Marketing Communications Marketing Communication Process by which information

Marketing Communications

Marketing Communication • Process by which information about an organization and its offerings is disseminated to selected markets.

Goals of Mkt Communication • Create awareness • Induce initial purchase • Improve post purchase satisfaction

Purpose • Mar. Comm necessary to inform buyers of: –Availability of offerings – Unique benefits of offerings –Where and how to obtain offerings –Where and how to use offerings

Mar. Comm Mix • • • Advertising Personal Selling Sales Promotions

Integrated Mar. Comm • Practice of blending the communication mix elements in mutually reinforcing ways.

Making IMC Work IMC strategy objectives Target Marketing information requirements Can some communication activities be combined • Budget and resource allocations • Timing and Scheduling • Evaluation • • •

Reasonable Communication Objectives • Build Primary Demand – Demand for the product class • Build Secondary Demand – Demand for a particular brand

Reasonable Communication Objectives: Requirements • Consistent • Quantifiable • Attainable

Info Requirements • How buyers purchase a particular offering • Role of info in the purchase process with your target buyers • Current perceptions buyers have of the firm and its offering • Sources current accessed by buyers

Purpose of Comm Mix Elements • Advertising – Creating awareness • Salespeople – Providing information – Developing relationships • Sales promotions – Enticing short-term behavior changes – Enhancing long-term behavior changes – Providing descriptions

When Each is Useful • Advertising – Offering not complex – Offering frequently purchased – Offering relatively inexpensive – Offering can be differentiated from competition – Market is mass and geographically scattered

When Each is Useful • Personal Selling – Product is relatively expensive – Benefits not readily apparent – Only true method to develop relationships – Small number of buyers in close proximity – Buyers purchase typically in large quantities

When Each is Useful • Sales Promotions – Useful with most any offering type – Wonderful for encouraging trial purchases

IMC & Web Sites • Transactional Sites – Focus on turning online browser to online buyers – Good for well-known, branded products – Can provide favorable shopping & buying experiences • Promotional Sites – Good for promoting products – Providing info about how and where to purchase products – Can be used to create a buzz (word of mouth)

IMC & Web Sites • Viral Sites – Encourage users to forward marketer-initiated messages to others via e-mail – Very good for generating referrals

Common Budgeting Methods • Percentage of Sales – Most commonly used • Per Unit – Set amount per expected unit sold • Competitive Parity – Spend same at the competition or relatively the same • All Available Funds • Objective-Task