Post Covid? Pandemic? Looking At Trader Joe's, A Trend Setter, Products, Services And "People?"

The following post is an update, and falls under "promotion" and "presentation" under the 9P's of Marketing.  And I'm a big fan for decades of Trader Joe's, which started under another name in the westside of Los Angeles. . 

They wanted to help. Seniors.  Who? Trader Joe's and other retailers. But to me Trader Joe's is special. Started as Pronto Markets near where I grew up in west L.A. 

They listened to many scientists and officials and tried to help those in need. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention then considered the segment of shoppers who were most vulnerable and at-risk for COVID-19. 

Trader Joe's and retailers created special hours. They were like many who last March 2020 had designated, special shopping hours. Smart. Needed.  Then it was required. 

Now, Trader Joe's has announce that they are dropping their specialized hours for seniors ("People" under the 9P's). 

Their special message, and they had some differentiation, that they or TJ's set aside the first hour each day at all stores for 60+ customers and ones with disabilities. As things changed, then the days and hours were reduced. 

In their PR they did stress that anyone in need of special accommodations can always ask for assistance. 

To me many details fall under branding, "presentation," under the 9P's. 

The Nine P's/9P's of Marketing help identify marketing problems in a number of strategic areas and help develop profitable marketing’s objectives, strategies, tactics and solutions. The 9P's are insightful. 

Need more insights into true Marketing and advertising practices and examples? Including smart Marketing trivia?  Visit right here. 

I am a senior Forensic Marketing Expert, Advertising expert, Advertising/Marketing consultant with Londre Marketing Consultants, LLC.

I created the 9P's of Marketing. I own a copyright for the Nine P’s/9 P's of Marketing ©2007 concepts and Marketing practices, which augment the Marketing Mix (Product, Price, Promotion and Place) or the 4P’s by the American Marketing Association (AMA), Neil Borden and Jerome McCarthy in the study and practice of Marketing.

In Marketing, the "customer," or potential consumers should be the center of the universe or "king," but they are missing in the 4P's. I feel from my study and research that there needs to be more focus on the "Customer," or "People." "People" or market segments, which utilize demographics, geographics, psychographics, behavioral characteristics and technographics, are vital, learning components of the 9P's.

I consult and teach using the Marketing concepts and practices of the Nine P's/9P's of Marketing.

In the study and practice of Marketing, brand, advertising and marketing managers develop plans, strategies and tactics. The Nine P’s include these important concepts, practices and components:

• People (Segmentation and Targeting)
• Think "seniors" as a segment. In my 9P's, I stress that firms need to look and analyze potential, new, existing and repeat customers and users. 
• To understand your "People" or market segments, you will need to or may need to utilize many characteristics, including demographics (such as age, family size, family life cycle, gender, income, occupation, education, religion, race, culture, generation, nationality, and social class), geographics, psychographics (buyers are on basis of psychological/personality traits, lifecycle, values), behavioral characteristics (needs and benefits, decision roles, user and usage-related variables, occasions, user status, usage rate buyer-readiness stage, loyalty status, attitude and multiple bases) and technographics (potential buyers may or may not have the software and computer skills. Think employees here too, which may be a vital component or components of the 9P's of Marketing. 
• Once a target market is chosen, the organization can develop its marketing strategies to target a market segment or market segments
• It’s easy to market toward demographics, but brands can’t connect with people unless they learn how they think. By developing mindset-based marketing strategies, brand decision-making can better resonate with these segments, targets and audiences to increase consumer loyalty.
• Brand managers need to look at at their customers and/or potential users. Do you understand your potential customer's purchase and usage touchpoints, their habits and how they engage with your brand? Competing for their attention? 
• Place "consumers," "People" or "potential buyers" in the middle of a circle. Find information or data on them. Add the other components in the other nine P's.
• Post Covid 19 pandemic, I'm seeing "People" want an exceptional buying experience, which includes ethics and the company’s values. People are caring about convenience, comfort, ethics, and sustainability.  Look at home delivery of meals and everything on Amazon and Walmart or Target.
• “People” or consumers prefer to buy “Products” from brands that share their values and “purpose-driven” movements.
• Targeting mindsets allows brands to connect with consumers on an emotional level, which positively affects brands’ bottom lines.
• Consumer and shopping data, plus first-party data can also help brands identify what people find valuable and important. You need to know where they live, how they work and play?
• "People" or targeting has almost always been left out of the traditional "Marketing Mix," almost every diagram includes the four P's with Product, Promotion, Place and Price.
• In Marketing, from my education, training, research and analysis plus testimony, there needs to be greater focus on the buyer, "customer," or "People," in both planning ad implementation.
• Product and Services
• Under the 9P's, it's the goods and service combination the firm offers to the target market, including variety of product mix, features, branding, designs, packaging, sizes, services, maintenance contracts, warranties and return policies.
• A product (service) is anything that can be offered to a market for attention, acquisition, use or consumption that might satisfy a want or need.
• Place (Distribution)
• Price: 
• I’m finding that “People” or potential customers in my 9P’s, actual consumers are no longer buying “Products” and services based solely on “Price” and product quality.
• An IBM study found that Nearly six in 10 consumers ("People") surveyed are willing to change their buying habits to reduce environmental impact. They found that over 70% would pay a premium of 35%, on average, for brands and products that are sustainable and environmentally responsible.
• Planning
• Promotion: 
• There are eight (8) major, strategic components or communication elements which are personal and non-personal communication activities. 
• The activities that communicate the merits of the overall product include:
• Personal Selling/ Sales Force: Sales persons
• Listen more than you talk. People who listen more, learn more, plus helps you position your service/product/solution or offering. 
• Advertising: There's an expression "It is only creative if the product or service sells." I wanted to add "It is only good media spending if it sells." 
• Sales Promotion
• Collateral Materials
• Direct Marketing (also referred to as Action or Direct Response Advertising)
• Interactive/Internet/Web, Digital Media, Social Media:  
• Events and Experiences
• Public Relations/PR
• Here are some strategic comments and questions under Promotion:
• To whom should you target and promote? Under "People"/Targeting, target market, audience with media characteristics fall here.
• What should you promote? Strategic copy points.
• Evaluate the eight different elements under Promotion and your brand's practices. That affects media planning.
• Ask is there a better way? A different promotional mix. There has to be a better way. 
• What are your costs in dollars and manpower or person power? Ask "Is there a different way or ways to budget?" 
• Look at different strategic partners? Their costs?
• You can differentiate with price. Discounting? Special sales? What economic and discount levels should you offer? Look at revenue versus costs. 
• What form or combination of promotion should you offer? Features?
• How frequent? Add media planning here. 
• Partners
• Presentation: 
• I feel after being a customer or shopper of Trader Joes or Pronto for 65+ years that they do so many things right. Insights into jhow to treat potential shoppers? 
• Consumers are voting with their wallet and pocketbook.
• Some research says that consumers or my "People" care about business and their brands that have a social conscience (for the environment, for their workers, for societal issues, etc.). These "People" are actually prepared to pay more for these brands. They will support the brands that do, and ditch brands that don’t.
• It's been reported that consumers or "people" are socially aware about how brands, products and businesses behave. 
• Deloitte found that “62% of customers said that they are more likely to spend with companies who have taken extra steps to ensure the safety and well-being of their employees during lockdown.”
• Passion

For more on ideas, concepts and Marketing solutions: Go to LondreMarketing.com and look under “Articles and Resources” and the 9P’s/Nine P’s ©2007. Specifically you will find them detailed at 9P’s/Nine P’s.

Or for more fun, marketing strategies/tactics and facts: Go to Marketing Trivia with 54 stimulating questions and answers at Londre Marketing Consultants, LLC. Here to help. All the best.

What’s An Electonic Device? How Does It Relate to Privacy, SEO And Breadcrumbs?

Simply, any computer-like device is an electronic device. . But let me go to "breadcrumbs," and I'll add more later in the post. 

Several years ago breadcrumbs meant something to do with cooking and baking. Not now? 

In today’s computer world “breadcrumbs” or “breadcrumbing” is the activity of sending and tracking brief and sporadic text messages, digital "crumbs," morsels or pieces such as Facebook posts or Instagram likes.

Breadcrumbs are an essential element of an SEO friendly website because They make navigation for you on a website faster and easier. These breadcrumbs encourage people to visit more pages of a websites.

What electronic devices are we talking about? 

We mean electronic communication services, remote computing services or location information services. 

Electronic device means a device that is used for audio, video or text communication or any computer-like instrument.  As people use electronic devices for more and more tasks, they leave behind these “morsels” or evidence of their activities. 

These "morsels" may include behavioral and demographic information (“People” in my 9P’s) and that becomes the privacy part. 

For more on ideas, concepts and Marketing solutions: 

Go to LondreMarketing.com and look under “Articles and Resources” and the 9P’s/Nine P’s ©2007. Specifically you will find them detailed at 9P’s/Nine P’s.

Or for more fun, marketing strategies/tactics and facts: Go to Marketing Trivia with 54 stimulating questions and answers at Londre Marketing Consultants, LLC. 

Here to help. All the best.

Need A Simple But Good Marketing Tip Regarding Giving TV and Media Interviews?

Here's the tip. Simple. Many times in a interview "shorter is better."

"Know what your audience needs or will use." Especially digital and electronic, TV and radio.

Helpful in giving interviews:

“I learned…that on TV they tend to take three words from the ten sentences you spoke.” “You learned pretty quickly to speak in sound-bites.”

This is from the the obit of celebrity attorney, Howard Weitzman who handled the cases of John DeLorean, Michael Jackson, O.J. Simpson, Marlon Brando, Morgan Freeman, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ron Meyer, Magic Johnson, Paris Hilton, Courtney Love, Sean Penn and others.  

Need more insights into true and Marketing and advertising, including smart Marketing and Advertising trivia?  Visit right here. 

"People" or targeting has almost always been left out of the traditional "Marketing Mix;" almost every diagram includes the four P's with Product, Promotion, Place and Price. But there is much more which is and will be vital in the post-Covid world. 

I've taught Marketing and Advertising for 45 years, while working full-time in Marketing and Advertising as an agency professional and/or client.  I am also a senior Forensic Marketing Expert, Advertising/Marketing consultant with Londre Marketing Consultants, LLC.

Since 2007, I own a copyright for the Nine P’s/9 P's ©2007 of Marketing concepts and practice, which augments the Marketing Mix (Product, Price, Promotion and Place) or the 4P’s by the American Marketing Association, Neil Borden and Jerome McCarthy in the study and practices of Marketing.

The Nine P's/9P's help identify marketing problems in a number of areas and help develop marketing’s objectives, solutions, strategies and tactics. The Nine P's are insightful. In Marketing. 

Many have been told and taught that the "Customer," or potential customers are king, but what is missing in the 4P's? There needs to be more focus on the "Customer," or "People." To me you need to define and use "People" or strategic market segments, which utilize the information related to demographics, geographics, psychographics, behavioral characteristics and technographics, vital components of the 9P's.

I consult and teach using the concepts and practices of the Nine P's/9P's of Marketing.

In the study and practice of Marketing, Marketing and Brand Managers develop plans, strategies and tactics. The Nine P’s include these important components, in developing strategic planning:

• People (Segmentation and Targeting)
• Potential clients?
• In my 9P's, it's important to look, find and analyze potential, new, existing and repeat customers and users. 
• Brand managers need to look at their customers and/or potential users. Do you, as a brand manager or advertising manager, understand your potential customer's purchase and usage touchpoints, their habits and how they engage with your brand?  Competing for their attention? 
• Place "consumer" or "People" or "potential buyers" in the middle of a circle. Find information or data on them. Add the other components in the nine P's. 
• In Marketing. From my education, training, research and analysis plus testimony, there needs to be greater focus on the buyer, "customer," or "People," in both planning and implementation.
• To understand your "People" or market segments, it may utilize many characteristics, including demographics (such as age, family size, family life cycle, gender, income, occupation, education, religion, race, culture, generation, nationality, and social class), geographics, psychographics (buyers are on basis of psychological/personality traits, lifecycle, values), behavioral characteristics (needs and benefits, decision roles, user and usage-related variables, occasions, user status, usage rate buyer-readiness stage, loyalty status, attitude and multiple bases) and technographics (potential buyers may or may not have the software and computer skills. Think employees here too, which may be a vital component or components of the 9P's of Marketing. 
• Then once a target market is chosen, the organization can develop its marketing strategies to target a market segment or marketing segments.
• Product and Services
• Attorney sell their products and services.
• Under the 9P's, it's the goods and service combination the firm offers to the target market (again here's that term People" again, including variety of product mix, features, branding, designs, packaging, sizes, services, maintenance contracts, warranties and return policies.
• A product (service) is anything that can be offered to a market for attention, acquisition, use or consumption that might satisfy a want or need.
• Place (Distribution)
• Price: 
• Planning and Research
• Promotion: 
• The eight (8) major, strategic components or communication elements which are personal and non-personal communication activities. 
• The activities that communicate the merits of the overall product include:
• Personal Selling/ Sales Force: Sales persons
• Research has shown that "People" who listen more, learn more, plus it helps you position your service/product/solution or offering. 
• Advertising: There's an expression "It is only creative if the product or service sells." I wanted to add "It is only good media spending if it sells." 
• Sales Promotion
• Collateral Materials
• Direct Marketing (also referred to as Action or Direct Response Advertising)
• Interactive/Internet/Web, Digital Media, Social Media:  
• Events and Experiences
• Public Relations/PR
• Partners and Alliances
• Presentation
• Passion

For more on ideas, concepts and Marketing solutions: Go to LondreMarketing.com and look under tab “Articles and Resources” and the 9P’s/Nine P’s ©2007. Specifically you will find them detailed at 9P’s/Nine P’s.

Or for more fun, marketing strategies/tactics and facts: Go to Marketing Trivia with 54 stimulating questions and answers at Londre Marketing Consultants, LLC. 

Here to help. All the best.

Interesting Changes Under Private Credit Cards And "Partnerships?" While Closing Hundreds Of Stores?

Looking for more from their customers or what I call "People," under the nine P's of Marketing?

While the Gap is closing hundreds of stores; that's falls under "place," in my 9P's of Marketing. 

Add eleven million "People" or 11 million cards, as in credit cards.

I found this interesting. 

The Gap is changing from Visa to Master Card and is changing one of its "partners" a relationship that goes back 22 years.  It was reported that the Gap pays about 80% of the card program's costs but receives about 80% of the revenue produced. Back.

For their credit cards and for Gap's Athleta, Old Navy and Banana Republic brands. 

Gap is switching from Synchrony to Barclays PLC. 

It was three years ago that Walmart switched from Synchrony, too. 

A point under "promotion" is the Gap and its cards are tied to its reward program or a loyalty program to increase additional purchases. 

In my 9P's of Marketing, I stress that it's important to look, find and analyze potential, new, existing and repeat customers and users. That's "people." 

Need more insights into true and Marketing and advertising? Including smart Marketing and Advertising trivia?  Visit right here. 

"People" or targeting has almost always been left out of the traditional "Marketing Mix;" almost every diagram includes the four P's with Product, Promotion, Place and Price. But there is much more which is and will be vital in the post-Covid world. 

I've taught Marketing and Advertising for 45 years, while working full-time in Marketing and Advertising as an agency professional and/or client.  I am also a senior Forensic Marketing Expert, Advertising/Marketing consultant with Londre Marketing Consultants, LLC.

Since 2007, I own a copyright for the Nine P’s/9 P's ©2007 of Marketing concepts and practice, which augments the Marketing Mix (Product, Price, Promotion and Place) or the 4P’s by the American Marketing Association, Neil Borden and Jerome McCarthy in the study and practices of Marketing.

The Nine P's/9P's help identify marketing problems in a number of areas and help develop marketing’s objectives, solutions, strategies and tactics. The Nine P's are insightful. In Marketing. 

Many have been told and taught that the "Customer," or potential customers are king, but what is missing in the 4P's? There needs to be more focus on the "Customer," or "People." To me you need to define and use "People" or strategic market segments, which utilize the information related to demographics, geographics, psychographics, behavioral characteristics and technographics, vital components of the 9P's.

I consult and teach using the concepts and practices of the Nine P's/9P's of Marketing.

In the study and practice of Marketing, Marketing and Brand Managers develop plans, strategies and tactics. The Nine P’s include these important components, in developing strategic planning:

• People (Segmentation and Targeting)
• In my 9P's, it's important to look, find and analyze potential, new, existing and repeat customers and users. 
• Brand managers need to look at their customers and/or potential users. Do you, as a brand manager or advertising manager, understand your potential customer's purchase and usage touchpoints, their habits and how they engage with your brand?  Competing for their attention? 
• Place "consumer" or "People" or "potential buyers" in the middle of a circle. Find information or data on them. Add the other components in the nine P's. 
• In Marketing. From my education, training, research and analysis plus testimony, there needs to be greater focus on the buyer, "customer," or "People," in both planning and implementation.
• To understand your "People" or market segments, it may utilize many characteristics, including demographics (such as age, family size, family life cycle, gender, income, occupation, education, religion, race, culture, generation, nationality, and social class), geographics, psychographics (buyers are on basis of psychological/personality traits, lifecycle, values), behavioral characteristics (needs and benefits, decision roles, user and usage-related variables, occasions, user status, usage rate buyer-readiness stage, loyalty status, attitude and multiple bases) and technographics (potential buyers may or may not have the software and computer skills. Think employees here too, which may be a vital component or components of the 9P's of Marketing. 
• Then once a target market is chosen, the organization can develop its marketing strategies to target a market segment or marketing segments.
• Product and Services
• Under the 9P's, it's the goods and service combination the firm offers to the target market (again here's that term People" again, including variety of product mix, features, branding, designs, packaging, sizes, services, maintenance contracts, warranties and return policies.
• A product (service) is anything that can be offered to a market for attention, acquisition, use or consumption that might satisfy a want or need.
• Place (Distribution)
• Price: 
• An IBM study found that nearly six in ten consumers ("People") surveyed are willing to change their buying habits to reduce environmental impact. 
• Over 70% would pay a premium price of 35%, on average, for brands and products that are sustainable and environmentally responsible.
• Planning and Research
• Promotion: 
• The eight (8) major, strategic components or communication elements which are personal and non-personal communication activities. 
• The activities that communicate the merits of the overall product include:
• Personal Selling/ Sales Force: Sales persons
• Research has shown that "People" who listen more, learn more, plus it helps you position your service/product/solution or offering. 
• Advertising: There's an expression "It is only creative if the product or service sells." I wanted to add "It is only good media spending if it sells." 
• Sales Promotion
• Collateral Materials
• Direct Marketing (also referred to as Action or Direct Response Advertising)
• Interactive/Internet/Web, Digital Media, Social Media:  
• Events and Experiences
• Public Relations/PR
• I have developed some strategic comments and questions under Promotion:
• To whom should you target and promote? 
• What should you promote, with strategic copy points.
• What form or combination of promotion should you offer? Features? TV versus digital? 
• How frequent is your messaging? Add specific media planning and media research here. Including looking at target market, audience with media characteristics falls here, too.
• Evaluate the eight different elements under Promotion and your brand's practices. That affects media planning.
• Ask is there a better way? A different promotional mix. There has to be a better way. 
• What are your costs in dollars and manpower or person power? 
• Ask "Is there a different way or ways to budget?"  "And spend?" 
• Look at different strategic partners? Their costs?
• With messaging you can also differentiate with "Price." 
• What about "discounting?" Special sales? What economic and discount levels should you offer? 
• Look at revenue versus costs. 
• Partners and Alliances
• Presentation: 
• Consumers are voting with their wallet.
• Some research says that consumers or my "People" care about business and their brands that have a social conscience (for the environment, for their workers, for societal issues, etc.). These "People" are actually prepared to pay more for these brands. They will support the brands that do, and ditch brands that don’t.
• It's been reported that consumers or "people" are socially aware about how brands, products and businesses behave. 
• Deloitte found that “62% of customers said that they are more likely to spend with companies who have taken extra steps to ensure the safety and well-being of their employees during lockdown.”
• Passion

For more on ideas, concepts and Marketing solutions: Go to LondreMarketing.com and look under tab “Articles and Resources” and the 9P’s/Nine P’s ©2007. Specifically you will find them detailed at 9P’s/Nine P’s.

Or for more fun, marketing strategies/tactics and facts: Go to Marketing Trivia with 54 stimulating questions and answers at Londre Marketing Consultants, LLC. 

Here to help. All the best.

 

Not Trending Well? Styrofoam Products Or "The Styrofoam™ Brand is "Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) Insulation."

Before, after and during Earth Day. Not trending well? Styrofoam, or Styrofoam Brand Extruded Polystyrene.

It's been a tough week, month and few years for Styrofoam. 

Or another hot topic for Earth Day, the use of Styrofoam for consumers and business markets. 

Three years ago, Long Beach and Manhattan Beach in Southern California banned Styrofoam products. 

These cites joined Portland, Oregon; Seattle, Washington; New York City; Takoma Park, MD; Washington DC; Miami Beach, FL; Freeport, Maine; Portland, Main; Nantucket (city and county), Massachusetts; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Portland, Oregon; Los Angeles county and San Francisco, California, plus many other cities and counties in California. 

What is it?  I added the answer in the headline. 

• “Styrofoam” is a term trademarked by the Dow Chemical Company for extruded polystyrene that's used in thermal insulation and craft applications. Want more information?

The Styrofoam™ brand is "extruded polystyrene (XPS) insulation," invented by Dow and the first in a portfolio of products that may evolve. Dow says that it will “continue to grow and evolve to meet the needs of the building and construction industry and its related markets.”

For the consumer market it appears to be a tougher sell.

Need more business, Marketing and advertising insights in 2021? Increase sales and overall revenue?

Visit here for plenty of insights and examples into Marketing, the 9 P's, targeting or "People," product and services, promotion, pricing, and advertising strategies. Plus true, researched marketing insights and fun, insightful, advertising trivia.

For the past 48 years, I have been a Marketing professional, a certified Forensic Marketing Expert, Marketing and Advertising consultant with Londre Marketing Consultants, LLC plus I teach and give seminars on Marketing, Super Bowl spots, global Marketing, Promotion and Advertising. 

I also like giving to MBA candidates, law schools and attorneys my presentations on "What is Marketing? What is Advertising?"  Packaging falls under "Product" in my 9P's

Fourteen (14) years ago, I created and own a copyright for the Marketing concept, the Nine P’s/9 P's of Marketing ©2007, which augments the Marketing Mix or the 4P's (Product, Price, Promotion and Place) by the American Marketing Association, Neil Borden and Jerome McCarthy in the study and practices of Marketing.

In the late 60's I was first taught in Marketing 307 that the "customer," or potential purchasers, buyers are king or kings, but they or consumers are missing as one of the P's, in the 4P's. For marketing professionals, the "target market," "People," buyers, potential buyers and users are more prominent. They have their own "P."  It's "People," in the 9P's of Marketing. 

The Nine P's/9P's of Marketing help brand managers, marketing managers, companies, firms, business owners and business managers to find marketing problems, to identify and create Marketing opportunities or solutions, in a number of areas. 

The utilization of the 9P's of Marketing help, develop and guide a company or a firm's marketing objectives, strategies, tactics and solutions. 

The Nine P's can be truly insightful, in many ways and in many possible tactics and actions. They will help build revenue, manage costs more effectively. 

I consult, teach and work as a Marketing, business and Advertising expert using many Marketing concepts, standards of practice and practices, including the Nine P's/9P's of Marketing.

So, what is Marketing, you and others may ask? 

Marketing is a planning and execution process that involves a product or service's attributes, research, distribution, pricing, partnerships or alliances, promotion and more. 

In my presentations, I detail that advertising is only a small percentage of the answers to marketing problems. All of the Marketing activities and tasks must work together to assure successful marketing practices. Firms, associations and companies with the most effective marketing efforts try to thoroughly understand their potential buyers and customers ("People") and the marketplace. 

Companies and new product/service development pros create products and services to meet market needs. These firms and others use marketing research and channels for under-standing and communicating to market segments, a target market or audience ("People" in the 9P's of Marketing).

In the study and practice of Marketing, Marketing manager and brand agents develop planning, objectives, strategies and tactics. 

For any size firm and entrepreneurs, the 9P's of Marketing include important components, parts, elements, actions, tactics and efforts. 

Let's start with planning, research, one of the nine P's and also with targeting, "People," one of the other nine elements or components:

• Planning: 
• Planning starts with research and researching. 
• This element of planning in the nine P's is a method for achieving an end, and, looking at the eight other parts, can be a detailed formulation of a program of action. I like using a phrase from John Wooden; he said "Failure to plan is planning to fail."
• Developing and transforming marketing objectives into marketing strategies to tactics, marketing management and managers must make basic decisions on marketing targets (“People”), marketing mix, pricing, distribution, marketing budgets/expenditures and marketing allocations. 
• Review dividing the total marketing budget among the various tools in the marketing mix and for the various products, channels, promotion, media and sales areas. And more under the 9Ps of Marketing
• People 
• Look and analyze potential, new, existing and repeat customers and users. 
• "People" or targeting has almost always been left out of the traditional "Marketing Mix," almost every diagram includes the four P's with Product, Promotion, Place and Price.
• Place "consumer" or "People" or "potential buyers" in the middle of a circle. Find information or data on them.
• Add the other components in the nine P's. In Marketing, from my education, training, research and analysis plus testimony, there needs to be greater focus on the buyer, "customer," or "People," in both planning ad implementation.
• To understand your "People" or market segments, it may utilize many characteristics, including demographics, geographics, psychographics, behavioral characteristics and technographics, which may be a vital component or components of the 9P's of Marketing. 
• Once a target market is chosen, the organization can develop its marketing strategies to target a market segment or marketing segments.
• Simply it's about Segmentation and Targeting. Add Positioning and you have STP, as a major first step. 
• Product and Services: 
• It's the goods and service combination the firm offers to the target market, including variety of product mix, features, branding, designs, packaging, sizes, services, maintenance contracts, warranties and return policies.
• A product (service) is anything that can be offered to a market for attention, acquisition, use or consumption that might satisfy a want or need. New product development fall here. Interesting marketing case, styrofoam? Can DOW “continue to grow and evolve to meet the needs of the building and construction industry and its related markets.”
• Place (Distribution): 
• Offering the right product at the right PLACE or location, at the right time, at the right price. It's the company’s activities that make the product available, using distribution and trade channels, roles, coverage, assortments, locations, inventory and transportation characteristics and alternatives.  
• Consider, develop and review store and non-store options, e-commerce and “brick and mortar” factors, geographic considerations, objectives, strategies and tactics, including “Partners, too.” 
• Price or Pricing:
• Simply, the amount of money a consumer is willing to pay to obtain the product, but "price" is so much more.  
• “Pricing” is the sum of the values that customers exchange for the benefits of having or using the product or service. 
• Pricing decision making involves adjusting prices concerning the competitive environment, economic situations and involve buyer perceptions. Simply, all aspects regarding pricing. 
• Pricing includes wholesale/retail/promotional prices, discounts, trade-in allowances, quantity discounts, credit terms, sales and payment periods and credit terms. 
• Promotion: 
• There are eight (8) major, strategic components or communication elements which are personal and non-personal communication activities, under "promotion." . 
• The activities that communicate the merits of the overall product include:
• Personal Selling/ Sales Force: Sales persons
• Helpful hint: Listen more than you talk. People who listen more, learn more, plus helps you position your service/product/solution or offering. 
• Advertising is paid media. There's an expression "It is only creative if the product or service sells." I wanted to add "It is only good media spending if it sells." 
• Sales Promotion
• Collateral Materials
• Direct Marketing (also referred to as Action or Direct Response Advertising)
• Interactive/Internet/Web, Digital Media, Social Media:  
• Events and Experiences
• Public Relations/PR
• Here are some strategic questions under Promotion:
• Look at different strategic partners? Their costs?
• To whom should you target and promote? Under "People/"Targeting, target market, audience with media falls here.
• You can differentiate with price. Discounting? Special sales? What economic and discount levels should you offer? Look at revenue versus costs. Probably not or in the short-term, a strategic tool?
• What form or combination of promotion should you offer? Features?
• How frequent? Add media planning here. 
• Partners: 
• Working with others and organizations which take part in an undertaking with another or others, in a business or company with shared risks and profits.
• Also referred to as Alliances. 
• With "Partners" and your Marketing efforts, it is vitally important to partner and align with firms that have similar corporate philosophies. Simple but complex and difficult, have agreed upon objectives and strategies.
• Presentation: 
• This “P” or “Presentation” is the act of presenting, displaying and putting forward any of the different 9P’s© and/or components to your customers, suppliers, wholesalers, retailers, sales force, marketing intermediaries, clients, employees, partners, and/or others.
• Look at “real” product and service experiences. 
• Enabling consumers and “allowing” them to feel the brand. As part of "presentation," I also place “events and experiences” under Promotion. 
• While traditional marketing is based on target audience impressions/ views/ clicks/ exposure, experimental marketing involves engaging with your potential consumers. 
• Passion:
• Those intense, driving or overmastering feelings, emotions in the planning, developing, implementing and executions of pricing, promoting, partnering, selling and overall marketing of products or services.

For more on insights, ideas, concepts and Marketing solutions: Go to londremarketing.com and look under “Articles and Resources” and the 9P’s/Nine P’s ©2007. Specifically you will find them detailed at 9P’s/Nine P’s.

Or for more fun, marketing strategies/tactics and facts: Go to Marketing Trivia with 40+ stimulating questions and answers at Londre Marketing Consultants, LLC. 

Need Two Stupid Sports Ideas That Make Money?

They are both related to the playoffs. Sports playoffs. Play-In Games. 

Moving on in the season.

They both are playin or play in tournaments or playoffs to get to the “real” playoffs. 

One is the NBA and the other is MLB.

Players have said. “What’s the point in this or these?

Sports writers have said. "These are idiotic. Unnecessary."

Fans have said. “What’s the point in it or these?

Following a 162 game season, MLB forces teams to play a one-game playoff series.

Following a 72 game or 82 game regular season, the NBA has a new format. Teams seeded seventh to tenth in their conference play a mini series to determine two playoff berths.

Why. 

People watch. They both make money. Have TV ratings. Advertisers sponsor them.

The NBA playoff, the more complicated one, starts  their "Play-In" Tournament on Tuesday, May 18 and ends Friday, May 21.

Again. Get this:  The teams with the seventh-highest and eighth-highest winning percentages in each of the four conferences will each have two opportunities to win one game to earn a playoff spot. 

The NBA teams with the ninth-highest and tenth-highest winning percentages in each of the conferences will have to win two consecutive games to earn a playoff spot.

Need more insights into true and Marketing and advertising? Including smart triva?  Visit right here. 

Iam a senior Forensic Marketing Expert, Advertising/Marketing consultant with Londre Marketing Consultants, LLC plus 

I own a copyright for the Nine P’s/9 P's ©2007 concepts and practice, which augments the Marketing Mix (Product, Price, Promotion and Place) or the 4P’s by the American Marketing Association, Neil Borden and Jerome McCarthy in the study and practices of Marketing.

The Nine P's/9P's help identify marketing problems in a number of areas and help develop marketing’s objectives, strategies, tactics and solutions.  The Nine P's are insightful. In Marketing. the "Customer," or potential customers are king, but are missing in the 4P's. There needs to be more focus on the "Customer," or "People." "People," market segments utilizing demographics, geographics, psychographics, behavioral characteristics and technographics are a vital component of the 9P's.

I consult and teach using the concepts and practices of the Nine P's/9P's of Marketing.

In the study and practice of Marketing, Marketing and Brand Managers develop plans, strategies and tactics. The Nine P’s include these important components:

• People (Segmentation and Targeting)
• NBA, MLB and sports fan, who buy tickets and watch TV.
• In my 9P's, I stress that firms need to look and analyze potential, new, existing and repeat customers and users. 
• Brand managers need to look at at their customers and/or potential users. Do you understand your potential customer's purchase and usage touchpoints, their habits and how they engage with your brand? Competing for their attention? 
• "People" or targeting has almost always been left out of the traditional "Marketing Mix," almost every diagram includes the four P's with Product, Promotion, Place and Price.
• Place "consumer" or "People" or "potential buyers" in the middle of a circle. Find information or data on them. Add the other components in the nine P's. 
• In Marketing, from my education, training, research and analysis plus testimony, there needs to be greater focus on the buyer, "customer," or "People," in both planning ad implementation.
• To understand your "People" or market segments, it may utilize many characteristics, including demographics (such as age, family size, family life cycle, gender, income, occupation, education, religion, race, culture, generation, nationality, and social class), geographics, psychographics (buyers are on basis of psychological/personality traits, lifecycle, values), behavioral characteristics (needs and benefits, decision roles, user and usage-related variables, occasions, user status, usage rate buyer-readiness stage, loyalty status, attitude and multiple bases) and technographics (potential buyers may or may not have the software and computer skills. Think employees here too, which may be a vital component or components of the 9P's of Marketing. 
• Once a target market is chosen, the organization can develop its marketing strategies to target a market segment or marketing segments.
• Simply it's about Segmentation and Targeting. Add Positioning and you have STP, as a major first step. 
• Product and Services
• Under the 9P's, it's the goods and service combination the firm offers to the target market, including variety of product mix, features, branding, designs, packaging, sizes, services, maintenance contracts, warranties and return policies.
• A product (service) is anything that can be offered to a market for attention, acquisition, use or consumption that might satisfy a want or need.
• Place (Distribution): 
• There are 30 NBA teams and plans for 32 total. NBA commissioner Silver said that the league will consider expanding to 32 teams, helping the owners make-up for Covid-19 losses. 
• Price? The NBA will seek a combined $3 to $4 billion to add two new clubs. Odds are one will be in Seattle. 
• Price: 
• An IBM study found that Nearly six in 10 consumers ("People") surveyed are willing to change their buying habits to reduce environmental impact. Over 70% would pay a premium of 35%, on average, for brands and products that are sustainable and environmentally responsible.
• Planning
• Promotion: 
• There are eight (8) major, strategic components or communication elements which are personal and non-personal communication activities. 
• The activities that communicate the merits of the overall product include:
• Personal Selling/ Sales Force: Sales persons
• Listen more than you talk. People who listen more, learn more, plus helps you position your service/product/solution or offering. 
• Advertising: There's an expression "It is only creative if the product or service sells." I wanted to add "It is only good media spending if it sells." 
• Sales Promotion
• Collateral Materials
• Direct Marketing (also referred to as Action or Direct Response Advertising)
• Interactive/Internet/Web, Digital Media, Social Media:  
• Events and Experiences
• Public Relations/PR
• Here are some strategic comments and questions under Promotion:
• To whom should you target and promote? Under "People"/Targeting, target market, audience with media characteristics fall here.
• What should you promote? Strategic copy points.
• Evaluate the eight different elements under Promotion and your brand's practices. That affects media planning.
• Ask is there a better way? A different promotional mix. There has to be a better way. 
• What are your costs in dollars and manpower or person power? Ask "Is there a different way or ways to budget?" 
• Look at different strategic partners? Their costs?
• You can differentiate with price. Discounting? Special sales? What economic and discount levels should you offer? Look at revenue versus costs. 
• What form or combination of promotion should you offer? Features?
• How frequent? Add media planning here. 
• Partners
• Presentation: 
• Fans buy tickets. Consumers watch TV. 
• Consumers are voting with their wallet.
• Some research says that consumers or my "People" care about business and their brands that have a social conscience (for the environment, for their workers, for societal issues, etc.). These "People" are actually prepared to pay more for these brands. They will support the brands that do, and ditch brands that don’t.
• It's been reported that consumers or "people" are socially aware about how brands, products and businesses behave. You can see that in how some of the owners and some of the players are in the media and talking to the media. 
• Deloitte found that “62% of customers said that they are more likely to spend with companies who have taken extra steps to ensure the safety and well-being of their employees during lockdown.”
• Passion

For more on ideas, concepts and Marketing solutions: Go to LondreMarketing.com and look under “Articles and Resources” and the 9P’s/Nine P’s ©2007. Specifically you will find them detailed at 9P’s/Nine P’s.

Or for more fun, marketing strategies/tactics and facts: Go to Marketing Trivia with 54 stimulating questions and answers at Londre Marketing Consultants, LLC. Here to help. All the best.

USA's FDA's Black Lives Matter: Banning Menthol Cigarettes? Tobacco Products? Kool? Cool?

Not KOOL or Cool...Look at the numbers and percentages, pls. 

Think the brand, Kool. It's usually stylized as KOOL. Do a Google search and there are 2.3 to 2.4 Million responses for "Kool or KOOL cigarettes." 

Think cigarettes and cigars flavored with mint and menthol. 

Think preventing death and disease.

Think of the "People" and target of 200K black smokers out of the 900K smokers.

The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) announced the potential banning and outlawing of mint flavor and menthol.

In my 9P's, it's under "People," looking at potential consumers, smokers and users.  Seventy percent (7 of 10) of Black youth who smoke used menthol cigarettes. Like a gateway product?

Compare that 70% to fewer than 45% of adults who smoke. 

In my 9P's, I stress that firms need to look and analyze potential, new, existing and repeat customers and users. So the FDA is looking at connections, too. 

Looking for smokers. Many variables and characteristics. 

In the study, art and science of Marketing, to understand "People" or market segments, you and professionals will need to or may need to utilize many characteristics, including demographics (such as age, family size, family life cycle, gender, income, occupation, education, religion, race, culture, generation, nationality, and social class), geographics, psychographics (buyers are on basis of psychological/personality traits, lifecycle, values), behavioral characteristics (needs and benefits, decision roles, user and usage-related variables, occasions, user status, usage rate buyer-readiness stage, loyalty status, attitude and multiple bases) and technographics (potential buyers may or may not have the software and computer skills. 

In California in 2021, the sales of flavored tobacco products were banned but put on hold because of a tobacco industry referendum to be on the ballot in 2022. 

Think employees, who smoke too, which may be a vital component or components of the 9P's of Marketing. 

Think Targeting. 

Think. 

More insights into true Marketing and advertising practices and examples? Including smart Marketing trivia?  Visit right here. 

I am a senior Forensic Marketing Expert, Advertising expert, Advertising/Marketing consultant with Londre Marketing Consultants, LLC.

I created the 9P's of Marketing. I own a copyright for the Nine P’s/9 P's of Marketing ©2007 concepts and Marketing practices, which augment the Marketing Mix (Product, Price, Promotion and Place) or the 4P’s by the American Marketing Association (AMA), Neil Borden and Jerome McCarthy in the study and practice of Marketing.

The Nine P's/9P's of Marketing help identify marketing problems in a number of strategic areas and help develop profitable marketing’s objectives, strategies, tactics and solutions. The 9P's are insightful. 

In Marketing, the "customer," or potential consumers should be the center of the universe or "king," but they are missing in the 4P's. I feel from my study and research that there needs to be more focus on the "Customer," or "People." "People" or market segments, which utilize demographics, geographics, psychographics, behavioral characteristics and technographics, are vital, learning components of the 9P's.

I consult and teach using the Marketing concepts and practices of the Nine P's/9P's of Marketing.

In the study and practice of Marketing, brand, advertising and marketing managers develop plans, strategies and tactics. The Nine P’s include these important concepts, practices and components:

• People (Segmentation and Targeting)
• Once a target market is chosen, the organization can develop its marketing strategies to target a market segment or market segments
• It’s easy to market toward demographics, but brands can’t connect with people unless they learn how they think. By developing mindset-based marketing strategies, brand decision-making can better resonate with these segments, targets and audiences to increase consumer loyalty.
• Brand managers need to look at at their customers and/or potential users. Do you understand your potential customer's purchase and usage touchpoints, their habits and how they engage with your brand? Competing for their attention? 
• Place "consumers," "People" or "potential buyers" in the middle of a circle. Find information or data on them. Add the other components in the other nine P's.
• Post Covid 19 pandemic, I'm seeing "People" want an exceptional buying experience, which includes ethics and the company’s values. People are caring about convenience, comfort, ethics, and sustainability.  Look at home delivery of meals and everything on Amazon and Walmart or Target.
• “People” or consumers prefer to buy “Products” from brands that share their values and “purpose-driven” movements.
• Targeting mindsets allows brands to connect with consumers on an emotional level, which positively affects brands’ bottom lines.
• Consumer and shopping data, plus first-party data can also help brands identify what people find valuable and important. You need to know where they live, how they work and play?
• "People" or targeting has almost always been left out of the traditional "Marketing Mix," almost every diagram includes the four P's with Product, Promotion, Place and Price.
• In Marketing, from my education, training, research and analysis plus testimony, there needs to be greater focus on the buyer, "customer," or "People," in both planning ad implementation.
• Product and Services
• KOOL is an American brand of menthol cigarettes, manufactured by ITG Brands LLC, a subsidiary of Imperial Tobacco Company. 
• In 2009 Congress banned, except for menthol, the sale of  flavored cigarettes. 
• Under the 9P's, it's the goods and service combination the firm offers to the target market, including variety of product mix, features, branding, designs, packaging, sizes, services, maintenance contracts, warranties and return policies.
• A product (service) is anything that can be offered to a market for attention, acquisition, use or consumption that might satisfy a want or need.
• Place (Distribution)
• Price: 
• I’m finding that “People” or potential customers in my 9P’s, actual consumers are no longer buying “Products” and services based solely on “Price” and product quality.
• An IBM study found that Nearly six in 10 consumers ("People") surveyed are willing to change their buying habits to reduce environmental impact. They found that over 70% would pay a premium of 35%, on average, for brands and products that are sustainable and environmentally responsible.
• Planning
• Promotion: 
• The AMA has aimed to force regulators to ban mint and menthol.
• There are eight (8) major, strategic components or communication elements which are personal and non-personal communication activities. 
• The activities that communicate the merits of the overall product include:
• Personal Selling/ Sales Force: Sales persons
• Listen more than you talk. People who listen more, learn more, plus helps you position your service/product/solution or offering. 
• Advertising: There's an expression "It is only creative if the product or service sells." I wanted to add "It is only good media spending if it sells." 
• Sales Promotion
• Collateral Materials
• Direct Marketing (also referred to as Action or Direct Response Advertising)
• Interactive/Internet/Web, Digital Media, Social Media:  
• Events and Experiences
• Public Relations/PR
• Here are some strategic comments and questions under Promotion:
• To whom should you target and promote? Under "People"/Targeting, target market, audience with media characteristics fall here. Think all smokers but that 70% of black smokers who started and may continue with menthol cigarettes. 
• What should you promote? Strategic copy points.
• Evaluate the eight different elements under Promotion and your brand's practices. That affects media planning.
• Ask is there a better way? A different promotional mix. There has to be a better way. 
• What are your costs in dollars and manpower or person power? Ask "Is there a different way or ways to budget?" 
• Look at different strategic partners? Their costs?
• You can differentiate with price. Discounting? Special sales? What economic and discount levels should you offer? Look at revenue versus costs. 
• What form or combination of promotion should you offer? Features?
• How frequent? Add media planning here. 
• Partners
• Presentation: 
• Consumers are voting with their wallet and pocketbook.
• Some research says that consumers or my "People" care about business and their brands that have a social conscience (for the environment, for their workers, for societal issues, etc.). These "People" are actually prepared to pay more for these brands. They will support the brands that do, and ditch brands that don’t.
• It's been reported that consumers or "people" are socially aware about how brands, products and businesses behave. 
• Deloitte found that “62% of customers said that they are more likely to spend with companies who have taken extra steps to ensure the safety and well-being of their employees during lockdown.”
• Passion

For more on ideas, concepts and Marketing solutions: Go to LondreMarketing.com and look under “Articles and Resources” and the 9P’s/Nine P’s ©2007. Specifically you will find them detailed at 9P’s/Nine P’s.

Or for more fun, marketing strategies/tactics and facts: Go to Marketing Trivia with 54 stimulating questions and answers at Londre Marketing Consultants, LLC. Here to help. All the best.