A case for the latest "P" of Marketing..

Whether it be the 4 P's or 8 or 21 like my Marketing Professor, Dr. Tayo taught me. As for me, what I think is that the P's are as important as the essence of the Marketing Course itself but Please, "don't quote me!"

Surely you must have heard of Product, Price, Place, Promotion to mention a few, today, I introduce the 22^nd P *rolling drums...*

PLEASE!

I will be doing the introduction and explanation with definitive help from the ever useful Microsoft Encarta Dictionary.

Please: to give pleasure or satisfaction

A best selling product or service is one that seeks to satisfy the needs and aspirations of the buyer. The need especially for pleasure as the buyer more often than not, seeks a product or service that will bring happiness and relief, create a satisfactory feeling and very importantly, make seemingly difficult tasks done easily and in less time.

Please: to like or wish to do something

A best selling product or service is one that seeks to fulfil the plans and desires of the buyer either by quality or by quantity. The average buyer at every point in time has goals and objectives he or she will like to or wish to meet, it is the duty of your product to be of help.

Please: to be the wish or will of somebody

A best selling product or service must of necessity meet the psychological and mental need of the buyer for value. It is the buyers will that the stated price of a good or service is commensurate to the offered good or service and it is your responsibility as a marketer or sales person to prove it.

Please: used to make a polite request or command

Here, we get to acknowledge that the buyer is King or Queen if you like, you should never ram a product or service down a buyers throat. IT IS NOT BY FORCE! You should be able to persuade your buyer first with sound logic then appeal to his or her emotions and hopefully, your credibility will seal the deal.

Please understand that Great Marketing can only be achieved with tact and finesse, the buyer comes first and remains first and that is the only way your product or service can become first in an ever increasingly competitive market place.

Segun Dada is a first year MBA student of Lagos Business School and can be reached at olusegun.dada@lbs.net.ng