact, there are two entirely separate documents created for a minute meeting – the notes and
the minutes. Notes are usually written during the meting by the minute-taker or secretary,
through sometimes, they are audio-recorded. They are then written up into minutes, filed for
future reference, and circulated to the meeting participants and other interested parties. However,
they are primarily written for the people who:
 attended the meeting
 apologized for the absence
Minutes are important because they show:
 what was decided in the meeting
 what was achieved in the meeting
 what was agreed in terms of next steps (action items)
Without minutes, time is wasted trying to remember what was covered in the previous meeting.
To be effective, minutes must be:
 brief (a summary – not a word-for-word account)
 relevant (record important information, especially decisions and next steps)
The key stages for the minute-taker are:
1. before the meeting (preparing)
2. during the meeting (taking notes)
3. after the meeting (writing up the minutes)
First look at some of the tasks for each of these stages:
1. Before the meeting
 Read the agenda
 Check with the chair of the meeting if anything on the agenda is not clear

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 2. During the meeting
 Listen
 Summarize the discussion
 Take notes of the decisions and next steps
 Use appropriate language, especially vocabulary
 Report what was said
3. After the meeting
 Write up a first draft from your notes
 Edit the first draft (focus on content – brevity and relevance)
 Ask the chair if any items are not clear
 Proof read the first draft (focus on language – accuracy and tone)
 Produce the final draft
 File the minutes for future reference, and circulate them if appropriate

Exercise 1: Look at additional tasks listed below. At which stage does each task come for
the minute-taker?
The stages are:
1. Before the meeting
2. During the meeting
3. After the meeting
Write 1, 2, or 3 in the right-hand column.
Tasks Stage
a. Check that the minutes follow the order of points on the agenda.
b. Note down a summary of the major points raised.
c. Check that the minutes give each point a separate paragraph.
d. Make a map of the seating so that I know the names of the participants and
where they are siting.
e. Distribute the agenda so that participants can prepare for the meeting.
f. Distribute the minutes.
g. Edit the first draft – preferably within 48 hours – to improve language and
tone.
h. Read through the minutes of the last meeting.
i. File the minutes so that they can be easily found for future reference.
j. Make a note of those present and those absent.

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 k. Check that the minutes state, for each point, the main issues, decisions
taken and next steps.
l. Prepare an outline for the minutes based on the agenda and leave space for
notes.
m. Get the approval of the chair that the minutes are correct.
n. Think where you are going to sit in relation to the chair and other
participants.
o. Write up the first draft of the minutes – preferably within 24 hours.

Exercise 2: The table shows the notes from a staff meeting.

Agenda item Next steps
Topic Discussion Action (what) Person Timeframe/
responsible deadline
(who) (when)
1. Recruitment 1. 22 new jobs Possible to DB Info at next
2. recruitment drive reduce? meeting
now
3. hard to get people in
post - long checks
2. Turnover down 3%: uncertain job Monitor AF Info at next
market meeting
3. Sickness 6%: too high Make RP 30 September
questionnaire
4. Staff 1. Away Day successful 1. Contact local HM 1 December
development 2. Suggestion: plan training
another for spring organizations
2. Get ideas
3. Circulate info
5. Christmas 1. Budget has been 1. Contract party AF 1. 1 September
party slashed planners for 2. Decision at
2 Suggestion: Xmas quotes next meeting
party held in office to 2. Circulate info
save on venue costs
3. No agreement

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Choose the right sentences to complete the minutes below:
a. A decision to be taken at the next meeting.
b. AF to monitor the position and report back at next meeting.
c. DB to check if this could be reduced.
d. HM to circulate info by 1 December.
e. Deadline for questionnaire design: 30 September.
f. HM agreed to contact local training organizations to get ideas for themes.
g. DB to report back at next meeting.
h. AF to contact party planners to investigate financial and practical logistics.
i. RP to design a questionnaire to find out more about reasons for absence.
j. The results to be circulated by 1 September.

Minutes from Staff Meeting, 11th August

1. Recruitment
It was noted that 22 new positions had been created and a recruitment drive was underway.
There was still some difficulty in bringing people into the posts, due to the time taken for pre-
employment investigations…………………………………
2. Turnover
Has gone down by 3% a reflection of the insecurity in employment market
…………………………….
3. Sickness
Absence remains at 6%. This is considered too high………………………………..
4. Staff development
IB reported on successful Away Day for senior staff. It was recommended that another Away
Day be timetabled for next spring. ………………………………..
5. Christmas party
It was suggested that significant savings could be made by holding the Christmas party in the
office. This would allow more of the reduced budget to be spent on catering and entertainment.
The staff at the meeting could not agree. ………………………………..

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