Services Marketing Mix: The Twelve Ps

Abstract

In case of marketing physical goods or manufactured goods, marketers focus on 4Ps: Product (Form and Features), Price (to be paid by consumers to the retailers), Promotions (IMC), and Marketing Channel’s Service Outputs (“Place”). In addition, due to corporate level strategies, R&D and Brand Management have become important since mid-80s. But in case of services marketing, we need to focus on more things —not just marketing, since service marketing is only a part of overall services management, and since services have some unique characteristics. We will focus on service processes, people, and physical environment, in addition to minimizing perishability of service. We also need to modify some jargons in case of service management. Instead of 4Ps, we will consider 12Ps of service management. Services marketing mix is an extension of the traditional 4Ps of marketing. Academics added three more Ps for services:  People, Process, and Physical Evidence.