Which business function is focused on understanding customer needs and promoting products?

The selling function is primarily concerned with the act of exchanging goods or services for payment, involving techniques and strategies to persuade customers to make a purchase. However, this function may not encompass the broader aspects of understanding customer needs and promoting products as comprehensively as other options.

The marketing function, in contrast, encompasses a wider range of activities dedicated to understanding customer preferences, conducting market research, and promoting products to meet those needs effectively. It involves market analysis, planning promotional strategies, and overall brand positioning. This holistic approach ensures that the products not only reach the intended audience but also resonate with their desires and requirements, thereby facilitating better sales outcomes.

While the buying function focuses on acquiring products for resale, and the distribution function emphasizes the logistics of delivering products to customers, neither of these encompasses the proactive understanding and communication with customers that is central to the marketing function.