Determining of Marketing Mix Components to Improve Sales Performance in Startup Companies in Islamic Culture- Evidence from Iran

Abstract

Currently, one of the main concerns of startup companies is the sales of their products. Sales reduction is an issue that managers in startup companies are struggling with. This study intends to identify the effective elements of the marketing mix that can enhance the sales performance of startup companies in Islamic cultures. The research will investigate the influence of the five P's of marketing mix, namely Product, Packaging, Promotion, Price, and Place. This research employed mixed methods (qualitative and quantitative) for collecting related data. In the first step, in-depth interviews with sales and marketing experts in 20 startup companies were conducted to identify the most important indicators of the marketing mix. Product, price, promotion, place, and packaging were examined as the most important marketing mixed variables according to these experts’ points of view. For the quantitative phase, the statistical population is including all startup companies in Iran; 20 companies were selected from the available probability sampling method in Tehran, of which the data of 14 companies are correct. 383 questionnaires have been completed in these 14 companies. From five marketing mix examined factors; product, packaging, and promotion have positive effects on sales performance in startup companies. The research is innovative because no research has been done relevant to startup companies in Islamic culture.