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What Are the 4 Ps of Marketing?

• Understanding the 4 Ps

4. Promotion

How to use the 4 ps of marketing in your marketing strategy, the bottom line.

• Business Essentials

4 Ps of Marketing: What They Are & How to Use Them Successfully

Product, price, place, and promotion are the four Ps in a winning "marketing mix"

The four Ps of marketing are:

These are the key factors that are involved in introducing a product or service to the public. Often referred to as a marketing mix , they provide a framework that companies can use to successfully market a product or service to consumers. Since the four Ps were introduced in the 1950s, more Ps have been added to the mix, including people, process, and physical evidence.

Key Takeaways

• The four Ps are the four essential factors involved in marketing a product or service to the public.
• The four Ps are product, price, place, and promotion.
• The concept of the four Ps has been around since the 1950s. As the marketing industry has evolved, other Ps have been identified: people, process, and physical evidence.

Investopedia / Julie Bang

Understanding the 4 Ps of Marketing

Neil Borden, an advertising professor at Harvard, popularized the idea of the marketing mix—and the concepts that would later be known primarily as the four Ps—in the 1950s. His 1964 article "The Concept of the Marketing Mix" demonstrated the ways that companies could use advertising tactics to engage their consumers.

Decades later, the concepts that Borden popularized are still being used by companies to advertise their goods and services.

Borden's ideas were developed and refined over a number of years by other key players in the industry. E. Jerome McCarthy, a marketing professor at Michigan State University, refined the concepts in Borden's article and named them the "four Ps" of marketing. McCarthy co-wrote the book Basic Marketing: A Managerial Approach , further popularizing the idea.

At the time the concept was introduced, it helped companies breach the physical barriers that could hamper widespread product adoption. Today, the Internet has helped businesses to overcome some of these barriers.

People, process, and physical evidence are extensions of the original Four Ps and are relevant to current trends in marketing.

Any successful marketing strategy should be revisited from time to time. The marketing mix you create is not intended to be static. It needs to be adjusted and refined as your product grows and your customer base changes .

Creating a marketing campaign starts with an understanding of the product itself. Who needs it, and why? What does it do that no competitor's product can do? Perhaps it's a new thing altogether and is so compelling in its design or function that consumers will have to have it when they see it.

The job of the marketer is to define the product and its qualities and introduce it to the consumer.

Defining the product also is key to its distribution. Marketers need to understand the life cycle of a product , and business executives need to have a plan for dealing with products at every stage of the life cycle.

The type of product also dictates in part how much it will cost, where it should be placed, and how it should be promoted.

Many of the most successful products have been the first in their category. For example, Apple was the first to create a touchscreen smartphone that could play music, browse the internet, and make phone calls. Apple reported total sales of the iPhone for FY 2022 at $205.4 billion. In 2021, it hit the milestone of 2 billion iPhones sold.

Price is the amount that consumers will be willing to pay for a product. Marketers must link the price to the product's real and perceived value, while also considering supply costs, seasonal discounts, competitors' prices, and retail markup.

In some cases, business decision-makers may raise the price of a product to give it the appearance of luxury or exclusivity. Or, they may lower the price so more consumers will try it.

Marketers also need to determine when and if discounting is appropriate. A discount can draw in more customers, but it can also give the impression that the product is less desirable than it was.

UNIQLO, headquartered in Japan, is a global manufacturer of casual wear. Like its competitors Gap and Zara, UNIQLO creates low-priced, fashion-forward garments for younger buyers.

What makes UNIQLO unique is that its products are innovative and high-quality. It accomplishes this by purchasing fabric in large volumes, continually seeking the highest-quality and lowest-cost materials in the world. The company also directly negotiates with its manufacturers and has built strategic partnerships with innovative Japanese manufacturers.

UNIQLO also outsources its production to partner factories. That gives it the flexibility to change production partners as its needs change.

Finally, the company employs a team of skilled textile artisans that it sends to its partner factories all over the world for quality control. Production managers visit factories once a week to resolve quality problems.

Place is the consideration of where the product should be available—in brick-and-mortar stores and online—and how it will be displayed.

The decision is key: The makers of a luxury cosmetic product would want to be displayed in Sephora and Neiman Marcus, not in Walmart or Family Dollar. The goal of business executives is always to get their products in front of the consumers who are the most likely to buy them.

That means placing a product only in certain stores and getting it displayed to the best advantage.

The term placement also refers to advertising the product in the right media to get the attention of target consumers.

For example, the 1995 movie GoldenEye was the 17th installment in the James Bond movie franchise and the first that did not feature an Aston Martin car. Instead, Bond actor Pierce Brosnan got into a BMW Z3. Although the Z3 was not released until months after the film had left theaters, BMW received 9,000 orders for the car the month after the movie opened.

The goal of promotion is to communicate to consumers that they need this product and that it is priced appropriately. Promotion encompasses advertising, public relations, and the overall media strategy for introducing a product.

Marketers tend to tie together promotion and placement elements to reach their core audiences. For example, In the digital age, the "place" and "promotion" factors are as much online as offline. Specifically, where a product appears on a company's web page or social media, as well as which types of search functions will trigger targeted ads for the product.

The Swedish vodka brand Absolut sold only 10,000 cases of its vodka in 1980. By 2000, the company had sold 4.5 million cases, thanks in part to its iconic advertising campaign. The images in the campaign featured the brand's signature bottle styled as a range of surreal images: a bottle with a halo, a bottle made of stone, or a bottle in the shape of the trees standing on a ski slope. To date, the Absolut campaign is one of the longest-running continuous campaigns of all time, from 1981 to 2005.

The four Ps provide a framework on which to build your marketing strategy. Think through each factor. And don't worry when the factors overlap. That's inevitable.

First, analyze the product you will be marketing. What are the characteristics that make it appealing? Consider similar products that are already on the market. Your product may be tougher, easier to use, more attractive, or longer-lasting. Its ingredients might be environmentally friendly or naturally sourced. Identify the qualities that will make it appealing to your target consumers.

Think through the appropriate price for the product. It's not simply the cost of production plus a profit margin. You may be positioning it as a premium or luxury product or as a bare-bones, lower-priced alternative.

Placement involves identifying the type of store, online and off, that stocks products like yours for consumers like yours.

Promotion can only be considered in the context of your target consumer. The product might be appealing to a hip younger crowd or to upscale professionals or to bargain hunters. Your media strategy needs to reach the right audience with the right message.

When Did the 4 Ps Become the 7 Ps?

The focus on the four Ps—product, price, place, and promotion—has been a core tenet of marketing since the 1950s. Three newer Ps expand the marketing mix for the 21st century.

• People places the focus on the personalities who represent the product. In the current era, that means not only sales and customer service employees but social media influencers and viral media campaigns.
• Process is logistics. Consumers increasingly demand fast and efficient delivery of the things they want, when they want them.
• Physical evidence is perhaps the most thoroughly modern of the seven Ps. If you're selling diamond jewelry on a website, it must be immediately clear to the consumer that you are a legitimate established business that will deliver as promised. A professionally designed website with excellent functionality, an "About" section that lists the principals of the company and its physical address, professional packaging, and efficient delivery service are all critical to convincing the consumer that your product is not only good, it's real.

What Are Some Examples of the 4 Ps of Marketing?

• Place refers to where consumers buy your product, or where they discover it. Today's consumers may learn about products and buy them online, through a smartphone app, at retail locations, or through a sales professional.
• Price refers to the cost of the product or service. Properly determining product price includes an analysis of the competition, the demand, production costs, and what consumers are willing to spend. Various pricing models may be considering, such as choosing between one-time purchase and subscription models.
• The product a company provides depends on the type of company and what they do best. For example, McDonald's provides consistent fast food in a casual setting. They may expand their offerings, but they wouldn't stray far from their core identity.
• Promotion refers to specific and thoughtful advertising that reaches the target market for the product. A company might use an Instagram campaign, a public relations campaign, advertising placement, an email campaign , or some combination of all of these to reach the right audience in the right place.

How Do You Use the 4 Ps of Marketing?

The model of the 4Ps can be used when you are planning a new product launch, evaluating an existing product, or trying to optimize the sales of an existing product.

A careful analysis of these four factors—product, price, place, and promotion—helps a marketing professional devise a strategy that successfully introduces or reintroduces a product to the public.

The four Ps of marketing—product, price, place, promotion—are often referred to as the marketing mix. These are the key elements involved in planning and marketing a product or service, and they interact significantly with each other. Considering all of these elements is one way to approach a holistic marketing strategy .

Neil Borden. " The Concept of the Marketing Mix ."

E. Jerome McCarthy. "Basic Marketing: A Managerial Approach." Richard D. Irwin, Inc., 1960.

Apple. " Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited) Q4 2022 ," Page 1.

Apple Insider. " At 2 Billion iPhones Sold, Apple Continues to Redefine What Customers Want ."

Harvard Business School: Technology and Operations Management. " UNIQLO: What’s Behind the Low-Cost High-Quality Casual Wear? "

Smart Insights. " Campaign of the Week: The Longest Running Print Ad Marketing Campaign in History ."

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What Are the 4 Ps of Marketing? The Marketing Mix Explained [Example]

Published: October 03, 2023

If you've been a marketing professional for years now, learning about the four Ps of marketing might seem like a throwback to you.

However, for those of us who work in the industry but didn't study marketing in college, it's entirely possible you haven't heard of the marketing mix.

Below, let's learn about the four Ps of marketing and how they're still relevant in today's marketing landscape.

What are the 4 Ps of marketing?

The four Ps of marketing are product, price, place, and promotion. These are the key factors that are involved in marketing a product or service. You take the four Ps into account when creating strategies for marketing, promoting, advertising, and positioning your product or brand.

The four Ps are meant to help marketers consider everything about a product or service when they're deciding how to market it for their business. Framing your marketing around the four Ps will help you learn what the competition is doing and what customers want from you.

How to Use the 4 Ps of Marketing

You can use the four Ps to answer questions about the product, price, place, and promotion of your product or service.

For example, you can ask yourself:

• Product : How does your product meet your customer's needs? What problem(s) does it solve? What unique value or features does it offer?
• Price : What is the value of your product? What are my competitors charging?
• Place : Where are customers looking for your product?
• Promotion : How can you differentiate your product from competitors? Where can you reach your audience?

Always consider the needs and preferences of your target audience. Ultimately, your product, its price, its place of distribution, and its promotional strategies should appeal to your customers the most.

Thinking about your marketing in terms of the four Ps will help you strategize how to reach your customers. The 4 Ps of Marketing are also known as your marketing mix — more on that below.

What is the marketing mix?

The marketing mix is also known as the four Ps of marketing. It refers to the four key elements of a marketing strategy: product, price, place, and promotion. These elements guide the marketing initiatives, wording, and positioning for a product or brand.

Free Marketing Mix Templates

Map out your marketing mix with these free templates

You're all set!

Click this link to access this resource at any time.

To develop a marketing mix, you'll need to think about how you can uniquely position your brand amongst the competition. The most important part of thinking about the marketing mix — or the four Ps of marketing — is to understand the customer, the competition, and your company. You'll evaluate your product and how to promote it.

But getting started isn’t easy. That’s why we’ve created the ultimate collection of marketing mix templates you can use to visualize your marketing mix and share it with your employees or investors. Use the templates to organize your initiatives and activities by the right section.

Featured Resource: Marketing Mix Templates

Click here to download the templates for free .

Use the template to follow along with the 4 Ps of marketing below.

The 4 Ps of Marketing (Example)

1. the first p of marketing: product.

When you think about your product, consider exactly what you're selling. Is it a specific product? Or is it a service? Your product can be a physical product, an online app, or a service such as house cleaning. Really, anything that you're selling is the product.

Then, think of your brand messaging, the services you offer, and even packaging. When you define your product, think about what problem your product solves for your customers. Consider how your product is different from competing products. What features are unique to your product?

It's important to know your product intimately so you can market it.

Product Example

We’ll use Marketing Hub as an example.

What is it? “Marketing automation software to help you attract the right audience, convert more visitors into customers, and run complete inbound marketing campaigns at scale — all on one powerful, easy-to-use platform.”

Who is it for? Modern marketers who juggle too much data and who are stuck with impossible-to-use software solutions that make their job harder, not easier.

Which features does it have? Marketing Hub offers blogging, SEO, social media management, email marketing, and ad tracking tools in a single, intuitive platform.

What problem does it solve? Marketing Hub simplifies the marketing automation process for busy marketers by bringing all data and tools under one roof.

2. The Second P of Marketing: Price

When it comes to price, you have to consider how much you're going to charge customers for your products or services. Of course, you need to make a profit.

When coming up with your pricing strategy , you also need to think about what competitors are charging for the same product or service and how much customers are willing to pay. You can also think about what discounts or offers you can use in your marketing.

When you decide on a price, you want to think about perception. Do you want to be known as a cost-effective option in your industry? Or perhaps you're a luxury brand and the price is slightly higher than competition on the market. Keep in mind that pricing SaaS products is a little different than pricing physical products.

Either way, the language you use to market your product will be greatly impacted by the price of your product.

Download a sales pricing calculator for free .

Price Example

Marketing Hub is priced to grow with you as you grow.

We offer the following subscription tiers:

• $0/month (Free)
• $45/month (Starter)
• $800/month (Professional)
• $3,200/month (Enterprise)

3. The Third P of Marketing: Place

When it comes to place, this might mean the physical location of your company, but it could also be defined as anywhere you sell your product, which might be online.

The place is where you market and distribute your product.

Remember that not every place makes sense for every product. For example, if your target market is seniors, then it won't make sense to market on TikTok. It's important to choose the right places to market your product and meet your customers where they're at.

Think about possible distribution channels and outlets you could use to sell your product. Be sure to take into account whether your business is B2B or B2C .

At this point, you'll need to think about how to market your product on all the various channels that make sense for your company.

Place Example

As a provider of a SaaS product, we offer Marketing Hub directly on our website.

Marketers can sign up for Marketing Hub by creating an account directly on our platform. We’ve created a convenient sign-up page for free subscriptions — or they can request a demo from our friendly sales team.

4. The Fourth P of Marketing: Promotion

Promotion is the bread and butter of marketing. This is when you'll think about how to publicize and advertise your product.

Additionally, you'll discuss brand messaging, brand awareness, and lead generation strategies .

When it comes to promotion, keeping communication in mind is of the utmost importance. What messages will resonate with your target market? How can you best promote your product to them?

Think about where, when, and how you'll promote your brand.

Promotion Example

We want to be where marketers are. Most importantly, we want to help them grow in their careers — as well as grow their businesses.

Our inbound marketing strategy will focus primarily on organic acquisition. We’ll promote Marketing Hub over the following channels:

• The HubSpot Marketing Blog
• HubSpot Academy

The 4 Ps of Marketing Examples: Apple and e.l.f. Cosmetics

Let's break down the 4 Ps of marketing for Apple and e.l.f. Cosmetics.

( Image Source )

• Product: iPhones, Macs, iPads, Apple Watch, AirPods, Software, and Services (i.e., Apple Music, Apple TV, iTunes, etc.).
• Price: Apple products are often priced at the higher end of the market. The brand commands premium pricing due to its reputation for innovation, quality, and design.
• Place: Consumers can purchase products online and in retail stores. Apple products are sold worldwide and have a significant global market presence.
• Promotion: Apple places a strong emphasis on cultivating a dedicated and loyal consumer base. Their marketing campaigns reinforce the idea of being part of an "Apple ecosystem." Once users buy one product — like an iPhone – they're more likely to choose other Apple products like MacBooks, iPads, Apple Watches, and more. This ecosystem fosters a deep brand loyalty. This sense of loyalty is evident in their product launches, which are a must-see event in the tech industry.

e.l.f. Cosmetics

• Product: e.l.f. offers a comprehensive range of makeup and skincare products, brushes, and beauty tools.
• Price: One of e.l.f.'s main value propositions is its affordability. Many of their products have a low price point, making the brand accessible to a wide range of consumers. Its lower price point sets it apart from other brands in the beauty space.
• Place: e.l.f. products are widely available in drugstores and big-box retailers like Target and Walmart. It also has a a strong online presence, selling products directly through their website and other online retailers.
• Promotion: As a challenger brand in the beauty space, e.l.f. seeks to establish itself as a recognizable and reliable option at the drugstore and beyond. The brand is proactive across social media, including TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, to engage with younger demographics. In addition, their campaigns often involve user-generated content to foster a sense of community with their audience. 

Back to You

Even though marketing has changed since the four Ps were developed, the foundational elements of the industry haven't. You can apply the concepts of the marketing mix to create winning marketing strategies that help you profitably launch and promote your company’s products.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in October 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

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Organize your product, price, place, and promotion initiatives in a simple, single template.

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The 4 P’s of Marketing Mix and how to master it in today's world (updated with example and template)

This article addresses how to use one of the oldest marketing concepts in today's online world: "The Marketing Mix," which is based on the 4 P's: Product, Price, Place and Promotion.

If you’re ready to take your marketing seriously, you’ll need to start with a marketing plan. A classic marketing concept called “The Marketing Mix” or “The 4 P’s” of Marketing is a perfect place to start.

The original concept of the 4 P's marketing mix

The original marketing mix, or 4 P's, as originally proposed by marketer and academic Jerome E. McCarthy , provides a framework for marketing decision-making. Effectively summing up the 4 pillars of the business cycle, McCarthy's marketing mix has since become one of the most enduring and widely accepted frameworks in business.

The essential base ingredients of the 4 P’s are: Product , Price , Place and Promotion . While this combination doesn’t appear to be rocket science, a company’s ability or lack thereof to embrace and implement the 4 P’s can make all the difference between thriving and failing as a business.

Each of the 4 P’s build upon and interact with one another, and are governed by both internal and external factors within the business itself, and our ever-changing marketplace. The 4 P’s of marketing primary purpose is to help us take into consideration potential roadblocks to widespread product adaptation and ongoing success.

So let’s get to them, shall we?

4 P's of marketing in simple and familiar terms:

A PRODUCT is a service or good offered to meet consumer interest or demand. It could come in the form of occupational therapy or a fidget spinner - choices are only limited to the imagination, BUT, are highly dependent on marketplace curiosity or need.

PRICE is the cost people pay for a product. This includes base costs (materials, manufacturing, and shipping) plus expenses (rent, office supplies, healthcare, etc.). While you should always look to the competition, a smart business will tap into what people will actually pay for it. That's the only thing that counts. If you can't rise above your bottom line and make your target profit, then it’s a losing proposition.

PLACE is the “home” where the product resides, and that “home” can live in many different channels, such as a physical store display, a newspaper, radio or TV ad, or a website or blog spotlight. Really, a place is anywhere you can get your product in front of your target customers that compliments your budget, including the price point.

PROMOTION is product exposure and public relations efforts via advertising (through the channels mentioned above) as well as word of mouth, direct mail, email marketing and social media. Promotion is a communication tool that encapsulates the first 3 P’s by putting the right product in the right place, at the right price, at the right time, with the goal of it being irresistible to customers.

The 4 P's example and template for a service business

The Marketing Mix of “HVAC Plumber” reflects a real life example of how a service company covers the 4 P’s (Product, Price, Place, Promotion) in their marketing strategy.

“HVAC plumber” (a fictitious company) provides heating and cooling services in the Chicago Metropolitan Area.

HVAC Plumber marketing mix elements strategy and example:

HVAC Plumber offers industry standard services, but also innovates to provide more value to our customers and captures more of the market. We are insured, licensed and provide warranties for our work. Our high quality services and focus on a pleasant customer experience helps us get repeat clients, referrals, and builds our reputation. Also, our motto is: “Leave the place cleaner than we found it” - so you’ll always see us with a broom in our hands before we leave.

At present, the following are the main categories of HVAC Plumber products:

• Furnace installation and repair
• Water heater maintenance, installation and repair
• Air conditioning installation, maintenance and repair
• Complete plumbing system design and installation
• Drain, sink and toilet unclogging and jet rodding and repairs

Our extra value added products:

• Emergency services
• Indoor air quality testing services
• Air duct and dryer vent cleaning services
• Warranty services
• Equipment sales

Our reputation and successful marketing generates more demand than we can handle, so it allows us to charge premium for our services. We train our service technicians to upsell our other services. We also have a customer loyalty program in place to reward our long-term clients with better rates and provide coupons to first time clients. We also seek partnerships with organizations such as: homeowner associations, insurance companies, builders and general contractors, and offer exclusive pricing options based on quantity.

The company has offices in downtown Chicago, but walk-in customers are unusual. We are physically represented by our company vans, uniforms and warranty stickers. We consistently attend industry trade shows, and belong to the Chicago Chamber of Commerce.

We nurture partnerships with our equipment vendors, participate in their trainings, and have certifications, which allow us to be listed “licensed technicians” on their websites. We serve the Chicagoland Area, which is about a 30 mile radius from our warehouse, but we do make travel exceptions for long-term clients and bigger projects.

Our company website is the most important communication tool, and is a place where our clients learn about our services and make initial contact. We invest a great deal of money and time to keep it updated and useful to our audience. We plan to expand our website to include ecommerce and make some of the package services, equipment and accessories available for purchase online. None of our competitors are doing this at the moment, so we’ll take advantage of being pioneers in this regard.

Most new business comes through our website and we focus all of our promotion efforts to drive more traffic to it. Our promotional mix is as follows:

• Search engine optimization
• Paid traffic
• Social media marketing
• Content marketing
• Email marketing

Our value proposition statement

HVAC Plumber is an industry-leading HVAC and plumbing service provider serving the Chicago area since 1999. We specialize in new installations, repairs, and 24 hour emergency services.

Start with 4 P's of marketing template

Check out our 4 P's of marketing template to help you work through your first few ideas.

But why stop there?

The 7 P’s of marketing mix

Since the inception of the original 4 P’s of marketing, marketing experts have expounded upon the mix to include three additional P’s to enhance brand exposure and sales performance.

These additional P’s include: People , Process and Physical evidence .

PEOPLE have always been at the epicenter of the business world. Whether it’s the company visionaries, the movers and shakers, or the daily doers, unless (or until) commerce is fully automated, you’re only as good as the people who keep the business operational and flowing. And believe you me, customers are quick to notice when there’s a glitch in the matrix.

PROCESSES ensure consistent service delivery to every customer, at any time of day, on any given day. And, a successful business incorporates scenarios where customer preferences can be accommodated to provide them a unique experience.

PHYSICAL EVIDENCE – Almost all services include physical proof of a transaction, even if the bulk of what the consumer bought isn’t tangible. It’s something the customer can hold onto and recall about working with you. Physical evidence also describes consistent branding across communication channels.

How can you actually use this?

How the 4 P’s apply in today’s online marketing

The how’s and why’s of how we approach marketing have become much more dynamic since the inception of the internet. However, the driving factor is still and should always remain: PEOPLE. Actually, it’s more about people than ever before. Having an honest marketing approach has never been more important and is both emotionally and financially rewarding if you do it right.

PRODUCT and how it lives online versus the shelf

It seems like not much has changed as far as the product or services goes, right? Wrong. No matter what type of product you offer, the landscape shifted majorly to the consumer benefit. The majority of customers now prefer to shop online, and perform in-depth research before making their buying decisions.

Besides the original, product-related marketing factors such as: product quality and design, branding, packaging, returns and guarantees, in your marketing plan, you should also consider NEW factors.

User-centric customer support - your product now has a digital voice. And it must talk to your audience and be both personalized and timely. Not only across all the common channels such as phone or email, but also should be proactively involved in social media. Resource: Social media customer service 101: the beginner's guide

New PRICING models to consider

Pricing your product or service is never an easy task. It sure helps if you can find a unique product positioning on the market, otherwise you fall into price comparison wars with your competition. And, to compare prices has never been easier than today. The original Marketing Mix suggests considering pricing strategy and tactics, discount structure, payment terms and options for both customers and distributors.

Competition pricing research - this is an in-depth review of the pricing models of your direct competitors. In comparing products, you should focus worldwide. With local services, of course, should compare within your own service area. Remember that you don’t have to anchor your pricing based on competition, but it helps to know the market.

Shipping and handling strategy - it’s not an obvious, but very important factor in online sales conversions no matter the item price. Offering free shipping is one of the most effective purchase incentives. Resource: How to offer free shipping and still make money

"9 out of 10 online shoppers consider free shipping as one of the main reasons why they shop at a particular online store. To offer free shipping is not a new thing, thanks to Amazon it became essential running an online store. The main question now is how to make it profitable. It looks impossible, but with the right approach - offering it most, not all, of the time, setting a flat shipping or order threshold, it is possible."

Diana Bukevicius - Scube Marketing

Product positioning - I know I’m repeating myself, but I have to. Positioning is strongly engraved into each pillar of The Marketing Mix. As far as pricing goes, having strong niche positioning eliminates the number of competitors that your product or service can be compared with and it opens up an opportunity to go for value pricing . Resource: Everything you need to know about pricing

Upsell strategy - this is an underestimated source of cash flow. It’s always easier to sell to the people that already bought something from you and were happy with the product. It can be an additional items or warranties, maintenance or a product upgrade.

PLACE for marketing is now on the mobile screens

Back in the 1940’s “place” was all about brick and mortar. Location, distribution, and logistics are still part of the process, but it heavily shifted from the marketing department to operations. No doubt you’ll boost sales if your product gets featured in physical Walmart stores, but you also can sell at Walmart Marketplace online with way less effort for the approval process. Same goes for Amazon. Online selling has undoubtedly taken over as the place to peddle your wares. Resource: How to sell on Walmart marketplace in 7 easy steps

Website - this is by far your most important marketing piece. It’s your 24/7 storefront and your sales rep that never sleeps. Any marketing efforts that you take will end up on your website. I mentioned 3rd party sources like Walmart Marketplace or Amazon, but I still highly recommend you focus on your own website first and use other sources as secondary. Why? Because you own it and you control it.

Any 3rd party retailer could change their policies tomorrow and you might be out of business. Plus, websites grow more powerful over time if supported by thoughtful and consistent marketing decisions. When you build your website, the decisions on design, structure and content should be made based on your promotional strategies.

3rd party platforms - Your audience is on or a few of these platforms already. Identify those platforms and utilize them. It can take the form of direct eCommerce platforms like Amazon, or it can be social channels like LinkedIn or Facebook etc.

PROMOTION is in your inbox

Search engine optimization (SEO), social media, email marketing and paid search. I hear that Super Bowl ads are worth their weight in gold, but if you can afford a Superbowl ad, you are on the wrong blog!

Jokes aside, make sure your marketing strategy is built around driving traffic to your website and converting it to leads or sales.

Traffic generation - getting targeted visitors to come to your website is the ultimate #1 goal. There are numerous ways you can achieve that, and they’re all worth considering:

Search engine optimization (SEO) - is the practice driving traffic to your website through organic search engine results by optimizing (making relevant) your website for targeted keyphrases. SEO is an ongoing process that requires patience and consistent efforts.

Paid search - in other words - “bought traffic.” Platforms like Google AdWords, Bing Ads or Facebook Ads allows you to buy highly targeted traffic in an auction-type of fashion. It’s typically based on “per click” pricing, where each visitors cost you x amount of dollars.

Social media marketing - is the process of gaining traffic or attention through social media sites. If you sell to people then it’s a great idea to invest time and effort (and sometimes money) into one or several social media sites. That’s where the people hang-out these days. Resource: Welcome to the beginner's guide to social media!

Email marketing - is the modern equivalent of oldschool direct mail, I believe. Even if one more email in our inbox is the last thing we want or need - email is still one of the best performing marketing tools. Resource: A beginner’s guide to successful email marketing Resource: A comprehensive guide to email marketing platforms

Conversion rate optimization - converting website visitors into leads is the ultimate goal #2 to achieve. Firstly, to be able to calculate conversions you need to have Google Analytics or other tracking system integrated to your website. Conversion rate optimization are an ongoing process where you optimize your website and measure the outcome looking for the optimal version of each page. Resource: Conversion optimization made simple: a step-by-step guide Resource: Learn Google Analytics with free online courses

2 extra P’s from Angle180

The team at Angle180 takes the “4 P's of marketing (Plus 3)” two steps further, to include Positioning and Positive Reviews.

Positioning - again and again. Positioning is a fundamental piece of your marketing plan and your overall business success. Essentially, if you answer all the questions related to each P you’ll arrive to your business positioning statement.

Positioning is how you differentiate your product or service from your competitors in your niche market.

A good positioning statement is the first thing people read when they visit your website. Typically, it’s a 7-10 word sentence on your Home Page that succinctly answers:

There’s a science behind positioning, and it’s wise to research how others in your field describe themselves.

Positive reviews - positive online reviews are pretty self explanatory, but I recommend creating a strategy for collecting positive reviews, as well as dealing with negative ones.

Unfortunately, it’s human nature to take positive experiences for granted and feel revengeful about the negative ones.

Reviews definitely affect local search rankings and customer buying decisions.

Local consumer review survey by BrightLocal reveals the importance of reviews:

97% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses in 2017

85% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations

49% of consumers need at least a four-star rating before they choose to use a business

Responding to reviews is more important than ever, with 30% naming this as key when judging local businesses

4 P's of Marketing Mix in a slideshow presentation (PPT) and downloadable PDF

Here is a PDF version of 4 P's of marketing presentation.

Our conclusion? The original 4 P’s of the marketing mix withstand the test of time

There is one common trait to all classic things - they never get old or obsolete. So, even with all the changes that technology has brought us, the 80 year concept of The 4 P’s of marketing mix are still relevant and applicable today. Marketing platforms and tools have certainly changed, but the foundation is rock solid. And, let’s hope it always remains personalized and people-driven.

I'm Sarunas Budrikas, CEO of Angle180, a B2B marketing company delivering results through high performance web design and traffic generation.

You can also find me on LinkedIn and Twitter .

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Article • 9 min read

The Marketing Mix and the 4Ps of Marketing

Understanding how to position your market offering.

By the Mind Tools Content Team

Marketing is all about putting the right product in the right place, at the right price, at the right time.

Sounds simple! You just need to create a product that a particular group of people want, put it on sale some place that those same people visit regularly, and price it at a level which matches the value they feel they get out of it; and do all that at a time they want to buy.

To achieve this effectively, however, a lot of hard work needs to go into finding out what customers want, and identifying where they do their shopping. Then you need to figure out how to produce the item at a price that represents value to them, and get it all to come together at the critical time.

But if you get just one element wrong, it can spell disaster. You could be left promoting a car with amazing fuel economy in a country where fuel is very cheap, or publishing a textbook after the start of the new school year, or selling an item at a price that's too high – or too low – to attract the people you're targeting.

The marketing mix and the 4Ps of marketing are great tools can help you to avoid these kinds of mistakes. In this article and in the video, below, we'll discover more about how you can use them to develop a successful marketing strategy.

What Are the 4Ps of Marketing?

The 4Ps of marketing is a model for enhancing the components of your "marketing mix" – the way in which you take a new product or service to market. It helps you to define your marketing options in terms of price, product, promotion, and place so that your offering meets a specific customer need or demand.

The marketing mix and the 4Ps of marketing are often used as synonyms for one another. In fact, they are not necessarily the same thing.

"Marketing mix" is a general phrase used to describe the different kinds of choices organizations have to make during the process of bringing a product or service to market. The 4Ps is one way – probably the best-known way – of defining the marketing mix, and was first expressed in 1960 by E. J. McCarthy in his book, "Basic Marketing – A Managerial Approach." [1]

The 4Ps are:

• Product (or Service).

A good way to understand the 4Ps is by the questions that you need to ask to define your marketing mix. Here are some questions that will help you understand and define each of the four elements:

Product/Service

• What does the customer want from the product /service? What needs does it satisfy?
• What features does it have to meet these needs? Are there any features you've missed out? Are you including costly features that the customer won't actually use?
• How and where will the customer use it?
• What does it look like? How will customers experience it?
• What size(s), color(s), and so on, should it be?
• What is it to be called?
• How is it branded?
• How is it different from products by your competitors?
• What is the most it can cost to provide and still be sold sufficiently profitably? (See also Price, below.)
• Where do buyers look for your product or service?
• If they look in a store, what kind? A specialist boutique or in a supermarket, or both? Online? Or direct, via a catalog?
• How can you access the right distribution channels?
• Do you need to use a sales force? Or attend trade fairs? Or make online submissions? Or send samples to catalog companies?
• What do your competitors do, and how can you learn from that and/or differentiate?
• What is the value of the product or service to the buyer?
• Are there established price points for products or services in this area?
• Is the customer price sensitive? Will a small decrease in price gain you extra market share? Or will a small increase be indiscernible, and so gain you extra profit margin?
• What discounts should be offered to trade customers, or to other specific segments of your market?
• How will your price compare with your competitors?
• Where and when can you get your marketing messages across to your target market?
• Will you reach your audience by advertising online, in the press, on TV, on radio, or on billboards? By using direct marketing mailshots? Through PR? On the internet?
• When is the best time to promote? Is there seasonality in the market? Are there any wider environmental issues that suggest or dictate the timing of your market launch or subsequent promotions?
• How do your competitors do their promotions? And how does that influence your choice of promotional activity?

As the four Ps all need to be considered in relation to one another, it doesn't really matter in what order you define them. This is why you may find them quoted in a different order from the one used above. In particular, they're often referred to in the order "place, price, product, promotion."

Alternative Marketing Models

The 4Ps of marketing is just one of many lists that have been developed over the years. And, whilst the questions we have listed above are key, they are just a subset of the detailed probing that may be required to optimize your marketing mix.

Amongst the other models that have been developed over the years is Boom and Bitner's 7Ps, sometimes called the extended marketing mix, which include the first 4Ps, plus people, processes and physical layout decisions.

Another approach is Lauterborn's 4Cs, which presents the elements of the marketing mix from the buyer's, rather than the seller's, perspective. It is made up of:

• Customer needs and wants (the equivalent of product).
• Cost (price).
• Convenience (place).
• Communication (promotion).

In this article, we focus on the 4Ps model as it is the most well-recognized, and contains the core elements of a good marketing mix.

Using the 4Ps of Marketing

The model can be used to help you to decide how to take a new offer to market. It can also be used to test your existing marketing strategy . Whether you are considering a new or existing offer, follow the steps below to help you to define and improve your marketing mix.

1. Start by identifying the product or service that you want to analyze.

2. Now go through and answer the 4Ps questions – as defined in detail above.

3. Try asking "why" and "what if" questions too, to challenge your offer. For example, ask why your target audience needs a particular feature. What if you drop your price by 5 percent? What if you offer more colors? Why sell through wholesalers rather than direct channels? What if you improve PR rather than rely on online advertising?

Check through your answers to make sure that they are based on sound knowledge and facts. If there are doubts about your assumptions , identify any market research , or facts and figures that you may need to gather.

4. Once you have a well-defined marketing mix, try "testing" the overall offer from the customer's perspective, by asking customer focused questions:Does it meet their needs? (Product.) Will they find it where they shop? (Place.) Will they think that it's priced favorably? (Price.) Will the marketing communications reach them? (Promotion.)

5. Keep on asking questions and making changes to your mix until you are satisfied that you have optimized your marketing mix, given the information and facts and figures you have available.

6. Review your marketing mix regularly, as some elements will need to change as the product or service and its market grow, mature and adapt in an ever-changing competitive environment.

The marketing mix helps you define the marketing elements for successfully positioning your market offer.

One of the best-known models is the 4Ps of Marketing, which helps you define your marketing options in terms of:

Use the model when you are planning a new venture, or evaluating an existing offer, to optimize the impact with your target market.

[1] McCarthy, E.J. (1960.) 'Basic Marketing - A Managerial Approach.' R.D. Irwin. Available here .

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The marketing mix and 4 Ps of marketing

You need a solid marketing strategy before launching a new product or service, but it can be difficult to know where to begin. Even if you’ve had success before, the marketing landscape is constantly changing, so what worked yesterday may not work today.

The marketing mix, also known as the 4 Ps of marketing, can guide you in the right direction. These foundational strategies can help you create and implement a marketing plan for any product or service. Then you can get busy finding the right tools to implement your strategy.

To give you a quick rundown on the marketing mix and 4 Ps of marketing, this post will cover:

• What the marketing mix is

The 4 Ps of the marketing mix

Additional marketing mix concepts.

• How to use the marketing mix for your strategies

What is the marketing mix?

A marketing mix is a diverse set of tools, strategies, and methodologies used to reach an audience for the purpose of selling products or services. It begins with the 4Ps of marketing — product, price, placement, and promotion — and focuses on different marketing messages, advertising platforms, and promotional campaigns to target specific customers.

Rather than just moving in a single direction, the marketing mix covers a wide range of options. It helps map out a clear plan for the entire lifecycle of a product so you can make more strategic decisions along the way. When you diversify your efforts, you also reach a broader audience.

Businesses use the marketing mix to define what the product is about and who it is for, price it accordingly, develop the brand message for a specific audience, and determine where to sell and promote the product.

The 4 Ps of marketing were first introduced in the 1950s by Professor Neil Bordon at Harvard Business School in his article "The Concept of the Marketing Mix." He got the idea from a marketing bulletin written by a peer, Professor James Culliton, in 1948. In his piece, Professor Culliton compared a marketing executive to a chef mixing ingredients and creating recipes for success that others could follow. Borden liked the idea so much he coined the phrase "marketing mix" and started using it in his lectures and in publications.

Although marketing has changed a lot since the 1950s, the 4 Ps of marketing remain a staple used by marketing professionals for planning and developing a marketing strategy.

The 4 Ps of marketing are product, price, place, and promotion. Different marketers may focus more on one or two of the Ps, depending on the product or service and the situation. You can take different approaches for your marketing mix.

Marketing teams use the 4 Ps as a framework to help view their product through the eyes of the customer. Once you understand who your customers are and what they are willing to pay, you can price your product competitively and sell it where your customers want to buy it. The marketing mix helps you delve more deeply into the specifics.

First, clearly define your product — explain what it does, how it works, who it is for, and what its benefits are. Keep in mind how your competition frames similar products. You want to stand out from the crowd.

Price is an integral part of the equation. Determine how much it will cost, explain why you priced it that way, and understand which audiences can afford it. For example, you may want to set yourself apart by pricing your product well below the competition, or if you are marketing to a luxury audience, you may want to price it higher and sell it in high-end stores.

Place refers to the point of sale. Ask yourself why you are selling in your chosen location and how it benefits you or the customer. Some products and services are a natural fit for ecommerce while others work best in stores. Sometimes a mixed model works best. Often, customers will expect to find your products in a particular location.

Promotion refers to all the activities you use to inform customers of your product and inspire them to buy it. It includes advertising, content marketing, email campaigns, social media marketing, and more. Promotion refers to how and where you will advertise your products or services.

https://main--bacom-blog--adobecom.hlx.page/blog/fragments/learn-about-four-ps-of-marketing

The idea of a marketing mix is not set in stone. It is an evolving concept that will continue to update as the market for goods and services changes over time. As a result, some marketing experts have already expanded the 4 Ps to include additional facets of business, while others have changed the focus entirely.

Although the classic 4 Ps of marketing is a helpful tool, there are other marketing mix concepts you might want to consider as well.

The 4 Ps marketing mix applies specifically to products. As more companies started selling services, additional Ps were added to increase the flexibility for marketing services. The three other cornerstones of the 7 Ps are:

• People and participants who represent your brand matter. Consider your employees' appearance, behavior, and training. Since customers respond to employees as extensions of your brand, recruitment, staff development, and training are all part of the marketing mix too.
• Processes — such as how orders are fulfilled, who buyers can contact with sales questions, and whether the product can be customized — are all part of the customer experience. Many professionals include consideration of processes as part of their marketing mixes.
• Physical evidence includes packaging, store layout, colors, fonts, and signage. These are all branded elements that are bigger than a specific product or service, but they all impact how a product is positioned.

Some marketing professionals add an eighth P to the list. Partners refers to business relationships and logistics, such as business associates delivering goods or services to customers. This approach covers everything about the product from start to finish.

The ninth P is passion , which factors in the seller's enthusiasm for the product. For example, if a wireless store employee loves the new cell phone they are selling, it makes it much easier for them to promote it. Their passion may inspire customers to buy.

If you sell digital goods or services, you can use the 4 Cs approach to marketing. The 4 Cs are a rebrand of the 4 Ps for a digital marketplace. The 4 Cs are:

• Customer. This considers the customer's wants and needs and how your product fulfills them. It’s about solving a specific pain point in the customer's life.
• Cost. This isn’t just the price of your product but also the related or intangible costs associated with buying it. For example, if your software requires custom coding to integrate it with existing systems, the resources that a client may have to spend connecting platforms is part of the cost as well.
• Convenience. This is about knowing all your audience’s preferences and making the product easy for them to buy. For example, some audiences prefer one-time purchasing while others like subscriptions.
• Communication. Unlike promotion, which is a one-way conversation, communication is how you engage with your customers long term to extend lifetime value and turn them into advocates. Listening to your customers as well as marketing to them builds brand trust and community.

Regardless of which marketing mix you choose for your next campaign, starting with a clear structure will help you create an effective marketing strategy for any product, service, or digital offering.

How to use the marketing mix to construct a marketing strategy

A marketing mix is essential for your short- and long-term plans. It provides the road map and helps guide your market research to target the right audience for your product or service. A good marketing mix also strengthens your brand identity and allows you the flexibility to respond quickly to buyer behavior.

Why you need to improve your marketing plan

Any marketing mix can be the foundation for your strategy. The more factors you consider, the stronger your marketing plan will be. It's essential to learn how to build a content marketing strategy using the right marketing mix for your company.

1. Learn what your customers need

The first step is to research what your audiences need. A couple effective ways to accomplish this include:

• Surveys. Post surveys on social media or recruit individuals to answer questions about their potential interest in a product or service. Be sure to gather demographic information to get a good idea of who needs your product. Ask specific questions about their interest and use of the product — the more detail, the better.
• Existing customer data. Organize data from previous sales and service interactions to create customer profiles. Depending on how much information you collect with each sale, you may have massive amounts of valuable data to pull from.

2. Apply insights to the marketing mix

After gathering your data, analyze responses and insights by applying them to the 4 Ps. Ask yourself these questions:

• Does your product meet their needs and if not — why?
• Does the price provide value to the customer? Do they think it's worth it?
• Where and how did they learn about your product?
• How are they purchasing your product?

3. Adjust your strategy

Now you can adjust your marketing strategy based on the feedback you received. For example, you may need to lower the price, offer your product through other retailers, or sell it online to make it more accessible for your buyers.

Get started with a marketing mix

The specifics of a marketing mix can be expanded and adjusted to best suit your industry, commerce model, and audience. But whether you use four Ps or nine, the structure of the marketing mix has been an effective tool for decades.

Start mapping your next marketing campaign over the first four Ps or Cs. You’ll soon know if your unique niche or product requires additional Ps.

Adobe Marketing Cloud can help manage content, personalize messaging, execute marketing campaigns, and engage more deeply with your customers to turn browsers into buyers for B2C and B2B audiences. Check out a demo video to learn how Adobe Campaign can help organize customer data into an engaging marketing campaign.

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• Marketing |
• 4 P's of marketing: How to achieve the ...

4 P's of marketing: How to achieve the perfect marketing mix

The 4 P’s of marketing are price, promotion, place, and product—the four key factors every marketer should use to guide their campaign strategy. Our guide covers the 4 P’s of marketing and gives a breakdown of each step involved.

The 4 P's approach works for any industry, and can be applied to any business, from solopreneurs to enterprise organizations. In our guide, we'll cover what the 4 P’s of marketing are, then break down exactly how to incorporate them in your next marketing campaign.

What are the 4 P’s of marketing?

The 4 P's stand for product, price, place, and promotion, the four primary factors that marketers need to consider when designing a campaign strategy.

A marketing strategy should:

Communicate what the product will provide the customer

Demonstrate why the product's value fits its price

Appear in the places the company's target audience will encounter them

Use effective promotion strategies to reach potential customers

Keep these four objectives in mind as you craft your marketing strategy. The 4 P's should influence your product positioning, marketing channel selection, advertising decisions, promotional strategy, and copy choices throughout the campaign.

How do the 4 P’s work?

Knowing what the 4 P’s are isn't very helpful unless you also know how to implement them in your marketing strategy . Below, we'll break down each P to help you better understand what they are, why they're important to your marketing efforts, and how you can incorporate them into future campaigns.

The first P: Product

In the marketing mix, "product" is shorthand for whatever it is that you're selling, whether it's a physical product or a service. A strong marketing campaign starts with a clear and detailed understanding of the product and how it appeals to the target customer.

For example, a car advertisement that only highlights details like what the car looks like and how much it costs isn't very compelling. Guided by a complete understanding of the product they're selling, a more skilled marketer might pitch an SUV crossover advertisement that emphasizes unique safety features in order to specifically target parents of small children. 

Example product questions

What problem is your product solving? Consider what challenges your target customers encounter and what impacts those challenges have.

Who is your target customer? Think about what type of person is most likely to find value in your product.

How does your product address your target customer’s needs? Home in on how specific features of your product address specific customer demands.

What does your product offer that competitors' products do not? Determine how your product solves customers' needs more quickly, effectively, or affordably than competing products.

Put yourself in your target customer's shoes to more thoroughly understand what your product has to offer. With a better understanding of the specific ways in which your product offers value to the customer, you'll be able to market that product more effectively.

The second P: Price

The second P of marketing stands for “price.” This is how much you should charge for your product in order to make a profit. When creating your pricing strategy, a good place to start is by looking at your competitors. 

Checking how much your competitors charge gives you a good sense of how much potential customers are willing to pay for similar products. Combine that with the perceived value of your product—in other words, what you want your price to imply about your product. Are you a luxury, standard, or budget option?

You can use your marketing messaging to focus on these different price points. Don’t forget to also think about coupons, discounts, offers, and bundles that are popular in your marketplace.

Example price questions

What do competing products cost? This is a great starting point for market research and gauging your product’s price range.

How much are your customers willing to spend? Thinking about how much your potential customers are willing to spend will help give you a price cap.

Can your product have multiple price points? Looking at the potential to have several price points for different levels of subscriptions or products can open you up to a larger demographic.

What does your product cost to create? Understanding how much it will cost you to make a product or provide a service will help you determine your profit margins.

If you've priced your product correctly, you should be selling it at a cost that's affordable for your target customer and still brings in a profit.

The third P: Place

The third P of marketing stands for “place.” This encompasses where you are in relation to where your customer is, as well as where you need to place your advertising in order to reach your target audience.

It doesn't take a master strategist to know that a physical product or service needs to be available where potential customers live, shop, and work. However, place will impact your marketing strategy, too.

If you operate a physical store, it's unlikely that customers will come from far away to buy your product. Generalized marketing methods will always be effective, but you may get a greater return on investments in local SEO, advertising in town newspapers, and co-sponsoring community events.

The same principle applies to locating your target audience online. For example, if you're targeting Gen Z social media influencers, you'll probably be wasting valuable budget by advertising on platforms that cater to older audiences like Facebook or LinkedIn.

Example place questions

Where does your target customer purchase similar products? Think about whether your potential buyers will purchase your product in a store, conference, online, etc., in order to determine the best place to sell your product.

Where is your customer located? Knowing where your customer lives or spends their time shopping is an important aspect of developing a marketing strategy.

Are you business or consumer-focused? Deciding whether you are selling directly to individuals or businesses will help you determine where to sell your new product.

Where are your competitors selling their products or services? Use your successful competitors as a guide on where to sell your products. They are great indicators of which place(s) will be most successful.

The fourth P: Promotion

The last P of marketing stands for “promotion.” If product is what you're selling, price is how much you're selling it for, and place is where you're selling it, then promotion is how you're promoting the sale. 

In designing your promotion strategy , think through how you want your messaging to be received. Is your brand fun and clever, upscale and luxurious, or serious and intellectual? Nail down your brand voice and then keep it consistent across all of your marketing.

It's also important to determine what messages will perform well on different platforms. A multiple-paragraph post will be ignored on Facebook or Instagram, but might make an excellent SEO opportunity for your blog. You might be targeting audiences that use both LinkedIn and TikTok, and you may even be promoting the same message across channels, but you'll need to tailor the format of your content to match each platform.

Example promotion questions

Who is your target audience? Understand who you're speaking to so you can decide what voice and tone will resonate the most.

How do you want your brand to be perceived? Think about what brand personality makes sense for your product and industry.

What distribution channels does our target audience use to consume information? Don't sabotage your message by promoting it in the wrong place.

How are competitors promoting their products? Using your competitors as your guinea pigs for promotion experiments is a great way to find out what works and learn from their mistakes.

Can you capitalize on seasonality? If your target audience's behavior changes drastically from summer to winter, create different marketing strategies for different times of the year.

4 P’s vs. 7 P’s of marketing: What’s the difference?

The 4 P's first appeared in a book called Basic Marketing: A Managerial Approach that was published in 1960. Though the 4 P's are still just as applicable today, the original marketing mix didn't account for modern factors like the specific challenges of online marketing or the massive variety of products available today. 

That's why some marketers like to use an expanded list that contains an additional three P's: people, physical evidence, and process.

The 7 P's of marketing

The 7 P's of marketing include the original four (product, price, place, and promotion) plus three people, physical evidence, and process.

People represent a company’s internal team and staff members that provide a service or sell the product. Impressing potential clients with great customer service is important because many people can’t separate their feelings toward a  product from their buying experience.

Physical evidence is "proof" that the claims and statements you're making in your marketing and advertising materials are true. This proof can include customer reviews, case studies, and testimonials that show your target audience that your existing customers are satisfied with your product.

Process pertains to the transportation and delivery of your product. Word-of-mouth is one of the most effective forms of advertising there is, so investments in safe and speedy delivery, pleasant purchasing interactions, and effective customer support are really investments in marketing.

Use the 4 P's to start your marketing campaigns on the right foot

The 4 P's aren't something you can implement as an afterthought. To utilize the 4 P's effectively, incorporate them into every step of your marketing campaign. 

From your initial organizing stages all the way through to campaign launch, the presence of the 4 P's should be evident in your marketing strategy every step of the way.

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What is the 4P Marketing Matrix?

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The principle of the 4P Matrix is that marketing decisions usually fall into four controllable categories: product, place, price and promotion. Carefully positioning your product in each category will generate the greatest response from your target market.

The 4P Matrix dates back to the 1960s, and is arguably the most frequently used marketing mix matrix because it’s simple and it works. This marketing mix matrix can help you define your options and identify marketing strategies , whether you’re planning to launch a new product or you’re evaluating an existing one.

As a small business owner, learning to use the 4Ps successfully gives you an advantage over the competition—and that’s good for your bottom line.

Considerations include: benefits, features, and product interaction From the most basic to extremely detailed, there are a number of questions to ask when making product marketing decisions. Here are a few of the most important:

• What need does your product satisfy? What problem does it solve, or what challenge does it help the customer overcome? In other words, what will the customer gain by using your product? How will it benefit him or her?
• What features does the product have that help it meet the needs of your customer?
• What is your product’s competitive advantage? How is your product different from your competitors? Why should the customer buy your product instead of your competition’s?
• Let others interact with your product, and then ask if it includes any features that aren’t really useful. Also, ask if there are features the product should offer, but doesn’t.

Under what circumstances do you anticipate the customer with interact with the product? How and where will they engage with it?

Real life example: In Coca Cola's case, they have a wide product range, and many of them have been invented due to the needs of their audience (caffeine-free, zero-sugar, etc). They have adapted well to the concerns of the public regarding their original sugary drinks and continue to be a very valuable brand.

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Considerations include: location, how to get product into the market , and distribution Questions to ask about place range from how it will be distributed to what market it will be found in. Here are a few questions to get you started thinking about place:

• Where will your potential buyer look for your product? Will it be found in a brick and mortar store, in a catalog, only on the web or a combination of one or more locations?
• If your product will be sold in a brick and mortar store, what characteristic will the store have? For example will it be sold in a boutique, or sold through a discount store? Will it be found in a house wares store, grocery store, children’s store, etc?
• What is your plan for getting your product into the market.
• Will you sell directly to your customers or use a distributor or a sales team?

How will you manage inventory?

Real life example: With Coca Cola, they have a wide network of distributors that sell their products across the world. This includes in grocery stores, gift shops, cafes, and restaurants. 

Considerations include: price strategy, discounts, and profit margin When considering what price to set your product at, remember that your customer must perceive value in your product and that means you won’t win customers on price alone. Consider these questions when trying to set your product price:

• What amount does your competition sell the product for? Are you able to set and maintain a competitive market price? How will your price compare to your competitors?
• Will you offer discounts or buying advantages? Will you offer a loyalty program or rewards program?
• Will your product be offered at more than one price point? If so, why?
• What is the lowest price you can set for your product and still maintain the profit margin you need?

What part or process is the biggest contributor to the product’s retail price? Can you do anything to lower the cost of that part or process?

Real life example: Coca Cola is known for it's competitor pricing, meaning it prices its products according to its competitors (Pepsi). They also offer different price points based on location.

4. Promotion

Considerations include: marketing channels, marketing strategy , and seasonality Even the best products won’t sell if your customer doesn’t know about them. When considering how you will promote your product, ask yourself these important questions:

• By what means will you get your marketing message to your potential customer? For example, will you use direct mail, billboards, the web, social media, etc?
• When will you start promoting your product and what is your reason for promoting it at that time? Will you promote the product two months before its release? Six months prior?
• Is the product seasonal? If so, how will that impact when, where and how you promote it?

If you’re using a social media platform to promote your product , when (what day/s of the week and what time/s) does your target engage with that social media outlet? For example, moms who work outside the home interact with social media at different times of the day than college students.

Real life example: There are numerous strategies Coca Cola uses to promote its global brand—from different types of media advertising campaigns to sponsorships and partnerships.

Use the 4P Matrix to analyze your current products as well as any new products you're developing. Make sure to follow up with products periodically to make sure it's still on target with your demographic. The 4Ps model is just one of several marketing mix matrixes that have emerged over the last several decades, but it’s simple yet comprehensive framework makes it one of the very best.

Related reading

• 4Cs Marketing Model & Why It’s Good for Business
• 5 Steps to Improve Your Marketing Strategy
• 9 Top Marketing Strategies for Startups
• 6 Effective Ways to Engage Your Customers With Social Media Marketing
• Digital Marketing 101

4Ps of Marketing FAQ

The 4P framework is used to help marketers make decisions regarding their target audience using 4 different variables in the marketing mix.

The 4Ps are product, place, price, and promotion. The 4Cs consist of customer, cost, communication, and convenience.

The 4Ps take a producer-oriented approach to marketing, while the 4Cs take a customer-oriented approach.

First, identity the product or service you're working with. Then, go through each variable and answer the relevant questions. Keep asking questions until you feel you've satisfied your marketing mix. 

Jerome McCarthy invented the framework (also referred to as the producer-oriented model) in 1960.

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By Denis G.

The 4Ps of Marketing

In this article:

The 4Ps of Marketing, also known as the marketing mix, is a tool that can help you offer the right product in the right place, at the right time, and at the right price.

Imagine you run a one-person startup and are in the process of creating a new product. You feel that all you have to do is create your product and then offer it to the market, and you’ll have people falling over themselves to be your customer.

Unfortunately, it’s rarely this simple. Being product-focused in this way is a mistake that many people make. To be successful in the market, you need to be laser-focused on creating what your customers want, and the 4Ps of Marketing can help you do this.

The 4Ps of Marketing is a tool to help you think about the customer-focused choices you have to make when bringing a product to market. 

The 4Ps are:

• Product:  What is it that you sell, and how does it fulfill your customers’ needs?
• Place: Where do you promote or sell your product?
• Price:  How much is your product?
• Promotion:  How do your ideal customers find out about you?

As you can see, the 4Ps of Marketing is essentially a set of questions you have to answer to give your product or service the best chance of being successful in the marketplace.

Let’s examine each of the 4Ps of Marketing in more detail.

Creating a successful Marketing Mix begins with creating a product or service that fulfills a significant customer need. 

Consumers purchase your product because it satisfies a need or want. These needs and desires are rarely basic; for example, a customer may buy a luxury car to fulfill their need for status. 

Good marketers understand these needs and create and position products to cater to these needs. To understand your customer’s needs, it is essential to interact with real or potential customers and get their feedback and input.

The definition of a product not only refers to the actual good or service that you offer, but it also refers to how you package your product. The packaging of your product includes, amongst other things, the features of your product, its unique selling proposition, its branding, its packaging, any guarantee or warranty you offer, and your after-sales service. 

Product is deliberately the first element of the 4Ps of Marketing. The reason for this is that it’s almost impossible to determine any of the other Ps if you haven’t clearly defined what your product is. For example, how can you set the price of a car if you don’t know whether you’re building a Mazda or a Ferrari?

Place refers to how and where people will buy your products. You want to make sure that your products are available when and where customers want your products to be available.

Place also means making sure that your product is available in the right quantity to ensure that you’re able to satisfy the demand for your product.

A key question to answer during this stage of the 4Ps of Marketing is what is the most appropriate distribution channel for your product or service? Will you sell directly to the customer? If not, how will you get your product to where you are selling it? 

Be aware that each intermediary to recruit to help you sell your product will expect to be paid to perform this role.

Other questions to answer in this element include, what form of transportation will you use to get your product to where you’re selling it, and how will you manage inventories?

Note that it is called multi-channel distribution when you sell your product via more than one distribution channel.

Price refers to the price a customer must pay to purchase your product or service. 

Price is the easiest element of the 4Ps to manipulate. You can change your price overnight and immediately see an impact on your revenue.

Determining a price for your product can be complex. Typically, you’ll want to consider three variables:

• Cost:  how much your product costs to produce.
• Price:  how much you charge customers for your product.
• Value:  How much value your customers get from the product.

Where you focus amongst these three variables will depend on your business strategy. If your business strategy focuses on cost leadership, then you’ll want to minimize your costs and the price you charge. If your business strategy focuses on differentiation, that is, being unique in the marketplace, then you’ll want to focus on maximizing the value you provide.

4. Promotion

Once you’ve finalized the other three Ps, it’s time to promote your product. Promotion aims to persuade customers to buy your product.

Promotion is concerned with where, when, and how you’ll advertise your products and services. Examples of promotional channels include:

• Billboard advertising.
• Facebook advertising.
• Radio advertising.
• TV advertising.
• Social media advertising.
• Trade show stands.

When nonmarketers think about marketing, it is often only promotion that they think of as marketing. If you’re not a marketer, it’s important to realize that a marketer’s brief covers all of the 4Ps of Marketing.

Promotion is broader than just advertising, as it includes public relations outreach and any discounting strategies you use. 

How to Use the 4Ps of Marketing

If you want a product to be successful in the market, then here is a six-step process you can use to develop your own marketing mix.

1. Align your product to serve specific customer needs

Your product should clearly meet your customer’s needs. You’ll need to perform customer research to ensure you give customers what they want.

In this step, you need to articulate precisely who your customers are and how your product uniquely meets their needs. You’ll use this information later when you construct your marketing messages.

2. Find out where your target audience hangs out/shops

Now that you know your ideal customers, you need to figure out where they hang out or shop. This might be online, such as in a special interest forum, or a physical location, such as an airport.

3. Determine a price for your product

Set a price for your product that will appeal to your target audience. Take into account your business strategy and the cost, price, and value variables to help you set your price.

4. Determine your messaging and channels

In this step, you determine the messages you’ll use to communicate the benefits of your product to your potential customers. 

You also need to determine which marketing and distribution channels you’ll use to reach your ideal customers. For example, you might choose to use a combination of Facebook advertising and working with affiliates.

5. Check all the pieces fit together

The beauty of online advertising is it allows you to relatively cheaply test your messaging with your target audience before you fully launch and commit to a large advertising spend. 

In this way, you can sanity-check your decisions so far before proceeding to the next step. Testing in this way can help you answer some important questions:

• Is the price right?
• Do customers want your product?
• Have you selected the best channels?
• Is your audience engaging with your ads and messaging?

This step is still important if you don’t plan to advertise online. Review your 4Ps of Marketing to check that all the pieces fit together and are pulling in the same direction.

6. Revisit your marketing mix over time

If you launch a successful product, your market share will grow over time. In response to this, your competitors will adapt their 4Ps. Over time, your customers’ behavior may also change.

Thus, the 4Ps of Marketing are not static, and you should adjust them regularly.

For example, maybe over time, you’ll need to add new ideal customer types as your market share grows. This simple decision will cause you to need to revisit all of the 4Ps to ensure that all elements are aligned and working together to attract these new types of customers.

4Ps of Marketing Template

If you’d like to perform your own 4Ps of Marketing exercise, you can download our 4Ps of Marketing template here .

4Ps of Marketing Example

To bring everything we’ve covered together, let’s work through an example of using the 4Ps of Marketing in practice.

Imagine you are creating a course teaching English speakers to speak Spanish. Let’s work through each of the six steps to see what your marketing mix might look like.

There are hundreds of other Spanish courses in existence, so why should someone choose yours?

One way to think about this problem is that right now, your potential customers are living unhappily on an island where they don’t speak Spanish, and what they want to do is get to the island where they do speak fluent Spanish.

Unfortunately, there are many bridges available to them to get to the speaking Spanish island, so why should they choose yours? Crafting your unique selling proposition (USP) is all about giving potential customers a reason to cross your bridge rather than a competitor’s.

Your USP boils down to how you slice and dice your product to offer something unique. Ideally, to determine your USP, you should go out into the marketplace and talk with potential customers.

Assuming you have done this, then a few examples of how you might uniquely craft a Spanish course are:

• Learn the 1,000 most common Spanish words quickly.
• Watch your way to Spanish fluency (for a video-based course).
• Learn Spanish in just 10 minutes a day.
• Speak like a local in just three months.

Each of these USPs gives potential customers a reason to choose your bridge instead of your competitors because they distinguish your product from those of your competitors.

You can create a USP even if your product isn’t all that different from your competitors. The key is that you slice and dice how you describe your product so that your potential customers perceive a difference.

This step is all about examining the place element in the 4Ps of Marketing model. In what places might you sell your course? Well, if this were 1995, you’d have more limited choices than you have today:

• You could work with a publisher to sell your course in written format in bookstores.
• You could sell your course directly to your customer via mail order by advertising in newspapers, magazines, etc.

These days you have more options available to you, including:

• Customers could purchase your course directly from your website.
• You can work with bloggers to promote your course and, in return, pay them a commission for each sale they make.
• You could provide your course as an app, downloadable via an app store.

How much will you charge for your Spanish course? Let’s examine the three variables:

• Cost: while your course may have cost a lot to produce, but the marginal cost (the additional cost) of selling one additional subscription to your course is minimal.
• Price:  your product strategy is one of differentiation, so you’ll be looking to charge a high fee for access to your course.
• Value:  while the value of speaking a second language is considerable, people are used to paying low monthly amounts to access online language courses.

Taking all of this into account, your pricing options might be:

• $10 per month for access.
• Certain features are free forever, but you need to pay to access premium features.

Suppose your USP was: watch your way to Spanish fluency. You might decide to keep this as your messaging but add some additional messages to complement it, such as:

• Why read a book when you can watch yourself to Spanish fluency?
• Sit back, relax, and get fluent in Spanish?
• Sound like a local without opening a Spanish book.

In this step, you also decide that your primary channels to attract new customers will be Facebook and Instagram advertising.

You’ve now completed all of the 4Ps of Marketing. Your completed 4Ps of Marketing template will look something like this:

Now it’s time to sanity check that everything makes sense.

In this example, you’re going to do this by running test ads using Facebook. The point of these tests is to determine if people are engaging with your messaging and, therefore, if they are interested in what you have to offer.

Fortunately, in this example, people do engage with your test ads, so you’re in a position to launch when you’re ready.

You haven’t launched yet, so this step isn’t relevant to you right now, but you make a note to revisit the 4Ps of Marketing regularly after launch.

Advantages and Disadvantages

There are several advantages and disadvantages associated with the 4Ps of Marketing model.

• It helps you to understand what your product can offer to your customers.
• It provides a way to build a complete marketing plan that begins with focusing on aligning your product to your customer’s desires.
• It allows you to see the critical components of even the most complex marketing plans on a single page.

Disadvantages

• It provides no mechanism to measure the success of your marketing efforts.
• Price is fundamental to the model, but brand building isn’t. This focus on price rather than brand can be corrosive to your ultimate profitability.
• The model is high-level and doesn’t go into detail.
• While the model can help you put together a marketing plan, the quality of your marketing plan will be determined by the quality of the people who put your marketing plan together.
• It can take significant time to put a 4Ps of Marketing plan together.

The 4Ps of Marketing model, also known as the marketing mix, is a tool that can help you offer the right product in the right place, at the right time, and at the right price.

The model begins by helping you create a product that your customers actually want to buy and moves on to help you determine where you will sell your product, how much you will charge, and finally, how you will promote your product.

Cite this article

Minute Tools Content Team, The 4Ps of Marketing, Minute Tools, Mar, 2022 https://expertprogrammanagement.com/2022/03/4ps-of-marketing/

Originally hailing from Dublin, Denis has always been interested in all things business and started EPM in 2009. Before EPM, Denis held a leadership position at Nokia, owned a sports statistics business, and was a member of the PMI's (Project Management Institute’s) Global Executive Council for two years. Denis now spends his days helping others understand complex business topics.

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What Are the 4 Ps?

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The 4 Ps is a marketing term that stands for product, price, place (or placement), and promotion. This “marketing mix” of four key marketing factors is the foundation of successful marketing strategies around the world.

Key Takeaways

• At least four key factors, known as the 4 Ps, go into a successful marketing mix and plan: product design, pricing, placement, and promotional strategies.
• Use a marketing mix of all 4 Ps to ensure that your goods or services are marketed effectively to the right customers, in the right way, and in the right areas. 
• Understanding the 4 Ps and creating an ever-evolving marketing plan can help your business adapt, thrive, and grow in a dynamic, ever-changing market environment. 

Definition and Examples of the 4 Ps of Marketing

The 4 Ps were notably identified by Neil Borden, an advertising professor at Harvard University, in a 1964 article entitled, “The Concept of the Marketing Mix.” However, the concept of four essential marketing factors has been around since the 1950s, although it has evolved significantly since then. 

This four-pronged marketing model is used by most successful businesses and is the foundation of comprehensive marketing plans. Here’s more on the 4 Ps:

• Product : The goods or services your business is offering.
• Price : How much the consumer can or will pay for your goods or services.
• Place(ment) : The location or environment where the product will be sold.
• Promotion : How your product is positioned and advertised.

The easiest way to incorporate the 4 Ps is by answering these four questions: What are you offering? How much is it worth? Where can consumers find it, is it priced well, and why should they care?

In the marketing world, these considerations are referred to as “positioning” and help businesses examine their offering in relation to consumers and the market as a whole.

Sometimes, these 4 Ps are expanded to include three more “P” components:

• People : The employees responsible for creating, marketing, and curating your products.
• Process : Procedure management of your products and/or the methods and flow of your services.
• Physical evidence : The physical assets (location, furniture, signage, layout) used to present your product.

The 4 Ps are more than a simple, static marketing plan; the approach is an evolving and cyclical explanation of your business's offering. Using a blend of techniques, strategies, and focus areas, the 4 Ps help business owners ensure that their marketing plan is hitting all the right points of emphasis, consistently, and over time. 

There is a subtle but essential difference between a marketing strategy and a marketing plan. Marketing strategies are the methods used to execute a marketing plan. Marketing plans are the road maps, or blueprints, businesses create to implement effective marketing strategies.

How Do the 4 Ps of Marketing Work? 

An effective business marketing plan based on the 4 Ps depends on what you're providing to the public, who wants or needs it, how rare or valuable it is, and the strength of your competition. Let's look into what roles product, price, place, and promotions play in building a marketing plan and shaping marketing strategies for businesses.

Quality, packaging, design, materials, and production cost are vital considerations when designing and branding products. To fully understand this part of the 4 Ps, ask yourself, do I have a product worth buying? What makes this a good product? Who would want it and why? 

It’s important to ask questions such as, who is not interested in my product and why? How could I alter my product or marketing mix to accommodate new or more customers? Which designs, price points, promotional tactics, or product placements aren’t working effectively? 

For example, paper plates should be able to hold food well, be made of sanitary materials, have a low cost, be disposable, and readily available. Therefore, marketing gold-rimmed paper plates as a product would be a marketing failure. Offering expensive paper plates defeats the purpose of their invention.

The sizable current target market for paper plates would not be interested in paying more for this product, or in throwing away something of value (gold) when they only desired a time-saving, low-cost convenience product.

Conversely, offering gold leaf on fancy desserts at a top-tier restaurant to a clientele that spends more makes sense. Those kinds of extravagant products are almost an expected part of a high-end dining experience and, therefore, market well. It’s also worth noting that marketing that same high-end dessert on paper plates would not be as popular, for obvious reasons.

When considering the "price" element of the 4 Ps, it's important to consider the two different pricing structures businesses can adopt: cost-based and value-based. Using market research to determine how much niche, mass appeal, or interest your product has is an excellent place to start.

For readily available products in flooded markets with much competition, cost-based pricing is the norm. If the product is not costly, sought after, or unique, basing the price on the cost to consumers makes more sense, and pricing your product competitively will be effective.

Value-based pricing is dependent on the subjective assessments of worth from consumers. Designer clothing, luxury cars, and rare gemstones are examples of value-based-priced products. The rarer the item, the stronger the social and societal value placed on it—and the greater the demand—the higher a price it can command.

In the marketing mix, "place" refers to the location (virtual or real-world) where you will market your goods or services. Consider who wants your product and where they spend the most time. This explains why most marketers spend their largest marketing ad budget on social media and search engines now rather than on TV or Radio. The reason is that the customers spend their time there. The common expression used now is "meet where they are."

Also, consider which kind of promotions work well with that target audience in order to work this angle successfully. Certain kinds of products perform better when marketed in different venues or environments.

Hardware supplies still sell well in physical stores for a large number of reasons. Consumers enjoy being able to handle such products before they buy them. Often, a trip to a hardware store leads to a few more purchases than the customer realized they needed. Selling a tool in a hardware store or lumberyard is still a smart move, in addition to offering it online .

Placing your product where it makes sense to do so (and where your target audience expects it to be) is smart marketing. That said, innovative, guerrilla marketing (a term for marketing in an unexpected location where consumers least expect it) can also be highly effective. Sometimes the element of surprise can be a powerful addition to a marketing plan.

For other products, sales in physical stores don't make sense anymore. Streaming services , apps, and software programs or services are great examples of this. There is nothing physical to buy, so the promotion, price, place, and product all happens in one place—virtually. This keeps production and advertising costs down and ensures that the products or services are readily accessible and serviceable, improving customer satisfaction and word-of-mouth marketing.

Promoting your product successfully depends heavily on the other three marketing-mix factors as well. For example, how you promote your product or service depends on what kind of offering you have, where it will be sold, how much it costs, and who your target market is.

For example, promoting the launch of your new app through a newspaper advertisement may not make much sense logistically (as your target market may not even see it), but promoting its launch through TikTok videos or Instagram ads does.

Within the 4 Ps marketing mix, you can morph promotional ideas from your marketing plan. Which blend of promotional tactics or strategies will work best for your product? Consider possibilities such as advertising on social media, targeted public relations (PR) releases, personal selling campaigns, direct marketing, and sought-after sales promotions.

Prof. Neil Borden. " The Concept of the Marketing Mix ." Accessed June 14, 2021.

Harvard Business Review. " A Quick Guide to Value-Based Pricing ." Accessed June 14, 2021.

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4Ps of Marketing (Marketing Mix with Examples) The 4Ps of Marketing or the Marketing Mix is one of the most basic concepts taught in Marketing. At the same time, it makes up for an extremely large part of a successful marketing plan. The fact is, the 4Ps of Marketing are really important because they, together, form the marketing strategy of your company. Let me tell you more about it.

Marketing mix - the 4Ps of marketing can never be overestimated when it comes to determining the success or failure of a marketing campaign.

In this article, I will explain to you what is marketing mix and also each of the 4Ps of marketing mix. Not just that, I will share with you four examples of how each of these elements of marketing mix makes a lot of difference in marketing.

Before that, let’s ponder over something basic. And also let me tell you what all I will be covering in this detailed article on the 4Ps of Marketing.

Let me begin by telling you, what exactly is Marketing Mix all about?

What is Marketing Mix? 

Marketing Mix is ideally a brilliantly coordinated combination of Product, Price, Place and Promotion strategies.

I wrote about marketing it in detail in my blog post titled ‘But really, what is Marketing?’. In simple terms, you could say marketing is about “ putting the right product in the right place, at the right price, at the right time”.

That is what it really is.

That one statement defines everything, from what is marketing to what is marketing mix to how to create and deliver an amazing marketing campaign.

Source: thefinancialbrand . com

If you’re in marketing, you have some basic ingredients that you would use to create some magic out of your marketing plan, these ingredients are called the 4Ps of Marketing or the Marketing Mix.

What is Marketing Mix? Marketing Mix is a set of elements, the 4Ps, that are the four decision-making areas in Marketing . Again, getting any of these elements wrong may destroy the rest of the factors you got right.

This is true because, the 4Ps factors are interdependent and rely on one another for an effective strategy. And if you begin to think, any marketing decision that you take essentially lies in any one of these areas.

4Ps of Marketing and all other basic marketing concepts!

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What is the purpose of the 4Ps of Marketing Mix?

Its purpose is to ensure the creation and execution of a successful marketing strategy ; the attempt is to satisfy both the customer and the seller. You will often come across your managers telling you to create marketing plans.

And this is what a marketing plan predominantly covers. The purpose is to ensure that every marketing initiative that you take is brilliantly coordinated with each other.

Marketing incorporates all these physical and non-physical, real and perceptual attributes into four elements of the marketing mix.

The 4Ps is basically about asking relevant questions that will help you to define your marketing mix.

Let me explain to you each of the elements of the Marketing mix , or the 4Ps of Marketing here. Stay tuned for the later part of the article where I will share with you the examples for each of the 4Ps.

Product  

First, it is important to understand the problems your product is trying to solve, because without it, you don’t have a place in the market, and you certainly can’t sell or advertise something that doesn’t exist or doesn’t have any demand.

The key to get this element of the marketing mix correct is by writing down a product definition .

This should include what is your product , what is your target market and most importantly why is your product different from the alternatives out there.

A product can be a physical object, an intangible service, an idea, a campaign or even a personality.

Also, the Unique Selling Proposition of the product must be determined as well as the potential buyers of the product.

There are questions you need to ask when you want to determine the kind of product you should have. They include:

• What problems can this product solve for customers?
• What features are included in the products to meet this need?
• What will differentiate it from the competitor’s own if any?
• How is it supposed to be used by the customer?

Let me know take you through the second P of the 4Ps of marketing - which is Price .

Price  

The price of a product should reflect its value to the customer. This also entails the relative price versus quality level that the product maintains against the competitors.

The marketer’s challenge is to come up with a price that is attractive to consumers while still turning an acceptable profit for the company.

The price of a product will directly affect how it sells . This must be determined by what value the customers attach to the product rather than the objective cost of the product.

If the product is priced higher or lower than its perceived value, then it will be difficult to make sales. Simply put, the value of the product in the eyes of the consumer determines the price.

I have written a series of articles on how to price a product and those articles shall help you with this particular element of the 4Ps of the Marketing mix . Here are some of those posts:

• How to Price your Product – The Fundamentals
• How to Price your Product better in 8 Steps (Part 1 of 2)
• How to Price your Product better in 8 Steps (Part 2 of 2)

Hence, if the value is low or negative , the product may need to be under priced to make sales.

The questions to ask here are:

• What is the perceived value of the product to the buyer?
• What is the market fixed price for this kind of product?  
• How much is your price when compared with the competitor’s?  

Moving on to the third element of the marketing mix and the 4Ps of Marketing - the Place .

Place  

There is a way how the product will be provided to the customer , this is the “Place” factor. Once the place has been decided, the marketing channel to reach the customer is chosen.

The place refers to where the product is to be sold (distribution) .

In the past, this meant how visible your product was in the physical marketplace. In today’s modern world: where your product appears on the Internet is even more important because your reach online can be global whilst as your reach in the physical marketplace is limited by physical space.

You can determine this by answering questions like:

• Where is the first place buyers check when looking for your kind of product. Is it a store, or a boutique, or maybe they check a catalogue?
• How can you determine the best distribution channels?
• Do you need to take a multi-channel approach? If yes, then which channels?

And finally, let me tell you about the 4th element of the marketing mix - Promotion .

Promotion  

Promotion refers to the marketing communication methods used to inform, persuade, and remind the target market of the product or services , basically any interaction that your company has with the consumer regarding your product.

This may include advertising, sales, promotions, special offers, and public relations.  Promotion is quite different from marketing, because promotion is the communication aspect of the entire marketing function.

The marketing mix is a crucial tool to help understand what the product or service can offer and how to plan for a successful product offering. 

• What are the promotion methods of your competitors?
• Which digital channels does your target market use often?
• What is the return-on-investment from each of the promotion channels?

After a brief explanation of the Marketing Mix and the 4Ps of Marketing , I am going to talk about them in a more direct and practical way. I explain elements of marketing mix with examples to show you how simple (and impact driven) the Marketing Mix can be.

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4Ps of Marketing - Video Explanation

Here is a decent video that I found on the 4Ps of Marketing. Purely Branded, explains in brief what the 4Ps of Marketing are all about and how to use them. For all of you who like to watch videos, I suggest you to have a look at it.

4Ps of Marketing - How to develop the Marketing Mix?

If you were to ask me the steps to determine the 4Ps of Marketing Mix , I would suggest to you the following 4 steps.

As you use these four steps in your marketing projects at your college or your work, you will realize that these are the exact steps that will help you bring out the best and the most coherent marketing plans.

4 Steps to Develop the 4Ps of Marketing Mix

• Identify the product to be analyzed. 
• Answer the 4Ps questions surrounding this product. 
• After getting a well-defined marketing mix for the 4Ps, try relating them with the 4Cs (i.e. from the customer's perceptive).      a. Product - Consumer Value      b. Price - Cost      c. Promotion - Communication      d. Place - Convenience
• Review your marketing mix regularly, because things can change.

4Ps of Marketing - Key Features

I had to write this out as a separate section because of how important it is for you to understand the nuances attached with the 4Ps of Marketing.

Let me share with you the 4 points, the 4 features that will make a lot of difference in your understanding of the marketing mix.

They are Interdependent variables. That is, they have different functions, but they must work together. One can hardly do without the other.

The 4Ps of marketing are flexible in such a way that, you can always play around with each of the variables. See the the 4Ps of Marketing as the four lever that you as a Marketing Manager will have with you to pull and do different things with.

Constant monitoring is required to make sure that the elements in the marketing mix stays relevant and updated. Again, as I mentioned, they are lever you can play around with.

The focal point of the marketing mix activity are the customers . Therefore, as I mentioned in one of the paragraphs above, you should at all times evaluate the 4Ps of the Marketing Mix from the 4Cs stand-point, i.e. the standpoint of the customers.

Elements of Marketing Mix with Examples

In this part of the article, my aim is to give you a feel of the four elements of the marketing mix through relevant real-world examples of the 4Ps of marketing . 

In each of these examples, I will take you through those examples that caught my attention and will help you understand the concepts better.

Product: Coca-Cola Life  

When you come to know that there is a Coca-Cola with the Green Label somewhere in the world and that it is still not sold worldwide you probably think

“What-The-H...?”.

Most people still find it weird but after years of dominating the market with the product and powerful advertising campaign, Coca-Cola found itself in a world where everyone wanted to feel more sustainable and healthier.

So, after 5 years of research, they came up with the Coca-Cola Life , with less sugar and stevia, a natural sweetener.

After a Market test in Chile and Argentina, the product was launched in different countries of the world.

What does this teach about the first P of the marketing mix?

Well, that products must always respond to the needs of the market .

No matter how strong your starting position is, no matter how strong your marketing is (so strong that in the case of Coca-Cola they influenced the way the Western World sees Christmas), there are moments where you have to start from a product.

Seth Godin said: Don’t find customers for your products, find products for your customers.  

Price: Organic Apples aren’t Cheap  

Pricing doesn’t just mean: go as lower as you can to attack the market.

The Book “Ecological Intelligence” by Daniel Goleman talks of how producers and sellers of organic products must raise prices otherwise none will believe it’s REALLY organic!

This is the concept of Price Positioning on which I happen to have done a blog post some weeks back. 

Same happens with Apple: considering the hardware and the competition they can be defined unreasonably overpriced but if Apple will launch a new iPhone for 200$ the strong Apple fan base most probably will not react in a positive way.

So, choosing one price instead of another can automatically identify your product to your customers. 

Also Read:  Edible Cutlery won't sell until you do this

Place: Don’t tell everyone what you did last Friday  

Another mistake that most people do is trying to get through as many channels as possible . A lot of “improvised” entrepreneurs without any education in that make this mistake to multiply their distribution channels. 

The problem is that people will also judge not just what you sell and how much you charge for it, but also where they see you.

Imagine that in your city there is a club that is famous for being a place where illegal activities happen.

Now imagine you end up there on a wild Friday night and your partner’s dad finds out: won’t he get a really bad impression of you?

At the same time, your friends will think you are a real bad-ass. 

So, the place where you are seen can give you a certain identity according to your target. You want your friends to know where you were Friday night but not your in-laws.

 This is the same reason certain brands decide to only sell in their own stores, others don’t sell online and some only sell online: you have to select your sales channels carefully. 

Promotion: Loud Enough doesn’t mean Louder  

This point can get into thousands of pages without saying anything. With the concept of promotion, you talk about marketing, advertising, sales strategy and a lot more. 

What people hardly understand at the beginning is that in a crowded market like our World, being loud enough to be heard in the constant buzz doesn’t mean being louder than everyone.

So, the promotion has nothing to do with exaggerated claims, fake claims, obsessive  advertising and all these old-school-tricks .

Yes, they still work for others in certain cases, but they don’t give long-lasting positive fame and sooner or later it will ruin your business.

These old tricks work when you didn’t work on the marketing mix for real (maybe because you don’t have anything valuable to sell) so you have to work all with the promotion.

We tend to think that the 4th P is the most important but this is just because it is the tip of the Iceberg. Promotion is what you see more but there is a lot more than you don’t see. 

Conclusion  

At the end of the day if you want to succeed in business you have to be looking to create long-lasting relationships with your customers. 

The four elements must be in harmony and none most portray conflicting messages. The marketing mix must be customer-centric, that is why the 4Cs must be used alongside the 4Ps while determining answers to the variables.

• The price must be a cost the customer can afford
• The promotion must solely be based on communicating with the customers
• The product must offer a solution to the problem of the customer
• The place must be one that is convenient for the customers to reach  

And, just as in your personal life, you don’t create any long-lasting relationships by shouting loud, showing off and lying.

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What are the 4ps of marketing and why they’re important

What are the 4Ps of marketing?

The 4Ps of marketing is a simple way of thinking about marketing plans across four main areas: product, price, place, and promotion.

This ‘marketing mix’ can help you formulate a plan to ensure the introduction of your product or service to the market is successful. It’s important to always put the customers needs at the center of your marketing plans. This will ensure you are always delivering a product they actually want, not what your company wants. 

While it’s an essential step in any product launch, it’s not easy. A well thought-out marketing mix can lead to huge sales, while overlooking just one tiny element could spell disaster. Imagine if you were trying to launch a new steak restaurant during Vegan week, or you planned on launching a new toy after the Christmas period. Taking the time to create this plan with your team can help you in the long run.

So let’s take a look at what the 4Ps are:

Definition of the 4Ps of marketing

Product: Define what exactly is the product/service you are offering, and what benefit it will give customers. Plus, why will it stand out compared to existing competitors in the market.

Price: How much will this product be sold for, and how does this compare to competitors in the market. 

One rule of thumb from Neil Patel is: If you are in a new space or already a leader, you can charge a premium amount. If your space is saturated and you are late to the market, you’ll want to consider having a cheaper price.

Place: Where will potential customers go to learn about and purchase your product. This covers the distribution channels, sales outlets and e-commerce markets.

Promotion: Where, when and how will you advertise your product to ensure it reaches your target audience.

4Ps of marketing template

The 4Ps model is a simple way of capturing and filtering through your ideas during the planning phase. Whether you are working alone, in a distributed team, or collocated, using an online template makes it easy for everyone to participate, and store your ideas for future reference. Follow the steps below to start defining your marketing mix using our template:

• Invite your team members to join the Conceptboard template by sending them a link.
• Collaborate together on identifying the product or service you want to work on.
• Go through each of the four sections, encouraging all participants to add their ideas using the existing sticky notes or add more as ideas progress.
• Once the template is full, you can further evaluate points by asking Why? or What If? to determine their importance or flow-on effects.
• The final step is to review and make sure the elements all meet your customer’s needs. You can do this by asking questions from the customer’s perspective: -Does the product meet a current real need? (Product) -Does this price seem valuable? (Price) -Do my customers actually shop here? (Place) -Do my customers watch/read this channel? (Promotion)

After the template is approved by all team members. You can begin taking steps to implement those ideas. Remember, this plan is not static, and it can be reviewed and changed as often as necessary to deliver results.

Use template

4Ps of marketing example

If you want to see an example of 4Ps marketing mix, check out this example below for Nike.

Now that you understand what the 4Ps are and how to create a marketing mix, it is time to get started on your own. Using our  free temp late , you can invite your team to start collaborating together in real-time, and begin implementing a plan of action to how you are going to differentiate yourself from the competition through a clever marketing mix.

If you want to explore more of Conceptboard’s library of free business strategy templates, check them out here . Plus, our blog is full of helpful advice and tools to ensure your team can adapt to remote working with ease.

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The 4Ps, often referred to as the “Marketing Mix,” is a foundational concept in marketing that outlines the four critical elements companies should consider when introducing a product or service to the market. These components work together to deliver value to consumers and achieve the organization’s goals.

• Product: This pertains to what the company is offering to meet a specific customer need or demand. It involves decisions about product design, features, quality, branding, and the services accompanying the product, such as warranties or after-sales support.
• Price: This relates to the cost set for the product or service. Pricing strategies consider factors like production costs, competitors’ pricing, perceived value by consumers, and desired profit margins. The right price can influence purchase decisions and the overall perception of a brand.
• Place: Often referred to as “distribution,” this element determines where and how the product will be available to consumers. It encompasses decisions about distribution channels, inventory management, transportation, and logistics. The goal is to ensure that products are accessible in the right locations and at the right times.
• Promotion: This involves communicating the benefits and value of the product to potential customers. Promotion strategies can include advertising, public relations, sales promotions, and personal selling. The objective is to effectively reach and persuade the target audience.

Together, the 4Ps provide a framework for making decisions that ensure a cohesive and effective marketing strategy, tailored to meet the needs of both the company and its customers.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why are the 4Ps important in a business plan?

The 4Ps are critical in a business plan because they outline the marketing strategy for a product or service. Including them helps in determining how to position the product in the market, attract and retain customers, and achieve sales objectives. They provide a structured approach to thinking about all aspects of selling a product, from its development to its delivery to customers.

• Where do the 4Ps go in a business plan?

While the 4Ps should be integrated throughout the business plan, it can provide a comprehensive framework for for outlining how a product or service will be marketed and sold within the “Strategy & Implementation” section of the business plan.

Related Terms

Also see: 5Ps of Marketing , Marketing Plan

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Coca Cola Marketing Strategy, Plan & Mix (4Ps)

Last Sunday, I went to my nearby Kirana store to get some bread. As I was waiting for the shopkeeper to fetch me a loaf, the TV in his store caught my attention. Some news channel was showing the horror that is going on some parts of the world.

Noticing this, the shopkeeper told me something, which translated in English, is “Only if humans could forget the differences and enjoy the commonality, the world would be a better place…” I nodded in agreement but kept thinking, people everywhere are so different, be it culture, race, nationality, etc. So how do we find something familiar?… The answer to my question was resting right next to the TV, in its iconic shape, chilled as everyone likes it…A bottle of Coke. 

What is it about Coke that makes it so much more than a refreshment? How has it transcended from being a refreshment drink to a feeling? Let’s deep dive into all of this and much more as we take a look at the marketing mix (4Ps), plan, and strategy of Coca-Cola. 

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Coca-Cola (@cocacola)

The Marketing mix (4Ps), plan, and strategy of Coca-Cola. 

A big buffet of products.

Coca-Cola has five major categories for Beverages; Sparkling Soft Water, Waters and Hydration, Juices, Dairy and Plant-based, Coffees, and Teas. There are roughly 500  beverages that make up these categories—the most popular are Coca-Cola, Sprite, Fanta, Dasani.

Let me share a brief history of Coca-Cola. It was first produced as syrup by Dr. John Stith Pemberton, a local pharmacist in Atlantia, Georgia, on May 8, 1886. He then carried a jug of this syrup to Jacobs’ Pharmacy, which was sampled pronounced “excellent” and placed on sale for five cents a glass as a soda fountain drink. Carbonated water was teamed with the new syrup to produce the drink we know as Coca-Cola.

Fun Fact: Did you know that Dr. Pemberton’s friend, Frank M Robinson, came up with the name Coca‑Cola. He wrote it out by hand in the Spencerian script that is still used as the logo.

So precisely what is the product when it comes to Coca-Cola? Is it the drink that you and I enjoy on a hot summer afternoon?… Or is it the iconic contour design bottle conceptualized in 1916, and to date, remains the same?… Actually, it is none of these. Leave alone bottling; Coca-Cola doesn’t even complete most of their products! 

Coca-Cola manufacturers sell syrups to authorized bottlers. These bottlers then add water and perform carbonation to make and sell finished Coca-Cola products. This is called Concentrate Operations. 

Having many independent bottlers created several macros and macro-economic challenges for the firm, as smaller independent bottlers may face problems in continuing business when faced with economic hurdles. The Company started its Bottling Investments Group, identifying struggling  franchisees , providing them with financial and institutional support. 

Historically, the most considerable risk that the Company ever took came on April 23, 1985. It announced that it was changing the formula of the world’s most popular soft drink! It was called “new Coke.” The Company wanted to revamp the formula and the whole soft drinks segment, and they did just that!

We set out to change the dynamics of sugar colas in the United States, and we did exactly that — albeit not in the way we had planned. Then Chairman Roberto Goizueta

The decision to change Coke’s original formula was based on the fact that Coca-Cola was losing the market share, intensified by the lack of consumer preference and awareness. Over 200,000 consumers tested the change in formula and its taste, but these tests failed to show consumers’ emotional bonding with Coke. 

The below visualization shows the world’s most chosen consumer brands, and Coca-Cola tops the chart!

Coca-Cola’s first stint in the Indian market was in 1950 with the opening of the first bottling plant by Pure Drinks Ltd., in New Delhi. The Company had to exit the country in 1977 due to India’s Foreign Exchange Act. In 1992, Coca-Cola returned to India. It bought Parle and hence acquired Thums Up, Limca, and Gold Spot.  Thums Up- The Phoenix of the Indian Cola industry

Flexible Pricing Strategy

Coca-Cola, in its marketing mix, follows a pricing strategy called price discrimination. Price discrimination is a microeconomic pricing strategy where identical or largely similar goods or services are sold at different prices by the same provider in different markets. In general, an oligopoly is a market characterized by a small number of firms that realize they are interdependent in their pricing and output policies. The beverages market is an oligopoly, with a small number of manufacturers and many purchasers.

Between 1886 and 1959, the price of Coca-Cola was set at five cents or one nickel. This was possible for reasons including bottling contracts the Company signed in 1899, advertising, vending machine technology, and a relatively low inflation rate.

In 1899, when approached by two lawyers, the then Coca-Cola president, Asa Candler, sold the bottling rights to them for a meager amount of one dollar, thinking bottling would never take off, as soda fountains were the predominant way of consuming carbonated beverages in the United States. Bottling did become popular, surpassing fountain sales in 1928.

Since the contract was non-expiring, Coca-Cola had to sell their syrup at a fixed price. This meant that Coca-Cola’s profits could be maximized only by maximizing the amount of product sold, minimizing the price to the consumer. This led to Coca-Cola aggressively associating their product with a five-cent price tag, providing incentive for retailers to sell at that price even though a higher price at a lower volume would have brought them profit otherwise. 

Another aspect to consider was that vending machines were prevalent during that time, and Coca-Cola owned around 85% of the total vending machines in the US in the 1950s. These existing vending machines couldn’t reliably make the change, and hence the Company feared requiring multiple coins from the customer may deter them from buying the product. Reluctant to double the price, the Company preferred to stick to five cents.

When it comes to developing countries like India, where consumers are very price-sensitive and may flip to competitors, especially Pepsi, keeping this in mind, both parties agree to price parity in each segment.

The way Coca-Cola prices its product is exciting. For the sake of this article, we will use one product as an example here, the Classic Coca-Cola. As we know, Coca-Cola’s price in the modern day is not fixed. We can purchase it for as low as 50 cents a can and as high as $5.

To illustrate, if you buy a can for 50 cents, you are buying the product as a slab of 24 cans. So, there is saving, but it’s a quantity-buy. For a little more, $1.49, you will get a chilled can at the supermarket. You’ll have to pay a little more in a petrol station or convenience store since it is more of an impulse buy. In a vending machine, which is generally located at places with no other food source, the price is higher at around $2.50. In a cafe, it would cost approximately $4.50. And the same Coke in a hotel would cost about $5. 

The different price points for Coke are driven by the type of consumption, “the need state”, or “the desire state”. Therefore, the pricing power resides in the usage and the location, and the utility that the customer derives from that.

When it tries to enter a new market, mainly those sensitive to price, Coca-Cola prices its products at lower price points than its competitors in that segment. Once the brand is established, it repositions itself as a premium brand through various promotions.

With such a genius pricing strategy in its marketing mix, Coca-Cola has been able to achieve such a high margin of 27%. The below graph shows Coca-Cola’s global revenues from 2009 to 2020, as we see its revenues peaked in 2012:

Creative Promotional Strategy

If we had to choose one brand that has always been consistent with its promotions in marketing strategy, it is Coca-Cola. Never deviating from the basics, Coke has always been consistent with its projection.

From Santa Clause, as we know him, to the coupon culture we see every day, there are many such things like these that we owe to Coca-Cola. They have had such diverse campaigns, yet their underlying theme has been the same throughout history, Happiness! With slogans like “Enjoy,” “You can’t beat the feeling,” “Happiness,” coke has never been a beverage, but a “feeling.” 

Coca-Cola did not create the legend of Santa Claus. But Coca-Cola advertising did play a big role in shaping the jolly character we know today. The Coca Cola Company

Bill Backer, the creative director on the Coca-Cola account, was once flying to London to meet up with music director Billy Davis to shoot a new ad for Coke. The plane had to be rerouted to Ireland due to heavy fog in London. Most of the passengers were irritated by the situation. The next day Backer saw many of the passengers, some of whom were the most irate the previous day, laughing and sharing stories over a bottle of Coke. This was an eye-opener for Backer; he realized Coke wasn’t just a refresher but a commonality shared by people worldwide.

This set Bill Backer and team to shoot the famous “I’d like to buy the world a Coke.” When released in the US in July 1971, the Coca-Cola company received more than 100,000 letters about the commercial. Billy Davis, the music director on Coke’s account, wanted to produce a record version of the commercial, releasing two versions, by a group of studio singers who called themselves “The Hillside Singers” and later New Seekers. Both versions topped charts and were recorded in a wide range of languages, and sheet music is one of the top-selling to date.  

The “I’d like to buy the world a Coke” ad:

In the context of India, Coca-Cola has had a mix of jingles with celebrity endorsements. One of the most iconic ads was the “Thanda Matlab Coca-Cola,” released in 2003, featuring Amir Khan. This ad highlighted how Indians related to the brand as cool relief. Coca-Cola also understood the importance of festivals and cricket in Indian culture and targeted the same.

Campaigns like “Share a Coke Campaign,” “Fifa World Cup Campaign,” “Happiness Machine Campaign” helped Coca-Cola become an industry leader and become a part of the everyday lives of its consumers.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Coca-Cola India (@cocacola_india)

The “Share a Coke” campaign:

The “Happiness Machine” campaign:

Coca-Cola at international Places

Coca-Cola is present in more than  200  countries and territories. Being in the business for more than 135 years, Coca-Cola has a vast and extensive distribution network. It has a total of 6 geographic regions of operations, including Europe, Latin America, North America, the Pacific, Eurasia & Africa. As mentioned earlier, Coca-Cola relies on its bottling partners for the packaging and distribution of its products. 

The visualization below shows the Market Share of leading Carbonated Soft Drinks companies in the United States. Coca-Cola has been a clear market leader.

While many view our Company as simply “Coca-Cola,” our system operates through multiple local channels. Our Company manufactures and sells concentrates, beverage bases, and syrups to bottling operations, owns the brands, and is responsible for consumer brand marketing initiatives. Our bottling partners manufacture, package, merchandise and distribute the final branded beverages to our customers and vending partners, who then sell our products to consumers. The Coca Cola Company

Once the bottlers are done with the packaging (predefined by the Company), the bottles are transported to the stockists, distributors, and retailers from where the final consumers buy the product. Coca-Cola has a pervasive distribution channel. In India, Coca-Cola has around  2.6  million outlets to sell its products.

Coca-Cola has a reverse supply chain where they collect the leftover glass bottles from the retailers and convert them into reusable products, thus saving cost and additional resources.

In its latest News Release, the Company reported strong results in the second quarter. The Coca-Cola Company reported strong second-quarter 2021 results and year-to-date performance.

Our results in the second quarter show how our business is rebounding faster than the overall economic recovery, led by our accelerated transformation. As a result, we are encouraged, and, despite the asynchronous nature of the recovery, we are raising our full-year guidance. We are executing against our growth plans, and our system is aligned. We are better equipped than ever to win in this growing, vibrant industry and to accelerate value creation for our stakeholders. James Quincey, Chairman, and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company

This signifies a strong recovery from the setback caused by the pandemic. As we see, all of the above Ps in its marketing strategy and mix have contributed to Coca-Cola’s success, both during pre-pandemic and in its recovery post-pandemic. 

That’s it for this one; I need a Coke now 🙂

-AMAZONPOLLY-ONLYWORDS-START-

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-AMAZONPOLLY-ONLYWORDS-END-

In my current role, I work with a Marketing Insights firm to serve clients across all domains. In my free time, I like to read books, cook, work out and write occasionally. I'm also a huge Chelsea FC fan.

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University of Bridgeport News

Exploring the Versatility of a Bachelor’s in Business Administration

In today’s ever-changing job market, the demand for a versatile professional with a strong understanding of business principles is higher than ever.

Pursuing a bachelor’s in Business Administration as a degree not only opens up doors to diverse career paths but also equips you with the skills necessary to thrive in various industries. Let’s delve into why pursuing a Business Administration bachelor’s degree could be the perfect choice for those seeking a dynamic and rewarding business career .

Why you should consider a Business Administration BS degree

A BS in Business Administration offers a wide array of possible career opportunities across many different fields and industries. Whether it’s management, marketing, business analytics, or finance, Business Administration bachelor’s degree graduates are well-equipped to excel in roles ranging from entry-level management positions to higher executive roles.

What appeals to most people about this degree plan is its versatility. A business administration BS allows you the ability to transition seamlessly between different business sectors. Because of the comprehensive skills you can acquire during the program, many great job opportunities become available.

Career paths available to those with a BS in Business Administration

With a bachelor’s in Business Administration, the array of career paths available to graduates is vast. The opportunities are abundant, from management roles to marketing, business analytics, accounting, finance, and beyond. Making it easy to find your niche.

Let’s explore a few career paths available to those with a bachelor’s in Business Administration.

Management is a basic fundamental of business. Business administration graduates can transition into management roles, starting as entry-level managers and progressing to higher leadership positions by leveraging their strong foundation in business principles.

The Business Administration bachelor’s degree program at University of Bridgeport covers vital areas such as accounting, finance, marketing, operations, and human resources, providing students with a holistic understanding of business operations.

Moreover, through case studies and simulations, students develop strategic thinking skills, which enable them to analyze situations, identify problems, and develop strategic solutions. All of which are essential in leadership and management roles.

Marketing  

For those inclined to do creative work and think strategically, a bachelor’s in Business Administration offers exciting opportunities in more creative fields like marketing. Brand management or digital marketing roles are plentiful for graduates with a Business Administration BS.

Business administration bachelor’s degree programs equip students with core marketing knowledge through introductory courses covering fundamentals like consumer behavior, market research, marketing mix (4Ps), and branding.

Moreover, graduates develop problem-solving skills during their studies, enabling them to tackle challenges effectively, such as declining engagement or targeting the right audience, in their marketing endeavors.

Business analytics

In today’s data-driven world, the demand for professionals with skills in data analysis is rapidly growing across industries.

Business administration programs adapt to this trend by incorporating courses in data analysis, statistics, and programming languages like Python or R. Graduates with a bachelor’s in Business Administration are well-prepared to enter this field, equipped with exposure to data analysis during their studies.

Graduates can take data and make informed business decisions based on that data. A bachelor’s in Business Administration makes it easy to seamlessly transition into roles that capitalize on the growing demand for data-driven insights.

Ready to see the possibilities? Explore career options with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration.

Accounting and finance.

There is a significant overlap between business administration and finance/accounting roles, providing graduates with diverse career options.

Business administration programs typically include introductory accounting courses covering fundamental concepts like bookkeeping, financial statements, tax principles, and auditing.

These courses not only highlight the crossover between the two fields but also impart financial literacy, which is essential for analyzing financial data and understanding financial markets.

Current industry trends

According to recent projections by the BLS ,  911,400 job openings each year, on average, are anticipated for business and finance occupations. The average wage for business professionals in this field was $76,850 in May 2022, significantly surpassing the annual average wage of $46,310.

This robust demand, coupled with higher-than-average wages, makes careers in business and finance an attractive choice for those seeking to build a lucrative and rewarding career path.

Things to consider

A bachelor’s in Business Administration offers a versatile foundation for career growth in various industries.

Whether you aspire to become a manager, marketer, data analyst, or financial expert, this degree provides the necessary skills and knowledge to thrive in today’s competitive job market.

If you’re considering pursuing a degree in business administration, explore the programs offered by University of Bridgeport to kickstart your journey toward a fulfilling business career. Click here to apply .