Level 3 Digital Marketing Bootcamp – Exeter College
Module 1
The first module consisted of discovering current social media knowledge and discussing various social media platforms and the ages and profiles of their users.
We completed some fun exercises of promoting a ‘Holey Spoon’ – yes a spoon with holes in it; and an Italian Job themed café/restaurant within our groups. These exercises were a fun way to get the brain muscles used to exploring ideas on ways to promote either a difficult product or a new business start up.
Along the way we were taught about the seven ‘P’s of advertising: Credit TrueNorth
The 7Ps of marketing is an expanded marketing mix framework that goes beyond the traditional 4Ps (Product, Price, Place, and Promotion) to encompass three additional elements that are crucial for service-based industries. The 7Ps framework helps businesses develop a comprehensive marketing strategy, especially when they are offering services rather than tangible products. Here’s an explanation of each of the 7Ps:
Product: This is the core offering of your business, whether it’s a physical product or a service. You should define what you are selling, its features, benefits, and how it fulfills customer needs or solves their problems.
Price: Price refers to the cost of the product or service to the customer. Pricing strategies can vary widely, from premium pricing to value-based pricing or penetration pricing. Pricing decisions should take into account production costs, competitor pricing, and customer willingness to pay.
Place: Place, also known as distribution, focuses on how and where customers can access your product or service. It involves selecting the right distribution channels, retail locations, or online platforms to make your offering available to your target audience.
Promotion: Promotion is all about how you communicate the value of your product or service to your target market. This includes advertising, public relations, sales promotions, social media marketing, content marketing, and other promotional activities. The goal is to create awareness, interest, desire, and action (AIDA) among potential customers.
People: People refers to the individuals, employees, or teams involved in delivering the product or service and interacting with customers. This includes your staff’s expertise, customer service skills, and the overall customer experience. Well-trained and motivated personnel can significantly impact customer satisfaction.
Process: Process relates to the procedures, systems, and workflows that a business uses to deliver its product or service. A well-defined and efficient process ensures consistency and quality in service delivery. It also includes elements like order processing, customer support, and problem resolution.
Physical Evidence: Physical evidence refers to the tangible or intangible cues and elements that help customers evaluate the service. In service industries, customers often rely on physical evidence to assess quality and reliability. This can include the appearance of your physical location, packaging, branding, and other tangible or sensory aspects.
The 7Ps framework is particularly relevant for businesses in service industries such as hospitality, healthcare, tourism, and consulting, where the intangible nature of the service makes aspects like people, process, and physical evidence especially important in shaping the customer experience. However, it can also be valuable for product-based businesses looking to enhance their marketing strategy by considering a more comprehensive set of factors beyond the traditional 4Ps.