Mix de marketing

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Kotler (2000, p. 38), said that: “the 4P's represent the vision that the selling company has about the marketing tools available to influence buyers.”

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Figure 1 – The four Ps.

Source: CHURCHILL Jr.; PETER, 2005, p. 20.

Product

To talk about a product, we should realize before how marketing defines a product or service

According to Kotler (2000), the product is something that can be offered a market to your enjoyment, use or consumption in an attempt to satisfy a want, need or demand.

With the evolution of society and the marketing, companies try to satisfy costumer needs, which is important for creating new products, but also for a maintenance of other products, if this is convenient for the brand.

The product should be designed in client function, to which the products and services offer in addition to their functional utility, a symbolic content. (Schön et Bernar, (n.d.); 94)

In addition to the creation or maintenance of products, there are a number of factors relating to the product, which help capture the costumer’s attention, and result, to increase sales.

That way, it is essential novelty, quality, features and advantages of its use, comfort and packaging.

According to Costa (1987), it is like a complex of tangible attributes (color, packaging, design) and intangible (brand reputation, providing after-sales services) to might be offered to a market for consideration and acquisition, use or consumption and must satisfy a desire or necessity.

Following this, it can be said that there are a set of factors that help the consumer to choose the product in question instead choose another competition, that satisfy the same needs.

So, “when our costumer makes a purchase, not purchase a product or service, but at the same time a set of benefits (or advantages) associated – A total value in perception must be greater than the price paid” (Schön et Bernar, (n.d.); 96)

The selection of a product or a range of products of a brand is a critical marketing process, since other operating variables depend on the creation of a good product that satisfies the costumer’s needs. Only then it’s possible to adapt the product to consumers, through the remaining p’s of the marketing mix.

On the other hand, the product selection implies great investments and, as such, should be avoided errors which leave in risk the financial management company or brand.

The product policy is to design, organize and renew what the company sells or offers its customers, whether a well or service. (Lindon et al, 2004; 201)

A product policy has to take into account the concept of product life cycle characterized by four stages, based on sales and profits that i tis acquired.

Firstly, the product passes through the respective release, introducing the same in the market. It is from this moment that the costumer can proceed with the purchase.

However, only in the growth stage is that the market begins to accept the product, leading to increased sales. The opposite can also happen when the product fails to establish itself in the market.

At maturity, there are a stabilization of what happens in the development stage and begins a reduction in the number of sales, after saturation of the product.

The decline stage marks the end of the product life cycle. It’s characterized by severe reduction in profit and the output of a product of a market.

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Figure 2 – Product life cycle

Source: https://roadmaptech.wordpress.com/tag/forecasting/

Based on product features, this may be associated with low, medium or high range, depending on its quality. The range of a product determines his life style cycle, since a low-end product will have difficulty positioning itself on the market. The opposite happens in a high-end product range.

“For some authors, there are only innovation when there are fundamental technological change as were appearance of the way of the railroad, automobile, electricity, etc.” (Lindon et al, 2004: 227)

That way, one can say that a new product of the same quality are often associated with the innovation. This can be achieved by the introduction of new products in the company, by changing the constitution of a product, the disruption of the usual products of the brand or the introduction of a product resulting from technological innovations, in turn able to create up to new needs.

Price

The pricing of products is part of the strategic mission of a marketeer, to the extend that the purchase process entails paying a cost for the product.

According to Decreet Law nº 533/75, 26th september, “there is a requirement to display prices in goods intended for retail sale and provision of services” (Lindo et al, 2004; 237)

The price takes on much importance for the company since it is the only element of the 4p’s that brings profits, unlike the other p’s that contribute to the creation of the product.

The price is one of the most comparable variables by the consumer, significantly influencing the consumer’s buying decision. Companies know the importance of the elaboration of this variable, especially with regard to the purchasing power of your target audience and their willingness to pay for certain product. (Trierweiller, (n.d); 6)

The purchase price interferes with the process, in that the customer only offers to pay a certain amount for the product. This value is set by the consumer taking into account their financial possibilities and quality of the product.

The goal of the brand is to set the price depending in the product features, but also imagining an average value determined by the customer.

The price decision for the release time to market is critical and requires a strategic vision, as it will allow a better fixation in the market. It is always easier to cut prices after the launch, but less as is the launch prince and this is increasing may be slightly beneficial to the brand that is known and positioned the company as a low-cost brand.

This low-cost positioning is closely