Promotion In Integrated Marketing Communication Chapters 14

Promotion Integrated Marketing Communicationchapters 14mkt 300 Pri

Promotion (Integrated Marketing Communication) Chapters 14 MKT 300: Principles of Marketing Management The Promotional Mix The promotion mix is the specific blend of promotion tools that the company uses to persuasively communicate customer value and build customer relationships. Integrated Marketing Communications The Promotional Mix Advertising is any paid form of nonpersonal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods, or services by an identified sponsor. • Broadcast • Print • Online • Mobile • Outdoor The Promotional Mix Sales promotion is a short-term incentive to encourage the purchase or sale of a product or service. • Discounts • Coupons • Displays • Demonstrations The Promotional Mix Personal selling is the personal interaction by the firm’s sales force for the purpose of engaging customers, making sales, and building customer relationships.

Public relations involves building good relations with the company’s various publics by obtaining favorable publicity, building up a good corporate image, and handling or heading off unfavorable rumors, stories, and events. The Promotional Mix Direct and digital marketing involves engaging directly with carefully targeted individual consumers and customer communities to both obtain an immediate response and build lasting customer relationships. • Direct mail • Catalogs • Online and social media • Mobile marketing Integrated Marketing Communications The New Marketing Communications Model • Consumers are changing. • Marketing strategies are changing. • Advances in digital technology As marketers adopt richer but more fragmented media and promotion mixes to reach their diverse markets, they risk creating a communications hodgepodge for consumers A View of the Communication Process Steps in Developing Effective Communication Step 1.

Identifying the Target Audience Step 2. Determining the Communication Objectives Buyer Readiness Stages Purchase Conviction Preference Liking Knowledge Awareness Steps in Developing Effective Communication Step 3. Designing a Message Attention Interest Desire Message Content Rational Appeals Emotional Appeals Moral Appeals Message Structure Draw Conclusions Argument Type Argument Order Message Format Headline, Copy, Color, Words, & Sounds, Body Language Action AIDA MODEL Steps in Developing Effective Marketing Communication Rational appeal relates to the audience’s self-interest. Emotional appeal is an attempt to stir up positive or negative emotions to motivate a purchase. Moral appeal is directed to an audience’s sense of what is right and proper.

Message Content – “What to Say†Message structure and format is “how to say it.†Nonpersonal Communication Channels Steps in Developing Effective Communication Step 4. Choosing Media Personal Communication Channels Step 5. Selecting the Message Source Step 6. Collecting Feedback Steps in Developing Effective Marketing Communication Choosing Communication Channels and Media Personal communication involves two or more people communicating directly with each other. • Face to face, Phone, Mail or e-mail, Texting or Internet chat Nonpersonal communication channels are media that carry messages without personal contact or feedback, including major media, atmospheres, and events. Major media include: • print media (newspapers, magazines, direct mail), • broadcast media (television, radio), • display media (billboards, signs, posters), • online media (e-mail and company web sites).

Steps in Developing Effective Marketing Communication Choosing Communication Channels and Media Opinion leaders are people whose opinions are sought by others. Buzz marketing involves cultivating opinion leaders and getting them to spread information about a product or service to others in their communities. Steps in Developing Effective Marketing Communication Selecting the Message Source The message’s impact depends on how the target audience views the communicator. • Celebrities â–ª Athletes â–ª Entertainers • Professionals â–ª Health care providers Steps in Developing Effective Marketing Communication Collecting Feedback Collecting feedback involves the communicator understanding the effect on the target audience by measuring behavior resulting from the content.

Setting the Total Promotion Budget and Mix Setting the Promotional Budget • The affordable method sets the promotion budget at the level management thinks the company can afford. • The percentage-of-sales method sets the promotion budget at a certain percentage of current or forecasted sales or as a percentage of the unit sales price. • The competitive-parity method sets the promotion budget to match competitors’ outlays. • The objective-and-task method develops the promotion budget by specific promotion objectives and the costs of tasks needed to achieve these objectives. Shaping the Overall Promotional Mix Shaping the Overall Promotional Mix The concept of integrated marketing communications suggests that the company must blend the promotion tools carefully into a coordinated promotion mix.

Companies within the same industry differ greatly in the design of their promotion mixes. E.g. cosmetics maker Mary Kay spends most of its promotion funds on personal selling and direct marketing, whereas competitor CoverGirl spends heavily on consumer advertising. Shaping the Overall Promotional Mix The Nature of Each Promotional Tool Advertising can reach masses of geographically dispersed buyers at a low cost per exposure, and it enables the seller to repeat a message many times. Personal selling is the most effective method at certain stages of the buying process, particularly in building buyers’ preferences, convictions, actions, and developing customer relationships. Shaping the Overall Promotional Mix The Nature of Each Promotional Tool Sales promotion includes coupons, contests, cents-off deals, and premiums that attract consumer attention and offer strong incentives to purchase.

Public relations is a very believable form of promotion that includes news stories, features, sponsorships, and events. Direct and digital marketing is an immediate, customized, and interactive promotional tool that includes direct mail, catalogs, telephone marketing, online, mobile, and social media. Shaping the Overall Promotional Mix Integrating The Promotional Mix The company must take steps to see that each promotion mix element is smoothly integrated. The various promotion elements should work together to carry the firm’s unique brand messages and selling points. Socially Responsible Marketing Communication Advertising and Sales Promotion • Communicate openly and honestly with consumers and resellers • Avoid deceptive or false advertising • Avoid bait-and-switch advertising • Conform to all federal, state, and local regulations Socially Responsible Marketing Communication Personal Selling • Follow rules of “fair competition†• Do not offer bribes • Do not attempt to obtain competitors’ trade secrets • Do not disparage competitors or their products 1.

Identify each of the following members of marketing channel by matching the pictures with the correct member. (25 marks) (1. Customers, 2. Wholesaler, 3. Company, 4. Suppliers, 5. Retailer) a. …………………. d. ………………… …. b. …………………. e. ………………. ………………… c. …………………. 2. Explain how channel members add value to the marketing channel (40 marks). Provide an example. (5 marks) 3. Explain the difference between “Direct Marketing Channel†and “Indirect Marketing Channel†and give an example of each from your shopping experience. (30 marks) Channel Comparison Example Direct Marketing Channel Indirect Marketing Channel

Paper For Above instruction

The provided content offers an extensive overview of integrated marketing communications (IMC) and the promotional mix, emphasizing how various tools are used within marketing channels to build customer value and foster relationships. This paper will analyze core concepts such as the promotional mix, the importance of integrated marketing communication strategies, and the roles of different communication channels, alongside the significance of managing promotional budgets and ensuring social responsibility in marketing practices. Additionally, the discussion will include the functions of marketing channels, the value added by channel members, and a comparative analysis of direct versus indirect marketing channels based on practical examples.

Introduction

Effective marketing communication is fundamental to establishing and maintaining competitive advantage in contemporary markets. Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) serve as a strategic approach to unify various promotional tools to convey a consistent and compelling message to consumers. The promotional mix includes advertising, sales promotion, personal selling, public relations, and direct marketing, each playing a unique role in influencing consumer behavior and shaping brand perception (Kotler & Keller, 2016). The strategic blend of these tools, carefully coordinated, enables companies to reach diverse target audiences across multiple media channels effectively.

The Promotional Mix and Its Components

The promotional mix functions as the toolkit for marketers seeking to communicate customer value. Advertising, which encompasses broadcast, print, online, mobile, and outdoor media, provides mass reach at relatively low cost per exposure and allows message repetition, making it effective for brand awareness (Belch & Belch, 2018). Sales promotion offers short-term incentives, such as discounts, coupons, and demonstrations, to stimulate immediate purchase, especially during product launches or promotional campaigns (Blair & Todd, 2018). Personal selling involves direct interaction between sales representatives and potential customers, fostering relationships and addressing specific needs (Moncrief & Marshall, 2019). Public relations aim to build a favorable image through media coverage, sponsorships, and events, which enhances credibility and trustworthiness (Cutlip, Center, & Broom, 2019). Finally, direct and digital marketing provide personalized communication channels, including email, social media, and online catalogs, crucial for engaging specific segments and encouraging immediate responses (Hoffman & Novak, 2018).

The New Marketing Communications Model

Recent shifts in consumer behavior and technological advancements have transformed marketing communications. Consumers are increasingly empowered and fragmented, demanding more tailored and interactive experiences (Hansen, 2021). As a consequence, firms must adapt by leveraging digital media and data analytics to maintain effective engagement. However, these changes pose challenges such as message consistency and market clutter, highlighting the need for integrated approaches that present a unified brand voice (Kliatchko, 2008).

The Communication Process and Development of Effective Messages

Developing successful marketing messages involves understanding the target audience's stage of buyer readiness, from awareness to purchase. The AIDA model—Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action—outlines the sequential process of capturing attention, fostering interest, arousing desire, and prompting action (Strong, 1925). Message content can be rational, emotional, or moral, each appealing to different consumer motivations. Designing the message involves selecting the appropriate appeals, structure, and format, including headlines, visuals, and body language, to ensure clarity and impact (Lamb, Hair, & McDaniel, 2017).

Choosing Media and Communication Channels

Marketers select communication channels based on the nature of the message, target audience, and budget constraints. Personal channels such as face-to-face meetings, telephone, and online chats enable direct engagement and tailored interactions (Duncan, 2016). Nonpersonal channels include media platforms like newspapers, TV, radio, billboards, and online advertising. Opinion leaders and buzz marketing can amplify message reach by leveraging influential community figures (Katz & Lazarsfeld, 1955). Furthermore, selecting the right message source—whether celebrities, professionals, or peers—significantly impacts persuasive effectiveness (Ohanian, 1990).

Budgeting and Designing an Integrated Promotional Mix

Setting an effective promotional budget involves various approaches: affordable, percentage-of-sales, competitive parity, and objective-and-task methods. The objective-and-task method is often preferred as it aligns expenditures with specific marketing objectives and estimated costs (Dass & Kumar, 2018). Integrating promotional tools requires careful coordination to reinforce brand messages consistently across all channels, fostering synergy and reducing message clutter (Kliatchko, 2008). Different industries prioritize promotional tools variably; for example, direct selling dominates in cosmetics, while mass advertising is prevalent in consumer goods.

Socially Responsible Marketing Communications

In line with ethical standards, companies should uphold honesty in advertising, avoid deceptive practices such as bait-and-switch, and adhere to regulatory standards (Federal Trade Commission, 2021). Personal selling should follow principles of fair competition by avoiding bribery, disclosing trade secrets properly, and respecting competitors. These practices foster trust, uphold corporate integrity, and contribute to sustainable marketing strategies (Peattie & Crane, 2005).

Understanding Marketing Channels and Adding Value

Marketing channels serve as networks that facilitate the movement of products from producers to consumers, adding value at each stage. Members like suppliers, wholesalers, retailers, and the company itself coordinate activities that reduce costs, optimize delivery, and enhance customer satisfaction (Coughlan, Anderson, Stern, & El-Ansary, 2016). For example, a retailer adds value by providing convenient locations, product displays, and customer service, making shopping easier and more enjoyable for consumers.

Differentiating Direct and Indirect Marketing Channels

The key difference between direct and indirect marketing channels lies in the number of intermediary steps involved. Direct channels involve the producer selling directly to the consumer, offering advantages such as greater control and direct feedback. An example from personal experience is purchasing a product directly from a company's website. Conversely, indirect channels include intermediaries like wholesalers and retailers, which perform functions such as stocking, promoting, and selling on behalf of the producer. An example would be buying clothes from a retail store, where the retailer acts as an intermediary (Coughlan et al., 2016).

Conclusion

In sum, integrated marketing communications and effective promotional mix management are vital for building strong customer relationships and ensuring competitive advantage. By understanding consumer behavior, selecting appropriate channels, designing impactful messages, and upholding social responsibility, marketers can craft cohesive strategies that resonate across fragmented media landscapes. Additionally, recognizing the roles of channel members and distinguishing between direct and indirect channels enhance distribution efficiency and customer satisfaction. Adopting these principles ensures marketing efforts are strategic, ethical, and capable of fostering long-term brand equity.

References

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