Whole product
Encyclopedia
In marketing
, a whole product is a generic product (or core product
) augmented by everything that is needed for the customer to have a compelling reason to buy. The core product is the tangible product that the customer experiences. The whole product typically augments the core product with additional elements required for the product to have compelling value to a customer. For example, if a personal computer is the core product, then whole product would include software applications, training classes, peripheral devices (mouse, keyboard, printer, etc.), and internet service. Without these additional product components, the core product would not be very useful.
The concept of the whole product was first introduced by Regis McKenna
. Geoffrey Moore
helped popularize the term in his bestseller "Crossing the Chasm
".
Marketing
Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
, a whole product is a generic product (or core product
Core product
Core products or flagship products are a company's products which are most directly related to their core competencies. These products are then integrated into a variety of end products, either by the company holding the core product or by a second company to which the core product is sold to, and...
) augmented by everything that is needed for the customer to have a compelling reason to buy. The core product is the tangible product that the customer experiences. The whole product typically augments the core product with additional elements required for the product to have compelling value to a customer. For example, if a personal computer is the core product, then whole product would include software applications, training classes, peripheral devices (mouse, keyboard, printer, etc.), and internet service. Without these additional product components, the core product would not be very useful.
The concept of the whole product was first introduced by Regis McKenna
Regis McKenna
Regis McKenna is best known for helping start several Silicon Valley firms during the 1970s and 1980s with his own marketing firm, Regis McKenna, Inc., founded in 1970. McKenna retired from consulting in 2000 and is concentrating his efforts on high tech entrepreneurial seed-ventures...
. Geoffrey Moore
Geoffrey Moore
Geoffrey Moore is a Silicon Valley based high technology consultant, venture partner at Mohr Davidow Ventures and author.His books are derived from his Silicon Valley consulting work at The McKenna Group and The Chasm Group , and earlier work by Everett Rogers on adopter categories and diffusion...
helped popularize the term in his bestseller "Crossing the Chasm
Crossing the Chasm
Crossing the Chasm: Marketing and Selling High-Tech Products to Mainstream Customers or simply Crossing the Chasm , is a marketing book by Geoffrey A. Moore that focuses on the specifics of marketing high tech products during the early start up period...
".