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Most online marketing courses focus on advertising. But advertising is just the tip of the iceberg.
The biggest impact on your sales comes from decisions made before you even think about ads. That’s where the fundamentals of marketing come in—and why understanding the full marketing mix is essential for any entrepreneur.

Marketing isn’t just about selling—it’s about shaping your entire business. When applied well, it connects your offer with the right people at the right time, with the right message. Done right, it creates mutual value and sustainable growth.

Marketing Is Everywhere—Even in Everyday Life

Think about it:
A toddler is more likely to eat lunch if it looks delicious. That’s advertising.
Even more likely if it’s what Dad is eating—hello, PR!
But if the toddler is hungry, trusts the person offering the food, and likes what’s being served? That’s product-market fit.
And if they’re not distracted by something else? That’s timing and positioning.

Marketing is instinctive. We do it all the time—even without realizing it.

The Marketing Mix: The Classic 4Ps

The core elements of marketing were defined by Jerome McCarthy in the 1960s as the 4Ps:

  1. Product – What exactly do you sell?
  2. Price – How much is it worth?
  3. Place – Where is it sold or how does it reach the consumer?
  4. Promotion – Everything you do to make sure people buy your product: advertising, offers, extras, and more.

These four elements are still used today by the most professional and successful companies, and many had developed the model to more ‘Ps’.

The Extended Ps: Modern Marketing Essentials

Today, we often expand the mix to include up to 10Ps:

  1. Packaging – Especially important in consumer goods.
  2. Proposition – The idea or dream behind the product. At Unilever, this was our starting point.
  3. People – Crucial in service-based businesses and care industries.
  4. Purpose – The beliefs and vision that drive the business, strong in non-profit organizations and startups.
  5. Process – How the product or service is delivered, ensuring quality and consistency.
  6. Profit – The outcome that keeps the business sustainable. Even companies that operate at a loss have a plan to become profitable eventually. Non-profit organizations do not pay out profits to their founders, but even they need a balanced income (donations, subsidies) and expenditure structure to be able to operate long term.

Which Ps Matter Most to You?

If you’re trying to sell anything, you’ll need to think about the first four. I also suggest that you add Purpose and Proposition from the start—and review these every time your market or business shifts.

Profit is a given, but it influences every other P. Understanding the profitability of each product or service can profoundly impact your strategy. Some businesses even sell at cost or below—but only when it serves a larger goal.

The other Ps depend on your industry and business model.

Let’s Talk Marketing

This concludes our short guide to the marketing mix.
Which of these Ps are you most interested in—and why?
Let me know in the comments!

And if you’re building a service-based business and want to apply these fundamentals, let’s talk! Your best year yet starts with a clear strategy.

Go deep

Read further to explore the fundamentals of marketing in these posts:

Product: What makes your offer great?
Place: How to Choose the Right Distribution Channel for Physical or Digital products and Digital Services for Starting Entrepreneurs
Price: Pricing strategy for service based entrepreneurs – how to price with purpose and confidence
Promotion: When to Start Marketing Your Business: A Practical Guide for Entrepreneurs
Proposition: Create an offer that truly connects (and sells) and The Ultimate Guide to Branding: 7 Steps to Create Your Brand Identity