Catalog / Marketing Concepts Cheat Sheet
Marketing Concepts Cheat Sheet
A comprehensive cheat sheet covering essential marketing concepts, frameworks, and strategies for effective marketing and branding.
Core Marketing Concepts
The Marketing Mix (4Ps)
Product |
Features, benefits, quality, design, branding, packaging, services. Focuses on what you are selling. Example: A smartphone’s features, operating system, and included accessories. |
Price |
Pricing strategy, discounts, payment methods, credit terms. Focuses on how much you are selling it for. Example: The retail price of a software subscription. |
Place |
Distribution channels, logistics, retail locations, online presence. Focuses on where you are selling. Example: Selling products through a company’s website and retail stores. |
Promotion |
Advertising, public relations, sales promotions, content marketing, social media. Focuses on how to promote a product or service. Example: Running a social media campaign for a new product launch. |
Segmentation, Targeting, and Positioning (STP)
Segmentation: Dividing the market into distinct groups of customers with different needs, characteristics, or behaviors. Example: Segmenting the market based on demographics (age, gender, income), psychographics (lifestyle, values), or behavior (usage rate, loyalty). |
Targeting: Evaluating each segment’s attractiveness and selecting one or more segments to enter. Example: Targeting young professionals with a premium coffee brand. |
Positioning: Arranging for a product to occupy a clear, distinctive, and desirable place relative to competing products in the minds of target consumers. Example: Positioning a car as the safest option for families. |
Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)
Predicting the net profit attributed to the entire future relationship with a customer. Formula: Example: A customer who spends $100 per year for 5 years, with a customer acquisition cost of $50, has a CLV of $450. |
Branding Concepts
Brand Equity
The added value endowed on products and services, which may be reflected in the way consumers think, feel, and act with respect to the brand. Components: Brand awareness, brand loyalty, perceived quality, brand associations. Example: Apple’s brand equity allows them to charge premium prices due to strong brand loyalty and perceived quality. |
Brand Positioning
Value Proposition |
The set of benefits or values a company promises to deliver to consumers to satisfy their needs. Example: Volvo’s value proposition centers on safety and reliability. |
Points-of-Parity (POPs) |
Associations that are not necessarily unique to the brand but may be shared with other brands. Example: A bank offering online banking services, a common feature among banks. |
Points-of-Difference (PODs) |
Associations that are unique to the brand and strongly held in consumers’ minds. Example: Tesla’s unique POD is its focus on electric vehicles and innovative technology. |
Brand Architecture
The structure of brands within an organizational entity. Types:
Example: P&G uses a House of Brands strategy with brands like Pampers, Tide, and Gillette operating independently. |
Marketing Strategies
Inbound Marketing
Attracting customers through relevant and helpful content and adding value at every stage of the customer’s buying journey. Key Components: Content marketing, SEO, social media, email marketing, automation. Example: Creating blog posts, ebooks, and webinars that address customer pain points and provide valuable information. |
Outbound Marketing
Reaching out to potential customers through traditional advertising and sales tactics. Key Components: TV advertising, print advertising, cold calling, direct mail. Example: Running a TV commercial during a popular show or sending out brochures through direct mail. |
Digital Marketing
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) |
Optimizing website content to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). Example: Using relevant keywords, building backlinks, and improving website speed to improve search rankings. |
Social Media Marketing (SMM) |
Using social media platforms to build brand awareness, engage with customers, and drive website traffic. Example: Creating engaging content, running targeted ads, and interacting with followers on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. |
Email Marketing |
Sending targeted emails to prospects and customers to nurture leads, promote products, and build relationships. Example: Sending welcome emails, newsletters, and promotional offers to subscribers. |
Marketing Frameworks
SWOT Analysis
Evaluating a company’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats to develop strategic plans. Example: A company identifying its strong brand reputation as a strength, outdated technology as a weakness, expanding into new markets as an opportunity, and increased competition as a threat. |
PESTLE Analysis
Analyzing the Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, and Environmental factors that can affect a company’s operations. Example: A company assessing the impact of new environmental regulations (environmental), changes in consumer spending (economic), and advancements in artificial intelligence (technological) on its business. |
Porter's Five Forces
Analyzing the competitive intensity and attractiveness of an industry. Forces:
Example: Analyzing the threat of new entrants in the smartphone industry, considering factors like high capital requirements and brand loyalty. |