📣Intro to Marketing Unit 5 – Product and Service Strategies

Key Concepts and Definitions

• Products are tangible goods that can be purchased, owned, and used by consumers (clothing, electronics, food)
• Services are intangible offerings that provide benefits or satisfaction to customers (haircuts, consulting, entertainment)
  • Services are often characterized by their intangibility, inseparability, variability, and perishability (IIVP)
• A brand is a name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's products from those of others
  • Branding creates a unique identity and value proposition for a product or service
• Positioning refers to the place a product occupies in the minds of consumers relative to competing products
  • Effective positioning involves creating a distinct and favorable image for the product
• The product life cycle (PLC) describes the stages a product goes through from introduction to decline
• New product development (NPD) is the process of bringing new products to market, from idea generation to commercialization

Types of Products and Services

• Consumer products are goods purchased by final consumers for personal consumption
  • Convenience products are frequently purchased, low-cost items (toothpaste, snacks)
  • Shopping products are less frequently purchased and involve more comparison and effort (clothing, furniture)
  • Specialty products have unique characteristics and loyal buyers (luxury watches, high-end cameras)
  • Unsought products are those that consumers do not actively seek out (life insurance, funeral services)
• Industrial products are goods purchased by businesses for further processing or use in their operations
  • Raw materials are unprocessed natural resources (crude oil, timber)
  • Component parts are manufactured items that become part of another product (computer chips, auto parts)
  • Capital equipment includes long-lasting machinery and tools used in production (assembly lines, trucks)
• Services can be categorized based on their nature and delivery
  • Professional services require specialized skills and expertise (legal advice, medical treatment)
  • Experiential services focus on creating memorable experiences for customers (theme parks, concerts)
  • Subscription-based services provide ongoing access to benefits (streaming platforms, gym memberships)

Product Life Cycle

• Introduction stage is when a new product is first launched in the market
  • Sales are low, and marketing efforts focus on creating awareness and trial
  • Prices may be high to recover development costs, or low to penetrate the market
• Growth stage occurs when the product gains acceptance and sales increase rapidly
  • Competition intensifies as more firms enter the market
  • Marketing efforts shift to building brand preference and increasing market share
• Maturity stage is reached when sales growth slows and the market becomes saturated
  • Competition is fierce, and differentiation becomes crucial
  • Marketing focuses on maintaining market share and loyalty through product improvements and line extensions
• Decline stage happens when sales and profits decrease as the product becomes obsolete or loses relevance
  • Companies may choose to discontinue the product or harvest remaining profits

Branding and Positioning

• Brand equity is the added value a brand name gives to a product beyond its functional benefits
  • High brand equity allows for premium pricing, increased customer loyalty, and competitive advantage
• Brand elements are the distinctive components that identify and differentiate a brand (logo, slogan, packaging)
  • Effective brand elements should be memorable, meaningful, and adaptable across markets and media
• Brand extensions leverage an existing brand name to enter new product categories (Apple Watch, Snickers ice cream)
  • Successful brand extensions capitalize on the parent brand's equity and fit with the new category
• Positioning strategies aim to create a distinct and favorable place in the minds of target customers
  • Functional positioning emphasizes product attributes, benefits, or performance (Volvo's focus on safety)
  • Symbolic positioning appeals to customers' self-image, aspirations, or emotions (Rolex's association with luxury and status)
  • Experiential positioning highlights the sensory or social experiences associated with the brand (Starbucks' cozy ambiance)

New Product Development

• Idea generation is the first step in NPD, where new product ideas are brainstormed and gathered
  • Sources of ideas include internal R&D, customer feedback, competitive analysis, and crowdsourcing
• Concept testing involves presenting product concepts to target customers for feedback and refinement
  • Concepts can be tested through surveys, focus groups, or online platforms
• Prototype development creates working models of the product for further testing and evaluation
  • Prototypes range from simple mock-ups to fully functional versions
• Test marketing is a limited launch of the product in selected markets to gauge customer response
  • Results from test markets inform final product design, pricing, and marketing decisions
• Commercialization is the full-scale launch of the product in the target market
  • A well-coordinated marketing mix (product, price, place, promotion) is crucial for a successful launch

Pricing Strategies

• Cost-based pricing sets prices based on the costs of producing, distributing, and selling the product
  • Cost-plus pricing adds a fixed markup to the unit cost (cost + 20% markup)
  • Break-even pricing aims to cover total costs at a specific sales volume
• Value-based pricing sets prices based on the perceived or estimated value to customers
  • Customers' willingness to pay is determined through market research and analysis
  • Price is set to capture the maximum amount customers are willing to pay
• Competition-based pricing sets prices in relation to those of competitors
  • Penetration pricing sets a low initial price to attract customers and gain market share
  • Price skimming sets a high initial price to capture value from early adopters before lowering prices
• Psychological pricing uses prices that appear attractive or advantageous to consumers
  • Odd-even pricing uses odd numbers to create the illusion of a lower price ($9.99 instead of$10)
  • Prestige pricing sets high prices to convey exclusivity and quality

Service Marketing Considerations

• Service quality is crucial for customer satisfaction and loyalty
  • Reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy, and tangibles (SERVQUAL dimensions) influence perceived quality
• Service encounters, or moments of truth, shape customers' overall impressions of the service
  • Each interaction between customers and service providers is an opportunity to exceed expectations
• Service recovery refers to the actions taken to address customer complaints or service failures
  • Effective service recovery can turn dissatisfied customers into loyal ones
• Service blueprinting is a tool for designing and managing service processes
  • It visually maps out the steps, touchpoints, and behind-the-scenes activities involved in service delivery
• Physical evidence refers to the tangible elements that surround a service (facility design, employee uniforms, signage)
  • Physical evidence helps tangibilize the service and communicate quality and value

Current Trends and Challenges

• Digitalization is transforming how products and services are developed, delivered, and consumed
  • E-commerce, mobile apps, and social media are reshaping the customer journey
  • Digital technologies (IoT, AI, VR) are enabling new product features and personalized experiences
• Sustainability and social responsibility are becoming key considerations in product and service strategies
  • Consumers increasingly prefer eco-friendly and ethically sourced products
  • Companies are adopting circular economy principles and sustainable business models
• Globalization presents opportunities and challenges for product and service marketers
  • Adapting products and services to local markets (localization) is essential for success
  • Managing global brands and supply chains requires a balance of standardization and customization
• Customer co-creation involves actively engaging customers in the product development and innovation process
  • Crowdsourcing, user-generated content, and online communities facilitate co-creation
  • Co-creation can lead to more relevant and differentiated products and services