It’s been said that the only functions of business are marketing and innovation, and the two definitely need each other. Without marketing, the best ideas might go nowhere, and conversely the Hindenberg might be mistakenly ballyhooed. But marketing extends beyond the business world, too. In the game of life, people are constantly selling things – often nothing more than themselves! Although The Essential Guide to Marketing is geared toward business-oriented readers, the concepts of marketing can help people in all walks of life, including consumers. The Essential Guide to Marketing consists of all 4 ebooks in The ABCs of Marketing series: In the first of the series, an MBA introduces readers to all of the necessary components of a successful marketing strategy, with chapters on Advertising, Branding (both Personal and Business), Demographics/Segments, Strategy/Planning, Marketing to Businesses vs. Consumers, Online and Offline Marketing, and Research. The goal is to provide an introductory understanding of the subject and familiarize the reader with key terms and practices.