📘 Marketing Basics (4P+1P)
Marketing isn’t just about ads or logos — it’s about understanding people.
Every great business starts by asking: Who needs this? and Why?
Let’s explore how the 4P — and a fifth one, People — help every idea grow from a simple thought to a real product customers love.
🌍 From “What” to “Who”
Imagine two friends selling bubble tea after school. One thinks:
“We’ll make it cheap and sweet.”
The other says:
“Let’s ask what flavors people actually want.”
Guess who succeeds? The second one. Because good marketing starts with listening.
Marketing isn’t shouting about what you have — it’s discovering what people want to hear.
🎯 The 4P Marketing Mix
Every successful brand balances these four levers:
| P | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Product | What you sell — item, service, or idea | Bubble tea, tutoring, mobile app |
| Price | How much it costs and why | $2, $10/hour, free with ads |
| Place | Where people get it | Near school, online store, app store |
| Promotion | How people hear about it | Posters, TikTok videos, events |
If one “P” is weak, the others must work harder to balance it. Change one — and you change the whole system.
The 4P model keeps marketing simple — yet powerful. Each “P” affects all others.
🍋 Case Study: “Lemonade Boss”
You and your friends open a lemonade stand.
- Product: fresh lemonade with mint
- Price: $1 per cup (affordable for students)
- Place: next to the school gate, right after class
- Promotion: funny posters saying “Don’t let homework dry you out!”
✅ You just built your first marketing plan!
If fewer people stop by, you can change the Place or Promotion — that’s called adjusting your mix.
🧩 Mistake Map — When 4P Break
| Mistake | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Great product, wrong price | People love it but can’t afford it |
| Cheap price, bad promotion | No one knows it exists |
| Good ads, bad place | People can’t find or order it |
| Popular product, bad timing | It’s too early or too late |
🧠 The 5th P – People
Today, businesses don’t just sell — they connect.
Customers want to be part of something. They join communities, share feedback, and even co-create new ideas.
People means both sides: customers and team members.
| Who | Role |
|---|---|
| Customers | Give feedback, shape new products |
| Team | Shares brand values, delivers quality |
| Community | Spreads trust and excitement |
Modern marketing = relationship building, not just selling.
The fifth P — People — reminds us that marketing starts with empathy and teamwork.
☕ Case Study: Starbucks vs. Local Bakery
Let’s compare a global brand and a local one.
| 5P | Starbucks | Local Bakery |
|---|---|---|
| Product | Coffee, consistency, comfort | Homemade pastries |
| Price | Premium | Affordable |
| Place | Everywhere | One corner shop |
| Promotion | Ads, app rewards, social media | Word of mouth |
| People | Global community, loyal fans | Friendly locals |
Starbucks wins with experience — the music, smell, and vibe are part of the brand.
But the local bakery wins with personal connection — they know your name.
Both are right — because both understand their People.
Marketing isn’t about being big — it’s about knowing your audience and serving them well.
🔍 Activity: Be a Market Detective
Pick a product — your favorite snack, a mobile app, or your own project.
Then find 3 competitors and study how they use the 4P (and People).
| Brand | Product | Price | Place | Promotion | People |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Example 1 | Chips | $1.50 | Supermarket | TV ads | Teens |
| Example 2 | Organic chips | $3 | Health stores | Parents | |
| Example 3 | Homemade | $2 | Local market | Flyers | Locals |
Now ask:
Who really understands their audience best — and why?
Acting like a Market Detective helps you think like real entrepreneurs — curious, observant, and creative.
🧭 Think Like a Marketer
Marketers don’t see things — they see stories.
Apple doesn’t sell phones; it sells style and identity.
Nike doesn’t sell shoes; it sells movement and purpose.
Starbucks doesn’t sell coffee; it sells comfort and belonging.
So what are you selling?
You might think you sell lemonade. But maybe… you’re selling a break from stress.
That’s the power of perspective.
💼 Mini Project: “My School Brand”
Create your own small brand that could exist in your school or community.
Step 1: Define your 5P
- Product: What are you offering?
- Price: How much and why?
- Place: Where and how to sell it?
- Promotion: How will people know?
- People: Who are you helping?
Step 2: Create an emotional promise
“We bring calm to busy students.”
“We make studying feel fun.”
“We make small ideas shine.”
Step 3: Share or present it to friends. Ask what they’d improve.
That’s your first focus group!
Every student can be a creator — a small idea becomes powerful when shared with others.
🚀 Key Takeaways
- Marketing is about understanding, not manipulation.
- The 4P connect logic with creativity.
- The 5th P — People — makes it human.
- Test, learn, and adapt — that’s real strategy.
🔗 Next Lesson
Next: Branding & Advertising — where you’ll learn to design your own logo, slogan, and brand story.
📝 Try this today
Choose a real or imaginary product and analyze how three competitors use the 4P marketing mix. Write a short conclusion — what would you do differently?
Create your own school brand using the 5P model: Product, Price, Place, Promotion, People.
Write a one-sentence emotional promise for your brand (e.g., 'We bring comfort to every busy student').
Lesson Progress
Module: marketing-management · +0% upon completion