1.

DIRECT MARKETING

Direct marketing is a type of advertising campaign that seeks to bring an action in a

selected group of consumers (such as an order, visit the store or the website of the mark or a
request for information) in response a communication by the marketer. This communication
can take many different formats, such as postal mail, telemarketing, point of sale ... One of
the most interesting is the direct email marketing.

An essential aspect of direct marketing is that the consumer response is measurable: for

example, if you offer a discount for an online store, you should include some kind of cookie
or pixel to let you know if the user has made use of the code.

Direct marketing allows you to promote your product or service directly to your

target people most in need and measure results quickly, but there is more. These are some of
the benefits the digital direct marketing can bring to your brand:

 Take the segmentation and targeting. One of the great advantages of this type of
marketing is that you can reach your specific audience segments with personalized
messages. If you want to succeed, you should invest time in research to identify consumers
most likely to convert and thus direct your efforts to actions that really work.

 Optimize your marketing budget. Addressing online direct marketing to a specific

audience allows you to set realistic goals and improve your sales on a tight budget. If you
optimize and properly direct your campaign, you will achieve results with only a small
percentage of the cost of traditional advertising.

 Increase your sales with current and former clients. Digital direct marketing lets
you communicate with your current customers to keep alive the relationship bringing
value, but also back in touch with old customers and generate new sales opportunities.

 Upgrade your loyalty strategies. Direct contact with your customers allows you to
customize your promotions, emails and offers to create an instant bond. To maximize
results, you can combine your direct marketing methods your loyalty program.

 Create new business opportunities. Direct marketing allows you to adapt to market

demands at all times and respond more effectively.
 Tests and analyzes the results. Direct response campaigns give you the opportunity
to directly measure your results. Take the opportunity to squeeze the most of your tests
and make decisions in real time. 

 The most powerful and innovative direct marketing strategies want to elicit a reaction in the
target audience thanks to a content delivered directly to the consumer, both physically and
through the email marketing. A very striking graphic design (email), a product that is not
surprising (direct mail) or a call that touches the heartstrings of the listener (telemarketing),
can elicit a response as a call to action on the content. As already explained above in the
Numerical blog is what direct marketing is and its benefits , today you'll discover three great
examples of direct marketing.

Toyota Corolla

This type of marketing is a great opportunity for businesses if used in the right way, but it is
also a way to show off for the direct marketing agencies and advertising, because if they put
all their creativity to the strategy really shocking advertising may arise and will be long
remembered by the public (and attract potential customers). The first example of direct
marketing that I put is on the car brand Toyota Corolla Watch this video!

2. ADVERTISING

Definition: Advertising is a means of communication with the users of a product or service.

Advertisements are messages paid for by those who send them and are intended to inform or
influence people who receive them, as defined by the Advertising Association of the UK.

Description: Advertising is always present, though people may not be aware of it. In today's
world, advertising uses every possible media to get its message through. It does this via
television, print (newspapers, magazines, journals etc), radio, press, internet, direct selling,
hoardings, mailers, contests, sponsorships, posters, clothes, events, colours, sounds, visuals and
even people (endorsements).

The advertising industry is made of companies that advertise, agencies that create the
advertisements, media that carries the ads, and a host of people like copy editors, visualizers,
brand managers, researchers, creative heads and designers who take it the last mile to the
customer or receiver. A company that needs to advertise itself and/or its products hires an
advertising agency. The company briefs the agency on the brand, its imagery, the ideals and
values behind it, the target segments and so on. The agencies convert the ideas and concepts to
create the visuals, text, layouts and themes to communicate with the user. After approval from
the client, the ads go on air, as per the bookings done by the agency's media buying unit.

Advertising is the action of calling public attention to an idea, good, or service through paid
announcements by an identified sponsor. A simpler (and modern) definition of advertising can be
– A paid communication message intended to inform people about something or to influence
them to buy or try something.

Characteristics Of Advertising

 Paid Form: Advertising requires the advertiser (also called sponsor) to pay to create an
advertising message, to buy advertising media slot, and to monitor advertising efforts.
 Tool For Promotion: Advertising is an element of the promotion mix of an organization.
 One Way Communication: Advertising is a one-way communication where brands
communicate to the customers through different mediums.
 Personal Or Non-Personal: Advertising can be non-personal as in the case of TV, radio,
or newspaper advertisements, or highly personal as in the case of social media and other
cookie-based advertisements.
Types Of Advertising

Advertising activities can be categorized into above the line, below the line, and through the
line advertising according to their level of penetration.
 Above the line advertising include activities that are largely non-targeted and have a
wide reach. Examples of above the line advertising are TV, radio, & newspaper
advertisements.
 Below the line advertising include conversion focused activities which are directed
towards a specific target group. Examples of below the line advertising are billboards,
sponsorships, in-store advertising, etc.
 Through the line advertising include activities which involve the use of both ATL &
BTL strategies simultaneously. These are directed towards brand building and conversions
and make use of targeted (personalized) advertisement strategies. Examples of through the
line advertising are cookie based advertising, digital marketing strategies, etc.
Advertising activities can also be categorized into 5 types based on the advertisement medium
used. These types of advertisements are:
 Print Advertising: Newspaper, magazines, & brochure advertisements, etc.
 Broadcast Advertising: Television and radio advertisements.
 Outdoor Advertising: Hoardings, banners, flags, wraps, etc.
 Digital Advertising: Advertisements displayed over the internet and digital devices.
 Product/Brand Integration: Product placements in entertainment media like TV show,
YouTube video, etc.
Objectives Of Advertising

There are 3 main objectives of advertising. These are:

To Inform

Advertisements are used to increase brand awareness and brand exposure in the target market.
Informing potential customers about the brand and its products is the first step towards attaining
business goals.
To Persuade

Persuading customers to perform a particular task is a prominent objective of advertising. The

tasks may involve buying or trying the products and services offered, to form a brand image,
develop a favourable attitude towards the brand etc.

To Remind

Another objective of advertising is to reinforce the brand message and to reassure the existing
and potential customers about the brand vision. Advertising helps the brand to maintain top of
mind awareness and to avoid competitors stealing the customers. This also helps in the word of
mouth marketing.

Other objectives of advertising are subsets of these three objectives. These subsets are:

 Brand Building
 Increasing Sales
 Creating Demand
 Engagement
 Expanding Customer Base
 Changing Customers’ attitudes, etc.
Importance Of Advertising

To The Customers

 Convenience: Targeted informative advertisements make the customer’s decision

making process easier as they get to know what suits their requirements and budget.
 Awareness: Advertising educates the customers about different products available in the
market and their features. This knowledge helps customers compare different products and
choose the best product for them.
 Better Quality: Only brands advertise themselves and their products. There are no
advertisements for unbranded products. This ensures better quality to the customers as no
brand wants to waste money on false advertising.
To The Business
 Awareness: Advertising increases the brand and product awareness among the people
belonging to the target market.
 Brand Image: Clever advertising helps the business to form the desired brand
image and brand personality in the minds of the customers.
 Product Differentiation: Advertising helps the business to differentiate its product from
those of competitors’ and communicate its features and advantages to the target audience.
 Increases Goodwill: Advertising reiterates brand vision and increases the goodwill of
the brand among its customers.
 Value For Money: Advertising delivers the message to a wide audience and tends to be
value for money when compared to other elements of the promotion mix.
Advantages Of Advertising

 Reduces Per-Unit Cost: The wide appeal of advertisements increases the demand for the
product which benefits the organization as it capitalizes on the economies of scale.
 Helps In Brand Building: Advertisements work effectively in brand building. Brands
who advertise are preferred over those which doesn’t.
 Helps In Launching New Product: Launching a new product is easy when it is backed
by an advertisement.
 Boosts Up Existing Customers’ Confidence In The Brand: Advertisements boosts up
existing customers’ confidence in the brand as they get a feeling of pride when they see an
advertisement of the product or the brand they use.
 Helps In Reducing Customer Turnover: Strategic advertisements for new offers and
better service helps reduce customer turnover.
 Attracts New Customers: Attractive advertisements help the brand in gaining new
customers and expanding the business.
 Educates The Customers: Advertisements inform the customers about different
products existing in the market and also educates them in what they should look for in an
apt product.
Disadvantages Of Advertising

 Increases The Costs: Advertising is an expense to the business and is added to the cost
of the product. This cost is eventually borne by the end consumer.
 Confuses The Buyer: Too many advertisements with similar claims often confuses the
buyer in what to buy and should he buy the product or not.
 Is Sometimes Misleading: Some advertisements use smart strategies to mislead the
customers.
 Only For Big Businesses: Advertising is a costly affair and only big businesses can
afford it. This makes small businesses out of competition with big businesses who get to
enjoy a monopoly in the market.
 Encourages The Sale Of Inferior Products: Effective advertisements even lead to the
sale of inferior products which aren’t good for the consumers.
Advertising Examples

We are surrounded by advertisements. From TV to our mobile phones, we encounter

advertisements everywhere. Following are a few examples of advertising.

TV Advertisements Example

Coca-Cola’s ‘I’d like to buy the world a Coke’, aired in 1971, is the world’s most famous TV
advertisement.

3. COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

A competitive advantage is what makes an entity's goods or services superior to all of a

customer's other choices. The term is commonly used for businesses. The strategies work for any
organization, country, or individual in a competitive environment.

To create a competitive advantage, you've got to be clear about these three determinants.

1. Benefit. What is the real benefit your product provides? It must be something that your
customers truly need. it must also offer real value. You must know your product's
features, its advantages, and how they benefit your customers. You must stay up to date
on the new trends that affect your product. This includes new technology. For example,
newspapers were slow to respond to the availability of free news on the internet. They
thought people were willing to pay for news delivered on a piece of paper once a day. 

Target market. Who are your customers? What are their needs? You've got to know exactly
who buys from you and how you can make their life better. That’s how you create demand,
the driver of all economic growth. Newspapers' target market shrank to those older people
who weren't comfortable getting their news online. 

Competition. Have you identified your real competitors? They aren't just similar companies
or products. They also include anything else your customer could do to meet the need you
can fulfill. Newspapers thought their competition was other newspapers until they realized it
was the internet. They didn't know how to compete with a news provider that was instant and
free.

Porter outlined the three primary ways companies achieve a sustainable advantage. They
are cost leadership, differentiation, and focus. Porter identified these strategies by researching
hundreds of companies.  

1. Cost leadership means companies provide reasonable value at a lower price. Firms do

this by continuously improving operational efficiency. That usually means paying their
 workers less. Some compensate for lower wages by offering intangible benefits such
as stock options, benefits, or promotional opportunities. Others take advantage of
unskilled labor surpluses. As these businesses grow, they can benefit from economies of
scale and buy in bulk. Walmart and Costco are good examples of cost leadership.

But sometimes they pay their workers less than the cost of living. Higher minimum
wage laws threaten their advantage.

2. Differentiation means companies deliver better benefits than anyone else. A firm can
achieve differentiation by providing a unique or high-quality product. Another method is
to deliver it faster. A third is to market in a way that reaches customers better.

A company with a differentiation strategy can charge a premium price. That means it usually
has a higher profit margin.

Companies typically achieve differentiation with innovation, quality, or customer service.

Innovation means they meet the same needs in a new way. An excellent example of this is
Apple. The iPod was innovative because it allowed users to play whatever music they
wanted, in any order. Quality means the firm provides the best product or service. Tiffany's
can charge more because patrons see it as far superior to other jewelry stores. Customer
service means going out of the way to delight shoppers.

Nordstrom's was the first to allow returns with no questions asked.

Focus means the company's leaders understand and service their target market better than
anyone else. Their either use cost leadership or differentiation to do that. The key to a
successful focus strategy is to choose a very specific target market. Often it's a tiny niche that
larger companies don't serve. For example, community banks use a focus strategy to gain
sustainable competitive advantage. They target local small businesses or high net worth
individuals. Their target audience enjoys the personal touch that big banks may not be able to
give.

Customers are willing to pay a little more in fees for this service. These banks are using a
differentiation form of the focus strategy.

How Countries Use Competitive Advantage

A country can also create competitive advantage. It's called national competitive advantage
or comparative advantage. For example, China uses cost leadership. It exports low-cost
products at a reasonable quality level. It can do this because its standard of living is lower, so
it can pay its workers less. It also fixes the value of its currency, the yuan, at a value lower
than the dollar.
 India started as a cost leader but is moving toward differentiation. It provides skilled,
technical, English-speaking workers at a reasonable wage. Japan also changed its competitive
advantage. In the 1960s, it was a cost leader that excelled at cheap electronics. By the 1980s,
it had shifted up to differentiation in quality brands, such as Lexus.

3. DEVELOPING A NEW PRODUCT

The failure rate for new products and services can be as high as 90% in some sectors. Luckily
there are some simple ways to increase the odds your product will avoid the same fate. Follow
these five steps to optimize your new product's chance of success:

1. Identify An Opportunity And Generate A New Idea To Fill It

If nobody wants or needs your product, it is bound to fail. The starting point for all product
development should be to analyze the needs of current and potential customers, their levels of
satisfaction with what the competition is offering, their consumption habits and the technical
possibilities for improving existing products.

Managers with ample experience and a strategic vision of the company, the competition, the
clients and the suppliers are key to this process.

From the celebrity realm, consider Ferrán Adrià, chef and face of the famous El Bulli restaurant.
Adrià's method for generating new ideas called for breaking down barriers between different
groups in the creative team; defining goals and deadlines; earmarking the money, time and
human resources needed; and documenting and analyzing the data obtained.

2. Measure The Opportunity

Once you've gathered information on market trends and your strategic objectives, the next step is
to analyze the segment or segments that the product is geared toward and predict future buying
habits as much as possible.

Product development tools (such as the Kano model) can help identify needs and group them by
established criteria.

3. Develop The Concept

In this phase, the new product idea is refined to best serve the needs of potential clients and stand
out from the competition.

How can this be achieved? Get opinions from leading users who may foresee future needs in the
market. Also, rely on a team with expertise in various disciplines: design and production people
for the technical requirements, marketing experts for reaching customers, and finance and
management departments for determining what funds are available.

The three golden aims in this phase are to satisfy the client, 

The three golden aims in this phase are to satisfy the client, stand out from the competition, and
show the greatest potential for turning a profit.

4. Testing, Testing....

Now you need to create your prototype and, essentially, assess how well it performs. Does your
product:

• Offer a series of features that satisfy customer needs?

• Arrive on the market at an opportune time?

• Perform efficiently with regards to development and manufacturing costs?

• Maintain a healthy equilibrium between the launch cost and the product's capacity to turn a
profit?

It's also good to keep in mind that investing in cost reduction early can increase profitability.
Cutting product prices can increase market share, which in turn trims distribution costs and
discourages the competition.

5. Position And Launch

With the product designed and studied thoroughly, the next step is to decide on its strategic
positioning. How do you want potential customers to perceive the product? This stage needs to
take into account economic, but also functional and emotional factors.

Traditionally, functional innovations were emphasized in new products. But this has become less
sustainable in the current climate, as technology advances allow competitors to respond and new
innovations to enter the market quickly. When price and features of rival products are similar,
differentiation is largely due to the emotional factor. This is at the heart of the relevance of brand
image, communication and the so-called intangible attributes of a service or product.

Take Coca-Cola for example. Its advertising strategy has veered away from the beverage's
features, instead seeking to establish an emotional connection. Its latest campaigns, "Open
happiness" and "Taste the feeling" are right on-trend.
It's a competitive world out there. Planning carefully and remembering the human factor can pay
dividends when launching new products.

4. PORTFOLIO

A portfolio is a compilation of materials that exemplifies your beliefs, skills, qualifications,

education, training and experiences. It provides insight into your personality and work ethic.

Why should I have a portfolio?

The process of putting together a portfolio itself will help you become a more effective
interviewee. You will be identifying the skills you have gained through your various experiences
and how they relate to the career you are interested in. Choosing the most relevant experiences
and putting them in an easily understood format will help you better articulate your skills and
experiences when asked questions about your qualifications in an interview. A professional
portfolio will also show an employer proof of your organizational, communication, and tangible
career related skills.

What should be included in my portfolio?

Save everything you create and decide later what you want to include in your portfolio. A
portfolio is a sample of your career related skills and experiences and should be presented in
your own creative style. The following is typically included in a career portfolio:

1. Statement of Originality: A paragraph stating that this is your work and that it is
confidential. It should also indicate if any parts of the portfolio should not be copied.
Example: Statement of Originality and ConfidentialityThis portfolio is the work of James
Cook. Please do not copy without permission. Some of the exhibits, work samples, and/or
service samples are the proprietary property of the organization whose name appears on
the document. Each has granted permission for this product to be used as a demonstration
of my work.
2. Work Philosophy: A brief description of your beliefs about yourself and the
industry.
3. Career Goals: Your professional goals for the next five years.
4. Resume: (add Resume Writing link)
5. Skill Areas: Identify three to five of the major skill set areas you have that would be
important for someone in your career field to have. Examples include: Management,
Computer Skills, Public Relations, Leadership, Accounting, Communications, and
Customer Service. Next, select or request letters of recommendation and specific work
samples or projects that exemplify these skill sets. Sources of work samples include
classroom projects, materials generated on the job or during an internship/co-op
 experience, materials from community service, volunteer work, campus clubs and
organizations and professional memberships.

How to select the best work samples

Ask yourself the following questions about each sample: What will this work demonstrate-skills,
competencies or achievement of goals? Also, ask yourself. . .

 Which skills is the organization looking for in this position?

 What is your best work?
 Which samples show the most skills and competencies?
 Practice speaking about your sample.

Works in Progress: List career-related projects or activities you are currently working on that
would add to your list of skills and qualifications for that career field.

Certifications, Diplomas, Degrees or Awards: Include copies of these documents and any

documentation listing the skills attained for certification.

Community Services: Briefly explain the project or include a brochure explaining the

organization or project. Include any work samples, photographs of the experience and letters of
recognition which prove your participation and/or involvement.

Professional Memberships and Certifications: Include any documentation of proof. Also,

include information on any conferences or meetings you have attended that have provided you
with educational resources in your field of interest.

Academic Plan of Study: You can include a copy of your transcript which includes the classes
you have taken and grades you have earned in those classes, as well as a listing of those classes
you plan to take upon graduation.

Faculty and Employer Biographies: This is not essential to include. However, it is helpful if

you have mentioned someone throughout the portfolio frequently that has had a significant
impact on your professional development. For this section you would list the person’s name, who
they are, and what they do.

References: A list of three to five people who can verify your professional qualifications.
Recommendations of professional references include faculty members, internship supervisors,
employment supervisors and supervisors of other activities such as community service projects.
How should I present my professional portfolio?

 3-ring Notebook (cloth, vinyl, or leather)

 Table of Contents
 If clarification of a particular section is needed, write a brief description of what is
included in that section and why you have chosen to include it in your portfolio. Place the
overview at the beginning of that section.
 Use extra-wide 3 ring tabs with labels to separate each section so you can easily find the
information during an interview situation.
 Use a high quality paper (24#) as well as a high quality printer.
 Use colored paper to draw attention to special samples, but use a soft, subtle color and
only use a total of three different colors.
 Put all pages in page protectors using front and back sides (do not use three hole punch).
 Place three extra copies of your resume and list of references in a protective sleeve to
hand out during your interview.

6. SEGMENTATION

Segmentation means to divide the marketplace into parts, or segments, which are definable,
accessible, actionable, and profitable and have a growth potential. In other words, a company
would find it impossible to target the entire market, because of time, cost and effort restrictions.
It needs to have a 'definable' segment - a mass of people who can be identified and targeted with
reasonable effort, cost and time.

Once such a mass is identified, it has to be checked that this mass can actually be targeted with
the resources at hand, or the segment should be accessible to the company. Beyond this, will the
segment respond to marketing actions by the company (ads, prices, schemes, promos) or, is it
actionable by the company? After this check, even though the product and the target are clear, is
it profitable to sell to them? Is the number and value of the segment going to grow, such that the
product also grows in sales and profits? 

Description: Segmentation takes on great significance in today's cluttered marketplace, with

thousands of products, media proliferation, ad-fatigue and general economic problems around
the world markets. Rightly segmenting the market place can make the difference between
successes and shut down for a company. 

Segmentation allows a seller to closely tailor his product to the needs, desires, uses and paying
ability of customers. It allows sellers to concentrate on their resources, money, time and effort on
a profitable market, which will grow in numbers, usage and value. 
What is Segmentation?
Segmentation is the process of partitioning markets into groups of customers and prospects with
similar needs and/or characteristics who are likely to exhibit similar purchase behavior. Strategic
segmentation is for planning business and marketing strategy. Tactical segmentation is when a
marketing manager wishes to prioritize marketing activities across a fairly large customer base,
targeting certain products, offers and creative to certain customers. A good segmentation strategy
supports both strategic and tactical activity.
Literature suggests the following steps:

 
Criteria for Market Segmentation
There are a huge number of variables that could be used for market segmentation in theory. They
comprise easy to determine demographic factors as well as variables on user behavior or
customer preferences. In addition, there are differences between private customers and
businesses. The following table shows the most important traditional variables for segmentation.

Five criteria for an effective segmentation:

1)    Measurable: It has to be possible to determine the values of the variables used for
segmentation with justifiable efforts. This is important especially for demographic and
geographic variables. For an organization with direct sales (without intermediaries), the own
customer database could deliver valuable information on buying behavior (frequency, volume,
product groups, mode of payment etc).
2)    Relevant: The size and profit potential of a market segment have to be large enough to
economically justify separate marketing activities for this segment.
3)    Accessible: The segment has to be accessible and servable for the organization. That means,
for instance, that there are target-group specific advertising media, as magazines or websites the
target audience likes to use.
4)    Distinguishable: The market segments have to be that diverse that they show different
reactions to different marketing mixes.
5)    Feasible: It has to be possible to approach each segment with a particular marketing
program and to draw advantages from that.

Benefits of segmentation
•    Segmentation is the best way to make marketing relevant, better matching customer needs.
•    By segmenting markets the target consumer can be reached more often and at a lower cost.
•    By marketing products that appeal to different customer preferences a business can retain
customers who might otherwise switch to competing products and brands.
•    Provides a framework for the company to make more money. It provides a lens through
which marketing can be continuously improved in the future.
•    Manage different types of customers differently across the various customer touch points and
through the customer lifecycle.
•    Allocate different resources and investment levels to segments and deliver superior value to
distinct groups of customers.

 Segments need to be
•    Large enough to be economic
•    Have similar attributes
•    Reachable or targetable 
•    Relevant to business needs
•    Actionable
Each part of a good segmentation solution will yield typically between four and nine segments.
Too few segments tend to result in very general segments, and too many segments results in lots
of small segments that may not be usable or meaningful. Segmentation development should be
driven by economic incremental gain; for example, the benefit of new email segmentation must
be more than the cost of any extra creative or analysis required.

The segmentation process

The process itself begins with narrowing the universe to be studied into a specific market now
served by the company and obtaining basic information on competing products or services now
on offer. Once this step has been completed, variables to be used are identified, reviewed, and
tested. At the most basic level such variables, for example, might involve income and
demographic characteristics of the consumers.
With these preparations completed, actual market research is organized to collect and to analyze
data on the selected broad body of consumers. Analysis of the data will begin to cluster the
consumers into distinct groupings based on the variables. Additional analysis, possibly involving
more research, will next be conducted to develop detailed profiles of each segment already
identified.
If the right variables were chosen at the outset and the market research was competently done,
the resulting groupings will have characteristics distinct enough, and documented well enough,
to permit the company to select one or more segments which will be easiest or more profitable to
serve. The company's own strategy will play a role. Its aim, for example, may be use its capacity
more fully and the company will therefore select a segment which will purchase the largest
volume; alternative the company's aim may be low production levels with high profits, leading to
a focus on another segment.
The last stage of the segmentation process will be the development of product and marketing
plans based on the segment(s) most closely matching the company's "ideal" situation.
In general, customers are willing to pay a premium for a product that meets their needs more
specifically than does a competing product. Thus marketers who successfully segment the
overall market and adapt their products to the needs of one or more smaller segments stand to
gain in terms of increased profit margins and reduced competitive pressures. Small businesses, in
particular, may find market segmentation to be a key in enabling them to compete with larger
firms. 

Statistical Method
Cluster analysis: groups individuals or organizations together is such a way that the components
in the clusters are more similar to one another than they are to the components of other clusters
- Hierarchical partitioning
- Nonhierarchical partitioning

6. PROMOTIONAL MIX

Definition: The Promotion Mix refers to the blend of several promotional tools used by the

business to create, maintain and increase the demand for goods and services.

The fourth element of the 4 P’s of Marketing Mix is the promotion; that focuses on creating the
awareness and persuading the customers to initiate the purchase. The several tools that facilitate
the promotion objective of a firm are collectively known as the Promotion Mix.
 The Promotion Mix is the integration of Advertising, Personal Selling, Sales Promotion, Public
Relations and Direct Marketing. The marketers need to view the following questions in order to
have a balanced blend of these promotional tools.

 What is the most effective way to inform the customers?

 Which marketing methods to be used?
 To whom the promotion efforts be directed?
 What is the marketing budget? How is it to be allocated to the promotional tools?
Elements of Promotion Mix

1. Advertising: The advertising is any paid form of non-personal presentation and

promotion of goods and services by the identified sponsor in the exchange of a fee. Through
advertising, the marketer tries to build a pull strategy; wherein the customer is instigated to try
the product at least once.The complete information along with the attractive graphics of the
product or service can be shown to the customers that grab their attention and influences the
purchase decision.
2. Personal Selling: This is one of the traditional forms of promotional tool wherein the
salesman interacts with the customer directly by visiting them. It is a face to face interaction
between the company representative and the customer with the objective to influence the
customer to purchase the product or services.
3. Sales Promotion: The sales promotion is the short term incentives given to the
customers to have an increased sale for a given period.Generally, the sales promotion schemes
are floated in the market at the time of festivals or the end of the season. Discounts, Coupons,
Payback offers, Freebies, etc. are some of the sales promotion schemes.With the sales promotion,
the company focuses on the increased short-term profits, by attracting both the existing and the
new customers.
4. Public Relations: The marketers try to build a favourable image in the market by
creating relations with the general public. The companies carry out several public relations
campaigns with the objective to have a support of all the people associated with it either directly
or indirectly.The public comprises of the customers, employees, suppliers, distributors,
shareholders, government and the society as a whole. The publicity is one of the form of public
relations that the company may use with the intention to bring newsworthy information to the
public.

E.g. Large Corporates such as Dabur, L&T, Tata Consultancy, Bharti Enterprises,
Services, Unitech and PSU’s such as Indian Oil, GAIL, and NTPC have joined hands with
Government to clean up their surroundings, build toilets and support the swachh Bharat Mission.
5. Direct Marketing: With the intent of technology, companies reach customers directly
without any intermediaries or any paid medium.The e-mails, text messages, Fax, are some of the
tools of direct marketing. The companies can send emails and messages to the customers if they
need to be informed about the new offerings or the sales promotion schemes.

E.g. The Shopperstop send SMS to its members informing about the season end sales and extra
benefits to the golden card holders.

Thus, the companies can use any tool of the promotion mix depending on the nature of a product
as well as the overall objective of the firm.

7. BRANDING

Branding is one of the most important aspects of any business, large or small, retail or B2B. An
effective brand strategy gives you a major edge in increasingly competitive markets. But what
exactly does "branding" mean? How does it affect a small business like yours?

Simply put, your brand is your promise to your customer. It tells them what they can expect from
your products and services, and it differentiates your offering from your competitors'. Your
brand is derived from who you are, who you want to be and who people perceive you to be.

Are you the innovative maverick in your industry? Or the experienced, reliable one? Is your
product the high-cost, high-quality option, or the low-cost, high-value option? You can't be both,
and you can't be all things to all people. Who you are should be based to some extent on who
your target customers want and need you to be.

The foundation of your brand is your logo. Your website, packaging and promotional materials--
all of which should integrate your logo--communicate your brand.

Brand Strategy & Equity

Your brand strategy is how, what, where, when and to whom you plan on communicating and
delivering on your brand messages. Where you advertise is part of your brand strategy. Your
distribution channels are also part of your brand strategy. And what you communicate visually
and verbally are part of your brand strategy, too.

Consistent, strategic branding leads to a strong brand equity, which means the added value
brought to your company's products or services that allows you to charge more for your brand
than what identical, unbranded products command. The most obvious example of this is Coke vs.
a generic soda. Because Coca-Cola has built a powerful brand equity, it can charge more for its
product--and customers will pay that higher price.
The added value intrinsic to brand equity frequently comes in the form of perceived quality or
emotional attachment. For example, Nike associates its products with star athletes, hoping
customers will transfer their emotional attachment from the athlete to the product. For Nike, it's
not just the shoe's features that sell the shoe.

Defining Your Brand

Defining your brand is like a journey of business self-discovery. It can be difficult, time-
consuming and uncomfortable. It requires, at the very least, that you answer the questions below:

 What is your company's mission?

 What are the benefits and features of your products or services?
 What do your customers and prospects already think of your company?
 What qualities do you want them to associate with your company?

Do your research. Learn the needs, habits and desires of your current and prospective customers.
And don't rely on what you think they think. Knowwhat they think.

Because defining your brand and developing a brand strategy can be complex, consider
leveraging the expertise of a nonprofit small-business advisory group or a Small Business
Development Center .

Once you've defined your brand, how do you get the word out? Here are a few simple, time-
tested tips:

 Get a great logo. Place it everywhere.

 Write down your brand messaging. What are the key messages you want to
communicate about your brand? Every employee should be aware of your brand
attributes.
 Integrate your brand.Branding extends to every aspect of your business--how you
answer your phones, what you or your salespeople wear on sales calls, your e-mail
signature, everything.
 Create a "voice" for your company that reflects your brand. This voice should be
applied to all written communication and incorporated in the visual imagery of all
materials, online and off. Is your brand friendly? Be conversational. Is it ritzy? Be more
formal. You get the gist.
 Develop a tagline. Write a memorable, meaningful and concise statement that captures
the essence of your brand.
 Design templates and create brand standards for your marketing materials. Use the
same color scheme, logo placement, look and feel throughout. You don't need to be
fancy, just consistent.
 Be true to your brand. Customers won't return to you--or refer you to someone else--if
you don't deliver on your brand promise.
 Be consistent. I placed this point last only because it involves all of the above and is the
most important tip I can give you. If you can't do this, your attempts at establishing a
brand will fail.