III. Speech practice exercises

1. Categorize the following aspects of marketing according to the well-

known “4 P’s” classification of the marketing mix – product, price,

promotion, and place. Explain each term with your own words and

exemplify it if you can.

advertising after sales service brand name cash discounts

commercials free samples characteristics guarantee

points of sale packaging list price personal selling

wholesaling distribution channels quality media plan

publicity market penetration sponsorship retailing

transportation vending machines warehousing style

public relations cash discounts market skimming posters

prestige pricing production costs quantity discounts credit terms

PRODUCT PRICEPLACE PROMOTION

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2. Classify the following terms into four groups, according to which of

the four major communications or promotional tools they belong to.

Explain the terms in your own words and give their real life examples.

brochures and booklets lobbying

catalogues packaging

commercials point-of-purchase displays

competitions and contents posters

couponing price discount

demonstrations print aids

free gifts sales presentations

free trials sales reps

leaflets samples

annual reports sponsorship

donations to charity symbols and logos

telemarketing trade fairs and shows

company publications order configuration

ADVERTISING SALES PUBLIC PERSONAL

PROMOTION RELATIONS SELLING

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3. Marketing versus Everyone Else

In most companies, there are inevitable conflicts of interest between

the different functional departments. Below is a slightly exaggerated

version of a meeting between representatives from Marketing, R&D,

Purchasing, Production, and Finance. Reconstruct the meeting by

deciding who is speaking in each case. Act the meeting in role –

play.

1. Marketing manager

2. Production manager

3. Finance manager

4. R & D manager

5. Purchasing manager

A - We’ve decided to take the basic design as it stands today, and

concentrate on modifying its aesthetic appearance. We can’t sit around

for another two years waiting for your people. Why can’t you hand over

the prototypes now?

B - Because we’re looking for technical perfection. We believe we can

incorporate some outstanding new technical features into this product.

We think we’re close to a breakthrough, so we’re not interested in

rushing out an inferior product before Christmas.

A - But the consumer isn’t looking for perfection. Don’t you see that we have

to produce what the market needs? Our customers don’t care about

perfection, they care about style and appearance. We need different

models for teenagers, for people in their twenties and thirties, for middle-

aged and elderly people. And we should offer a variety of colors and

sizes.

C - Oh yeah, sure. We’ll use small quantities of 1000 different components.

That’ll be really economical! Though it will give us something to do. We

can even order twice as much as we actually use, like last year, with

your wonderful sales forecasts!

D - Yes, exactly, and I can spend my time supervising set-ups and

changeovers and tiny production runs. I’m surprised you’ve never

thought of customizing every single product. Making the perfect product

for each different customer!

A - There’s no need to be sarcastic. Anyway, we anticipate large production

runs, because we’re going to use a market penetration strategy here…

E - But of course! Sell at a loss! Why don’t you just give it away for free?!

That’d be far more effective than all the money you spend on advertising

and sales promotions.

A - Why can’t you see that marketing expenditures are investments for the

future, and not just expenses? And although we’re not planning to give it

away, we do expect a lot of sales on credit, and we think it’s time to relax

our credit conditions.

E - Aaargh!