Topic 2.2 - Making Marketing Decisions Flashcards
what are the elements of the design mix?
- function
- aesthetics
- cost
what are the elements of the marketing mix?
- price
- place
- product
- promotion
product function
The purpose of the product or service
Product Aesthetics
This refers to how the product looks and feels
Balancing the elements of function, aesthetics, and cost, helps the product design to be both functional and attractive, while also being cost-effective for both the manufacturer and the consumer
Some manufacturers aim to balance all three elements e.g. Fentimans ginger beer is relatively affordable and is packaged in eye catching bottles and the product itself is very good quality
Other manufacturers may focus on one aspect, more than the others e.g. Asda own brand ginger beer is produced at the lowest possible cost and sold to consumers at a very low price
ok
what are the five stages in the product life cycle?
- development
- introduction
- growth
- maturity
- decline
cash flow in development stage of product life cycle
- usually negative as the company is investing heavily in the product without generating any revenue
marketing strategy in development stage of product life cycle
The marketing strategy during this stage is focused on creating awareness and generating interest in the product
marketing strategy in introduction stage of product life cycle
Marketing efforts are focused on creating awareness and generating interest in the product
cash flow in introduction stage of product life cycle
Cash flow is usually negative as the business usually incurs high costs for promotion, advertising and distribution
however. there is some cash inflow from sales (albeit slow sales growth)
cash flow in growth stage of product life cycle
Cash flow usually turns positive during this stage as sales revenue increases and costs are spread out over a larger volume of production
marketing strategy in growth stage of product life cycle
The marketing strategy is to differentiate the product from its competitors and build brand loyalty
marketing strategy in maturity stage of product life cycle
The marketing strategy aims to maintain market share and increase profitability by cutting costs and finding new markets
cash flow in maturity stage of product life cycle
Cash flow is usually positive during this stage as sales revenue continues to come in and costs are reduced through economies of scale and efficient production processes
cash flow in decline stage of product life cycle
Cash flow usually turns negative as sales revenue declines and costs associated with the product’s decline increase
marketing strategy in decline stage of product life cycle
The marketing strategy may involve discontinuing the product, reducing its price to clear inventory, or finding new uses for the product
may involve business retrenchment
draw a labelled graph of a product life cycle
check online
extension strategy
Extension strategies refer to the techniques used by businesses to extend the life of a product beyond its natural life cycle
These strategies are designed to boost sales and maintain profitability for a product that has reached the decline stage of its life cycle
what are the two types of extension strategies?
Product-related extension strategies
Promotion-related extension strategies
what are product-related extension strategies?
Involves changing or modifying the product to make it more appealing to customers and extend its life cycle
three Product-related extension strategies
- Product improvements e.g. Samsung releases new versions of its Galaxy Smartphone every year with upgraded features and improvements to the previous model
- Line extensions e.g. Coca-Cola introduced Diet Coke and Coke Zero as line extensions of its original Coca- Cola
- Repositioning e.g. when IBM’s personal computer division started losing market share to other brands, it repositioned its products as high-end business machines and focused on the enterprise market
Promotion-related extension strategies
Involves changing the marketing and promotion of the product to extend its life cycle
three Promotion-related extension strategies
- Changes to advertising e.g Kellogg’s continues to recreate adverts for its Corn Flakes cereal which has been around since 1906
- Price promotions e.g. Cyber Monday occurs on the first Monday after Thanksgiving in the USA and electronic firms discount prices significantly in order to boost sales of their products
- Sales promotions e.g. many coffee shops offer a loyalty program where customers can earn a free drink for every six consumed
product differentiation
Product differentiation is an attempt by a business to distinguish its products from those of competitors
purpose of product differentiation?
The development of product differentiation often helps a firm to create a unique selling point for its product which can help the business to stand out from its competitors.
Successful product differentiation helps the business to increase demand for its products, increase brand loyalty, and allow the business to charge higher prices
two main types of pricing strategies
- high profit margin, low volume
- low profit margin, high volume