Marketing
Customer
Businesses can be market-led or product led. Different strategies are used to target habitual, informed and impulsive consumer behaviour.
Market research
It is important to establish consumers' needs before launching a new product. A business conducts market research to help identify gaps in the market and business opportunities.
Marketing mix
A company needs to consider the marketing mix in order to meet their consumers' needs effectively. This is made up of product, price, place, promotion, people, process, physical evidence.
Product
A business can adjust the features, appearance and packaging of a product to create competitive advantage.
Price
A business must take many factors, including production costs, competition and demand, into account before deciding on the price of a product.
Place
As part of its marketing strategy, a company needs to decide where best to distribute a product.
Promotion
Businesses use promotion methods to make customers aware of their products and services. Promotion methods are highly competitive and usually expensive.
People
The people that a customer comes into contact with, and the service they provide can have a direct effect on customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Process
Once a product is made it still has to reach the retailers or wholesalers and finally the end user, the consumer. This is where systems and procedures come in.
Physical evidence
The physical evidence element of the marketing mix refers to the physical environment experienced by the customer. This could mean the design and layout of a shop or website.
Technology in marketing
Over the last 20 years many new technologies have entered the world of work which have had a significant impact on business.
Video playlist
Breaking even. Video
How businesses need to adapt – an example of one business changing its focus.
Financial aspects of business start-ups. Video
The story of the Innocent drinks company - the highs and lows for the founders.