Traditional Marketing Mix- Creating a Push and Pull Strategy

We already know that “There are four components of promotion-mix i.e., advertising, personal selling, sales promotion and public relations. Thus, promotion mix is a company’s total communication programs which consists of different blends of its components and which is used to achieve the company’s marketing objectives.” (Heenaa 2011)

To explore this further- lets discuss the traditional mix concept of personal selling with the new ‘’toolbox’’ of the web.

“To review - Personal selling is a personal communication with one or more prospective buyers(viewers) for the purpose of selling a product or service. Personal selling is considered to be the most effective tool because of various characteristics” (Heenaa 2011) which are listed below:

- it involves personal interaction, hence feedback is received immediately; (can’t we utilize this concept to ‘’pull’’ info from the client with intent to establish a product that suits their needs (personalization) by utilizing blogs and discussion forums? There are plenty of company blogs and discussion groups which target an audience to pull info with intent of personal selling ‘’push’’)

- it is quite flexible, salesman can adjust communication according to the level of customer’s under-standing. ( whether is be a tangible or intangible product – can’t marketer’s utilize web platforms such as Facebook to ‘’pull’’ information from clients on their needs and just as easily adjust communication online after analysis? And even quicker then with more traditional media? To than “push” a product that is relevant?)

- it is more persuasive; buyers can be convinced about the utility of the product; (through the use of web 2.0 platforms- such as Facebook and Youtube, can’t the web platform be utilized to study market groups-understand client needs and ‘’pull’’ the data together and then offer an “educated” product? And can’t this educated product be persuasive by nature- since it exudes value by satisfying the client’s needs ? Also- can’t the web itself be utilized as a personal selling platform ‘’push’’ – and do an even better job than traditional media- since now you can interact with other people/friends via a 2 way dialogue to get reviews, on-demand product demos and interactive 3-d models of tangible and intangible products?)

- impressive salesman leaves an impression on the prospective buyer; it may increase sales in the future. (Can’t we utilize CRM systems to maintain an attentive impression to the client so that we can continue to ‘’pull’’ data in at attempt at a more successful ‘’push’’ of products?)

As you see in this example, the 4 P’s can be utilized successfully for either a push or pull strategy, and the beautiful thing is that the web has provided an even easier platform to accomplish either task or both simultaneously. The success lays in noting the differences in approach, ultimately by implementing the traditional marketing mix model/framework with the new mind-set of promoting client interaction on a new technology platform.

Heenaa. (2011) ‘’Marketing Mix” Retrieved from http://www.oppapers.com/essays/Promotion-Mix/780904

How To Apply the Traditional Mix on the Web 2.0 Platform

In Laudon’s text we learn that a marketing strategy by definition is “ the plan you put together that details exactly how you intend to enter a new market and attract new customers. “ (Laudon 2011) Therefore, I do not see how focus should not be placed on integral components such as product, price, place and promotion when developing and implementing a marketing strategy.

To prove my point further lets use Flickr as an example of why the 4 P’s should remain an integral component in marketing strategies. Notice how each of these sections stresses focus on the customer.

“Flickr has to make decisions about how to tell customers about its product. Should they do advertising? Should it develop features that make it easy to share photos – so customers actually tell other customers about Flickr? Flickr can also embed technology that makes its photos more widely available so that more customers consider using it as a photo sharing site.” (Cannon 2010)

PRICE: Flickr should not neglect important decisions such as level of its pricing and whether to offer some added customer benefits such as services for free. Should they include introductory price promotions, group discounts, freemium models etc.

PRODUCT: “Flickr’s “Product” has evolved over the years. Flickr started as an online massive multiplayer game (Game Neverending) – that had a small photo sharing feature. Early on Flickr was really just a chatroom that allowed for real-time photo sharing. The “Product” continued to evolve in response to customer use, input, and feedback and internal innovation. Flickr has over the years added tags, groups, favorites, and interestingness as features. These represents just some of the product decisions that Flickr managers needed to make.” (Cannon 2010)

PLACE: “How much bandwidth to offer? Do they sell their services through stores – possibly allowing people to go to Walgreens and upload/download photos from kiosks? (Not saying all these ideas are good – but by having the 4 Ps, it opens marketers up to potentially creative new approaches to meeting customer needs.).” (Cannon 2010)

PROMOTION: Flickr can use web and social media such as blogs to promote their product. This creates a personal and interactive experience for the customer- without the cost of personal selling.

As you see through this example, if used properly, the 4 P’s provide successful framework without losing sight of the customer and should remain the focus of a marketing strategy.

Cannon, J. (2011) “Defending the 4 Ps of marketing on the web” Retrieved from http://teachthe4ps.com/marketing-strategy-planning/defending-the-4-ps-of-marketing-on-the-web/

Laudon, T. (2011). e-commerce: business. technology. society. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

The Value of Traditional Marketing

It’s interesting to point out that in all the research that I have done this week, it is so easy to find information on why the 4 P’s are dead as opposed to the value the traditional marketing mix brings.

Also, in my research I found many instances where marketing is so misconstrued into the model of “marketing = advertising and selling”. And if you utilize the 4 P’S in such a fashion, then naturally your business model will fail to recognize the customer. (Cannon 2011)

Additionally, with new technology such as the internet, utilizing the 4 P’s poses a much more difficult challenge – leading marketers to want to replace the model.
In the article “Don’t Abandon Traditional Marketing Methods: Integrate and Interact” by Greg writes: While social media is an important element to business marketing, it’s not a replacement for proven forms of promotion. (such as the 4 P’s) With its low cost, easy barrier-to-entry and seemingly widespread reach, it’s tempting to think social media can replace other forms of marketing. But it’s important to remember that social media in and of itself isn’t a marketing strategy: It’s but one promotional tool in the smart business marketing toolbox. (www.bizshifts-trends)

With all that said, do you think marketer’s are quick to dismiss the 4 P’s simply because they do not have a plan as to how to integrate web 2.0 into the marketing mix successfully? Or are marketer’s forgetting the true definition of ‘’marketing strategy”? Does “marketing” need to be redefined to promote and establish a universally accepted model which accounts for web 2.0 – to help marketers adopt this new technology into their marketing plans?

My opinion- In general, I think it is pretty silly to dismiss the framework the traditional mix provides- a framework that has been used for decades, and proven to be a successful foundation in marketing. I also think marketer’s need to learn to embrace the new challenge and keep in mind that a house cannot stand without a strong foundation.

Cannon, J. (2011) “Defending the 4 Ps of marketing on the web” Retrieved from http://teachthe4ps.com/marketing-strategy-planning/defending-the-4-ps-of-marketing-on-the-web/

www.bizshifts-trends (2011) Retrieved from http://bizshifts-trends.com/2011/02/21/is-traditional-marketing-dead-age-of-internet-clicks-views-tweets-blogs/

Why Companies Fail at Business Model Innovation

I found various reasons why companies fail at business model innovation. In example, product focused business models are vulnerable to being disrupted by models that “blend both product and service to significantly change the value proposition.” Also, organizations fail blindly to take cannibalization off the table “even if a new business model may have significant upside potential.” Additionally, ROI hurdles are too aggressive for fledgling models and lastly, organizations “shoot their renegades. Or, if they don't shoot them, they wear them down until they leave.” (Kaplan 2011)

This was an interesting post because it pointed out a perspective which is very different from the focus of my research this week. I learned that sometimes it’s not the tools we need to adjust but our attitudes to new and untested waters- in the sense that perhaps organizations need to look at all the ways that a new business model CAN work instead of focusing on how it won’t.

Do you think a shift into such a more positive attitude to change would inspire more acceptance in implementation of new models? How can we inspire this shift?


Kaplan, S. (2011) “Five Reasons Companies Fail at Business Model Innovation” Retrieved from http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2011/10/five_reasons_companies_fail_at.html

Too Much Content on a Site

Many people do not realize that the reason behind a ton of content on websites is SEO. (Search engine optimization) The more keywords a website has, the higher they rank on Google (some will argue this, as the actual process of Google ranks is quite cryptic.) The following article takes a pretty good tackle on the process. (http://www.redfusionmedia.com/google_pagerank.htm )

Although SEO is an integral component of a successful website, designers need to be sure that there is a balance between SEO and content. One way this can be done is through keeping the main content on the website and implementing secondary keywords in pdf’s. There are various steps designers need to take to ensure the pdf’s are optimized correctly.

These steps include:

1. Make Sure the PDF is Text-Based

2. Optimize the Content As You Would For a Regular Web Page

 3. Fill in the Document Properties

4. Take Advantage of Tags

5. Make Sure The PDF is Easily Visible

 Harris, K. “5 Ways to Optimize Your PDF for SEO” Retrieved from http://slodive.com/design/5-ways-to-optimize-your-pdf-for-seo/

The Case For Use of Black Color for a Website

I appreciate a minimalistic approach to good site design, I also agree that a good site utilizes design elements such as rhythm, repetition and color to balance the site and to establish a hierarchy of information. I did not agree with the aspect of staying away from black/dark colors on a site. Black, when used correctly, can be a very grounding and elegant color. It can also inspire an aura of creativity.
Additionally, if we look at the color culturally, for Australian Aboriginals black is a color of the people. For the Feng Shui , black represents Yin, water, money, career success, income, stability, emotional protection and power. (Zennand) It is important to point out that a large majority of people prefer light websites because the black ones they have seen are just not designed well, but the trick to a successful and differentiated black website- is to hire a designer who understands color theory and good design.
Here are some stats on black sites: “10% of those surveyed said that they always preferred dark backgrounds for websites, while another 36% said that the best choice would depend on the type of website… with such a large percentage of users saying that dark website designs are tolerable and sometimes even preferred, we as web designers have to learn how to create effective dark designs for ourselves and our clients.” (www.webdesignerdepot.com)
So, what does a successful black website look like? The answer will vary, depending on cultural differences and personal taste.
Here is my opinion of a successful black website: http://www.blackestate.co.nz/
For non-designers- check out this article for a summary of why this is a good design as well as tips on how to successfully implement black in a website: http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2009/08/the-dos-and-donts-of-dark-web-design/
Zennand, T. “Colors in Web Design: Choosing a right combination for your Website” Retrieved from: http://www.1stwebdesigner.com/design/colors-web-design-right-combination/ www.webdesignerdepot.com “The Do’s and Don’ts of Dark Web Design” Retrieved from: http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2009/08/the-dos-and-donts-of-dark-web-design/

Good Site Design Examples

when I first started in the advertising and marketing, I was tasked with designing a website- back then, I did not understand many of the integral components of site design as my specialty was print design, therefore I did not account for components such as SEO or proper structural components. Was my site beautiful, of course- I had skills for the beauty, but function- a disaster. So once I gained the education and skills I was able to correct the many mistakes which I made. Now that I have tons of learned experience I am able to suggest the following as far as successful sites. (But, keep in mind that "successful" will always be an opinion- different strokes for different folks.) So I will suggest sites that stick to basic design elements. Check this article out for an explanation of elements: http://uxdesign.smashingmagazine.com/2008/01/31/10-principles-of-effective-web-design/

As for good design sites:

For a site which brings character into design check this site out..I particularly like the life section. http://www.austin-williams.com/agency-work.cfm

 For a super e-commerce site, check out: http://www.broadway.com/

I also really like the following e-commerce site- which I use all the time- because the site organizes a ton of products effectively. http://www.orientaltrading.com/

Web Design-There Must Be Brains Behind The Beauty

As a designer with plenty of websites under my belt, the most important consideration in web design is establishing clear business objectives of the website and choosing a relevant design team.

“Do you know why 85% of all (technology) projects fail to meet all of their critical measures of success?”

The answer is poor or no planning. A website is an integral part of your overall business plan. Too often firms fail to determine a clear objective of a website, which leads to many revisions and driving development costs up. To put things in perspective: “A recent study performed by KPMG Information Technology, a
Toronto-based professional services company, showed that of the (technology) projects that failed, 87% went more than 50% over budget, 45% failed to produce the expected benefits, and 86-92% went over schedule.” (Hamil)

In addition, many times firms fail to hire a design team with relevant skills and experience; who will know to consider integral components of a site such as Accessibility, Compatibility, Navigability, Readability and Usability. (Haque 2010) As important is a design team who will utilize the right tools and platforms to integrate these components on a website. In example, to structure a site “You can use straight HTML, PHP, CSS or other coding options, or you can use a script, such as Wordpress or Joomla. Each of these options presents its own pros and cons, and they can all affect search engine rankings.” (visualscope.com) An experienced design team will be able to decipher the difference and recommend the best option.

Also, designers can very easily get lost within the aesthetic aspect of a site- and if the firm is not very well versed on good site design; it is very easy to fall into the trap of a beautiful but not functional site. (www.visualscope.com)

Trust me, I learned the hard way.

Hamil, D. “Your Mission, Should You Choose To Accept It: Project Management Excellence” Retrieved from http://spatialnews.geocomm.com/features/mesa1/

Haque, O. (2010) “ 5 Biggest Challenges You Need To Face In Website Creation” Retrieved from http://www.stayonsearch.com/5-biggest-challenges-you-need-to-face-in-website-creation

www.visualscope.com “Web Design is Much more than Designing a Pretty Website” Retrieved from Web Design is Much more than Designing a Pretty Website

Evaluating Kotler's ‘’6 markets model’’

In evaluating Kotler's ‘’6 markets model’’ I think it is relevant for figuring out a specific target market, but that’s just it. Once you figure out the specifics of the target market, success lays in the establishment of the 4 P’S to reach that market.

Also, in my recent research and understanding of Kotler, I do agree that “One selects marketing tools that are appropriate to the stage of the product’s life cycle. For example, advertising and publicity will produce the biggest payoff in the introduction stage of a product; their job is to build consumer awareness and interest. Sales promotions and personal selling grow more important during a product’s maturity stage. Personal selling can strengthen customers’ comprehension of your product’s advantages and their conviction that the offering is worthwhile. Sales promotions are most effective for triggering purchases today. In the decline stage, the company should keep pushing sales promotions but reduce advertising, publicity, and personal selling.”

The 4 p’s will always be applicable, it is why they are a foundation- but we need to supplement the foundation to account for changing platforms and a more educated audience. As mentioned in my response to Roger’s post- “Being successful means learning to manipulate the marketing mix in a proactive manner, rather than merely reacting to what your competitors do.” (mystrategicplan.com) – which in today’s marketing arena means jumping from model to model- looking for a solution- which already exists- 4 P’s.

www.marsdd.com “Marketing mix: Kotler on marketing” Retrieved from http://www.marsdd.com/entrepreneurs-toolkit/articles/marketing-mix-kotler-on-marketing

www.mystrategicplan.com (2010) ‘’Customer Targeting” Retrieved from http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:HWN8dHRIvbEJ:mystrategicplan.com/resources/customer-targeting/+&cd=9&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a

Marketplace vs Marketspace

I think the point that is being missed is that today – it is not about the marketspace anymore- but rather- the marketspace. With this platform changing, some rules will naturally be redefined- and in my opinion, the marketspace provides a new ‘’instability’’ in targeting messages. Particularly since now marketers need to address new variables, such as a more varied audience and the cultural aspect. With this instability in mind, my opinion remains. The 4 P’s provide a stability- a known variable- that has been proven to work. Therefore I do believe that it is important to test all these new V’S and C’S and XYZ’s, because after all we are an evolving species, but on the same token- these new models should be implemented always as a supplement to the foundation – the 4 P’s.

“Being successful means learning to manipulate the marketing mix in a proactive manner, rather than merely reacting to what your competitors do.”(mystrategicplan.com) – which in today’s marketing arena means jumping from model to model- looking for a solution- which already exists- 4 P’s.

www.mystrategicplan.com (2010) ‘’Customer Targeting” Retrieved from http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:HWN8dHRIvbEJ:mystrategicplan.com/resources/customer-targeting/+&cd=9&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a

The 4 P's Need a Facelift!

Implementing the traditional marketing mix to gain a competitive advantage and meaningful differentiation poses quite a challenge in today’s technologically advanced marketspace, yet it is important to recognize that the 4 P’s still offer an integral foundation. That foundation needs to remain prominent in marketer’s decisions yet reinforced with integration of newer models, for a current and successful solution.

The marketing mix is a tool and the web – just a new toolbox. The way you use the tools determines success. To help firms implement marketing strategies successfully we need to remember that , “…. those who fail to fully understand the basics of marketing, including frameworks like the 4 P’s, will ultimately fail in their endeavors. Look at how many startups close down shop because their freemium business model failed to escalate and convert to revenue generation. Or how many companies dismiss the importance of thinking about distribution channels before setting up their business… all of this is part of going through the 4 P’s model and outlining how your marketing strategy will work.” (Kuperman 2011)

Firm’s need to also reinforce the traditional marketing mix with new techniques to account for the challenging shift into customer engagement on the new web platform.

Some of these technique models include:
Personalization: mass customization to gain more profits (iMark 2008)

Participation: customer democratization of information (iMark)

Peer-to-Peer: customer networks and communities where the brand is being talked about. Brand engagement happens within the conversations among the users (iMark)

Predictive Modeling: neural networks algorithms, successfully applied in marketing problems (typepad.com)

Here is a challenge:
Pick any product you’d like and try to develop a marketing strategy where the 4 P’s are irrelevant. I can guarantee that in one way or another you will find that these building blocks are still very much alive.

iMark (2008) “New 4Ps of marketing in Web 2.0 era” Retrieved from http://marketingoverinternet.wordpress.com/2008/03/15/new-4ps-of-marketing-in-web-20-era/

Kuperman, D., Cannon, J. (2011) “Defending the 4 Ps of marketing on the web” Retrieved from http://teachthe4ps.com/marketing-strategy-planning/defending-the-4-ps-of-marketing-on-the-web/

Typepad.com (2007) Retrieved from http://mootee.typepad.com/innovation_playground/2007/07/wen-20-and-the-.html