CIM MAE key terms

The study of how individuals and groups choose, buy, use and dispose of products and services, including the psychological, social and cultural factors that shape those decisions.

The sequence of stages a buyer moves through when purchasing: recognising a need, searching for information, evaluating alternatives, making the purchase and reviewing the outcome afterwards.

The discomfort felt when beliefs and actions conflict, common after an expensive purchase; marketers reduce it with reassurance, after-sales support and positive reinforcement of the choice made.

Dividing a broad market into smaller groups of buyers with similar needs, characteristics or behaviours, so each group can be served with a tailored offer and message.

Choosing which identified market segments a business will actively serve, based on segment attractiveness, fit with capabilities and the resources available to compete effectively.

Shaping how a brand is perceived relative to competitors in the minds of chosen customers, usually by defining a distinctive benefit, category frame and reason to believe.

The coordinated set of controllable tools, commonly product, price, place and promotion, that a business combines to deliver value and achieve objectives in a chosen market.

The added value a brand name gives to a product, reflected in customer awareness, perceived quality, loyalty and associations, which can support higher prices and repeat purchase.

The total profit a customer is expected to generate over the whole relationship with a business, used to judge how much can sensibly be spent acquiring and retaining them.

Activities that keep existing customers buying over time, such as service quality, loyalty schemes and regular communication, usually cheaper than replacing them with new buyers.

The external forces and internal conditions surrounding a business, including political, economic, social, technological, legal and competitive factors, that shape opportunities and threats.

A structured summary of a business's internal strengths and weaknesses and external opportunities and threats, used to inform objectives and strategy rather than as a list in isolation.

A systematic review of a business's marketing activities, environment, objectives and performance, providing the evidence base from which plans and priorities are then developed.

A written document setting out objectives, target markets, positioning, the marketing mix, budgets, responsibilities and timings for a defined period, plus how results will be measured.

Goals framed to be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound, making it clear what success looks like and when it should be judged.

A measure chosen to track progress towards a specific objective, such as conversion rate or cost per acquisition, reported regularly so performance can be managed.

A document that sets out the background, objectives, target audience, key message, budget, timing and mandatory elements a creative or media team must work within.

Selecting which channels and vehicles will carry a campaign, and deciding the timing, reach and frequency of exposure needed to meet communication objectives within budget.

Two core media measures: reach is the number of different people exposed to a message, while frequency is the average number of times each of them sees it.

The way a campaign idea is brought to life in copy, imagery, tone and format across chosen channels, translating the strategy into material the audience actually experiences.

The profit or value generated by a marketing activity relative to its cost, expressed as a ratio or percentage, used to compare options and justify future spending.

The long-term approach a business takes to choose markets, customers and sources of advantage, guiding decisions on where to compete and how to win there.

An attribute or capability that lets a business outperform rivals in ways customers value, such as lower cost, superior quality or a stronger brand relationship.

Making an offer meaningfully distinct from competitors on dimensions customers care about, so buyers have a reason to prefer it and price competition is reduced.

A planning tool that maps growth options by market and product, covering market penetration, product development, market development and diversification, each carrying different risk.

A framework describing competitive approaches based on cost leadership, differentiation or focus, arguing a business must choose clearly rather than become stuck between them.

The approach used to set prices, such as cost-plus, value-based, penetration or skimming, balancing customer perceptions of worth against margin and volume goals.

A measure of how much quantity demanded changes when price changes; elastic demand is highly price-sensitive, inelastic demand responds little to price movements.

The money allocated to marketing activities over a period, set through methods such as percentage of sales, competitive parity or objective-and-task, and then monitored against results.

Using online channels and technologies, such as search, social media, email and websites, to reach, engage and convert audiences and to measure their responses precisely.

A model of the customer journey from awareness through consideration and conversion to loyalty, helping marketers match messages and measures to each stage.

The percentage of people who take a desired action, such as buying or signing up, out of all those exposed to the opportunity during a given period.

Improving a website's content, structure and technical quality so it ranks well in unpaid search results for terms its target audience uses, earning durable traffic.

Creating and distributing genuinely useful or entertaining material to attract and inform an audience, building trust and familiarity before any direct selling takes place.

A clear instruction inviting the audience to take a specific next step, such as buy, book or download, usually placed where it is easy to notice and act on.

Meeting present customer needs without harming future generations, reflected in honest environmental claims, responsible product design and avoiding misleading green messaging.

Presenting a product or business as more environmentally responsible than it really is, through vague, exaggerated or unsupported claims that mislead buyers and invite regulatory action.

Applying honest, fair and transparent practices in research, promotion and selling, respecting customers' privacy and avoiding manipulation, so trust and reputation are protected.