Segmentation and the Long Tail

   After four years of undergrad studies in marketing classes, the definition of segmentation has finally seen new light! Understanding the basic rules of marketing, we now come across new ways to attract customers.
   The four P's then determined the market mix and were the first steps in creating something worth having. Marketers have to understand specific segments in order to create a product that would suit buyers. Today, technology has changed marketing strategies.
   I love the way technology plays such a huge role in the shift in marketing principles. Marketers are able to receive and access information via internet and other technological sources. When we look at the charts within specific retailers, we notice that the digital companies are at the top of the podium. With so many ways to outsource products with little to no shelf space costs, we see huge margins in profits and companies booming within a matter of months. The physical retailers are no match to the digital retailers because of the simple fact that physical retailers cannot hold the same amount of products a digital retailer is able to carry.
   I come to the conclusion in my head where it bothers me not knowing whether marketing will actually change again or not. Has technology changed marketing so much that there are unlimited possibilities? Sure, marketing in general will have it's old time teachings and key points, but as it stands today, I truly believe the long tail and it's theory is something every digital company should look at and understand. Before this class started, I hadn't known anything about the long tail, even through my 4 years of undergrad studying marketing. Today, in a world filled with technology and digital enterprises, we focus on old time methods that still work, but are not as successful as current methods are. This is where we need to focus. This is where marketers should focus. This is where successful businesses focus and become successful because they understand the long tail.