Quality vs Marketing: What would you prefer? 

The corporate world is full of new products and opportunities with competitive promotions and marketing strategies hitting the industry every other day. Behind the success of any product in today’s world, two essential forces are supposedly at work. Yes, we are talking about Product quality and Marketing strategies that are used to promote it.

Product quality is a unique feature that makes one distinguishable from the other. The creative ideas incorporated to develop a product and the intrinsic features it possesses are things that make up its final market value. Marketing on the other hand helps in spreading the word about the product. It makes the target group aware of the new product and its exquisite features. 

The debate between the two issues has lasted ages and this might appear as a topic for group discussion during your admission or placement interviews. So, here’s a quick analysis of the two equally important elements that help in the sale of a product and a sneak peek into which should be preferred over the other. 

Preferring Marketing over Quality 

1. Helps in the introduction of product

Without appropriate marketing strategies, the product will remain within the walls of the organisation. It is the marketing strategies that bring products in the eyes of the target group.

2. Flaws of the product can be concealed by interactive marketing strategies 

Right marketing strategies can work wonders for a product with minor intrinsic flaws. One can coax the audience with the use of heavy promotions and appropriate advertisements that tend to uplift the stagnant sales of any and every product.

3. Helps in getting an edge over competitors 

Products in the same line may have similar features and pricing. It is the marketing that helps the customer differentiate between similar products. It helps in creating superiority for the product in the target group over others, thereby increasing the sales.

4. Helps to take first-mover advantage 

When one aspires to enter into a new and unexplored segment with new ideas, it is important to make the audience aware of the same. And in case you turn out to be the first to step into a new segment or domain, carefully planned marketing strategies can reap huge benefits.

Preferring Quality over Marketing 

1. Helps in generating repetitive sales  

The target audience might purchase a product initially due to heavy promotions, discounts and other marketing strategies but to generate continuous sales over and over again one needs to offer good quality products that pique the interest of the audience. 

2. Generates a high return on investment 

Premium quality products are big assets of any organisation. With lower defects, it leads to lesser complaints and higher sales. Thus the amount invested in the research development and improvement of the product quality pays back high return.

3. Gives a competitive edge 

Good quality always intrigues the audience in the long run. People looking for a premium quality product that meets their expectations will always go for the one with exquisite quality fulfilling their requirements instead of opting for cheaper alternatives. 

4. Greater publicity 

Jeff Bezos said, “Your brand is what other people say about you when you're not in the room”. Good quality not only attracts the audience but through word of mouth, it also helps in publicising the product. Around 92 per cent of people trust recommendations from friends and kins. These recommendations will only be possible if the product conforms to set standards.

Concluding Remarks

Both marketing and product quality are essential pillars upon which the success of products depend. Marketing is hollow without adequate product quality and in the absence of right promotional strategies, the quality and features will never reach the target audience. Crucial in their own ways to increase the sales of the product, it is finally up to you to decide which amidst the two holds more importance. Let us know your views in the comments below.