There is more to the Four P’s than having a Digital spend!

Is it only me, or do you too feel that the approach to marketing these days has become too focused on digital marketing in itself and ignoring, or at least forgetting, about the other fundamentals of an effective marketing strategy, namely the Four (or 7) P’s?

I come from a school of thought designed to build brands for the long haul by understanding the consumer, the marketplace and the opportunities that may exist there. This information, when analysed correctly, facilitates the construct of a strategy built on the strong research foundations.

Of course digital will, most likely, form a key part of the implementation phase – but it should not be an end onto itself for many businesses. Also, by solely throwing cash at the digital marketing space you as a business are possibly missing out on less expensive opportunities to grow your business – not to mention the opportunity to “market” your business to the 30% or more of the population who do NOT have any digital presence – and who in all reality wants to ignore 30% of the opportunities that may exist in the marketplace. Don’t let yourself, or your business, be sucked into the idea that digital is the only game in town – yes, it is one, maybe even a key one, but it is not the only channel by which a business can grow.

The analysis phase that always follows the strategy implementation will be ineffective if all your eggs are in one basket so to speak – and may not identify the possible missed opportunities to market a business.

So, my fellow marketers and business owners, be wise and spend some time researching the market place in full, analysing where ALL the opportunities are, and good luck with your endeavours in what we hope will soon be a post-Covid world.