Maybe it can't. Many years ago, when I was making a good living as a marketing consultant, my wife Joyce and I were talking about the differences between marketing and sales, and the antipathy that often exists within companies between marketing and sales organizations. After awhile we talked about the difference between sales and marketing roles within companies. Because that's what Sales does. Sales is real.
Marketing is bullshit.
It stung, but she was right. I don't want to slam the ideals of marketing. The problem is, that's not what marketing is usually paid to do . Marketers are in the influence business. Marketing's customers aren't consumers.