3.3.4 - Making marketing decisions: using the marketing mix Flashcards
Describe the characteristics of dogs
- low market share
- slow growing market
- negative cash flow/ results in a loss
Describe the characteristics of cash cows
- money is ‘milked’ from cash cows to be invested into stars
- should only invest to support cash cows to maintain their market share
- cash cows are capable of innovating new products or processes which can become stars.
Describe the characteristics of stars
- high growth market
- high market share
- money should be invested in stars so they become cash cows and generate a positive cash flow.
Describe the characteristics of question marks.
- low market share
- high growth market
- Have the potential to become a star and gain a market share
- Can require lots of investment
- Require very close consideration.
What is the marketing mix?
The combination of marketing choices that can be used by a business to influence consumers to buy products.
What are the 7P’s of the marketing mix?
- Product
- Price
- People
- Place
- Promotion
- Process
- Physical evidence
What some the internal factors which can influence the marketing mix?
- Changes in financial position (buying lower quality supplies to cut costs or increase product price).
- Changes to staff bringing about new marketing opportunities.
- Changes to operations (higher productivity or transitioning to be more capital intensive).
- Changes to objectives (changing promotional methods to target a new market segment)
What some the external factors which can influence the marketing mix?
- Political and legal factors (new laws)
- Economic factors (economy growing or a recession occurs)
- Social factors (environmental concerns)
- Technological factors (growth in e-commerce)
- Competition (businesses may invest more in product innovation to establish a special selling point).
What are consumer products?
Products that are purchased by individuals for use within their homes.
What are industrial products?
Products that are purchased by businesses and used in the production of other products or in the running of the business.
Give 3 examples of industrial products.
- Raw materials
- Machinery
- Delivery vehicles
What are the 3 types of consumer products?
- Convenience products
- Shopping products
- Specialty products
Describe the characteristic of convenience products.
- Bought frequently
- Little planning or shopping effort required
- Low customer involvement (customers don’t usually interact with staff)
- Low price
- Widespread distribution
- Mass market promotion.
Describe the characteristics of shopping products.
- Bought less frequently
- Customers are careful on quality, price, brand and style
- Reasonably high
- Selective distribution
- Advertising by producers and other retailers.
Describe the characteristics of specialty products.
- Unique characteristics or brand
- Buyers make a special effort when buying
- High price
- Exclusive distribution/ limited outlets
- Promotion is more carefully targeted
Give two examples of convenience products.
- Crisps
- Toothpaste
Give two examples of shopping products.
- Hoodies
- Sofa
Give two examples of specialty products.
- Sportscar
- Gucci handbag
What are the 3 types of industrial products.
- Materials and parts
- Capital items
- Supplies and services
Describe the characteristics of materials and parts.
- Mostly sold to other industrial users
- Price and service are key issues
Describe the characteristics of capital items.
- industrial products used in operations or productions
Describe the characteristics of supplies and services
- Operating supplies, e.g energy, and business services, e.g security.
What is a product portfolio analysis?
A technique used to identify the position of every product in a firm’s portfolio within its market and review the products they produce.
What does it mean if companies are product orientated?
There is focus on the production process and the product itself.
What does it mean if companies are market orientated?
The business continually identifies, reviews and analyses consumers needs and wants.
What is the Boston Matrix?
A framework used to evaluate the strategic position of a business’s product portfolio and its potential.
Why does a higher market share result in higher cash returns?
A business that outputs more, benefits from higher economies of scale, resulting in higher profits.
What is the product life cycle?
A theoretical model which describes the stages a product goes through.
What is beneficial about the product life cycle?
It can be used to predict a likely shape of sales growth for a typical product.
Describe the characteristics of the development stage of the product life cycle.
- the product is designed and test-marketed to assess the potential sales and profitability of the product.
- large, negative cash flow
- Absorbs lots of resources
- Market research is conducted (high costs)
Describe the characteristics of the introduction stage of the product life cycle.
- Product is launched onto the market
- Sales are low (unprofitable)
- Unit costs are very high
- Negative cash flow
- Low capacity utilisation
- Heavy promotion required to grow product awareness.
What is an extension strategy?
A method used to delay the decline stage of the lifecycle and produce extra sales and revenue.
What are some examples of extension strategies?
- changing the appearance and packaging of the product
- finding new uses for the product
- finding new markets for the product
- enticing customers to use the product more frequently
- altering the resources used in the product.
What is the main benefit of new product development?
Businesses extend their product portfolio so can meet a wider range of customer needs or aim newer products at a different target market.
What is promotion?
The process of businesses making customers aware of the product, how it will satisfy their needs and persuades them to buy it or keep on buying it.
What are the 7 influences on new product development?
- Legal constraints
- Available finance and resources
- Technology
- Development costs
- Competition
- Market constraints
- Risk taking skills of managers and owners.
What is a brand?
A promise to deliver certain benefits and services that distinguishes a product or business from competitors in the market.
Why is it advantageous for businesses to build up brand loyalty?
Strong brands are able to charge high prices for products which results in a high profit margin being generated. Also, brand loyalty provides a strong basis for the business to launch new products.