How To Define Marketing Mix:
The “4 Cs” Customer Perspective

To define Marketing Mix in terms of the traditional “4 Ps” of Marketing is a fall back to the old days of marketing. As with many aspects of traditional business, today's market demands an adjustment to see things from your customer's perspective.

The “4 C” approach to marketing is described below and follows the ”You” Marketing philosophy of putting the customer - “you” - first. The “4 Cs” changes marketing mix definition from Product, Price, Place and Promotion to Customer Value, Cost, Convenience and Communication.

What Are The “4 Cs”?

The “4 Cs” marketing mix definition seeks to turn traditional marketing thinking on it's head by looking sales and marketing in a customer-centric way. Instead of looking at how each aspect of marketing is seen by the business, you look at these from the customer's perspective.

The point in using “4 Cs” instead of “4 Ps” is not an exercise in semantics. Rather, key into the thinking behind the exercise which is to get you to see thing from your customers' point of view.

Customer Value (Not Product!)

A product is something you make which people come and buy. However, today, you can no longer succeed by making what you want and must instead find out what customer's want.

Focusing on Customer Value allows you to reset your perceptions around what it is you are creating and bringing to the market, be it a product, service or some other value. Everything begins and ends with your customer and you exist to serve their needs.

Value is what your customer is concerned about, not you, your fabulous product or anything else you do. Value is how you define marketing mix “products” and what you should seek to engage your customer with. It is the value you provide that defines you in the marketplace.

Cost (Not Price!)

Instead of thinking of price as something you charge, think of cost as something customers pay. This simple adjustment once again opens up a whole new way of thinking about sales and marketing.

When you define marketing mix cost you tune into the customer dilemma of deciding how to spend limited money to satisfy unlimited wants. Are you providing enough capital to compete effectively?

Your motivation in going to market should not be to maximize your gain but to maximize customer value. Therefore, you should ask how you can provide more for the same cost to the customer instead of asking to make more profit from a product.

Convenience (Not Place!)

The day is not far off when the majority of shopping will not take place in shops or through the traditional distribution channels of business. Your customers today are governed by purchase when, where and how it is convenient to them.

Thinking about convenience not only allows you to open up to newer ways of connecting with customers and distributing products, but helps you shift into the mindset of providing an optimum overall experience for customers.

To define marketing mix in terms of convenience reminds you that customers today are very busy and have many choices. It is no longer your right as a business owner but a privilege when customers choose you. Make it as easy as possible for them to do so.

Communication (Not Promotion!)

The final new market mix definition replaces the traditional notion of “Promotion” with Communication. This final concept of how you define marketing mix from the customer's perspective ties into creating Interactive Marketing Communication.

“Promotion” hearkens back to the day's of mass marketing which does not work anymore. Just like you cannot simply build a “good product” and expect people to buy it, so customers no longer believe everything you say at face value.

Instead of virtuous pronouncement about how good your product or service is, customers today seek to be engaged and have meaningful interactions with you. You must therefore strive for two-way communication and building relationships