What does the phrase marketing mix mean? What is the purpose of the marketing mix? The marketing mix is a process most organizations use to bring a product or service to market. The four Ps is a good way to define the marketing mix tool. The four Ps or four elements of the marketing mix are product, place, price, and promotion, which are used to satisfy consumers’ needs and the objectives of the organization. After a target market is selected, “…the firm must take steps to satisfy [the customers] needs” (Kerin, Hartley, & Rudelius, 2009 p. 13). The basic concept of the marketing mix is to focus on what customers want and to keep customers satisfied. Although the marketing mix is a unique way to market a product or service, satisfying the consumers’ needs and wants is every marketer’s main goal.
Aspects of the Marketing Mix
The best way to define a market is to recognize the needs and wants of consumers and then focus on meeting those needs and wants. In today’s advertising industry, marketers use the marketing mix as a tool to satisfy their target consumers. Furthermore, the marketing mix contains controllable variables that are carefully managed by the business to meet the needs of a targeted audience. “In other words, a company has control over what product it makes, what price it sells the product for, how it wishes to place (distribute) the product and how it wishes to promote it” (Food Export, 2011 para. 4). Therefore, a good way to understand the characteristics of the marketing mix is to identify its four special elements—the four Ps. The following is a diagram of the marketing mix formula (product, place, price, promotion) (See figure 1)
Figure 1: Four elements of the marketing mix (Style, 2010)
The goal of the ...
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...te, 2010). Assuredly, a customer is the most important subject in the marketing process. Above all, the perception of the marketing mix is vital in the marketing industry because the process will allow the organization to sustain customer satisfaction and maintain corporate success. Ultimately, the focal point in the marketing mix is to fulfill the customers’ needs.
References
BusinessMate 2010, Retrieved May 28, 2011 from http://www.businessmate.org/Article.php?ArtikelId=201
Food Export Association of the Midwest USA and Food Export USA – Northeast 2011, Retrieved May 27, 2011, from http://www.foodexport.org/GettingStarted/Content.cfm?ItemNumber=1288
Kerin, R.A., Hartley, S.W., Rudelius, W. (2009). Marketing (9th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Style Communications Pty Ltd 2010, Retrieved May 18, 2011, from
http://www.stylecom.com.au/blog/?tag=marketing-mix
Kotler and Keller (2014) develop on what product represents in the marketing mix, as the idea centers around its design, quality and packaging. Continuing with the Four P model, price should be considered when marketing a product. The price component asks one to determine the list price, discounts, allowances, and payment period of a product (Kotler & Keller, 2014). Finally, Kotler and Keller (2014) list promotion and place as the final two variables associated with the older Four Ps. Promotion deals with how a product is advertised and what type of sales force will be utilized, while place is associated with the channels and locations for which your product will be featured (Kotler & Keller,
Appendix 2 shows the benefits of the promotional mix tools used. Integrated marketing communication is a concept of marketing communication from each promotional mix that combines and evaluates the planned role of different communication (Naeem, Bilal &Naz, 2013, p.g. 125). The. There are factors that affect the marketing mix and there are nature of product(product characteristics such as the costs and risks and the social risk), stage in product life cycle and target market, type of buying decision, promotion funds and the push or pull strategy. Appendix 3 shows the push and pull strategy.
The 4 Ps of the marketing mix are: Product, Promotion, Price, and Place. The marketing mix puts the right products, at the right price point, in the right place, at the right time. The following examines how Claire’s Chocolates optimizes its marketing mix (Yoo, Donthu, & Lee, 2000, 195-196).
3. A discussion of the marketing mix that will be implemented based on the marketing strategies.
A characteristic of the marketing concept is customer orientation. Business activities are mostly engaged to produce a satisfied customer. They are there to Stress on the desires and wishes of a customer this keeps businesses on track with their target market. The best marketing decisions are completed on the foundation of making a massive impact in the market and towards customers. The consumers/people
The marketing mix refers to the set of actions, or tactics, that a company uses to promote its brand of products in the market. Price, Product, Promotion and Place, are known as the 4Ps that make up a typical marketing mix. As marketing evolves, there are additional Ps that can also be included in the marketing mix, however, focusing on the 4 core Ps of the marketing mix, price, place, promotion and Product, taking an in-depth look at the aspects of Victoria’s Secret in general and in terms of the selected product. All the elements of the marketing mix influence each other. They contribute to the business plan for a company and if managed correctly, can give it a great success. In order to successfully master marketing mix, it needs understanding,
The marketing mix, which is basic to any organization, can be considered the ‘controllable’ variables that every business encounters. These controllable variables can be modified based on the uncontrollable variables (external factors found in Environmental Scan) that directly affect business operations. A company focuses on four elements in the marketing mix: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion, which are managed and coordinated through marketing programs in efforts to appeal to their target market. Marketers strive to understand what motivates consumers to purchase certain products. The marketing mix helps to break down some of these questions: What will consumers buy? How much will they spend? Where will they buy? And will they buy again?
I found the main goal of the article to explain the concept of marketing. As the author implies, the concept of the marketing mix is a great tool to give an answer to the question “what is marketing”. It is a great introduction of the elements of marketing as a whole, with visual charts that sum the different marketing forces. Marketing is not about doing or not doing, its mainly about doing the right things for your operation with consideration of the resources that are available. This also sheds light over the fact that managing functions of marketing must be oriented to the market and with consideration of the marketing changes make a marketing mix that fits the resources of the firm.
“Marketing investigates what potential customers need and develops products and services to satisfy those needs. Marketing strategies put this concept into effect for specific companies and target markets. Companies that implement marketing strategies find that different customers have different needs. To address this problem, they group similar consumers into market segments and focus on their common needs. Such marketing strategies are only effective if they use market segments with the appropriate characteristics, allowing the companies to target the segments with products and services tailored to their specific
In order for my product to be successful, I strategize a marketing plan. Market Research is one of the main steps taken in the initial process of strategizing a marketing plan, The primary function of market research is to identify the customers needs and views. During the market research of my product, I discovered that because of the competition, (Herbal Essence Shampoo brand) my product would really need to stand out on the market. Also, during that research I discovered that Herbal Essence?s sales had dropped 6% over the last 2 years, because of their marked up prices. These were great pieces of information, as they will serve helpful during the marketing mix portion of my marketing strategy. The marketing mix is one of the first steps taken in applying an overall marketing strategy for your product. A Marketing Mix is the combination of product offerings used to reach a target market for the organization. (Armstrong & Kotler 2007) The marketing mix includes product, price, promotion and place (also known as distribution)
Marketing is a process of determining a consumer’s needs, devising a product or service to satisfy those needs, and trying to focus customers on the goods and services you are offering. Marketing is extremely important, and a fundamental building block for business growth. A marketing team is given the task of creating customer awareness through a variety of different marketing techniques. If a business does not pay close attention to their consumer demographic and needs, they will eventually fail over time. Two important aspects of marketing include acquiring new customers, and the preservation and growth of relationships with current customers. Marketing has always been viewed as a creative outlet, which encompassed advertising, distribution, and the selling of goods and services. Marketing staff will also try to anticipate what customers will want in the future, often being accomplished with market research. In summation, a good marketing plan should be able to create a favorable proposition or series of benefits that a customer can value through goods or services. The marketing mix is normally described as the strategic positioning of a product or service in the marketplace, using the specification of the four Ps. During the early 1960’s, Professor E. Jerome McCarthy of Harvard Business School stated that a marketing mix contains four elements. The four key points are product, pricing, promotion, and placement. It is recognized that all these aspects must be present to ensure a successful business model within a given industry. We will now take a thorough look at the four marketing mix points.
When a business aims to be as successful as possible in selling its products and services, it must examine in detail whether or not the products will be attractive and necessary; if the price is optimal; if the product is being distributed in the best locations; and finally, how interest and awareness can be created for the products. In order for a business to target all of these elements at the right people at the right time, it must employ the right type of marketing mix: Product, Price, Place and Promotion.
“Marketing is an organizational function and a set of processes for creating, communicating, and delivering value to customers and for managing customer relationships in ways that benefit the organization and its stakeholders.” (AMA, 2007)
To create a successful marketing mix you must have all of the following aspects: the right product for your target market, sold to your target market at the appropriate price,in the right place and time, while using the most fitting promotion. ( Marketing Theory 1995.) The product, price, place, and promotion all are of uttermost importance in a business, since all businesses must complete all of these activities, including advertising agencies and research firms, everybody in the business world should understand the marketing mix.
“In 1960, McCarthy expanded what Neil Borden had previously coined the Marketing Mix [1] (now often associated with the "4 Ps") as 4 controllable variables the company puts together to satisfy a target market: product, price, place and promotion.[2]”