Marketing definition

Marketing is many things. In technical terms, it may be defined as an organizational function and a set of processes related to the pricing, promotion, and distribution of ideas, goods, and services. It may be defined as "selling" to a target audience, but it's much more than "sales."

In terms of what a business does to promote itself to prospective customers, marketing is an umbrella concept encompassing advertising, branding, public relations, promotions, direct mail, online (the Web or email marketing), and other elements related to the process of reaching out to customers and prospects.