9 Important Marketing Matrix Tools Every Marketer Should Know
Table of Contents
Every marketer must make choices. Where to invest. What to fix. Which idea deserves priority? These choices become easier when you use a marketing matrix—a simple tool that helps you look at a problem in an organized way.
Over the years, I noticed that the best marketers, especially in busy fields like pharmaceuticals, rely on these tools regularly. They give structure, remove guesswork, and help teams reach clear decisions faster.
Below is a simple guide to the nine most helpful marketing matrix tools. Each one explains a different part of the marketing challenge. When used well, they help you see the bigger picture.
If you want more tools, templates, or simple learning resources, you can explore the Business Guide, Learning Hub, and Productivity Tools on ELMARKETER.
Let’s begin.
1. SWOT Matrix
The SWOT matrix helps you study four sides of your situation:
- Strengths
- Weaknesses
- Opportunities
- Threats
Strengths and weaknesses come from inside the company.
Opportunities and threats come from the outside world.
The value of this marketing matrix is balanced. It keeps you from looking only at problems or only at good news.
Simple Pharma Example
A diabetes team saw that doctors trusted their brand (strength), but patient instructions were long (weakness). Meanwhile, new treatment guidelines created chances to grow (opportunity), and a cheap competitor was coming soon (threat).
SWOT helped them adjust their strategy in one meeting.
You can try this marketing matrix tool to make an illustrative SWOT analysis HERE
2. Ansoff Matrix
The Ansoff matrix is one of the marketing matrix tools that helps leaders choose the right growth direction.
It compares existing or new products with existing or new markets.
This creates four choices:
- Market Penetration – Sell more of the same product to the same market.
- Product Development – Create new products for your current market.
- Market Development – Take existing products to a new market.
- Diversification – New products in new markets.
Each choice has a different level of risk. This matrix helps you choose with open eyes.
Pharma Example
A company improving the taste of a pediatric syrup is doing product development.
Launching the same syrup in a new country is market development.
3. BCG Matrix
The BCG matrix is one of the marketing matrix tools concerned with studying the performance of your product portfolio. It uses two measures:
- Market growth
- Market share
It places your products into four groups:
- Stars – high growth, high market share
- Cash Cows – low growth, high market share
- Question Marks – high growth, low market share
- Dogs – low growth, low market share
This matrix helps leaders decide where to invest, protect, or reduce spending.
Pharma Example
A mature pain-relief brand often becomes a Cash Cow. A new oncology product may begin as a Question Mark.
4. GE McKinsey Matrix
This marketing matrix gives a more detailed view than the BCG.
It uses a nine-cell grid comparing:
- Industry attractiveness
- Business strength
Because it includes more factors, it helps companies make smarter investment choices.
This tool is helpful in large pharma companies with many therapeutic areas. Some markets may be attractive but require strong capabilities to win.
5. 7Ps Marketing Mix Matrix
The 7Ps marketing matrix reviews the full marketing mix:
- Product
- Price
- Place
- Promotion
- People
- Process
- Physical Evidence
It helps marketers check if all parts of the plan support the customer experience.
Pharma Example
“People” includes medical reps and call center moderators.
“Physical Evidence” can be packaging, patient leaflets, or onboarding materials.
When one “P” is weak, the whole offering feels unbalanced. The matrix helps you spot this quickly.
6. RACI Matrix
The RACI matrix prevents confusion in projects. It makes clear who is:
- Responsible
- Accountable
- Consulted
- Informed
This marketing matrix is simple but powerful. Many campaign delays come from unclear roles, not from a bad strategy.
Pharma Example
During a product launch, RACI makes sure medical, marketing, supply, and regulatory teams know exactly who approves what.
7. Customer Profitability Matrix
This marketing matrix helps you evaluate customers based on two things:
- Their current profitability
- Their future potential
It guides decisions on whether to grow, retain, or serve some customers with fewer resources.
Pharma Example
In hospital settings, some accounts bring strong long-term value. Others require heavy effort with little return. This matrix helps teams focus their time wisely.
8. Channel Performance Matrix
This matrix compares marketing or sales channels using simple factors such as:
- Reach
- Cost
- Conversion
- Experience
When budgets are limited, this marketing matrix tool helps you decide which channels deserve more investment.
Pharma Example
Field visits, email campaigns, virtual scientific meetings, and webinars can all be compared side by side. The matrix shows which channels truly move behavior.
9. Competitor Positioning Matrix
This matrix shows how brands compare across two important dimensions, such as:
- Price vs Quality
- Innovation vs Reliability
- Speed vs Safety
It reveals gaps in the market and shows where a brand can stand out.
Pharma Example
In oncology, drugs may be positioned based on clinical benefit and side-effect profile. The matrix helps teams see where they fit among competitors.
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Bringing All Marketing Matrix Tools Together
No single matrix gives the full answer. But each one helps you think in a different way:
- SWOT helps you understand your reality.
- Ansoff helps you choose growth.
- BCG and GE help with portfolio choices.
- 7Ps improves your offer.
- RACI makes execution smooth.
- Customer Profitability and Channel Performance help allocate resources.
- Competitor Positioning guides differentiation.
When used together, they turn complex decisions into clear, structured pathways.
Final Thoughts
Good marketing is not luck. It is organized thinking.
A well-chosen matrix gives you clarity when things feel messy and helps you speak with confidence when presenting plans to leaders.
If you want templates or step-by-step tools, you’ll find them in the Productivity Tools section at ELMARKETER.
If you want deeper strategy thinking, the Business Guide and Learning Hub will help you grow further.
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