There are many definitions, but in its purest form, marketing is all about identifying a need, producing a product or service to meet that need, and then providing that service or product to your audience as efficiently and as possible.

As an organisation, what is your purpose? This is the first and most important marketing question you need to ask yourself before anything else.

Marketing is broken into component parts known as the 7Ps that combine to help an organisation achieve its marketing needs and those of its target audience.

The impact of economic forces is beyond your control, but the best thing you can do is learn more about the critical factors influencing your operation and, yes, plan for them.

Segmentation is crucial for the simple reason that all audiences are different and – in pure marketing terms, some audiences are more important than others.

Before making your marketing plans you need to assess your previous, current and potential audience and stakeholders – whoever they may be.

Marketing strategy is really not that complicated. It’s about making plans – and being flexible enough to change those plans as circumstances and the market dictates.