The Four C's of marketing just like the Four P’s:
Sometimes the four Ps of marketing model are switched, also known as 4 C's of marketing. The four C's of marketing are preferred because it shows more focus on the customers’ needs and interests rather than the interest of a seller or marketer.
The Four C's of marketing are as follows:
1. Customer needs and wants:
This element corresponds to the product elements of marketing mix. The marketers must have a clear understanding that customers don’t go to market just for the sake of looking at the products. They visit the market or a store because they want or they have a need for a particular product or a service. Therefore, it is important for the sellers or marketers to focus not merely on the product, but also on the customer needs and wants. Once the customer needs are fully understood, it becomes much easier to design or come up with the product ideas where the customers would be interested in buying.
2. Cost to customer:
This element corresponds to the pricing element of marketing mix. Most of the marketers spend their total time in deciding the price of the product. They forget that price is only a small part of what it costs to the customer to acquire the products. Customers also look at the services of the products, the benefits, the opportunity cost, and the time to get the products. Thus, if a marketer wants to market the product, he has to look at several other factors along with the price factor.
3. Convenience:
This element corresponds to the place elements of marketing mix. Whereas place element only considers where the customer will be able to get your products, the convenience will also take into consideration how convenient it is for a customer to place the order of your products. A marketer must be smart enough to understand that it is not only enough to make your products available at each and every part but also make sure that how convenient it is to get your product. It is all about ensuring that your customers don’t have to jump through any hoops to avail your product.
4. Communication.
This element corresponds to the promotion elements of marketing mix. Product promotion in marketing mix is to achieve highest sales of a product as it convinces customers to purchase the products and sometimes it can be manipulative. On the other hand, communication is more customer-focused approach of promoting a product. It is a two-way interaction that focuses on pushing out favourable messages to the customers about a particular product. Communication allows marketers to build a strong customer base and relationships.
The Four P's vs. the Seven P's of Marketing Mix:
At the time of the evolution of marketing mix model, which is known as four P’s model, people were mainly focused on the marketing of products. Only few businesses were engaged in providing services. Over a period of time, more companies evolved and started providing services. At this point of time, the four P’s model was not fully addressing the marketing needs of businesses providing services. This led to the addition of additional three elements of marketing mix with the aim of helping companies engaged in providing services.
These three elements are as follows:
5. Physical evidence:
Your marketing mix must take into consideration all the things that your customer sees, hears, and sometimes even smells- this is in relation with your product. The marketing mix strategy includes packaging and branding of your products, how your products are displayed in stores, where they are placed, and the context in which they are suited. In digital marketing, it includes placement of your products on websites and social media.
6. People:
Providing excellent customer service not only converts business into sales but also increase the customer base and relationships through referrals. Acquiring referrals by people who love your brand can also be a huge example of how marketing efforts supports the sales process or cycle. It is important that everyone in your business who represents your brand even if it is a non-human chatbot variety- must be a fully trained professional with deep knowledge of products and services and how it will improve the problems of your customers.
7. Process:
The process plays an important role in delivering your product to the customer. It should be designed in such a way that generates maximum efficiency and reliability. With the increase of online and e-commerce shopping, digital partnerships and logistics play an integral role of marketing mix.
Wrapping up
In this blog, we have learned about the four C's of marketing and understood the difference between four P's. In the next blog, we will be learning about the practical example of NIVEA’s marketing strategy.
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