This document discusses key concepts for marketing information systems including identifying information needs, sources of data, trends and demands. It covers analyzing the macro environment using PEST analysis and demographic factors. Key definitions are provided for data, information, fads, trends, needs, wants, demands, value, consumers and customers. The goal is to understand what information is needed to make marketing decisions and how to analyze the business environment.

1. MARKETING INFORMATION SYSTEM

2. INFORMATION NEEDS
1. What decisions do you regularly make?
2. What information do you need to take these decisions?
3. What information do you regularly get?
4. What special studies do you periodically need?
5. What information are you not getting now?
6. What is the frequency of receipt of information?
7. What magazines & trade reports would you read
regularly?
8. What topics would you like to be kept informed of?
9. What data analysis programs do you need?
10. What improvement do you want in the present MIS?

3. DATA AND INFORMATION
 A status of what exists or what has happened is
data.
 Information is processed ( analyzed, filtered,
integrated) data, that facilitates easier and correct
interpretation and adds value to the process of
decision making in the specific situation.
 Information for one person may be simply data for
another.
 Information today for you may become just data
tomorrow.
 Information is decision specific.

4. SOURCES OF DATA
 Internal Records
 Sales information System
 Database, Data Warehousing and Data Mining.
 Marketing Intelligence System
1. Reports from salesmen
2. Reports from distributors
3. External networks
4. Customer advisory panel
5. Government publications
6. Trade associations
7. Purchased database
8. Online feedback of customers

5. FADS, TRENDS AND MEGATRENDS
1. Fad is unpredictable, short lived and without much
(social, economic or political) significance.
2. A trend is a direction of events that has some
momentum and durability. Trends are predictable
and have a relevant impact on the future.
3. A Mega-trend is a large social, economic or
political change which is durable in nature and
have a significant impact on the future.

6. NEEDS , WANTS AND DEMANDS
1. Needs are basic human requirements. They can
not be influenced by marketing people.
2. Wants are directions towards the broader things
or object groups which can satisfy the needs.
Wants are culture dependent. Marketers have , at
best , a partial control on the wants .
3. Demands are wants for specific products or
services backed by an ability to pay. Marketers
can have a substantial influence on the demand.

7. MACRO-ENVIRONMENT ANALYSIS : PEST
ANALYSIS
 Political environment
 Economic environment
 Socio-Cultural environment
 Technological environment

8. DEMOGRAPHIC ENVIRONMENT
 World wide growth in population
 Population age mix
 Literacy level
 Income level
 Income distribution
 Languages
 Faiths and beliefs
 Inflation
 Freedom
 Exposure to others

9. CONCEPT OF VALUE
1. Value is directly proportionate to the Quality and
Performance of the product or service.
2. Value is inversely proportionate to the price of the
product or service.
3. There is no direct measure of the Absolute Value.
4. In Marketing, we always refer to the Value
Perceived by the Customer.

10. CONSUMER AND CUSTOMER
 Consumer is the ultimate user of the product or the
service.
 Marketers may or may not know the consumer.
 Customer is the person or a business entity who
buys the product or service.
 Customer need not always be the end user. He can
be only an intermediary.
 Marketers must always know their customers. All
marketing actions are directed towards influencing
the customer.
 Customer is a Reality. Consumer is only Statistics.