ealithra@yahoo.co.uk

PROMOTIONNAPAKOR Edwin

Promotion refers to a form of corporate communication that uses various methods to reach a targeted audience with a certain message in order to achieve specific organizational objectives

Role of communication in promotion If customers don't know what products

and services you provide, then your business will not survive in today’s competitive marketplace.

Effective communication with your customers is vital to ensure that your business:

•Generates sales and profits.

•Maintains or improves market share.

•Creates or improves brand recognition.

•Creates a favorable climate for future sales.

•Informs and educates the market.•Creates a competitive advantage, relative to competitor’s products or market position.

The Communication Process

The communication process is made up of

four key elements.

•Sender

•A message

•Communication channel.

•A receiver

The communication process begins with the sender and ends with the receiver

The sender/ Source-This is the person who conceives an idea and wants to share it. Encoding-This is a process of transforming the idea/ thought into a message that the receiver will understand. The sender has to decide the specific outcomes he wants from communication. This will help him decide on the appropriate form of language and tone.

Channel/ Medium-This is a means by which a message is sent. Select a channel i.e. verbal, non-verbal or written and a medium e.g. internet, television, radio, telephone, or face to face interaction etc.

The channel and medium you use will depend on the message, location of audience, the time available etc.

Decoding-This is where the receiver converts the message into thought. The receiver tries to understand the language of the sender. The decoded message is stored in the receiver’s mind.

Receiver-This is the person for whom the message is meant. He responsible for decoding and interpreting the message sent.

Feedback-The receiver reacts to the sender by giving a feedback. Feedback is the receiver’s response to the message of the sender and the final link in the communication process. It’s the stage at which the sender evaluates the effectiveness of the communication process. Then the communication is repeated.

The promotional mix

The 'promotional mix' is a term used to

describe the set of tools that a business

can use to communicate effectively the

benefits of its products or services to its

customers.

The promotional mix includes the

following tools:

* Advertising

* Public relations

* Sales promotion

* Direct marketing

* Personal selling

Advertising - is any paid form of non-personal presentation and promotion ofideas, goods, or services by an identified sponsor. 3 main reasons for advertising –•To provide your target audience with information (creating awareness)•To persuade them to buy from you (by promoting product and company benefits)•To reinforce your existence (by consistently repeating key messages).

It includes use of newspapers, magazines, journals, directories, radio, television, cinema, outdoor.

Public relations (or PR) involve a sustained attempt to develop your reputation as a business by using the media to help create the image you desire.

It is a way of keeping the business in your customers’ eyes.News or press releases can be distributed to the media to announce, for example, new product launches, a change in opening times or company successes.

Includes annual reports, corporate image, house magazines, events, lobbying, sponsorship

Sales promotion – This is specific, usually short-tem, promotion that is 'over and above' what you would normally provide to the customer (e.g. buy one, get one free).

When used effectively, sales promotions can help to move old stock, counteract competitor activity, merchandise new products, encourage repeat buying and motivate your staff.

Includes price discounts, catalogues and brochures, samples, coupons and gifts, competitions.

Direct marketing Direct marketing is a technique that enables you to target specific customer groups very accurately.

Forms of direct marketing include, •online marketing•telemarketing, •direct mail marketing•direct mail marketing.

It is a flexible way to deliver your message and the chances of a response are greatly improved.

The overall success of a campaign can also be directly measured in terms of the number of responses received.

Personal selling – This is personal representation by the firm’s sales force for the purpose of making sales and building customer relationships, it is the most effective form of promotion because it allows your approach to be tailored to the needs of an individual customer. It includes sales presentations, trade fairs and exhibitions.

The company’s sales force involves itself in constructive dialogue with customers to listen to their needs, promote product & company benefits on an individual basis, answer any questions, resolve any problems and get their feedback before clinching a sale.

Communication strategy There is a need to balance between the need to communicate with consumers, with distributors and with all other stake holders. There are three strategies available to the marketer:Pull communication strategiesPush communication strategiesProfile communication strategies

Pull based communication strategiesThese are targeted at end user consumers and business to business customers. These encourage end-users to demand the product from distributors.

Pull strategies are intended to create higher levels of product awareness. The most often pull strategy is branding.

Push based communication strategiesThese are directed at members of the marketing channel. Involve communication with the members of the marketing channel; retailers, dealers and wholesalers. It requires the identification of distributor needs and an attempt to meet and satisfy these needs in order that both the supplier and distributor are able to achieve their respective goals.

Profile based communication strategiesAim to influence the way the organisation as a whole, is perceived by either a small or a large range of stake holders. This serves to develop the visibility and credibility of an organisation. Include corporate identity which is how an organisation presents itself, e.g. through letter heads, logos and the behavior and level of knowledge of its employees. Or crisis communications or techniques.