4.5 Promotion 4.6 Place Chapter 28

Promotion  The use of advertising, sales promotion, personal selling, direct mail, trade fairs, sponsorship and public relations to inform consumers and persuade consumers to buy.  Advertising – TV ads, print ads, billboards  Sales promotion – sales, coupons, loyalty programs  Direct mail – mass mailings  Trade fairs – booths at trade fairs (Southern Home Show)  Sponsorship – NASCAR, tennis players, golfers, TV shows paid to display or promote a particular product  Public relations – controlled publicity and advertising

Promotional Mix  The promotional mix is the combination of efforts that are used to promote a product. They must send a consistent message to be successful.

Why do we PROMOTE?  Increase sales by increasing consumer demand  Remind consumer of exiting products and why they are special  Attract new buyers  Demonstrate the superior quality of product as compared to its competitors – often occurs after a product has been updated  Create or reinforce the brand image  Correct misleading reports about the product or the business and reassure consumers after a “scare” or “accident”  Develop or adapt the public image rather than the product  Encourage stocking by retailers

Promotion Types  Above-the-line promotion Purchasing communication with the consumer – AKA – advertising  Below-the-line promotion Short-term incentives to encourage consumers to purchase the product Above-the-line Below-the-line Promotions that are visual & auditory TV Ads, billboards, radio, print ads Promotions that are tactile Samples, coupons, loyalty programs, games, price deals

Above-the-line Promotion  Advertising Communicating information about a product or business through the media such as radio, TV, newspapers, magazines, or billboards. InformativeProvide information to potential customers like, price, features, technical specifications, or where to purchase PersuasiveTrying to create a distinct image or brand identity

Which media to use?  Cost TV and radio can be expensive to purchase and produce. Print media can be less expensive  Profile of the target audience What is the best media to reach your audience?  Type of product message to deliver Written forms are best for detailed information about a product  Link between the marketing mix and advertising media. Are they consistent and sending a similar message?  The law and other barriers Are there bans on certain types of advertising? (Tobacco, alcohol, adult imagery or language)

Below-the-line Promotion  Sales promotions are used to generate short-term gains in sales. Sales or price deals – a temporary reduction in price Loyalty programs – airline miles, points earned to redeem for other products and gifts Coupons Point-of-sale displays – aisle interrupters, dump-bins BOGOF – buy one, get one free offers Games and competitions Public relations Sponsorships

Sales Promotions  Sales promotions can be targeted to two groups Final consumer – encourages consumers to purchase (PULL Strategy) Distribution channel or Retailer – encourage stocking and display to encourage more sales (PUSH Strategy)

Promotion Mix  The combination of promotional techniques that are used to communicate the benefits of the product to the consumer Decide on the image of the product Develop a profile of the target market Decide on the messages to communicate Set an appropriate budget Decide how the messages should be communicated Establish how the success of the promotional mix is to be assessed Execute the promotional plan Measure its success

PLACE  How should products pass from the manufacturer to the final customer?  Channel of distribution: the chain of intermediaries a product passes through from producer to final consumer

Distribution Channel is Important  Consumers need easy access to the firm’s product where they can see it, touch it, buy it, return it.  Manufacturers need distribution that provides a wide market coverage.  Retailers need to mark-up the product to cover the costs of sales.

Developing a Channel strategy Should the product be sold directly to the consumer? Should the product be sold through retailers? How many intermediaries? Where should the product be sold? Should electronic distribution be used? How much will it cost to stock products on store or warehouse shelves? How well the distribution channel support other components of the marketing mix?

Factors influencing the channel  Industrial products tend to be sold more directly to its customers than durable goods.  Geographic area of target market – where are my customers? The wider area, the more likely intermediaries will be needed.  Level of service expected from customers.  Technical complexity of the product.  Unit value of the product (the more expensive the more likely to be sold as individual units and direct sales)….think airplanes  Number of customers (the more customers the larger the need for wide distribution and intermediaries)… think toilet paper

Direct Selling  Manufacturer to Consumer ManufacturerConsumer Product/Service

Single-Intermediary Channel  Manufacturer to a Retailer to a Customer ManufacturerRetailer Consumer

Two-Intermediary Channel  Manufacturer to Wholesaler to Retailer to a Customer Manufacturer Warehouse Retailer Consumer

Recent trends in distribution  Increased internet and direct selling of goods and services  Large supermarkets that act as wholesalers and retailers  Complete packages are sold….air flights, rental cars, and hotel accommodations are packaged and distributed together.