A recent LinkedIn post got me thinking about my simple marketing analogy. 

“Why?” I hear you cry… because “Marketing” gets tossed around a lot, often by people who talk like The Apprentice contestants. But do people outside our industry understand it?

If you’ve ever told someone you work in marketing, you’ve probably been hit with, “So, what do you actually do?” – Cue the internal panic trying to explain it to my Grandparents without sounding like a cringe LinkedIn bio.

For those in the know, marketing is simply about getting the right product or service in front of the right people, in the right way. It’s about creating awareness, interest, and desire to do or buy something.

But for those like my Grandparents, who are still not clear, I break it down with this analogy:

Marketing is like planning the perfect dinner party.

You want an unforgettable night, but it’s not just about the food—it’s the whole experience. Here’s how marketing makes it happen:

The Invitation (Advertising)

The first step? Getting guests to show up. You send an invite: “Dinner Party This Saturday!” That’s advertising—getting the word out to the right people. It’s the initial, impactful push to create awareness about your event, brand, or service.

The Special Offer (Promotion)

To sweeten the deal, you add: “First 5 to arrive get a bottle of wine each!” Now you’ve got a promotion. Promotions offer incentives, like discounts or bonuses, to excite people and encourage action.

The Buzz (Publicity)

Guests arrive, and your friend who thinks they’re an influencer tags you in a post about the cocktails. Their followers start liking and commenting—that’s publicity! Publicity is organic attention and word-of-mouth that spreads your brand beyond your direct audience.

Reputation Building (Public Relations)

Now, let’s say that social media-loving friend is actually an influencer. You’ve made sure they’ve had an amazing time, and they leave raving about the experience. That’s PR—building a positive brand image through relationships, media, and influential voices.

Closing the Deal (Sales)

Guests have eaten dinner, they’re stuffed, but you convince them to have a pudding. That’s sales—turning interest into action. In real life, it’s getting people to commit, whether that’s making a purchase, signing up, or engaging with your brand.

The perfect recipe

Marketing is the strategy that ties all these elements together. As a marketeer, my job is to plan and coordinate all of these components. 

So, next time someone asks, “What is marketing?” tell them: It’s like planning the perfect dinner party. From start to finish, it’s about ensuring everything is perfectly implemented for success! 🍽️

Or send them to my grandparents, they know what I “actually do” now.