Marketing involves understanding customer needs and promoting products to meet those needs. The key elements of marketing include public relations, sales promotion, advertising, pricing, distribution, and profit. Public relations differs from advertising in that it involves unpaid media coverage rather than paid placements. Sales promotion provides short-term boosts to sales through discounts or incentives. Advertising communicates product information through various media to attract customers. Pricing must be set efficiently to maximize profits while fitting market realities. Distribution involves how products reach customers through business-to-business or business-to-customer channels like wholesalers or retailers. The overall goal is to generate profit by meeting customer needs.

1. What is Marketing?
A- Met Needs = good companies sell.
B- Unmet needs = Great companies sells.
Marketing is All about!
1- Public Relation
2- Sales Promotion
3- Advertising
4- Pricing
5- Distribution
6- Profit
Public Relation:
Public relations include ongoing activities to ensure the overall company has a strong public image. Public
relations activities include helping the public to understand the company and its products.
How does it differ from advertising?
Public relations are the opposite of advertising. In advertising, you pay to have your message placed in a
newspaper, TV or radio spot. In public relations, the article that features your company is not paid for.
The reporter, whether broadcast or print, writes about or films your company as a result of information
he or she received and researched.
Sales Promotion
Sales promotion aims to provide a short-term boost to sales. Sales promotion looks for alternatives that
are more cost-effective - costing less to implement but providing a bigger increase in sales.
There are two basic types of sales promotions
1. Trade Promotions: The schemes, discounts, freebies, commissions and incentives given to the trade
(retailers, wholesalers, distributors.) to stock more, push more and hence sell more of a product come
under trade promotion.
2. Consumer sales promotions: are advertised in public media to attract consumer’s attention, this
schemes are floated mostly in festival times, like EID days New year’s or Christmas.

2. Advertising
Advertising is a means of communication with the users of a product or service. In today's world,
advertising uses every possible media to get its message through.
1. Television
2. Print (newspapers, magazines, journals etc)
3. Radio
4. Press
5. Internet (Facebook, Google, Twitter, Instagram, Linked in ….)
6. Direct selling
7. Billboards
8. Mailers
9. Sponsorships
10. Posters
11. Clothes
12. Colors
13. visuals and even people.
Pricing
Pricing is the process whereby a business sets the price at which it will sell its products and
services. Pricing is a fundamental aspect of seven Ps of the marketing mix.
A. Efficient price is a price that is very close to the maximum that customers are prepared to pay
B. Objectives of Pricing
To achieve the financial goals of the company (i.e. profitability)
To fit the realities of the marketplace (will customers buy at that price?)
Distribution
Distribution channels in marketing are one of the element of “7 Ps of marketing mix” placement
(distribution). It helps the companies to expand its reach and grow its revenue.
Types of Distribution.
1. Business-to-business (B2B) distribution: occurs between a producer and industrial users of raw
materials needed for the manufacturer of finished products.
2. Business-to-customer (B2C) distribution: occurs between the producer and the final user.

3. B2B and B2C, Companies can sell through a single distribution channel or through multiple
channels that may include:
– Wholesaler/Distributor
– Direct/Internet
– Direct/Sales Team
– Consultant
– Dealer
– Retail
– Sales Agent/Manufacturer’s Representatives
Profit
A financial gain, especially the difference between the amount earned and the amount spent in buying,
operating, or producing something.
This simple statement is often expressed as the profit identity, which states that
Total profits = total revenue (TR) – total costs (TC)
Marketing Mix Strategy
- Deliver your products or services in a way that satisfies your customers.
- An effective marketing strategy will help you to define the overall direction and goals for your
marketing.
- Your strategy should articulate how you are going to deliver your products or services in ways that
will satisfy your customers.
- Once you have defended your customers or target market, you need to start developing and
implementing tactics to reach them. The marketing mix will make up the tactical elements you
will use to carry out your strategy and reach your target market.
Marketing Mix Tactics
Identify the tactical action steps which will turn your strategy into a reality in your marketing plan, using
the guide below. The seven tactics below are sometimes referred to as the 7Ps because they all start with
the later p.

4. 1. Your product or service
What product or services are you going to offer? Discuss the branding, the packaging (where applicable),
and ongoing product or development. You should consider the features and benefits you offer, your
unique selling points (What makes your product/service different from everyone else's) and what
potential spin-of products of services might be.
2. The pricing of your product or service
Price is a critical part of your marketing mix. Choosing the right price for your products or services will
help you to maximize profits and also build strong relationships with your customers. By pricing
effectively, you will also avoid the serious financial consequences that can occur if you price too low (not
enough profit) or too high (not enough sales).
3. Your positon (place) in the marketplace
Whether it's a retail store, online shop or on social media, 'place' refers to the channels and locations for
distributing your product, related information and support services. This is how you will positon your
product in the marketplace, it's the location where a product can be purchased. Often referred to as the
distribution channel, this can include any physical store (e.g. supermarket) as well as virtual stores (e.g.
eBay) online.
4. The promotion of your product of service
How do you promote and market your business now (or intend to)? Regardless of how good your business
is, if you don’t promote it and tell people you exist, it’s unlikely you will make many sales. Promotion is
about attracting the right people to use and reuse your business. There are a number of techniques to use
and they can be combined in various ways to create the most cost effective strategy for your needs. This
can include online, branding, public relations and advertising.
5. The people in your business
(e.g. salespeople, staff)
If you have employees in your business, they can influence the marketing of your products and services.
Knowledgeable and friendly staff can contribute to creating satisfied customers, and can provide the
unique selling experience that an organization is often seeking. If an outstanding team provides a
competitive advantage, then the quality of recruitment
6. The process represents the buying experience
Process represents the buying experience the customer gets when they buy your product or service.

5. 7. The physical environment where the good/services are presented
The physical environment where your products or services are sold and delivered can have a significant
impact on how your customers' experience your business.
Business Environmental Analysis
- Business Environmental Analysis is all about Macro environment.
- Everyday our market is changing the way it is. Many new things are developed and in a matter of
about some seconds, the whole scenario stands different in front of us. Among them, there are
many things that we can control and then there are other things that fall beyond our control and
those are called systematic factors.
macro-environment
- A detailed analysis of the macro-environment or the environment as a whole is called PESTLE
analysis, which precisely means a bird’s eye view of the PESTLE analysis business conduct. The
PESTLE analysis ascertains for the managers and the strategy builders as to where their market
currently stands and where it will head off in the future.
PESTLE
- P for Political factors
- P for Economic factors
- S for Social factors
- T for Technological factors
- L for Legal factors
- E for Environmental factors
P for Political factors: These factors take into account the political situation of a country and the world in
relation to the country. For example, what sort of government leadership is affecting what decisions of a
country? All the policies, all the taxes laws and every tariff that a government levies over a trade falls
under this category of factors.
E for Economic factors: Economic factors include all the determinants of an economy and its condition.
The inflation rate, the interest rates, the monetary or fiscal policies, the foreign exchange rates that affect
imports and exports, all these determine the direction in which an economy might move, therefore

6. businesses analyze this factor based on their environment so as to build strategies that fall in line with all
the changes that are about to occur.
S for Social factors: Every country is different and every country has a unique mindset. These mindsets
cast an impact on the businesses and the sales of their products and services; therefore, PESTLE analysis
includes these factors as well. The cultural implications, the gender and connected demographics, the
social lifestyles, the domestic structures; all of these are studied by companies to understand the market
and the consumer better.
T for Technological factors: Technology greatly influence a business, therefore PESTLE analysis is
conducted upon these factors too. Technology changes every minute and therefore companies need to
stay connected along the way and integrate as and when needed. Also, these factors are analyzed to
understand how the consumers react to technological trends and how they utilize them for their benefit.
L for Legal factors: Legislative changes occur from time to time and many of them affect the business
environment. For example, if a regulatory body would set up a regulation for the industries, then that law
would impact all the industries and business that strife in that economy, therefore businesses also analyze
the legal developments happening in their environment.
E for Environmental factors: The location of countries influences on the trades that businesses do. Adding
to that, many climatic changes after the trade of industries and the way consumers react towards a certain
offering that is launched in the market. The environmental factors include geographical location, the
climate, weather and other such factors that are not just limited to climatic conditions. These in particular
affect the agri-businesses, farming sectors etc.
GENERIC COMPETITIVE STRATEGIES
Introduction
- Michael Porter suggested that businesses can secure a sustainable competitive advantage by
adopting one of three generic strategies.
- He also identified a fourth strategy "middle of the road" strategy, which although adopted by
some businesses, is unlikely to create a competitive advantage.

7. Generic strategies
- Cost Leadership Strategy
- Differentiation Strategy
- Focus Strategy
- Stuck in The Middle
Cost Leadership Strategy
- This strategy involves the organization aiming to be the lowest cost producer and/or distributor
within their industry. The organization aims to drive cost down for all production elements from
the sourcing of materials, to labor costs.
- by reducing production costs and therefore increasing the amount of profit made on each sale as
the business believes that its brand can command a premium price or
- by reducing production costs and passing on the cost saving to customers in the hope that it will
increase sales and market share
Example
- Low cost producers include Easy Group, Ryan Air, and Walmart.

8. Differentiation Strategy
- To be different, is what organizations strive for; companies and product ranges that appeal to
customers and "stand out from the crowd" have a competitive advantage.
- With a differentiation strategy the business develops product or service features which are
different from competitors and appeal to customers including functionality, customer support
and product quality.
Example
- Brompton folding bicycles when folded are more compact than other folding bikes. Folding bikes
are usually purchased by people with limited storage space at home or on the move; a compact
bike is therefore a valued product feature and differentiates Brompton bicycles from other folding
bicycles.
Focus Strategy
- Under a focus strategy a business focuses its effort on one particular segment of the market and
aims to become well known for providing products/services for that segment. They form a
competitive advantage by catering for the specific needs and wants of their niche market.
- A focus strategy is known as a narrow scope strategy because the business is focusing on a narrow
(specific) segment of the market.
Example
- Roll Royce, Bentley and Saga a UK company catering for the needs of people over the age of 50.
Are You "Stuck in The Middle"
- Some businesses will attempt to adopt all three strategies; cost leadership, differentiation and
niche (focus).
- A business adopting all three strategies is known as "stuck in the middle".
- They have no clear business strategy and are attempting to be everything to everyone. This is
likely to increase running costs and cause confusion, as it is difficult to please all sectors of the
market. Middle of the road businesses usually do the worst in their industry because they are not
concentrating on one business strength.
Conclusion
- To create a competitive advantage business should review their strengths and pick the most
appropriate strategy cost leadership, differentiation or focus.
- Although each of these strategies are known as generic strategies (because they can be applied
to every industry) they will not suit every business.

9. - Whatever strategy a business decides to adopt they should make sure that it isn't middle of the
road because one business cannot do everything well.
Market Structure
What is Market Structure?
A market is a set of buyers and sellers, commonly referred to as agents, who through their interaction,
both real and potential, determine the price of a good, or a set of goods. The concept of a market structure
is therefore understood as those characteristics of a market that influence the behavior and results of the
firms working in that market.
Things to be considered
- Number and size of sellers and buyers
- Type of the Product
- Conditions of entry and exit
- Transparency of Information
Types of Market Structure
1. Pure (Perfect) Competition
2. Monopoly
3. Monopolistic Competition
3. Oligopoly
Pure (perfect) competition
- Many and small sellers, so that no one can affect the market
- Homogeneous Product
- Free entry and exit from the industry
- Transparent information
Monopoly
- A single seller: The firmed industry is synonymous.
- Unique Product: No close substitutes for the firm’s product.
- The firm is the price maker: The has considerable control over the price because it can control the
quantity supplied.
- Entry or exit is blocked.

10. Monopolistic Competition
- Multiple firms produce similar products
- Firms face down sloping demand curves
- in the limit, firms compete away economic profits
Oligopoly
- Few large firms: Each must consider its rival’s reactions in response to its decisions about prices,
output, and advertising.
- Standardized or differentiated products.
- Entry is hard: Economies of scale, huge capital investment maybe the barriers to enter
-
Role of Consumer behavior in advertising

11. - Marketers need to understand the buying behaviour of consumers while designing their
advertisements for the desired impact. Advertisements play an essential role in creating an image
of a product in the minds of consumers. Advertisements must be catchy and communicate
relevant information to consumers.
- Understanding the needs of the consumer is really important when it comes to creating the right
advertisement for the right audience.
Remember it is only through advertisements; individuals are able to connect with your brand.
Identify your forget customer
- Identify your target audience. The advertisement in some way must touch the hearts of the end-
users for them to buy the product.
- It is really essential to show what the consumers like. Meet your target audience and find out
what they expect from your product and brand on the whole. Do not show anything which might
offend any religious group or community. Make sure the message is relevant and crisp. Overload
of information null if ies the effect and the advertisement might go unnoticed. Don’t try to confuse
the consumers. They will never buy your product. Understand their psychologies well.
- The advertisement must show what the product is all about. It should, in a way give some kind of
information about its price, benef its, usage, availability and so on.
- Consumers perceive Women Horlics as a health and energy drink which is a must for all working
women as well as expecting mothers for their overall well -being. A Horlics advertisement with a
male model does not make sense as the target audience would never be able to connect with the
product.
- A lean and inactive off ice going female drinking Women’s Horlics and thereafter beaming with
energy and cone idence would be the ideal concept for the advertisement. Through
advertisements, the company actually tries to win over the cone idence of consumers who would
not mind spending on their product.
- A Tag Heuer, Omega, Mercedes, I phone advertisement ought to be classy for people to recognize
these products as status symbols. Use expensive props, unique concepts and well known faces for
all premium and exclusive brands.
- Advertisements meant for younger people (college goers, young professionals) ought to be
colourful and trendy for them to be able to relate themselves with the product. Serious
advertisements do not go very well with the youngsters. It is essential to understand the mindsets,
attitudes and preferences of target audience.

12. - Advertisements for insurance plans, medical benef its, hospitals ought to be sensible as they
convey much serious information and target a mature segment of individuals altogether.
- The time slot of commercials also needs to be taken care of. Advertisements for products meant
for children should ideally be aired during afternoon or early evening hours as this is the time
when they watch maximum television. Understand the lifestyle of your target audience. Prime
time commercials are the ones which are viewed by maximum people.
- Choose the right theme for your advertisement. The advertisements ought to create the need
among the consumers for them to buy the product. Commercials ought to give complete
information to the consumers. All tobacco and alcohol commercials must show the warning
message.