Discussion questions:
Compare and contrast a company's microenvironment with a microenvironment.
Describe the various publics that impact a company's marketing environment.
Briefly describe the four steps in the marketing research process.
Discuss the decisions required when designing a sampling plan.
Discuss the social influences on consumers and provide an example of how one or more of these factors impacted a product or service purchase you made recently.
Discuss the personal factors influencing consumer buyer behavior. Which of these factors have the greatest influence on your purchasing behavior?
List and briefly describe the four major steps in designing a customer driven marketing strategy.
Discuss the behavioral variables used to segment buyers and provide an example of each.
Define product and the three levels of product.
Name and describe the three groups of industrial products. How do industrial products differ from consumer products?
Discuss the major steps in the new-product development process.
Discuss external sources of new-product ideas.
What is price? Discuss factors marketers must consider when setting price.
Describe the types of cost-based pricing and describe the methods of implementing each.
Compare and contrast direct marketing channels and indirect marketing channels. Name the various types of resellers in marketing channels.
What is channel conflict? Discuss the two main types of channel conflict and give an example of each.
Discuss how retailers and wholesalers add value to the marketing system. Explain why marketers are embracing the concept of shopper marketing.
Discuss the factors used to classify retail establishments and list the types within each classification.
Name and define the five promotion mix tools for communicating customer value.
Discuss the changing communications landscape and the need for integrated marketing communications.
Discuss the role of personal selling in the promotion mix. In what situations is it more effective than advertising?
Compare and contrast the three sales force structures outlined in the text. Which structure is most effective?
Describe how direct marketing has evolved into a way of doing business for some companies.
List and briefly describe the various forms of direct marketing.