Marketing Essentials: Marketing Mix and Planning Report

This report delves into the core aspects of marketing, using McDonald's as a case study. It begins by defining marketing and its role in creating value for customers. The report then outlines the key roles and responsibilities of the marketing function, including marketing information management, distribution channels, product management, pricing, promotion, selling, and financing. It further examines how marketing functions interrelate with other departments within an organization, such as human resources, finance, production, sales, research and development, and administration. The report also covers the application of the marketing mix (product, price, place, promotion, people, process, and physical evidence) and concludes with the production and evaluation of a marketing plan. Overall, the report provides a comprehensive overview of marketing essentials, offering practical insights into strategic planning and execution within a business context.

MARKETING ESSENTIALS

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1 Key roles and responsibilities of marketing function ...........................................................1
P2 Roles and Responsibilities of marketing in context to company ..........................................4
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................6
P3 Compare different ways in which company apply marketing mix........................................6
TASK 3 ...........................................................................................................................................9
P4 Produce and determine marketing plan .................................................................................9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Marketing is a process in which a business organisation produce goods and services
according to the needs and preferences of customers and then sell in market place. In this,
company creates valuable things for its buyers which can satisfy their needs and wants.
McDonald's is a types of restaurants (Dibb and Simkin, 2013). It is a big brand of hamburger and
fast food restaurant. This business firm provides cheeseburgers, chicken products, French fries,
sift drinks, desserts, etc. This company has many outlets in different cities and countries.
According to changing in tastes and preferences of customers, it expand its menu and add some
extra dishes like smoothies, salads, fruit, wraps etc. This company is a second largest public
company. In this above report mentioned about the key roles ans responsibilities of the
marketing functions. The responsibilities and roles of marketing are relate to wider in relation to
company's. This business organisation uses various ways that are apply to marketing mix
strategy to the process of marketing planning to accomplishing the objectives of business firm.
For introducing any new products or services, this company makes and then evaluate a
marketing plan which are helpful in producing a new goods or services according to customers.
TASK 1
P1 Key roles and responsibilities of marketing function
Marketing is related to buying and selling of goods and services. A business firm
prepares products and services on the basis of customer's demand and sell them at reasonable
price. In McDonald's business firm, there are many departments or functions works and their
roles and responsibilities are different from each other. There are 7 marketing functions which
help in carrying out marketing:
Marketing Information Management (MIS)- It is a approach in which study about the
needs of company's management at each and every level such as to, middle and lower level. The
main aim of this Marketing Information Management is to design,implement the policies,
process and procedures that gives report in exact and in detailed manner on proper time. In this
system, McDonald's can collect data and information with the helps of computer from outside
and from inside the boundaries of this business firm (Lamb, Hair and McDaniel, 2011). The
MIS deals with the computer based system or a software and it provides with tools to arrange,
determine to treat, lead all the departments of an organisation. In this system, the information of
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all departments are saved. The main role of Marketing Information Management that it provides
accurate or exact data about the marketing activities and also gives prated information to
managers 5reklatued to marketing process. This system is concluded as a key sources. With the
help of this, mangers record routine activities and do payroll activities (Malhotra, Birks, and
Wills, 2013). A marketing information system set a structure which is used by this business firm
to gathered, organises, distribute, analyse marketing related activities, distribute information and
data for making marketing decisions. Before conducting any market related activities, it is
necessary to know about marketing activities or do marketing analysis. In the collected data and
information will be wrong, then in this case, business firm faces many prolepses or difficulties.
Marketing Information System helps in:
 Providing revenant information and it helps in decision making.
 With the help of this, it will be easy for every department to coordinate with each
other.
 It will helps in searching the issues and problems related to any marketing
activities.
 It helps in compare the present business performance with the previous year
performance of business
Distribution channel- It is a type of chain of through which company passes its products
or services to the customers at proper time period. It is a process in which includes retailers,
wholesalers, distributors and can be through internet (Clow and James, 2013). Goods can be
transferred with the help of direct or indirect channels. The role of this channel of distribution Is
that, it connects a link between customers and manufacturers. It helps in enhancing the marketing
efficiency and effectiveness because the intermediator are very well know about marketing
strategies and also expert n distribution. It helps in minimizing the cost of transactions and time
saving.
Product management- It is a lifestyle of company in which includes planning,
organising, manufacturing or do the marketing of goods and services. It is the main function of
marketing department. In McDonald's, product mangers are helpful in making goods or services
for its consumer use or for internal use of business firm. Product managers work on various and
different categories of products with different teams and in various framework of an
organisation. The main role of product management is to support its transmission with the help
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of goods data and information. Technology helps in crating good quality products and also
according the the needs and preferences of customers which can satisfy their demands.
Pricing- It is a ne4cessary component of marketing mix. In this, McDonald's sets the
prices of its food items. It is a process in which a business firm decide pricing structure and it is a
main part of marketing plan (Papasolomou and Melanthiou, 2012). Company should be decide
its price in account that everyone can affords or acquire its products. Business enterprise sets its
price on the basis of production costs, brand, quality of goods, market conditions etc. At the time
of setting up the cost, there are some points which have to be kept in mind:
 Quality of goods or services
 Cost of same products in armlet
 loyal customers or can say target audience.
 External environment factors like social, economical,legal, political etc.
The main role of pricing is to set the position of its products. If in starting points, cost of
goods will be high, then customers will not purchase its goods more and it causes loss. So, for
productivity or for high sale, it is necessary to set price of its food items according to customers.
Promotion- It is also a important element of marketing mix. To launching a new
products, this business firm decide some promotional schemes to aware the customers about its
new goods or services (Kennedy and Parsons, 2014). The company give promotion through
banners, holders, newspapers, television, radio. It is a better way to communicate or interact with
people. It helps in developing the business or also assist in increasing the sales. To attract
customers, it is necessary to make attractive promotional strategy. If company gives promotion,
then it should be acceptable by society not hurt feeling of people. In promotion, this business
firm stares all features, qualities or specification its products or services.
Selling- In this, there is a transaction between buyer and seller and money is exchanged.
To direct meet with customers, it is the best way to selling its products to customer directly. It
helps in increasing the sales level and also helps in enhancing productivity. Direct and face to
face selling helpful in convenience the customers easily. In face to face selling techniques,
employee easily know about about the benefits, qualities and specification of its goods or
services.
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Financing- It is a main function of an organisation. For stating a process to production, it
is necessary to collect funds. Company can collect funding by taking loan from bank, colleagues
etc.
These all functions of marketing and it helps in making the marketing activities
successful.
P2 Roles and Responsibilities of marketing in context to company
In an organisation, there are many department works and the roles and responsibilities of
every department is different from each other. These all department are interrelated with each
others and they all very helpful for marketing department (Asaduzzaman, Hossain, and Rahman,
2014). There are some main function areas of business enterprise:
Human resource- It is a backbone of an organisation. The main function of human
resource department is recruiting, selecting, training, development,compensation, payroll etc. HR
manger of McDonald's company, hire those candidates whir have full knowledge about
marketing, selling, products, customer service. Manager check abilities and skills of candidates,
skills can be selling, communication, interpersonal, technical etc. It is the responsibility of
human resource manager is to provide tracing and development to its existing employees and its
new employees. With the help of training and development, the skills, abilities and knowledge of
workers will be increased and their work performance will also be improved. If company recruit
employees for marketing department, then it is the duty of human resource function is to give
training related to marketing concept or activities.
Marketing function- In this function includes marketing analysis, research, product
development, planning related to marketing, promotion or advertisement of products, selling,
distribution, product designing, risk taking etc. these all are activities which are helpful in
maintaining the public relation or to sell products (Xiao-zhong, 2012). The roles are:
Conduct market research- In this, business firm do research on market to know about the
marketing strategies, analysis, top know about competitors or rivalries etc.
Advertisement- It is very necessary to ware customers about its new goods and services
and its benefits. This company gives advertisement with the helps of television, radio, through
social network etc.
Marketing mix- It is the main part of marketing. In this includes place, price, product,
promotion, process, physical evidence and people.
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Finance- This function of a business organisation provides funds for various marketing
related activities like for instance manufacturing process, technology used, in promotion related
activities (Ionitã, 2012). The main role of this department is to focus on cost of production and
help in minimizing its process cost from increasing quality of goods or services. Sometime,
company can collect finance from bank loans, investors etc. The main motive of this department
is to control environmental impacts, to focus on minimizing the cost of productions etc.
Production- It means to transforming physical input in to output. The main objective of
this department is to increase the efficiency, quality and effectiveness of factor of production. In
this process, it is necessary to adopt new and advanced technology or machineries for improving
in quality standard of products or services. It is the combination of four elements and that are
manpower, land, business firm and capital (Fox and Wareham, 2012). With adopting new
technology, company can provide better quality of food items at low cost of production. The
manager of production is responsible for confirms about the raw materials which are helpful in
making products better.
Sales- Selling department is responsible for selling goods and services by using different
tos and techniques. In this includes, direct selling and indirect selling. Direct sales means when
products are directly available to its customers without any intermediator. It includes online
purchasing and face to face selling. From this, it will be easy to aware customers about it
products specifications and its befits easily. Indirect selling refers to sell its products through any
intermediate like retailers, suppliers etc. If this company creates an effective selling team, then it
will be easy to achieve the target of company.
Research and development- This department conduct research to know about the
marketing conditions. The research can conducted internally and externally. This department is
obsessed with introducing new services and goods for making the improvement or changes in
quality of its current products. The main role of this department is to making business successful
and to research about any issues related to making activities. Problems of marketing can be
related to technology, quality, coordination among employees etc. After research programme,
development helps in covering the research in to products. The new finding helps to know about
the tastes and preferences of customers and make modification in its existing goods which can
satisfy their needs and wants.
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Administration- It is a common function of an organisation. This department conducts
day to day administration activities. The main three functions of this department is to planning,
budgeting and organizing (LIU and WANG, 2010). It is a supportive function ans it deals in
activities like send drafts, emails, faxes, to provide stationery,documentation etc. This
department is also deals with its external customers related to any enquiry. The main role and
responsibility of this department is to make sure about the good and satisfactory performance of
all departments in a business enterprise. This function helps in maintaining connection between
all departments at all level.
Customer service- It means to provide guidance through business organisation to
customers who purchase its goods and services. In this, the employees provide services to buyer
before purchasing and at the time of buying its goods and give satisfaction to consumers about
the services. If there is any query to buyer, then customer service executives are solve their
problems in a best or satisfactory way. Business enterprise gives proper training related to
customer satisfaction to its employees. It will helps in increasing their communication,
interaction and knowledge skills.
ICT- Information and Communication Technology helps in designing the website for
doing market research, for mailing, to provide training and development. Its main objective is to
increasing the efficiency and defectiveness of business. Internet is a very important way to
promote new services and goods. This technology helps in improving the customer care services.
TASK 2
P3 Compare different ways in which company apply marketing mix
Marketing mix is a part of marketing. Each and every business firm, use different ways or
processes to developing its products and services (Lin and Wang, 2015). There are two
organisation McDonald's and Burger king and their strategies of marketing mix are different
from each other. McDonald's uses various different approaches that helps in meet its business
concerns in many markets in all over the world. In beginning of this company, it provides its
food items at minimum price with high quality. But after some time, this company things new
innovative ideas to develop its business. It is the most largest brand and its revenue is very high.
Its main target is small children and their parents. In marketing mix, it should be focus product,
price, place, promotion, physical evidence, process and people.
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Products- It has teh8 largest food chain in all over the world. This company deals in
chicken products,breakfast items, burgers, dessert, milkshakes etc. But after some time, it expand
its menu and adding salads, fruits, fish wraps, smoothies to attract more customers. But basically
this business firm known as hamburgers. At starting, this company deals in only hot
dogs,milkshakes, French fries, cheeseburgers, beef burgers etc. It provides its food items in all
over the world. After some of places or countries, people do not like beef and from this reason,
the sales of this company decreased. To increasing sales, it produces food items according to the
tastes and preferences of customers (Woodside, 2015). The primary supplier McDonald's is a
Coca-Cola company.
Price- This business firm deals in various different items and it set its pricing strategies
on the basis of categories of food items. To assure people for purchasing more goods of
McDonald's concentration on the psychological pricing strategies in the marketing mix. At
starting, this business enterprise minimize its price in some places or countries. The main
competitors of this company are burger king, KFC, Pizza hut, Domino's, Subway etc.
McDonald's target only teenagers and who are loyalty towards brand. Some times, it gives offers
and discounts to attract more new customers and to retrain its existing consumers.
Promotion- It means to promote its products and to aware customers about its food
items. It spend large amount of money on promotional campaign. It gives advertisement through
newspapers, signage sponsors, billboards, through Olympic games, little leagues etc. Television
is the main source of advertisement (Odunlami and Ofoegbu, 2011). It gives advertisement in
between many popular shows ion television. Sometimes, this business organisation uses negative
advertisement campaign against its relieves. In promotion, it uses some promotional mix
strategies like for instance:
Advertisement- It is a medium of promote its goods or services in front of people. It is the
paid for to boost its things. In giving advertisement, many companies, researcher, agencies helps.
Company hire actors, child and any other popular celebrity though which it can give
advertisement of its business.
Public relations- IT means to create and to maintain the image or goodwill of company in
front of people or customers. It helps in spreading the information about its goods among a
person, business, non profit organisations, government and also in public. It is a good way for
company to interact directly with its customers or media. An employee who are expert in public
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relations interact in direct and indirect way and develop the positive reputation of its business
organisation.
Sales promotion- It is a process to stimulate its existing consumers to purchase the
products of company. It is very effective and helps in increasing the sales and performance of
business. McDonald's gives sales promotion by giving discounts, through joint promotions, free
samples, vouchers, prize draws etc. through these schemes company attract customers towards
its company. This type of promotion is done directly or through intermediators.
Place- This business organisation has many restaurants in all over the world. It has
various types of restaurants and that are Mc Express, Mc Cafe, MC drive and it develops its
restaurant according to its tastes and preferences (Getnet, Kedir and Yousuf, 2014). These every
stores are on different locations like the location of Mc Drives are near highways and the
location of McDonald's are inside cities.
Physical evidence- This company leaves good impression at the time of coming in
physical evidence in marketing mix. It creates big and good impact on the minds of its
consumers. In physical evidence concludes the quality, its services, structure, cleanliness and
process. This company banned on smoking of ciggrates under restaurant.
Process- It works regularly on improving its production process and cooking methods. It
conducts research to improve the process and to adopts new methods too serve better to its
customers. It uses better services to swerve rapidly to its consumers.
People- This company treats their employees in better way and address them in an
uniquely. T has a different dress code and it deals with their customers in very friendly way.
The other company is Burger king (Khan and Adil, 2013). It operates its business in
many countries. The main aim of this business firm is to provide better quality burgers at
reasonably price to customers. It provides coffee, juice, fries, cookies etc. There are marketing
mix strategy of this company:
Products- This company basically provides burgers like cheese and hamburgers but
along with this it deals in onion rings, pies, Hash Browns etc. It makes food items according to
the tastes and preferences of its customers.
Price- the competition is very high between every burgers restaurant. This restaurant
regularly monitoring, determining and controlling its pricing strategies and policies so from this
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enantiomers will not feel burdened. This company regularly gives offers on burgers and on any
other items to attract burger lovers.
Promotion- It gives promotion through Talent Shows to invite consumers and to conduct
games and give food vouchers (Mense and et.al., 2011). It promotes its products through
websites and thorough promotional campaign.
Place- This restaurant operates its business in many countries or cities. It uses the sources
to generate the revenue and these sources are royalties, restaurants and franchise. It distribute its
food items with the helps of mobile phones, stores, through websites. To download its
application, it provides
special offers to its customers.
Process- The main strategy of this company is to focus on segmentation of customers
those wants to spend money on burgers or those who likes fast food items. The teenager mostly
visit on burger restaurants. This restaurant seeks for the productivity and profitability through
new creative or innovative advertisement schemes.
Physical evidence- It is a process to creating the image of company in mind of its
consumers. It decorate or maintain its business in attractive way and in modern type.
People- The people of this restaurant treats wit its customers in a better way. This
business organisation provide training and development to its employees or workers related to
good customer services. Customers service plays important role in making business successful.
TASK 3
P4 Produce and determine marketing plan
Before introducing any products, it is necessary to company to prepare marketing plan for
business successful. Business firm make some strategies, policies and also conducting research
to know about marketing situation (Lin, Li, and Wang, 2015). The marketing plan of
McDonald's are as follows:
Mission and Vision- The mission of this company to0 make good and attractive place to
their customers for eating. The vision is to provides better quality of services by adopting new
and technology at reasonable price and makes new strategies to expand its business.
Target markets- For marketing new markets, this business firm has to divide its business
in to different markets. It segments its business in to sub parts. From this, it will be easy to target
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markets. This company target only children and teenager boys and girls. In segmentation it
divides its markets in to four categories like for instance demographic, geographic,
psychographic and behavioural.
 Demographic- In this segmentation, market is divided on the basis of:
Age- 6 to 45 years
Density- rural and urban
Sex- Male and Female
Income level- Small, medium and large income people
Occupation- Employed, unemployed, student
 Geographic segmentation- In this, business is divided on the basis of:
Regions- United States and many countries
Country- All countries of world
 Behavioural Segmentation- It includes:
User status- active and inactive user
Occasion- Regular basis, festive.
Personality- Careless and Easygoing
 Psychographic- In this, company segments or divide its market according to the
lifestyle behaviour and interest of people or customers.
Targeting- This company target young people or group of people (Hsu, Tsai and Chu,
2014). It does not differentiate between its customers. This company provides offers to all
categories of people not any particular.
Positioning- This business firm design its products or structure of company which can
creates the good and positive image in its customer's mind. Positioning helps in increasing the
sales and productivity of business.
Goods and services- This business enterprise provides good quality of food products like
cheese and hamburgers, fish, cold drink, salads, French fries etc. it conduct research on
customers to know about their tastes and preferences (Hsu, 2011). From this, it will serve better
food products to their buyers.
Promotional strategies- It gives promotion through television, newspapers, signage
sponsors, billboards etc. This company also promote its products through promotion mix like
personal selling, direct marketing, public relation, sales promotion etc.
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Identify competitors- From conducting market research, this company can know about its
competitors and their strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities.
Prepare Budget- For promotion and for launching new products, it is required to prepare
budget for approximation of expenses (Nicholls and et.al., 2013). Budget is a future estimation of
funding which are spend on promotional or advertisement activities.
Monitor result- After preparing and applying these all steps, it is necessary to monitor
the over all planning and see that it is implemented in right way or not. In this step, company has
to be determine the response and take feedback fro its consumers.
CONCLUSION
It is concluded from the above report that McDonald's company is a largest brand in
United States. It has a huge supply chain in all over the world. Marketing is a essential part in
buying, selling and to attracting customers towards company. This restaurant makes food items
on the basis of customers tastes and preferences. In this present report studied about the role and
responsibilities of marketing functions like distribution, financing, marketing information
management, pricing, promotion etc. These all functions plays important role in marketing
activities or processes. In this business firm, there are many departments works with different
roles and responsibilities. Every department gives some contribution in marketing activities.
These departments are Human Resource, finance, customer service, Information and
Communication Technology etc. These all departments are interrelated with each others. Every
business firm uses different marketing mix strategies. In this present report, studied that
McDonald's and Burger King uses different strategies of marketing mix. At the time of launching
new products, this company makes a plans and policies for successful development of its
services and products.
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