What is promotion mix? Explain the promotion tools, or elements of promotion mix.

We all receive information on products and brands from different sources in different ways. Our grandparents usually got informed about news and updates through print media – newspapers, magazines, etc.). Today, even if we look around, there is information overload from different companies informing masses about their products through hoardings, TV commercials, magazines, internet, personal selling (sales people), phone calls from company representatives, etc. This communication from the organisation helps an organisation share information on products available, and their benefits that set them apart from the offerings of the competitors. If the buyers in the market are not aware about a product that meets their needs and wants, they will not ask for that product or search about that product. Evena quality product without proper communication or promotion strategy accompanying it is set to fail in the market.

The organisations have no choice but to employ effective communication strategies. These strategies mostly focus on –
• What needs to be communicated in the target market (message),
• Who are these target customers, and
• Which mode of communication is to be adopted (tool of promotion mix).

As new communication modes emerge, organisations have to accordingly set strategies suitable to that particular promotion mode.

Promotion mix is the fourth element of the Marketing program or Marketing mix – Product, Price, Place, and Promotion.An organisation reviews and studies the target market. Basis the study promotion tools are introduced to convey the message for information, persuasion or reminder from the manufacturer to the customer. The tools of promotion mix provide different advantages and disadvantages over each other. The marketing managers decide on the most effective blend of these tools for the target market. Integrated Marketing communications involves conveying a consistent message to the buyers through all its promotion tools.

The American Association of Advertising defines Integrated Marketing Communications as a concept of marketing communications planning that recognises the added value of a comprehensive plan.

Elements of Promotion mix –
The marketing promotion mix has five major tools/ elements – Advertising, sales promotion, publicity, personal selling, and direct marketing.

Advertising – It is communicating with paid media and non-personal means.
American Marketing Association defines advertising as – Any paid form of non-personal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods and services by an identified sponsor.

Advertising is paying for disseminating a message from an identified brand to the market audience.
There is no face-to-face communication between seller and buyer. It can be audio based, video based, print based, etc. It is a means of mass selling and the audience clearly perceive the source of the message to a particular organisation. The typical mode that organisations utilise are Television advertisements, newspaper, magazines, hoardings, internet, email, radio, leaflets, etc. Advertising is a very effective tool for a large customer base. Each advertising medium has its own advantages and disadvantages. For example, an advertising on Television may not be viewed by majority of customers if it is done on a TV channel that is not viewed by all. The marketing manages have to analyse and study the channel coverage and accordingly decide if the advertisement is to be made on a particular channel or many channels which will eventually increase the advertising cost. The major objective of advertising is to increase sales by influencing the audience to buy the products from the sponsor.

Examples- Television, magazine, websites, newspaper, magazines, hoardings, internet, email, radio, leaflets, etc.

Publicity – It is a non-personal promotion tool which is utilised to create favourable image about a company, its products, or its policies. The objective is to create goodwill in the market. This way a demand for the product is created by placing commercially favourable news in publication or news, radio, television, etc. for which the sponsor has not explicitly paid. It is an activity of gaining media attention and visibility in the audience.

Example- a campaign to collect funds for donating to poor, blood donation drives by an organisation, eco-friendly infrastructure of the manufacturing unit reported in magazine, etc.

Personal Selling – Personal selling is a face-to-face communication between seller and buyer to make a sale. Simply put, Personal selling is selling personally. A personal presentation or demo is given by the seller to the potential buyer. This mode helps the seller to come in direct contact with the buyer. It is carried out by the sales people or agents of the seller and can have one or more prospect buyers. It is a personal conversation and may not result in sales but the organisation is greatly benefitted by getting first had information from the customers (interested or not, feedback, expectations, etc.)

Example, sales representatives from an organisation personally meeting potential buyers by visiting their offices, homes.

Sales promotion – Sales promotion forms all the promotion activities other than personal selling, advertising, direct selling, and public relations. It covers non-personal and non-media activities like free samples, coupons, rebates, discounts, etc. Sales promotions are used to stimulate purchasing and sales by way of giving incentives or offers. Here, the objectives are to increase sales by informing potential customers about new products. The potential buyers know the source of the message as the organisation arranging the activity.

Examples: discounts, rebates, contests, coupons, product samples, point-of-purchase displays, price promotion signs, coupons, exhibitions, setting kiosks in malls, displays, free samples, gifts, etc.

Direct Marketing – Here individual or group of prospects are targeted instead of targeting the masses. The goal is to generate sales or leads for sales representatives to pursue. If the customer is interested, he/ she can directly contact the concerned department or person through the contact information given with the message. Direct marketing allows a business to engage in one-way communication with its customers. It helps organisations inform the prospective buyers about product announcements, special promotions, etc.

Examples: direct mail, e-mail, apps, telephone calls (telemarketing), catalogues, fliers, promotional letters, etc.