Book excerpt: Marketing is both detailed and vague, with many complexities. This book provides new managers and leaders with a foundation in the core issues of marketing: · An overview of marketing and marketing management · Creating a strategic marketing plan · Performing market research · Creating and maintaining customer relationships and customer value Marketing Management Essentials You Always Wanted To Know is part of the Self-Learning Management Series that helps working professionals moving into management roles. The series addresses every aspect of business from HR to finance, marketing, and operations. Each book includes fundamentals, important concepts, and well-known principles, as well as practical applications of the subject matter.