Unit R/617/1249  The Marketing Mix

 

Level 4     15 Credits

 

 

 

 

You are working as a freelance business consultant.  Shakti is the Managing Director of a medium-sized company called Hard Graft Tools, which produces power tools.  Hard Graft Tools currently sells its products to retailers in the UK.  In a change of strategy, Hard Graft Tools is now planning to withdraw from the retailers and sell the tools direct to consumers via new shops as well as online.  Shakti would like you to help the Senior Management Team (SMT) to understand how to start marketing the tools directly to customers.  Shakti invites you to visit the Hard Graft Tools head office to see the products and to have an initial discussion with the SMT.

 

Task 1

 

She asks you to write a detailed paper for the SMT to read before you meet for your initial discussion.  Write a paper for the SMT about the role of the product and the role of place in the marketing mix.  The paper must be at a suitable level and in a suitable format for senior managers.

 

You must make sure you include the following topics:

 

• An analysis of how the features and benefits of a product or service can be used in the marketing mix (AC1.1)
• A description of the use of the marketing mix at each stage of the Product Life Cycle (AC1.2)
• An analysis of the role of direct and indirect distribution channels to move products and services from the provider to the buyer (AC3.1)
• An analysis of the use of intensive distribution, selective distribution and exclusive distribution in the market coverage of products and services. (AC3.2)

 

Merit task

To achieve a Merit, you must additionally include in the paper:

 

• An analysis of how a business can create lifetime value to the customer by using the Customer Life Cycle (AC1M1)
• An explanation of the advantages of using a direct marketing channel. (AC3M1)

 

Distinction task

You decide that it could be helpful for the SMT to see how another organisation has used product and place in its marketing mix. To achieve a Distinction, choose an organisation which you are aware of, or have experience of, and additionally include in the paper:

 

• An evaluation of the role of product in that organisation’s marketing mix (AC1D1)
• An evaluation of the role of place in that organisation’s marketing mix. (AC3D1)

 

Task 2

 

The meeting went well and Shakti said the SMT found your paper informative.  They would now like to find out more about the role of price and promotion in the marketing mix.  Shakti has asked you to prepare a presentation for the SMT.  Prepare a presentation with an accompanying handout.  You must include:

 

• An analysis of the use of pricing to reflect the perceived value of the benefits of a product to the buyer (AC2.1)
• An analysis of the use of pricing to offset the costs of product manufacturing (AC2.2)
• An analysis of the aims of promotion in the marketing mix (AC4.1)
• An explanation of how the success of a promotional campaign is measured. (AC4.2)

 

Merit task

To achieve a Merit, you must include in the same presentation and handout an explanation of how promotional activities are regulated. (AC4M1)

 

Distinction task

To achieve a Distinction, you must choose an organisation which you are aware of, or have experience of, and additionally include in the presentation and handout:

 

• An evaluation of the role of price in that organisation’s marketing mix (AC2D1)
• An evaluation of the role of promotion in that organisation’s marketing mix. (AC4D1)

 

 

Task 3

 

The SMT interacted well with your presentation and now want you to help them understand the role of people in the marketing mix.  Shakti asks you to produce a factsheet about the role of people in the marketing mix for the SMT.  Your factsheet must include:

 

• An analysis of the importance of recruiting the right people to become customer facing staff in businesses (AC6.1)
• An analysis of the importance to businesses of training customer-facing and non-customer-facing staff. (AC6.2)

 

Merit task

To achieve a Merit, you must include in the factsheet an evaluation of the use of Customer Relationship Management in businesses. (AC6M1)

 

Distinction task

To achieve a Distinction, you must choose an organisation which you are aware of, or have experience of, and include in the factsheet an evaluation of the role of people in that organisation’s marketing mix. (AC6D1)

 

Task 4

 

The SMT found your factsheet useful.  Shakti asks you if there is anything else the SMT needs to understand regarding the marketing mix.  After a discussion with you, Shakti agrees with your suggestion that it would be useful for them to understand the role of process and the role of physical evidence in the marketing mix.  She asks you to prepare a briefing paper for the SMT about the role of process and the role of physical evidence in the marketing mix.  You must produce a briefing paper which includes:

 

• An explanation of the role of marketing processes which take place with the customer present (AC5.1)
• An explanation of the role of marketing processes which take place before, during and after the customer interface (AC5.2)
• An analysis of how the role of process in the marketing mix leads to customer focus (AC5.3)
• An analysis of the role of physical evidence in the marketing mix (AC7.1).

 

Distinction task

To achieve a Distinction, you must choose an organisation which you are aware of, or have experience of, and include in the briefing paper:

 

• An evaluation of the role of process in that organisation’s marketing mix (AC5D1)
• An evaluation of the role of physical evidence in that organisation’s marketing mix. (AC7D1)

 

Guidelines for assessors

 

The assignments submitted by learners must achieve the learning outcomes and meet the standards specified by the assessment criteria for the unit. To achieve a merit or distinction grade, the learners must demonstrate that they have achieved all the criteria set for these grades. Where work for the pass standard is marginal, assessors can take account of any extension work completed by the learners. The suggested evidence listed below is how learners can demonstrate that they have met the required standards.

 

 

Task number	LOs and AC	Suggested evidence PASS	Suggested evidence MERIT	Suggested evidence DISTINCTION
1.	LO1: 1.1, 1.2, 1M1, 1D1   LO3: 3.1, 3.2, 3M1, 3D1	The paper must be written at a suitable level and in a suitable format for senior managers.   AC1.1: Students will differentiate between features and benefits, providing examples and linking the features and benefits to product information in the use of the marketing mix.   AC1.2: They will provide an extended range of detailed factual information about the use of the marketing mix through the Product Life Cycle stages of development, introduction, growth and decline.   AC3.1: In the analysis, they will break the topic down into separate parts and examine each part in detail, looking at how the end consumer buys straight from the manufacturer (direct channel) and how the end consumer buys via a wholesaler or retailer (indirect channel).   AC3.2: Students will show that they understand the differences between intensive, selective and exclusive distribution and how these are used to ensure the marketing of products and services reaches targeted customer segments.	AC1M1: For Merit, students will consider the products and services that customers might need at different stages of their lifecycle, and how an organisation can cater for the differing needs at those stages.   AC3M1: For Merit, students will explain the advantages to businesses of marketing direct to the consumer.	AC1D1 and AC3D1: For Distinction, students must select one or more real organisations where they can access information about the marketing mix.  The tutor may wish to check that students have selected an appropriate organisation(s) which would allow them to meet the assessment criteria.  Students will examine strengths and weaknesses of the use of product (AC1D1) and place (AC3D1) in the marketing mix in the chosen organisation(s).
2.	LO2: 2.1, 2.2, 2D1   LO4: 4.1, 4.2, 4M1, 4D1	The presentation must be written at a suitable level and in a suitable format for senior managers. Students to not need to actually deliver the presentation.  As information on a presentation may be thin, for example in bullet points, it must be supported by a handout which must be clearly linked to the presentation.   AC2.1: In the analysis, they will break the topic down into separate parts and examine each part in detail, looking at how businesses set their pricing to match the value which customers place on the product or service.   AC2.2: Students will examine in detail the ways in which businesses price their products and services to ensure that the businesses can make a profit over and above the costs they incur to create and deliver the product or service. Students should refer to a range of commonly used pricing strategies such as penetration pricing, economy pricing and price-skimming.   AC4.1: Students will examine in detail a range of aims of promotion, such as persuading, reminding, informing and increasing market share.   AC4.2: In the explanation, students will make the topic clear by revealing relevant information in detail. They will explain a range of common success criteria such as actual sales against target sales and press coverage.	AC4M1: For Merit, students should mention relevant legal acts and authorities responsible for the regulation of promotional activities.	AC2D1 and AC4D1: For Distinction, students must select one or more real organisations where they can access information about the marketing mix.  The tutor may wish to check that students have selected an appropriate organisation(s) which would allow them to meet the assessment criteria. They will examine strengths and weaknesses of the use of price (AC2D1) and promotion (AC4D1) in the marketing mix in the chosen organisation(s).
3.	LO6: 6.1, 6.2, 6M1, 6D1	The factsheet must be written at a suitable level and in a suitable format for senior managers.   AC6.1: In the analysis, students will break the topic down into separate parts and examine each part in detail.  They will examine a range of factors such as people underpinning the customer relationship and people providing expertise on the business and its products and services.   AC6.2: Students will examine the importance of training all staff given the value that all staff can add to the business by satisfying the needs of customers and by operating as a coherent business across different functions	AC6M1: For Merit, students must examine arguments for and against, or the strengths and weaknesses of the use of Customer Relationship Management in businesses.	AC6D1: For Distinction, students must select a real organisation where they can access information about the marketing mix.  The tutor may wish to check that students have selected an appropriate organisation which would allow them to meet the assessment criterion. They will examine strengths and weaknesses of the use of people as a factor in the marketing mix in the chosen organisation.
4.	LO5: 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5D1   LO7: 7.1, 7D1	The briefing paper must be written at a suitable level and in a suitable format for senior managers.   AC5.1: Students will provide clear detail about the technological, manufacturing and electronic marketing process activities which take place with the customer physically present or present via technology.   AC5.2: Students will provide clear detail about the technological, manufacturing and electronic marketing process activities which take place without the customer physically present or present via technology, to ensure a comprehensive customer experience and to fulfil customer orders.   AC5.3: In the analysis, they will break the topic down into separate parts and examine each part in detail, looking at a range of ways in which process can focus specifically on customers, leading to repeat business and the sales of other products and services to the same customers.   AC7.1: In the analysis, they will break the topic down into separate parts and examine each part in detail, looking at the role played by physical evidence such as the physical environment, ambience and branding in the marketing mix.		AC5D1 and AC7D1: For Distinction, students must select one or more real organisations where they can access information about the marketing mix.  The tutor may wish to check that students have selected an appropriate organisation(s) which would allow them to meet the assessment criteria. They will examine strengths and weaknesses of the use of process (AC5D1) and of physical evidence (AC7D1) in the marketing mix in the chosen organisation(s).