In my recent post I suggested that there are 12P’s in Marketing, (Price, Product, Promotion, Placement, People, Process, Physical Evidence, Privacy, Personal Interests, Personal Networks & Public Commentary) however I was mistaken there is one implied that is more important than any other from anywhere and is missed by all …
The only P that really matters is Problem.
The company you work for was naturally formed to solve a problem the founders identified had commercial value. They found a solution to a problem, whether that solution was a product or a service does not matter, its a solution.
The true, deep, ingrained, unstated role of Marketing is to capture and understand the problem and then define what is needed to address that problem.
Now many of you reading will be saying ‘what?’ as you thought marketing was pens, pencils, trade shows, noise! That would be the communications piece, but yet again its founded on generating awareness of a solution to a problem.
So, sure you can take each P in the 12P set and come up with a coherant plan, however never lose sight of the 13 and perhaps only true P of Problem.
Dave
The Gladiator50's Blog 