Final answer:
The correct answer is C) the firm's consumer-directed activities.
Step-by-step explanation:
The people component of the marketing mix refers to the activities and efforts directed towards the consumers by the firm. This includes activities such as market research, advertising, promotion, and sales. It is about understanding the needs and preferences of the target audience and developing and implementing strategies to meet those needs.
For example, a firm might conduct market research to understand the preferences of its target customers, develop advertising campaigns to promote its products to those customers, and have salespeople interact with customers to make sales. All of these activities fall under the people component of the marketing mix.