Ways to Promote Your Product or Service
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Promotional Ideas
Summary
The marketing budget deserves careful
consideration, because it not only serves to create market
impressions; it is expected to generate revenues. Understanding the
kinds of impacts that can be expected from the various print and
electronic media will help to manage this element of business
expense.
An important precaution is to understand that each market segment
may react differently to the way that a promotional message is
presented. With all due respect for human nature, an exciting,
aggressive or even humorous message may be perceived as offensive or
insensitive even though it may be grammatically and politically
correct.
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The Print and Graphic Arts Media
Business cards and stationery are effective, inexpensive and
professional promotional tools but use of these items should be
restricted to personal contacts. Rubber stamps or staples are for
impersonal, routine tasks and should not be used in any way with
this media. Advertising specialties such as pens, key rings and
calendars acknowledge goodwill in the form of a small gift, but
these convey more image than information.
Local newspapers are preferred by many retailers because it provides
maximum flexibility in terms of budget, timing, coupon feedback,
product and price mix. The perception rate is high because the
reader can get more than one impact from the same message.
Brochures, posters and packaging are cost effective ways to provide
a combination of moving and static visual impact with the most
versatile applications. Brochures inform, posters inspire and
packaging validates the customer's buying decision.
Catalogues used by the mass merchandisers are expensive and designed
for specific, targeted markets. The high quality graphics makes the
catalogue a reference product with portable but inflexible
information. The catalogue style of advertising is more frequently
used in promotional sales flyers.
Magazines are more expensive than newspaper or radio, but have the
advantage of a more specific audience of subscribers (i.e. teens,
women, crafts, etc.) Manufacturers tend to use this media to
reinforce their brand names and trademark in the market.
Yellow pages provide an interactive link to the primary electronic
media; the telephone and the fax. The toll free 1-800 service
invites extended markets, and implies modern services.
Increased use of cellular telecommunications is expected to
influence a new wave of creative marketing tactics.
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The Electronic Media
Radio is cost effective and the audiences are routinely loyal to a
station's program format. The lack of visual impact makes the
message more personal and conversational. Promotional events often
build on the interactive links with the audience. Radio messages
tend to develop a personality and convey a friendly, local
relationship.
Television captures more audience time than any other medium and it
has the powerful advantages of visual impact. It is generally
believed that as much as 90 percent of a person's total perception
is the result of images conveyed to the brain in one way or another.
The TV. commercial is targeted at a home audience in a relaxed and
suggestive atmosphere, by using short, repetitive, and high impact
messages. The TV. remote control has changed viewing habits such
that commercial spots are now formatted in clusters of ten and
fifteen second clips.
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The Personal Efforts
Networking and Word of Mouth referrals are an effective way to
reduce out of pocket costs and cultivate a clientele. The valued
opinion of influential customers is the most important and cost
effective promotion that a business can develop. Markets never buy
anything; only customers buy products and services.
Community involvement expands the personal network of contacts and
marketing intelligence; however, this should be the by-product of
genuine interest in the community.
Special promotions and events can be made to work in concert with
any one or a combination of the above methods. This can be in the
form of door prizes, Welcome Wagon gifts, free passes, free coffee,
or even honoring a competitor's coupons.
The Market/Media Mix
Since most media have a range of light, medium and heavy users, the
challenge for business is to anticipate the customer's needs in
terms of typical behavior patterns in human nature. Each media has a
variety of strengths and weaknesses to consider. In some market
situations a dollar spent on the print media can out pull a dollar
spent in the electronic media and vice versa.
Concurrent planning must include methods to compare results with
costs and competition. Even the smallest advertising budget will
benefit with a marketing plan because it remains a vital part of the
BUSINESS PLAN.
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Small Bizz Workshop
Marketing Basics
Marketing Primer
Researching Your Market
Sales Forecasting
Business Promotion Idea List |
