MARKETING COMMUNICATION MIX AND ITS CHARACTERISTICS

MARKETING COMMUNICATION MIX AND ITS CHARACTERISTICS

The marketing communication mix according to Kotler and Kelvin R. consist of six major modes of communication.

(1) ADVERTISING:

Any paid form of non-personal presentation and promotion of ideas goods or services by an identified sponsor

CHARACTERISTICS OF ADVERTISING

Advertising reaches geographically dispersed buyers. It can build up a long term image for a product. Just the presence of advertising might have an effect on sales, consumer might believe that a heavily advertised brand must offer “good value”.

i. Persuasiveness: Advertising permit the seller to repeat a message many times. It also allows the buyer to receive and compare the message of various competitors.

ii. Amplified expressiveness: Advertising provides opportunities for dramatizing the company and its products through the use of print, sound and colour.

iii. Impersonality: The audience does not feel obligated to pay attention or respond to advertising. Advertising is a monologue in front of, not a dialogue with the audience.

(2) SALES PROMOTION:

A variety of short term incentives to encourage trial of purchase of a product or services. Companies use sales promotion tools, compare, contests, premiums, and the like, to draw a stronger and quicker buyer response, including short run effects such as highlighting products offer and boosting sales.

Sales promotion tools offer three distinctive benefits

i. Communication: They gain attention and may lead the consumer to the product.

ii. Incentive: They incorporate some concession, inducement or contribution that gives value to the consumer.

iii. Invitation: They include a distinct invitation to engage in the transaction.

(3) EVENTS AND EXPERIENCES:

Here organization sponsored activities and programs designed to create daily or special brand-related interactions.

CHARACTERISTICS

i. Relevant: – A well-chosen events or experience can be seen as highly relevant because the consumer gets personally involved.
ii. Involving: Given their time, real-time quality, events and experience are more actively engaging for consumers.
iii. Implint: Events are an indirect “Soft sell”.

(4) PUBLIC RELATION AND PUBLICITY:

A variety of programs designed to promote or protect a company’s image or its individual products.

(5) DIRECT AND INTERACTIVE MARKETING:

It involves online activities and program designed to engage customers or prospect and directly or indirectly raise awareness. Improve image or elicit sales of products and services. Direct and interactive marketing takes many forms, over the phone, online, or in person. They share three distinct characteristics. They are:

i. Customized: The message can be prepared to appeal to the addressed individual.

ii. Up-To-Date: A message can be prepared very quickly

iii. Interactive: The message can be changed depending on the person response.

(6) PERSONAL SELLING:

Is a marketing communication mix that involves face to face interaction with one or more prospective purchasers for the purpose of making presentations, answering questions and procuring orders. Personal selling is the most effective tool at later stage of the buying process, particularly in building up buyer preference, conviction, and action. Personal selling has three distinctive qualities.

i. Personal Interaction: Personal selling creates an immediate and interactive episode between two or more persons. Each parity is able to observe the others reactions.

ii. Cultivation: Personal selling also permit all kinds of relationship to spring up, ranging from a matter of fact selling relationship to a deep personal friendship.

iii. Response: The buyer may feel under some obligation for having listened to the sale talk.

REFERENCES
P. kotler & R. L Keller (2009): Marketing management. 13th Edition (New Jessey Pearson Practice Hall) P 23.

Philip Kotler Kevin lane Keller (2006) Marketing Management. 12th Edition USA: (Mc Graw Hill) pg 36.

Hary S. etal (2002): Management information system for information age. 2nd edition USA Mc Graw Hill.

Paul Poters Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 2nd Edition New Jersey P. 23.