Effective Marketing and Communication Strategies
Marketing combines a series of operational marketing activities, often referred to as the 4 P’s: product, price, place (sales), and promotion (communication). Businesses determine and shape their actions in the market based on these variables. Communication is a major marketing function that consists of a company’s ability to communicate with the market, with the aim of informing, persuading, and reminding customers or the public.
Key Communication Modalities
- Publicity: These are various public actions the company undertakes that resonate in one or more media outlets without direct payment. Examples include events, news coverage, and inaugurations. This type of information can appear in print, radio, or TV, enhancing the company’s image.
- Merchandising: These are techniques used by the manufacturer or distributor to make the product more attractive at the point of sale and encourage consumers to purchase, often without the need for a salesperson.
- Direct Sales or Direct Marketing: The company contacts the prospective buyer directly through mail, telephone, internet, or automatic vending machines.
- Advertising: The company disseminates an impersonal message through one or more media to a large audience. The message is controlled by the company.
- Promotion: This involves one or more actions designed to increase the sale of a product or service in the short term. To achieve this, consumers, dealers, or vendors are offered incentives, such as more product for the same price, a lower price, or direct or indirect rewards.
- Public Relations: These are a means of communication used to inform the public about the values of a company or agency. The goal is to generate a positive attitude that will influence the demand for their products or services.
- Sales Staff: The company’s sales team provides direct, personalized customer service, advising and guiding customers, which allows for greater speed in obtaining orders.
The Importance of a Cohesive Media Mix
All elements of the media mix must work together: advertising, promotion, public relations, and sales staff.
Understanding Commercial Communication
Commercial communication is how a company transmits information about itself, its products or services, brand, price, and distribution activities. The company’s approach aims to offer a positive image of the organization. It utilizes the tools of communication. A company or organization that seeks to communicate externally with the public will engage in a process that involves various elements.
Elements of Communication
- The Source: The entity initiating the communication.
- The Sender: The entity conveying the message, which can be any company or organization.
- The Message: The information being conveyed.
- The Medium or Channel: The platform used for communication.
- The Receiver: The intended audience for the message.
The Issuer
The effectiveness of communication is directly related to the credibility of the issuer, which is composed of cognitive factors such as prestige and social category, and affective factors such as advertising and promotion, which build confidence in the issuer.
The Message
The message’s function is to inform, persuade, convince, and stimulate the recipient to purchase the product. It consists of the images, words, designs, colors, and ideas that the sender transmits.
Purpose of the Message
The purpose of the message is to serve the objectives of the company undertaking the communication.
Choosing the Right Message
The message should be tailored to the public’s existing knowledge and interest in the product.
Adapting the Message
The same message may not be suitable for both launching a new product and combating competition.
Structure of the Message
The structure of the message refers to the way the style and content are presented.