Assessment Of Student Knowledge And Skills On Marketing Communication

• This technology involves the use of different channels of marketing and selling products such as; mobile communication, use of the internet, and use of wireless interactive devices in a bid to provide for different customer needs in an efficient manner.
• This method of sales and marketing enables organizations to achieve their different strategic goals such as increasing profit margins and venturing into new markets and also enables the organizations to outdo their competitors.
• Use of technology in organizations is only significant if it is able to bring in real tangible value to the business.
• Companies use digital media as opposed to other offline methods for various reasons;
  • To increase revenue from sales.
  • To be able to gain insight into the tastes and preferences of their customers.
  • To save costs associated with owning multiple physical shops as customers can just order online.
  • To increase value to their products.
• Tools that organizations use to optimize their business activities when using digital media include; use of search engine optimization tools to able to identify the products that customers seem to like best and the use of interactive television and video advertising activities.
• Nevertheless, there are some cons associated with the use of digital media. These include;
• It brings in risks of cyber-attacks.
• It brings about a loss of private information which may be used for the wrong purposes.
• It can lead to commercial exploitation.
• Can lead to abuse of information and bring about acts such as fraud.

It is therefore very vital for there to be policies that are put in place on how digital media can and can’t be used to ensure the safety of all users.

Reference

Ponduri,S.B. and Bala,E.S.(2014, January 1).Role of Information Technology in marketing.

https://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer Effective Implementation of Customer Relationship Management. Journal of Marketing & Communication, 9(3),50-55.

• Consumers receive a vast array of information from different sources every day. This information ranges from advertising of different products by companies, reports concerning the weather and traffic situations, news updates, information on foods, among other topics.
• The different sources of information include; radio and television, newspapers, and social media.
• Due to all this information that is in existence, it is vital for organizations to carry out their communication activities in ways that rise above the noise.
• Organizations therefore need to find ways in which they can be able to reach their target audience and be able to convince them to buy their products as opposed to those of other competitors.
• The organizations need to create a compelling message with the consumer in mind. The message is encoded and then transmitted using a given channel (medium) to the potential and existing customers. The message is then received and decoded. Finally, the organization receives feedback from the customers in the form of increased sales.
• Communication can be categorized as verbal, non-verbal and written.
• Verbal communication includes face to face communication or through mediums such as telephones or skype.
• Non-verbal communication, on the other hand, refers to communication using body language and gestures.
• Written communication refers to the use of written materials such as emails, magazines, letters, and newspapers to pass information.
• Indeed, because the process of marketing is very vital in any given organization, companies need to communicate properly to convince their potential customers why their products are superior to those to their competitors.

Reference

Cornelissen, J. P. (2003). Change, continuity and progress: the concept of integrated marketing communications and marketing communications practice. Journal of Strategic Marketing, 11(4), 217-234.

• With the existence of very many products in the market, consumers have to decide on which products to buy and which products to forego.
• Consumers purchase the products that they feel maximize value for their money.
• Before purchasing different products, consumers have information that makes them aware of these products.
• There are two main sources of the information that consumers need before purchasing the products. These include information from an internal search and that from an external search.
• Externally, consumers gain information by researching on the product on blogs, websites, and existing reviews.
• Internally, the information is memory based. This is the situation where the customers recall information they had heard concerning a product or based on their past experience with the product.
• Further, consumers can choose to purchase products which they have not encountered information about. In this case, they may consider the characteristics of the existing products and choose the best product in their view.
• Consumer judgment is based on three factors. These include;
  • Task effects- this occurs when customers have to choose between two products which are both good thus they feel bad that they have to choose.
  • Integral effect- this is an effect that is linked to the reason for a given judgement.
  • Incidental effects- experiences that people may go through with a source unrelated to the object. The experiences may include anxiety or depression.

Reference

Essoo, N. (2004). Religious influences on consumer behaviour: an exploratory study. Journal of Marketing Management, 20(7-8): p. 683-712.

• The advertising process needs to follow certain standards that are referred to as advertising ethics. The information passed out to consumers through the process of advertising is supposed to be true and not an exaggeration of the truth.
• Companies that brand themselves as ethical are today being able to build a good reputation with different stakeholders.
• Consumers want to be associated with such brands and are loyal to them even when their products become more expensive than those of their competitors.
• Nowadays, very many companies have different corporate social responsibility strategies that they follow to be able to thrive.
• They show their responsibility in regards to different areas. These include; economically, legally, ethically, and by being philanthropic.
• This article asserts that strategies of corporate social responsibility are very effective and enable customers to have a connection with the company.
• Ethical brands should take advantage of various social media platforms to inform their customers and potential customers of their ethical practices.
• Organizations should also be more interactive in their dealings with customers and encourage them to pass on their concerns in relation to different ethical practices.
• Companies should therefore ensure that their employees in the advertising sector especially are ethical in all their dealings and do not pass on untrue information.

Reference

Wen, J. and Song, B. (2017). Corporate Ethical Branding on YouTube: CSR Communication Strategies and Brand Anthropomorphism. Journal of Interactive Advertising, 17(1), 28-40.

Week seven: planning objectives in International Marketing Communication

• International marketing communications involves the use of different strategies in the implementation process.
• The process of communicating with customers requires consistency to be able to make customers and retain them.
• Advertising is one method that is used in this process. It plays a major role on whether the products are accepted or rejected by the customers.
• There is a Foot, Cone, and Belding Grid Model (FCB) that is used by well-developed organizations.
• This model ensures that the advertising process is efficient and effective.
• The FCB Model uses the principles of think and feel.
• This motivates consumers to buy the products based on how they think and feel about the products.
• It is important to vary the advertisement strategies based on the features of the products being advertised.
• Some products are of high involvement while others are of low involvement. High involvement products are unique while low involvement products are common.
• High involvement products can be promoted with an emphasis being put on the price since they are think products.
• Conversely, low involvement products which are feel products should not be characterized with the presence of free promotional gifts in the marketing activities.
• Utilitarian advertisement uses more promotional tactics as opposed to advertisement which does not use as many promotional tactics.

Reference

Choia, H., Yoona, H. J., Paekb, H. & Reida, L. N. (2012).  ‘Thinking and feeling’ products and ‘utilitarian and value-expressive’ appeals in contemporary TV advertising: A content analytic test of functional matching and the FCB model. Journal of Marketing Communications, 18(2), 91-111. doi: 10.1080/13527266.2010.484581

• It is vital that organizations plan strategically how they will implement their international marketing communication activities. Three important factors should be put into consideration by organizations in the process. These include;
• Deciding on their target audience and having a proper understanding of the needs and wants of these people.
• Deciding on the type of relationship they want to establish with the customers.
• They should also identify the message they would like to pass on to their customers and take control of all their media infrastructure.
• International marketing communication strategies are vital because they assist organizations in their communications with the consumers on matters regarding branding.
• Proper strategies ensure that the organizations are able to achieve their set goals in an efficient manner.
• To interact with customers properly, organizations need to take advantage of different tools in promotion such as public relations, use of social media, and sales promotion among others.
• Companies need to use the appropriate media based on the goods and services they are advertising.
• Therefore, to ensure optimal returns, there are a number of factors that organizations should consider when choosing the right strategies to apply. These include;
  • Taking into consideration the cost benefit analysis of the method to be used in marketing. This will help in budgeting and avoid losses.
  • Taking into account how flexible a given method of promotion is and how customers will receive the message.
  • Choosing the best way of interaction with the customers. This requires creativity and critical thinking.

Reference

Tafesse, W., and Kitchen, J. (2017). IMC – an integrative review. International Journal of Advertising, 36(2), 210–226.  CSU chapter 12.

• It is very important for all businesses to market their products. Companies need to make people aware of their brand names and create exposure for the company by continually marketing their different goods and services.
• Public relations is one method of promotion that enables companies to advertise their products without any costs being incurred or at minimal costs.
• It is the process whereby information is generated about a given business and then circulated.
• This information which features the brand of a given company is relayed to the public with the assistance of a public relations agency.  
• Public relations is a very effective method of promotion because it creates a relationship between the consumers and the organizations selling the products.
• The consumers are therefore able to relate to the companies as they express their views on various issues relating to the businesses.
• Therefore, public relations is a promotional method aimed at creating awareness about the existence of a brand that enables different stakeholders to provide their views about the company being promoted.
• Today, public relations is very significant to enable companies rise above the ‘noise’ and stand out from the competition.
• To take advantage of public relations organizations perform activities that are ethical, legal, and even philanthropic to be able to be different from the rest.
• Public relations requires companies to carry out activities that depict their corporate social responsibility to help improve sales and make profits.

Reference

Haumann (2015). Engaging customers in coproduction processes: How value-enhancing and intensity-reducing communication strategies mitigate the negative effects of coproduction intensity. Journal of Marketing 79, 17-33. doi: 10.1509/jm.14.0357k ten: direct marketing/ personal selling

• Direct selling is the process in which sales people sell products directly to consumers in person over the phone, through emails, or over the internet.
• This method of selling products is used when the market is saturated with the product and companies are trying to outdo their competitors.
• Direct selling is one method of selling that brings together consumers and manufacturers without the use of a middle man (retailer).
• Due to the elimination of middle men, direct selling enables products to be cost effective for the consumers.
• When one is carrying out direct selling it is vital to have an understanding of consumer behavior to know how to approach consumes and make a sale.
• It is therefore important for sellers to sell their products to consumers at the right time, in the right place in order to enable a relationship to be formed between the seller and the buyer.
• Therefore, the four goals of personal selling are; the seller must first capture the attention of the targeted buyer, then the seller must spark an interest in the buyer in relation to the product being sold, the buyer must feel a desire to own the product, then the seller must close the deal by selling the product.
• This method of selling is very well suited with products that do not have a fixed price in which case there can be a bargaining and negotiation opportunity between both parties.
• The connection created between the buyer and the seller can be beneficial in the future and create a long term commitment of the buyer to the seller.

Reference

Risselada, H., Verhoef, P. C., & Bijmolt, T. H. (2014, March). Dynamic effects of social influence and direct marketing on the adoption of high-technology products. American Marketing Association.