Ultimately, the bottom line of planning is deciding on the right marketing mix. Based on the understanding of the customer and the market, management will decide on a marketing mix.

Critics argue that the marketing mix, or the 4 P’s, is an oversimplified approach to planning. They claim that there are at least 7 P’s, including People, Process, and Physical environment. However, these extensions can readily be worked into the current framework why the marketing mix is still perceived as valuable model of analysis.