What are the 7 principles of marketing mix?

Fuzzy wuzzy was a bear. Fuzzy wuzzy had no hair. So fuzzy wuzzy wasn’t fuzzy, was he?

This was the very first tongue twister I learned as a kid. I was probably 5 or 6 when my mom taught me how to say it, and I thought I was the coolest EVER for being able to do so. 

Everyone loves good alliteration. Even marketers! When it comes to the 7Ps of marketing, you have: Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. Shoot, that’s only 6 Ps! (And not the right Ps for marketing…more on those below). 

Marketing resources and a good marketing mix can be just as much fun to learn as use as “Sally sells seashells by the seashore.” But there is much more to them than just wordplay. Don’t underestimate the importance of the principles of marketing.

What are the 7 principles of marketing mix?

The 7 principles (also known as the 7Ps) of marketing are: 

1. The product being sold.
2. The price of the product.
3. The place where the product is being sold.
4. The promotion efforts utilized to sell the product.
5. The people to whom the product is being sold, but can also include anyone working on the product, such as employees or contractors.
6. The process to sell or deliver the product.
7. The physical evidence that the product exists (like the packaging or results of services rendered).

With that in mind, let’s get back to Peter Piper. 

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers;

A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked.

If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,

Where’s the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?

Peter clearly did not understand the importance of marketing mix 7Ps.

He was focused on the product (pickles), and part of the process (picking and pickling), but he skipped right over price, place, promotion, and people and he LOST the peck of pickled peppers! Oh, Peter…

How to use the 7 Ps of marketing.

Peter Piper didn’t use the 7Ps of marketing wisely – let’s learn from his mistakes.

First, Peter should have established the foundational strategic communications elements you need to succeed in marketing:

• Data-driven Customer Personas
• Brand Voice Guidelines
• Competitive and Market Analysis
• Customer Journeys

Need help crafting these elements for your business? Crafted Voice offers do-it-for-you services for each of these marketing tools, saving you time to focus on the rest of your business. Reach out to us today to get started. 

Once you have those in place, follow the steps of the 7Ps in order. Do not skip a step and do not do them out of order. If you do, you’ll end up like Peter Piper with a missing peck of pickled peppers…that weren’t going to sell anyway.

What is the difference between 4Ps and 7Ps of marketing mix?

Modern marketing principles include both the 4Ps and the 7Ps. Which should you use for your marketing mix? They overlap, so if you use the 7Ps, you are also using the 4Ps. The extended edition includes people, process, and physical evidence, which can be used to market more customer service oriented products or services.

Which among the 7 Ps of marketing mix is the most important and why?

You might be wondering which of the marketing mix 7Ps is most important. This is debated among marketers and business owners. Generally speaking, price is usually considered the most important because it impacts the ultimate decision of the customer: will I buy this? If it’s too much, it’s a no. If it’s too little, it’s a no because they worry about quality. 

I will argue, however, that product  is the most important because it is the foundation of all of the other Ps. If your product is crap, it doesn’t matter how high or low it is priced: long-term it won’t sell.

What happened to Peter Piper?

So how did things turn out for Peter Piper? He stopped winging his business and partnered with Crafted Voice to establish a solid strategic communication foundation. That was the start of new and exciting business growth…

Peter sold his peppers, plump and pickled, 

For a pretty penny profit, he was tickled. 

With his pepper profits, Peter bought a plot, 

To plant more peppers, to pickle in a pot!