The success of the marketing programme developed for promoting a definite product or service depends on the effective combination of the basic marketing mix elements.
The marketing mix can be discussed as a business tool which consists of four significant elements which are product, price structure, place or distribution, and promotion.
To draw the customers’ attention to products and services and to promote them effectively, it is necessary to concentrate on each element of the marketing mix model in their combination (Armstrong & Kotler 2009).
The marketing mix model is significant for promoting products because working out the effective marketing programme with references to the qualities of a product, its price, distribution, and promotion, companies can control the market and affect the customer’s purchasing behaviour.
To examine the role of the four basic elements of the marketing mix model in promoting products and services, it is necessary to focus on the description of such factors as product, price, place, and promotion with references to Australia Post.
Concentration on the Qualities of Products or Services
Different marketing programmes are developed to promote products and services with attracting more customers and gaining more benefits. That is why, marketers focus on the qualities of products and services in order to present them to customers effectively.
It is important to pay attention not only to the products’ attributes (design, style, and colour) or qualities (functions) but also to the features which help to distinguish these products among the others.
To compete within the market successfully, the product should meet the customers’ needs and expectations. That is why, it is necessary to accentuate the benefits which can be provided with using the definite product.
Today, marketers conduct the researches to analyse the trends within the market and propose new approaches to producing definite goods or present new innovations in the sphere (Tehrani 2008).
Australia Post works out its marketing programme and strategy providing a great variety of products and services.
Thus, customers have an opportunity to use air mail and charity mail, receive the car insurance, use the help of couriers and eParcel service, have an access to Express Post International Parcels, and operate with money transfers (Australia Post n.d.).
This list of proposed services is too short to provide the full picture of all the operations, products, and services which Australia Post can propose to customers.
The advantage of the company is in the fact many of the services are provided only by this company, and it contributes to increasing the level of market competitiveness.
The Role of Price Structure
One of the main tasks of marketers is to price the product or service successfully in order to reflect the level of the product’s quality and contribute to its competitiveness within the market. Moreover, the price structure is based on the certain specifications of products and services.
The effective price should influence the customers’ purchasing behaviour and draw their attention to the product. The price should also make a good profit for a company with references to the level of competitiveness (Kotler & Keller 2006).
Australia Post provides postal services, retail services, distribution services, and e-services. The variety of proposed services influences the number of market sectors in which Australia Post presents its services.
That is why, the prices of services are developed depending on the situation in a certain market sector in order to compete within it successfully.
The price structure is also based on the factor of attracting not only customers but also new partners and investors because the effective price structure is necessary for working out the business image of a company.
The price policy depends both on the local tendencies in economy and marketing on the effects of the global processes and trends in the global economy.
That is why, the prices on, for instance, transactional mail, promotional mail, and social mail services are fixed according to different criteria and marketing factors (Australia Post n.d.).
The Factor of Place and Distribution System
The factor of place and distribution system include such points as the place where the company proposes its products and services, the types of distributing these products and services with references to the aspects of logistics.
The marketing success depends on the effective distribution of products to the definite locations in time. Today, it is possible to provide the customers’ access to products using traditional methods of distribution and making accents on the modern technologies.
To follow the world tendencies more companies provide their customers with the opportunity to buy products and services with the help of the Internet.
It is also important to note that to be successful in marketing products in the Internet or with the help of its resources, it is necessary to follow the principles of the constantly developing e-market (Kotler & Keller 2006).
The factor of effective distribution is one of the most important for Australia Post because of the specifics of the company’s provided services.
That is why, the company’s marketers expand their approaches to distribution regularly, paying attention to successful maintaining more than 4,000 postal outlets, improving courier and mail services, and supporting the status of the largest local postal and retail network (Australia Post n.d.).
The Role of Promotion
To take the definite place within the market, it is necessary to draw the target audience and persuade customers to choose the certain product or a service provided by the definite company. Thus, effective promotion strategies are the significant part of the marketing mix model.
Promotion is the methods with the help of which marketers can provide the potential customers with the information about the product, its specific qualities and advantages (Armstrong & Kotler 2009).
Promotion is generally based on advertising (media, billboards, e-mail) and endorsing. The developed principles of promoting definite products and services can help marketers to create the image of a product and gain more benefits.
That is why, modern promotion is often based on the usage of innovative technological methods to influence the customers’ purchasing behaviour (Tehrani 2008).
To promote its new services, Australia Post usually develops special national campaigns based on advertising with the help of which customers learn about the new services.
The marketers emphasise the necessity to work out creative advertisements in order to attract the public that is why a lot of advertisements which are presented in newspapers and magazines or on TV depend on populating the idea of the significance of those services offered by Australia Post for the society (Australia Post n.d.).
The marketing mix model is significant for promoting the definite product or service.
Nevertheless, the usage of the model can be successful only with paying attention to all its components which are products’ qualities and specifications, price structure, the particular features of distribution with references to the company’s location, and the aspects and principles of promotion.
Australia Post has the developed marketing mix model according to which the company can control Australia Post outlets and influence the customers’ purchasing behaviour, focusing on their needs and expectations.
Reference List
Armstrong, GA & Kotler, P 2009, Marketing: an introduction, Prentice Hall, New Jersey.
Australia Post. n.d. Web.
Kotler, P & Keller, KL 2006, Marketing management, Prentice Hall, New Jersey.
Tehrani, N 2008, Contemporary marketing mix for the digital era, AuthorHouse, USA.