Marketing strategy mix articles often focus solely on listing definitions of the 4Ps or 7Ps, leaving many readers frustrated and unsure how to implement these concepts effectively in their businesses.

The challenge many marketers face is not understanding the theory but applying these strategies in a way that drives real growth.

As someone who has successfully developed and optimized marketing mix strategies across various industries and budgets, this guide practically applies these elements, showcasing what works, what doesn’t, and the key decisions that can significantly impact your traffic, leads, and revenue.

By understanding how to leverage these levers in real-world scenarios, you can elevate your campaigns and achieve your growth objectives.

Table of Contents

• Marketing Strategy Mix: How I Used It To Build A Better Plan

  • 1. Product: Why I Had To Clarify What I Was Really Selling

  • 2. Price: How Pricing Shaped My Positioning And Conversions

  • 3. Place: Picking The Right Channels For My Buyers

  • 4. Promotion: What Moved The Needle For Awareness

  • 5. People: Training, Support, And Internal Alignment

  • 6. Process: What Made The Strategy Scalable

  • 7. Physical Evidence: What Built Trust With Skeptical Buyers

• What I Learned From Testing Different Strategy Mixes

• The Mix I’d Use If I Had To Start Again Tomorrow

• Final Thoughts For Marketers Who Want A Real Strategy

Marketing Strategy Mix: How I Used It To Build A Better Plan

When I took over the marketing department of an international facility management company, I quickly noticed that their marketing was all over the place. They were running scattered ads, sporadically posting on social media, and sending out a few emails here and there—but nothing seemed cohesive.

Sales were stagnating, and they were scratching their heads trying to figure out why.

It became clear to me that they needed a complete overhaul of their marketing strategy.

The essential pieces were there, but they just weren’t working together. Over the next six months, we dived into the 7Ps framework and completely restructured their approach.

The result?

The company increased revenue and profits and became well-known in the industry through a marketing channel that garnered the most audience.

But not every story has a profitable ending!

When I’m crafting a campaign, I don’t treat the marketing mix as just a checklist; it’s more like a dynamic toolkit, where each element interacts in unexpected ways.

With another client, we started with a textbook approach: defined product, competitive pricing, digital channels, and a flashy launch promo.

But despite our efforts, the results fell flat.

We soon realized our product lacked clear differentiation, our pricing sent the wrong signals, and our chosen marketing channels weren’t where our ideal buyers were actually hanging out.

That’s when I began to adjust the mix—tweaking one “P” at a time and then harmonizing them all.

1. Product: Why I Had To Clarify What I Was Really Selling

During a campaign, I always start by asking, "What problem are we solving?"

While it seems basic, many companies misinterpret their core offering.

For example, one client thought they were providing "project management software," but conversations with loyal customers revealed they were actually selling "team alignment and accountability without micromanagement."

My research consistently shows that customers connect more with how a product transforms their situation rather than what the product itself does.

This aligns with Harvard Business School professor Theodore Levitt's insight that "people don't want to buy a quarter-inch drill; they want a quarter-inch hole."

By rewriting all product descriptions, landing pages, and sales scripts to emphasize these outcomes, we not only clarified our message but also streamlined decisions regarding price, place, and promotion, resulting in a ripple effect across the entire marketing mix.

2. Price: How Pricing Shaped My Positioning And Conversions

Price isn’t just a number; it’s a powerful psychological positioning tool that signals value and market position.

On many occasions, starting with a low, “safe” price to attract early users didn’t work for me; it made us appear less credible to serious buyers.

After conducting A/B tests, I found that anchoring our pricing with a premium tier and introducing annual discounts improved conversions and increased our average revenue per user.

While B2B customers often view price as an indicator of quality, B2C customers tend to have stricter budget constraints, a finding backed by McKinsey's pricing research on value perception.

Take beehiiv, for example, they offer four different pricing tiers, because they knew one-size didn’t fit all. Most email newsletter platforms offer different tiers to ensure their prospects can find the budget to use their services.

Or how about Michael McNerney, publisher of Martech Record newsletter, who once said during an interview, “In the beginning, I tried to price [the newsletter] relatively low to encourage people to try it, but no one would buy it.”

McNerney knew he had a high-quality product, so his frustration led him to a bold decision: “I just said I’m going to double the price of the newsletter because I know it’s worth it.”

The decision paid off; within a month, McNerney sold out for the entire year.

3. Place: Picking The Right Channels For My Buyers

Distribution strategy is often where many marketers waste resources, so it's crucial to be selective about channels based on where buyers spend their time.

For another client, a review of traffic sources revealed that despite allocating almost half of their budget to LinkedIn ads, only 5% of conversions came from this channel. In contrast, organic search was responsible for 60% of qualified leads but received only 10% of the budget.

To optimize the distribution strategy, I utilized the PIE framework (Potential, Importance, Ease) developed by conversion expert Craig Sullivan.

We made significant adjustments, including:

• Doubling down on SEO content targeting specific search terms used by buyers.

• Reducing LinkedIn ad spending.

• Introducing a podcast sponsorship aimed at their niche.

• Launching a webinar series in collaboration with industry partners.

This multi-channel approach proved effective as different channels addressed various parts of the sales funnel.

Research from Gartner supports this strategy, indicating that B2B buyers engage with an average of seven different channels throughout their purchasing journey.

The key takeaway is that "place" in distribution strategy is about being present where buyers make decisions, rather than simply where it's convenient to purchase ads.

Andy Austin, founder of the Growth Catalyst Club newsletter, said that his progress for the start of his newsletter was “slow during the early days. He relied on organic growth through X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and Reddit.”

Austin’s experience with Facebook ads led to him choosing this marketing channel as his avenue. The results were remarkable. Within the first month of rapid iteration and testing, Austin managed to decrease the cost of acquiring subscribers to around $1.20 to $1.60 each.

He shares, “I was generating about $70 to $350 per day in revenue while growing my newsletter for free.”

4. Promotion: What Moved The Needle For Awareness

Promotion isn’t about doing everything; it’s about doubling down on what works and cutting what doesn’t.

From my experience, trying to be overly clever, like creating a viral social media campaign, often backfires—such efforts may generate likes but rarely convert.

B2B buyers typically don’t make purchase decisions based on how entertaining your marketing is.

The promotional mix that worked best included educational content addressing specific pain points, customer case studies highlighting measurable results, a straightforward referral program to incentivize current customers, and targeted email sequences based on user behavior.

This aligns with research indicating that 66% of B2B buyers rely heavily on content to make purchasing decisions, with case studies being the most valued content type.

A great example is from Marcus Ramsey, founder of The Brink newsletter. He explained that referrals “earned his brand a ton of new subscribers.” He recommended beehiiv’s referral program as it is “built in automatically” within the beehiiv newsletter system, making it simple and cost-effective.

Another example is Milk Road, which used beehiiv Referral Program to offer their subscribers an exclusive PDF on popular crypto topics for any subscriber who refers a friend. Subscribers could then view their rewards via their unique referral hub on Milk Road’s website, plus possible rewards that they could earn by referring more friends.

5. People: Training, Support, And Internal Alignment

In my experience, the "people" element of the marketing mix is often undervalued, which can severely impact results.

For one client, even with strong marketing assets in place, sales calls underperformed due to the team's limited ability to handle objections effectively.

To address this, I developed a comprehensive training program with our training department that aligned everyone from support to sales with the new positioning and value proposition.

6. Process: What Made The Strategy Scalable

Processes should ultimately serve strategy, not the other way around.

For one client, I implemented a synchronized content calendar aligned with product updates, automated email workflows triggered by user behavior, and a structured A/B testing program for landing pages. We would review the open rates, click-through rates (CTRs), and conversion rates.

When teams spend more time in planning meetings than executing, the process becomes bloated. Implementing the right processes allowed us to iterate faster, reducing campaign launch time from weeks to days by utilizing templates and clear approval workflows.

What didn’t work was reinventing the wheel for every campaign.

I developed simple standard operating procedures (SOPs) for content creation, lead handoff, and reporting, enabling us to scale campaigns without chaos and freeing up time for creative testing.

A repeatable process allows for optimization rather than scrambling to keep up.

7. Physical Evidence: What Built Trust With Skeptical Buyers

Physical evidence focuses on the visual and experiential elements that create trust and value in an intangible service, rather than traditional packaging.

I've learned that authentic evidence of results can be more impactful than polished design.

In one project, we made several key enhancements:

• Redesigned the dashboard to emphasize key metrics that matter to customers

• Created video testimonials featuring real customers using the product

• Developed a transparent product roadmap outlining upcoming features

These changes resulted in prospective customers spending three times longer on the site and significantly increased the likelihood of starting a trial, as they could envision themselves using the product.

A great example of physical evidence is the newsletter, You Got a Minute?

Designed to be the antidote to being overwhelmed—providing readers with a refreshing approach to staying engaged without stress.

In an interview, Rorrie Salazar, one of the founders of the newsletter, said, “It’s so helpful to quickly see how readers are engaging, what feedback they’re leaving, and where we can adjust or double down.”

You Got a Minute? hit one million subscribers, showcasing the importance of a community-centered approach and the effectiveness of data-driven strategies.

“Seeing readers organically share our newsletter on LinkedIn and Instagram showed us that our content was really resonating,” Salazar reflects, encapsulating the essence of her approach to building a thriving community through her newsletter.

Salazar emphasizes a key principle for aspiring newsletter creators: “Think of your newsletter as a conversation, not just an update.”

Salazar continues, “The more natural it feels, the more your audience will connect with it.”

Why Trust Me

Linda Hwang has extensive experience in B2B marketing and previously worked at a renowned international facilities management company. There, she played a crucial role in creating effective content and social media marketing plans. Now, Hwang is a marketing consultant who helps small businesses create compelling brand stories.

What I Learned From Testing Different Strategy Mixes

Internal alignment among people and processes is just as crucial as external tactics.

When marketing efforts fail, it's often because components of the mix work against each other—such as premium positioning being undermined by discount promotions.

Additionally, sequencing matters.

• Starting with product clarity before heavily investing in promotion is key; no amount of advertising can rescue a confusing value proposition.

• Data is transformative; meticulous tracking often reveals that my initial assumptions about effective channels are frequently wrong.

I recognize that the mix evolves over time, as strategies that work for early adopters often do not resonate with the mainstream market.

I now incorporate this evolution into my strategic planning.

A powerful example of data driving transformation and shaping the marketing mix comes from Rorrie Salazar, one of the visionaries behind the You Got a Minute? newsletter.

Salazar and her team faced a challenge in enhancing their existing subscriber experience for the newsletter. 

She said, “Unlike other platforms, [beehiiv] doesn’t just offer email-sending tools—it gives us everything we need to scale, engage, and actually understand our audience. The analytics, automation, and built-in growth features made it easy to transition and improve how we connect with our readers.”

With beehiiv, Salazar was able to understand her audience better, save time with automation tools, and best of all—scale.

Salazar emphasized the transformation beehiiv has enabled, stating, “It’s more than just a newsletter platform; it’s a tool that helps us connect with our audience in a meaningful way.”

“It gives us the flexibility to create and send high-quality content while also providing the insights we need to grow and engage our community. [beehiiv] makes it easy to build a newsletter that isn’t just about pushing out a lot of content—it helps create a real connection between us and our readers,” Salazar adds.

By optimizing their workflow and focusing on delivering real value, the team has successfully cultivated a loyal readership eager for more.

The Mix I’d Use If I Had To Start Again Tomorrow

If I were launching a B2B product tomorrow, my marketing strategy mix would be focused and iterative:

• Product: I would ruthlessly clarify the core value and differentiation, aiming to solve one specific problem exceptionally well so that the value is immediately clear within 30 seconds of use.

• Price: I would start with a higher price point than competitors to indicate premium value, accompanied by a generous free trial to filter serious buyers and reduce friction.

• Place: I would prioritize owned channels from day one, specifically focusing on building an email list and optimizing for SEO. Relying on third-party platforms can jeopardize growth due to unpredictable algorithm changes.

• Promotion: I would allocate the majority of resources to creating exceptional educational content that showcases expertise in solving customer problems.

• People: Ensuring that everyone interacting with customers is well-trained on the value proposition is crucial. They should also be equipped to gather feedback to inform product development.

• Process: Implementing lightweight procedures for weekly iterations based on customer feedback would be essential. The emphasis would be on speed of learning over perfect execution.

• Physical Evidence: I would invest in an exceptional onboarding experience that creates an early "wow" moment, thus turning first impressions into advocates who promote the product.

This lean and focused approach allows for continuous iteration, ensuring responsiveness to market needs.

Final Thoughts For Marketers Who Want A Real Strategy

I have made a significant shift in my approach, moving from asking, "What's the right way to do this?" to "What can we test to learn more about our customers?"

If you're serious about growing your business, it's time to move beyond the conventional 4P or 7P models. Instead, focus on building a strategy that evolves as you gain insights into what your market truly desires.

A well-crafted marketing strategy mix is a practical tool for making informed decisions about where to invest your limited resources. Success does not come from simply adhering to best practices, but rather from methodically testing and observing what resonates with your specific audience.

Begin your marketing strategy by developing a deep understanding of your customers, then create a mix that aligns with their needs, rather than what textbooks suggest they should want.

Are you ready to elevate your marketing strategy?

Let beehiiv help you create a powerful marketing strategy mix and take your newsletter to new heights!