The 7 Ps of Marketing
Patsy Perry
George Davies Centre for Retail Excellence
School of Management & Languages
Heriot-Watt University
Edinburgh, UK
Lecture Aim
To understand the 7 Ps of marketing and
their relevance to the fashion apparel
industry
What is marketing?
Marketing is the management process for
identifying, anticipating and satisfying
customer requirements profitably
(Chartered Institute of Marketing)
Essential requirements of marketing
Identification of consumers’ needs & wants
Definition of target market segments
Creation of a differential advantage within
target markets by which competitive
advantage can be established
What do consumers buy?
Consumers do not buy products, they buy
benefits
Tangible
– e.g. coat to keep warm
Intangible – e.g. body piercing to ‘look cool’
“In the factory we make cosmetics; in the
store we sell hope “ (Charles Revlon)
The extended marketing mix
Manipulating the 7 elements of the marketing
mix enables the firm to achieve and sustain a
differential advantage
Product
Price
Promotion
Place
People
(staff)
Processes
Physical evidence
Product
Product management
New product development
Branding
Packaging
E.g. style, colour, fabric, price, size
Price
Pricing strategy
Discount structures
Terms of business
Promotion
Advertising
Above
the line: magazines, billboards, TV
Below the line: free samples to celebrities, magazine
editors
Sales promotion
Public relations – link to brand reputation
Merchandising
Personal selling
e.g.
1 to 1 in department store, party planning
Place
Channel management
In
store
Online
Mail order
Concession in department store
Location
Physical distribution – supply chain
People
The importance of staff to design, source,
sell…
Customer service
HR policies:
Employee
selection
Employee training
Employee motivation
Processes
Customer management procedures: how
the firm handles customers from first point
of contact with the firm to the very last
point of contact
The procedure, mechanism and flow of
activities by which products/services are
consumed
Physical evidence
Layout
Décor
Ease of access
Forms of presentation – tangible goods that
help to communicate the product or service
new
season collection brochures in retail store
clean professional reception area in factory