For years, marketing was framed around four familiar elements: product, place, promotion and price. They still matter, but they rarely explain why one organisation earns loyalty while another struggles to do so. Increasingly, what sets organisations apart is not the product itself but the way it is delivered, experienced and remembered.

This is where the extended marketing mix becomes essential. By looking beyond the product and recognising the role of people, processes and physical evidence, purpose-driven organisations can compete on something far more resilient than price: the trust and loyalty of those they serve.

The distinction between the traditional four Ps and this extended framework is worth understanding. Where the original model focuses on what you offer and how you promote it, the additional elements of people, process and physical evidence address how that offer is experienced. For any organisation where service, relationships or intangible value shape client perception, this shift in focus changes everything.

Clients and customers increasingly expect the organisations they work with to demonstrate values that align with their own, whether that means sustainability commitments, ethical supply chains, social responsibility or simply a genuine care for the people they serve. The Simon-Kucher Global Sustainability Study 2024 found that over half of consumers are willing to pay a premium for products and services from responsible businesses, yet 57 per cent believe brands are guilty of overstating their credentials.

This tension between aspiration and scepticism defines the challenge. It is no longer enough to state your values in a mission statement or weave them into your marketing copy. You must prove them, repeatedly, through every interaction. The extended marketing mix provides a framework for doing exactly that.

Every brand promise is ultimately delivered by a person. When a client calls with a query, a prospect meets your team for the first time, or a customer needs support after a purchase, that human interaction becomes the organisation in their eyes. These moments build or erode trust, and they shape perceptions long after the campaign or transaction is complete.

The paradox is that these interactions are often handled by the lowest-paid and least-supported members of staff. Receptionists, customer service teams, account handlers, or frontline operatives often bear the responsibility of representing the brand. In professional services, a junior team member may serve as the primary day-to-day contact for a valuable client. In retail social enterprises, a shop floor worker may determine whether a customer returns. In the charity sector, a volunteer at a local event may be the only human connection someone has with the organisation.

The connection between employee experience and customer loyalty is well established. Research from MIT found that companies in the top quartile of employee experience achieved double the net promoter scores of those in the bottom quartile. Gallup’s work shows that organisations with strong employee engagement experience 40 per cent lower staff turnover, enabling deeper client relationships to develop as teams build knowledge and rapport over time. The Qualtrics Global Study 2024 reinforced this, finding that customers are nearly three times more likely to trust a brand after a five-star experience, with frontline interactions playing a central role.

For purpose-driven organisations, this makes investment in people a marketing decision as much as an HR one. Training, recognition and positive culture feed directly into client loyalty. The National Council for Voluntary Organisations reported in 2024 that organisations investing in volunteer training retained 37 per cent more regular volunteers over three years than those that did not. Similarly, in business-to-business environments, research by Ipsos MORI has shown that relationship managers are often the deciding factor in contract renewals, outweighing product performance in key accounts.

Clients and customers do not experience strategy documents; they experience processes. A compelling value proposition can be undermined instantly by a clunky onboarding journey, an unclear invoicing system or an unanswered enquiry. Every touchpoint in the client journey either builds confidence or creates frustration.

Digital processes matter especially. Whether it is an e-commerce checkout, a client portal, a booking system, or an online enquiry form, the ease and professionalism of these interactions shape perception. Research consistently shows that mobile-responsive design, streamlined checkout processes and multiple payment options significantly improve conversion and satisfaction. An express checkout option alone can increase mobile conversions by over 50%. For B2B organisations, where purchasing decisions often involve multiple stakeholders and longer consideration periods, friction at any stage can derail momentum.

Mapping the client or customer journey is a practical way to address this. It involves documenting every step from first contact to post-purchase experience, and identifying pain points or moments of truth. These are the times when expectations are high, and failure can cause lasting damage: a missed deadline, a delayed response, or a confusing contract. Preparing teams for service recovery, knowing how to apologise, rectify, and reassure, turns potential crises into demonstrations of professionalism.

For purpose-driven organisations, the stakes are even higher. Clients who choose you because of your values want to see integrity not only in what you stand for but in how you operate. Smooth processes signal respect, efficiency and reliability. They demonstrate that your commitment to doing things properly extends beyond your marketing into your daily operations.

Services and impact are often intangible, which makes the tangible signs around them all the more important. Physical evidence provides reassurance that an organisation is real, credible and consistent.

For professional services firms, this might mean the quality of proposals and reports, the professionalism of meeting spaces, or the clarity of project documentation. For product businesses with an ethical focus, this could include sustainable packaging, transparent supply chain information, or prominently displayed certifications. For charities and social enterprises, a simple badge, a well-designed impact report, or the look and feel of a retail space communicates values more powerfully than any advertising copy.

UK research underscores both the opportunity and the challenge here. YouGov found that only 4 per cent of UK consumers completely trust sustainability logos, the lowest figure in a 17-market survey. Nearly half believe brand claims about responsibility only sometimes, and almost one in five rarely believe them at all. This scepticism makes authentic physical evidence all the more valuable. When Amazon Ads surveyed consumers about what they trust when researching ethical credentials, third-party certification came top, followed by expert endorsements and transparent reporting.

In digital environments, physical evidence translates into design quality, clarity and trust marks. A well-designed website, visible security certification, professional case studies and clear client testimonials all count as evidence. These cues may seem superficial, but they play a crucial role in bridging the gap between what you claim and what clients believe.

Taken together, people, processes and physical evidence show that loyalty is not primarily built on product features. It is created by the lived experience of dealing with an organisation. This is a significant shift in how purpose-driven organisations should think about their marketing strategies.

The SAP Emarsys Customer Loyalty Index 2024 tracked an interesting trend: between 2021 and 2024, what they term True Loyalty and Ethical Loyalty both increased by around a quarter, reflecting a shift towards stronger, values-based relationships between brands and customers. At the same time, consumers are increasingly likely to switch allegiance following a negative experience, making consistent delivery across all touchpoints essential. The implication is clear: loyalty earned through shared values is powerful, but it must be maintained through consistent action.

While commercial competitors may fight for marginal product advantages, purpose-led organisations often cannot and should not compete on price. Instead, their strongest differentiators are the quality of their human interactions, the ease of their client journeys and the visible evidence of their values. These are not afterthoughts but the foundations of trust.

This also links directly back to pricing strategy. Clients and customers are often willing to pay more when they feel confident that they will be respected, supported and reassured throughout their engagement. As explored in our article on pricing, value is not only a function of the product but also of the experience.

Promotion also plays a role. Communicating your values without demonstrating them through people, processes, and evidence risks hollow claims. As our piece on promotion highlights, effective communication is only credible when supported by consistent delivery.

None of this is straightforward. Most organisations face competing priorities, limited budgets and the relentless pressure of day-to-day operations. The temptation is to focus on the visible and immediate, the next campaign, the next quarter, rather than the slower work of building consistency across every touchpoint. Yet it is precisely this slower work that compounds over time into genuine differentiation.

The reality is that you cannot fix everything at once. Progress comes from identifying where the gaps between your stated values and your delivered experience are widest, and focusing there first. For organisations looking to strengthen their extended marketing mix, three areas typically deserve attention.

First, invest in the people who deliver your brand promise. This means training, certainly, but also recognition, autonomy and a culture that genuinely reflects your stated values. Frontline teams and client-facing staff should understand not just what to do but why it matters. When employees feel connected to the organisation’s purpose, that connection shows in every interaction.

Second, audit your processes from the client’s perspective. Walk through your own customer journey, from first enquiry to ongoing relationship, and identify where friction, confusion or disappointment might occur. Pay particular attention to digital touchpoints, where expectations of speed and ease are high. Small improvements in responsiveness, clarity and convenience compound into significantly better experiences.

Third, ensure your physical and digital presence consistently reflects your values. This extends from the design of your website to the quality of your proposals, from the environment of your offices to the tone of your email communications. Every tangible element either reinforces or undermines your brand. In a market where scepticism towards purpose claims is high, visible, verifiable evidence of commitment carries real weight.

The extended marketing mix is sometimes dismissed as an academic model. Yet for purpose-driven organisations in today’s UK market, it provides a practical framework for competing where it matters most. By focusing on people, refining processes and strengthening physical evidence, organisations can build loyalty that lasts beyond campaigns and cuts through price competition.

The evidence is clear. Clients and customers are increasingly values-driven, but also increasingly sceptical. They want to work with organisations that share their principles, but they need proof that those principles translate into action. The extended marketing mix provides the structure for delivering that proof at every touchpoint.

For those seeking to build businesses that stand for something, this is not a challenge but an opportunity. It is the chance to prove that purpose, when delivered consistently in every interaction, is the most powerful differentiator of all.

If you would value a conversation about aligning your marketing with your purpose, we are always glad to hear from organisations doing meaningful work.