As discounters dislodge the supermarket hierarchy and we have all reached for that extra blanket in recent months, you would be forgiven for thinking that price is not only King but the only business lever we have right now.

But hold that thought!  Price isn’t the only ‘P’ in the marketing pod.  Yes, we may have all turned down the thermostat a notch, but the nation has not miraculously found themselves with oodles of spare time to spend on shopping around or making their own jam!

People are still making choices that fit with their preferences and principles. Convenience, quality, service and sustainability are still important drivers of consumer choice.

Here at Fruit Marketing, we have been around the block a few times.  We know that no matter what the macro environment throws at us, there are traditional marketing processes that help us to develop the best strategies to fit the situation, the client and the objective.   And the 7P’s Marketing Mix is a cracker!

 

THE 7Ps MARKETING MIX HELPS BUSINESSES TO REVIEW, GROW AND TO CREATE EFFECTIVE MARKETING CAMPAIGNS.

The 7Ps is a constant in our armoury, standing for Product, Price, Promotion, Process, Place, People and Physical Evidence. Constantly assessing, adapting and optimizing using the 7Ps framework helps us to create clear, holistic marketing strategies and effective marketing campaigns to overcome hurdles, drive sales and meet business objectives.

 

THE OTHER P’S IN THE MARKETING POD

Tell me more about the other P’s I hear you cry!  There is a lot to take in, so for now here is a whistle stop tour of the 7 P’s and how to use them to review your business.

PRODUCT– Is your product or service the best that it can be, is it unique in any way and is there a demand for it that will lead you to growth?

PROMOTION– This isn’t about price promotions; this is about assessing how you are currently promoting your product. Are you using the right methods, language and frequency to reach and engage the right people in the right way.

PROCESS– Could the processes in your business be improved, in order to enhance the customer experience or to enhance the company culture and efficiencies?

PLACE– This can be your physical place, i.e., shop or offices or it can be your digital place such as your website or social media channels. Are all of the places, where your customer interacts with your brand, reflecting your brand in the best possible way and providing the best customer experience?

PEOPLE – Have you got the right people on the bus?  Do your team have the right skill set?  Do you have the right number of people to provide the best service and to hit your business objectives?

PHYSICAL EVIDENCE –Is the physical interaction with your brand optimised.  Your shop, the welcome packs, leaflets, business cards, packaging, online experience.

PRICE– What is your pricing strategy, positioning, discounts. Are there value-added elements or is your discounting in danger of de-valuing you brand? Do you know if your pricing is competitive?

 

IS PRICE REALLY KING?

So, is price really king? Well, we certainly do not think that it can reign alone. No matter what your pricing strategy, people cannot buy what they do not know about.  Your customers will only buy again or recommend you, if they value the product or service and have an enjoyable and memorable brand experience.

 

To talk more about the Ps in your Marketing pod, give us a call or drop us an email. Together we could cook up something wonderful!

 

T: 01626 248500

E: hello@wearefruit.com

IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING, YOU’LL GET SOMEWHERE AND LIKELY BE MISERABLE!

I once heard someone say, “If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll definitely get somewhere, but you’ll be miserable.”  For me, this really resonates as something reflected in many areas of life.  You can’t have a race without a finish line.  You can’t bench and celebrate success if you don’t know what that looks like.

Which is why, here at Fruit Marketing, we always start with a goal in mind and a plan to get there.  A Marketing Strategy to achieve your vision, that holds true to your mission.

 

WHAT IS A MARKETING STRATEGY ANYWAY?

So, let’s start with clearing up some of the jargon for you.

MARKETING STRATEGY – put simply is a plan.  It is a plan of action designed to support your business in achieving your long-term or overall goals.

VISION – where you are going, what you aspire to achieve

MISSION – what you do, who you do it for, your motivation and purpose

 

THE IMPORTANCE OF SETTING A UNIFIED VISION, MISSION AND GOALS.

We are often met with a blank face, panic and frustration, when we start talking to new customers about their strategy, vision, mission and goals.

“When do I have time for that, I’m too busy running my business,” we often hear.

Yet having a clear plan in place and an aligned vision and mission, can save you time.  It helps you steer your business in the right direction.  It gives a clear image of what success looks like, for you and your team.

If your team have a unified vision and mission, this will empower everyone with the confidence to make the right decisions for your business.  Creating greater efficiency, effectiveness and driving cultural alignment within the organisation.

As a business owner, planning, strategising and reviewing is the hardest, yet arguably the most important, thing to find time for.  Even for us, here at Fruit Marketing, we have to be strict about ringfencing regular time together as a team to plan and review.

 

HOW CAN WE HELP YOU TO CREATE A MARKETING STRATEGY

As a new client, we would start our journey together by helping you and your team to develop, review and refresh your business vision, mission and goals.

With our many longstanding clients, we help to keep the vision alive, regularly reviewing and reporting against the strategy in place.

Once we have created clear vision and mission statements,  we then get to work creating a SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time bound) marketing strategy to help you achieve your business goals.

 

OUR NEW MARKETING STRATEGY WORKSHOP IS A POWERFUL FAST TRACK TO AGREED VISION, MISSION AND GOALS.

If all this sounds a little ‘heavy’ then never fear, as here at Fruit Marketing we like to keep things fresh and fun.  So, in partnership with Matthew Porter Coaching, we have developed a relaxed, yet pacey and engaging half day workshop to fast track reaching your teams agreed vision, mission and goals.

Here’s some of our recent feedback:

It was a great afternoon and all the participants enjoyed it a lot.” 

“The feedback from the team has been very positive. They found it a very useful exercise.” 

“The wider team liked being invited along and to be able to share their opinions too. They said it was good experience and a really positive meeting.”

 

Having a clear vision, mission, marketing and business strategy are crucial to business growth.  Most importantly they are the glue that holds a team together in a unified purpose and path.

 

GET IN TOUCH TO DISCUSS YOUR MARKETING STRATEGY

We love hearing about new businesses and thinking of ways to help you achieve your goals.  To arrange a cuppa and a catch up, please contact us at:

Email: hello@wearefruit.com

T: 01626 248500E

or read a little more about us at wearefruit.com

 

Written by, Jo Wood