Language practice

I. Match the words to their definitions.

a) market	1) a person who buys services or goods
b) product	2) help given to others
c) service	3) a public place for buying and selling goods
d) consumer	4) the skillful planning and managing of an activity
e) price	5) something produced, manufactured or obtained
f) advertising	6) division among many
g) strategy	7) the instruments of news communication as television, radio and newspaper
h) media	8) the set amount of money expected or given for the sale of something
i) distribution	9) the job of preparing advertisements for publication or broadcast

II. Complete the sentences below using the information of the text.

1. Marketing function collects and analyses data from the firm’s … . 2. Completing a … is the main technique used to collect data. 3. One more technique includes observing … buying products. 4. Desk … is quicker and less expensive because information is already available. 5. Multinational firms produce … for many different markets and segments. 6. Maturity is one of the stages of product’s life … . 7. Product branding allows product … to take place. 8. Customers are encouraged to develop brand … . 9. Skimming strategy is often used when a completely new product is … . 10. Penetration involves lower … and profit margins.

III. Say whether these statements are true or false, and if they are false say why.

1. Data are collected only by field research. 2. Questionnaire is completed either through the post, by telephone, or by personal interview. 3. Although cheap, field research produces information fully relevant to the product being researched. 4. The main advantage of desk research is that it is not always sufficiently detailed or fully relevant. 5. Markets can be segmented: divided into distinct sub-groups. 6. Advertising and other promotion can’t focus on certain features of the product, or characteristics of consumers in the segment. 7. Many firms market only one product. 8. Firms must consider their product mix when planning advertising, pricing and other marketing strategies. 9. Introduction, growth, maturity and decline are the stages of any product life cycle. 10. Product branding allows product differentiation to take place. 11. Skimming and penetration are only two of the market-led pricing policies. 12. Penetration is never used with high-volume and long-life products. 13. Advertising seeks to inform people about − and/or persuade them to buy − the firm’s products. 14. Informative approaches use tempting images in attempts to convince consumers that they must have the product. 15. To select a suitable medium the advertiser will balance coverage and effectiveness against cost. 16. Personal selling is impersonal. 17. Marketers must establish how their products and services will reach the customer.