Applying the Promotion Blend to Real World Products and Services Essay

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Selected Marketing Questions and Answers

Although views differ about optimal strategies, there is a near universal consensus that effective marketing practices are the lifeblood of any commercial operation (Rasul, 2018). The purpose of this paper is to provide timely and informed answers to a series of guiding questions concerning marketing and promotion methods. The paper begins by briefly explaining the nature of the three basic promotion methods and continues with a discussion concerning the three basic objectives to the four jobs (AIDA) of promotion and a salient example. Finally, an explanation concerning how an understanding of the adoption process would help develop a promotion blend is followed by a summary of the research and important findings concerning the foregoing issues in the conclusion.

Briefly explain the nature of the three basic promotion methods available to a marketing manager. What are the main strengths and limitations of each?

Personal selling. This basic promotion method uses verbal and nonverbal communication by the seller to persuade prospective customers to make a positive purchase decision. Because personal selling involves face-to-face communications, the overarching strength of this method is the fact that sellers have the opportunity to provide instantaneous and individualized feedback concerning consumer questions which can facilitate closing the sale (Perrault & McCarthy, 2002). For instance, according to Olumoko and Abass (2012), “Personal selling is a unique element of marketing, it does not only create awareness and provide information about the features of the products; it also adopts individualistic approach that is designed to meet specific need of prospects and specific market segments” (p. 147). The main limitation of this promotion method, however, is its highly limited range that typically involves just one or a few potential customers.

Mass selling. Far more common today compared to personal selling in most developed countries, this basic promotion method communicates a marketing message to large numbers of prospective customers simultaneously (Perrault & McCarthy, 2002). The main limitation of this promotion method is the lack of opportunities to provide instant feedback to customers’ questions which is not available with mass selling in the same fashion as with personal selling, its main strength is its ability to reach large numbers of prospective customers in a highly cost effective manner (Collins & Schumacher, 2009).

Sales promotion: Finally, this basic promotion method involves the use of conventional promotional activities that are intended to sufficiently pique potential customers’ interest to convince them to give the product a try (Perrault & McCarthy, 2002). This promotion method, however, does not include advertising, personal selling or publicity. The main strength of this promotion method is its ability to attract significant amounts of short-term interest in a product or service in ways that can help persuade customers to give a product or service a trial and subsequently engage in a positive purchase decision.

Relate the three basic promotion objectives to the four jobs (AIDA) of promotion using a specific example.

The three basic promotion objectives (informing, persuading, and reminding) of the four AIDA jobs (get attention, maintain interest, arouse desire, and secure action) (Perrault & McCarthy, 2002) are discussed below.

Informing. Even the world’s best product (or service) will not gain and sustain a competitive advantage unless potential customers are aware of its existence and how it can improve their lives (Perrault & McCarthy, 2002). This promotion objective is focused on educating prospective consumers about the attributes of a product or service that will motivate them to learn more. In this regard, Ohumoko and Abass (2012) emphasize that, “A product that is well conceived and produced through the combination of the most modern technologies and the best of inputs cannot sell itself. There is the need for the existence of such product to be made known to the target market” (p. 148).

A specific example of this type of objective is the extensive educational material that Tesla (2018) provides its prospective consumers concerning the basics of hybrid and all-electric vehicles on its corporate Web site at https://www.

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tesla. com/blog/hybrids-plug-or-otherwise. It is important to note that both mass communication and personal selling provide a valuable long-term framework in which this promotion objective can be achieved, while sales promotions represent a short-term strategy for this objective.

Persuading: Simply stated, this promotion objective involves creating and maintaining favorable attitudes about products or services in order to motivate consumers to make an initial and – where applicable – repeat purchases (Perrault & McCarthy, 2002). A good example of this type of promotion objective is Canon’s “stabilizer” feature print advertisement shown in Figure 1 below. As can be readily discerned from this graphic, Canon has dramatically captured the primary advantage of using photographers using its image stabilizing feature by creating a three-legged man who enjoys rock-solid stability despite his precarious position.

Figure 1. Persuasive advertisement for Canon’s image stabilizer feature

Source: http://indulgd.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/brilliant-print-ads-7.jpg

Reminding: In sum, this promotion objective involves keeping a brand name in front of the public in order to remind them of their past positive experiences in order to motivate them to remain loyal customers and to prevent them from trying competitors’ brands (Perrault & McCarthy, 2002). Perhaps the most famous examples of this type of promotion objective are Coca-Cola’s advertisements that consistently highlight the fabulous lifestyle that drinking this soft drink confers by focusing on nostalgic memories from the past (“Code Adds Life” and “I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke”), including most especially the graphic depicted in Figure 2 below.

Figure 2. Iconic Coke advertisement using reminding

Source: https://www.coca-colacompany.com/content/dam/journey/us/en/global/2012/10/CocaColaStoriesAdvertisingStories-604-st-604-337-6eb7ecd9.rendition.598.336.jpg

Explain how an understanding of the adoption process would help you develop a promotion blend for digital tape recorders, a new consumer electronics product that produces high-quality recordings.

Developing a comprehensive understanding of the adoption process and so-called “adoption curve” depicted in Figure 3 below can help marketing managers identify the point at which consumers have accepted new ideas as well as what point promotional efforts should be modified in response to changes in consumer preferences (Khan & Ruhi, 2013).

Figure 3. Adoption Curve

Source: http://updopt.com/gfx/curve.png

As can be seen from the curve described in Figure 3 above, the series of stages that are involved in the adoption process contribute to a cumulative linear increase in consumers’ interest and willingness to pay real money for a given product such as a superior quality digital tape recorder. In this regard, Perrault and McCarthy (2002) report that, “The ‘adoption curve’ shows when different groups accept ideas. It also shows the need to change the promotion effort as time passes” (p. 383). In the context of digital tape recorders capable of producing high quality recordings, the adoption process would involve applying the five stages described below.

Stage One -- Product Awareness: This initial stage involves developing consumer awareness of the product using the most effective communication platforms available (Chandra, 2014). As noted above, though, even the world’s best products or services will remain unsold unless consumers know about them, but there are a wide array of methods available that can help achieve this first stage, including social media and other IT platforms where product information can be updated easily and….....

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