To this day, the seven Ps of marketing remain a reliable compass for media strategists and marketers. Originally expanded from the four Ps, the extended version enhances its relevance by having service-focused elements that better reflect today's modern service-led markets.
Think of the seven Ps as a practical checklist. 'Product' (what you sell) and 'price' (how you value it) sit at the core. Then, 'place' (where customers find you) and 'promotion' (how you get noticed) drive reach and conversion. These four elements remain central to the proper planning and budgeting of all marketing campaigns.
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Yet, the extra three Ps — in this case less is not more — makes the model work in experience-driven contexts. 'People' covers staff, partners and customers who shape perception. 'Process' then maps the steps customers follow, and 'physical evidence' is the tangible proof (packaging, case studies or websites) that makes promises believable.
Here's how to use it: run a quick audit before a launch. Is price aligned with customer experience? Are processes creating friction? Do people (staff or partners) have scripts and tools to protect your message?
Turning the seven Ps into specific questions produces an action-ready brief — one that can effectively be applied to your marketing campaign.
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A simple execution trick: create a marketing campaign spreadsheet with each P as a column. Add an owner, KPI and one proof point (testimonial, metric or asset). This will cause alignment between creative, ops and measurement without extra marathon meetings.
When used right, the seven Ps keep marketing campaigns coherent, measurable and human-centered. For modern marketers — that is how you differentiate between aimless marketing and true impact.
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**Information sourced from Mailchimp and Oxford