[Q].

brief overview of the steps involved in designing an effective communication

strategy ?

ANSWER:

Developing Effective Communications

1. Identify the Target Audience

o Image Analysis need to assess the audiences current image (the set of
beliefs, ideas, and impressions that a person holds regarding an object. Peoples
attitudes and actions toward an object are highly conditioned by that objects
image) of your company or products

o Familiarity scaleNever Heard of, Heard of Only, Know a Little Bit, Know a
Fair Amount, Know Very Well.

o Favorability scale: Very Unfavorable, Somewhat Unfavorable, Indifferent,

Somewhat Favorable, Very favorable.

o Semantic Differential a tool used to research the specific content of its

image. This involves the following steps.

Develop a set of relevant dimensions get customers to identify the

dimensions they would use in thinking about a project. For example, people think
about health care when you ask about a hospital

Reduce the set of relevant dimensions

Administer the instrument to a sample of respondents respondents rate

dimensions on a scale

Average the results

Check on the image variance

2. Determining the Communication Objectives the marketer is seeking

responses from target audience:

o cognitive put something in consumers mind

o affective change consumers mind

o behavioral get the consumer to act

Response hierarchy model different models for consumer response stages. All
the models assume that the buyer passes through responses in listed order (see
book for illustrated model).

3. Designing the Message after defining desired audience response,

develop an effective message. The message should gain attention, hold interest,
arouse desire, and elicit action.
Formulating Message requires solving four problems:

1. Message Content what to say to the target audience. In determining the

best message, want appeal, theme, idea or unique selling proposition.

o Rational appealappeal to audiences self-interest.

o Emotional appealattempt to stir up negative or positive emotions that

motivate purchase.

o Moral appealdirected at what is right and proper.

2. Message Structure structure and content of message. How to say

message.

o Stimulus Ambiguity Best ads ask questions and let audience to reach
conclusions.

o Two sided arguments praise products advantages and shortcomings.

Appropriate when product must overcome some sort of negativity. Tend to work
better with an educated audience

o One sided arguments only praise product. Work best with audiences that
are initially predisposed to the communicators position.

3. Message Format how to say it symbolically. Also physical format of

message, i.e.: headlines, copy, illustration, color, and sounds are all important.

4. Message Source who should say message. Messages delivered by

attractive or popular sources achieve higher attention and recall.

o Credibility spokesperson must be credible. Individual should be exhibit

expertise, trustworthiness, and likeability.

Selecting The Communication Channels must select effective channels of

communication. There are two types of communication channels:

Personal Communication Channel

Involves 2 or more persons communicating directly with each other. Provides

opportunity for individualizing the presentation and feedback. Further
distinctions are:

Advocate Channels company sales people contacting the target market

Expert Channels consist of independent experts making statements to

target buyers.

Social Channels consist of neighbors friends etc, talking to target market.

Steps to stimulate personal influence influence is very important to potential

buyers
1. Identify influential individuals and devote extra effort.

2. Create opinion leaders by supplying certain people with the product on

attractive terms

3. Work through community influentials, disc jockeys, class presidents, etc.

4. Use influential people in testimonial advertising.

5. Develop advertising that has high conversation value

6. Develop word of mouth referral channels

7. Establish an electronic forum

Non-personal Communication Channels

Carry message without personal contact.

Media; Events; Atmospherespackaged environment, i.e.: elegant hotels are

furnished extravagantly