12.5 Promotion Strategy

The promotional mix is a crucial aspect of marketing strategy, combining various elements to effectively communicate with target audiences. From advertising and personal selling to digital marketing, each component plays a unique role in reaching and engaging consumers.

Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) ties these elements together, ensuring a consistent message across all channels. This approach enhances brand identity, improves cost-effectiveness, and strengthens customer relationships, ultimately driving business success through well-coordinated promotional efforts.

Promotional Mix and Integrated Marketing Communications

Elements of promotional mix

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• Advertising
  • Paid, non-personal communication through various media channels (television, radio, print, online)
  • Creates brand awareness, informs about product features and benefits, persuades target audience to purchase
  • Involves media planning to select the most effective channels and timing for ad placement
• Personal selling
  • Direct, face-to-face communication with potential customers
  • Builds relationships, provides personalized information, demonstrates products, addresses concerns, closes sales
• Sales promotion
  • Short-term incentives to encourage product trial or purchase
  • Includes coupons, discounts, contests, free samples, buy-one-get-one offers, loyalty programs
• Public relations
  • Managing the spread of information between an organization and the public
  • Builds and maintains a positive corporate image, handles crisis management, generates positive media coverage, organizes events
• Direct marketing
  • Communicating directly with targeted individuals to obtain an immediate response
  • Includes email marketing, telemarketing, direct mail, catalogs, SMS marketing
• Digital marketing
  • Promoting products or services through digital channels
  • Encompasses social media marketing (Facebook, Instagram), content marketing (blogs, videos), search engine marketing (Google Ads), mobile marketing (apps, location-based advertising)

Coordination in IMC

• IMC strategically coordinates and integrates all promotional elements to deliver a consistent, unified message across all channels
• Ensures consistency in messaging across all promotional activities, reinforcing brand identity and values
• Increases impact and effectiveness of marketing communications by presenting a cohesive, memorable message
• Improves cost-effectiveness by eliminating duplication and waste, maximizing return on investment
• Enhances customer relationships through consistent, relevant communication, building trust and loyalty
• Involves identifying target audience preferences and behaviors, developing a clear message, selecting appropriate promotional mix and media channels
• Requires continuous monitoring, evaluation, and adjustment of IMC strategy based on performance metrics (engagement, conversion rates, sales)

Goals of promotional campaigns

• Informing
  • Providing information about a product, service, or brand's features, benefits, and usage
  • Example: A car manufacturer launches a campaign to educate consumers about the eco-friendly features and long-range capabilities of their new electric vehicle (Tesla Model 3)
• Persuading
  • Influencing the target audience's attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors to encourage them to take a desired action (purchase, sign up, subscribe)
  • Example: A smartphone company runs ads highlighting the superior camera quality and advanced AI features of their latest model to persuade customers to switch from competitors (iPhone 12 Pro)
• Reminding
  • Reinforcing the brand message and maintaining top-of-mind awareness, especially during peak seasons or before major events
  • Example: A soft drink company airs commercials featuring their iconic mascot and catchy jingle to remind consumers of their brand during the summer season (Coca-Cola polar bears)
• Adding value
  • Enhancing the perceived value of a product or service through promotional activities, creating additional benefits for customers
  • Example: A coffee shop offers loyalty rewards, exclusive discounts, and personalized recommendations to their mobile app users, adding value to their customer experience (Starbucks Rewards)
• Creating brand identity
  • Establishing and strengthening the unique personality, image, and values of a brand, differentiating it from competitors
  • Example: A fashion retailer consistently uses a specific color scheme (black and white), minimalist logo, and aspirational messaging across all promotional materials to create a recognizable, luxurious brand identity (Chanel)
• Brand positioning
  • Developing a unique position in the market that sets the brand apart from competitors and resonates with the target audience

Promotional Strategies and Models

• Push strategy: Focuses on promoting products to intermediaries (wholesalers, retailers) to encourage them to stock and sell the product to end consumers
• Pull strategy: Aims to create consumer demand through advertising and promotions, pulling the product through the distribution channel
• AIDA model: A framework for creating effective promotional messages that guide consumers through Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action stages
• Marketing funnel: Represents the customer journey from awareness to purchase, helping marketers tailor promotional efforts at each stage
• Call to action: A specific instruction or request in promotional materials that encourages the audience to take immediate action (e.g., "Buy now," "Sign up today")