Marketing Promotion Decision for Organizations
Organizations of all sizes invest in promotional tactics to increase brand awareness and acquire new or retain existing customers. With so many options available – from traditional media, such as magazine and television ads, to digital options like mobile apps, microsites and targeted emails – it’s essential to develop a well-crafted promotional strategy to maximize the value of each marketing promotion.
First, an organization should assess its current market position. This includes identifying customer segments and associated needs, evaluating competitors’ strategies as well as researching the current marketplace. This critical step helps create a plan that doubles down on the organization’s strengths while minimizing its weaknesses.
Once the research is complete, organizations should select the right promotional objectives that align with the company’s overall mission. The choices are abundant. Organizations may decide to increase awareness of the brand, encourage trial of the product or generate customer referrals. The selection of objectives depends on marketing objectives and should be well thought out.
Next, organizations must decide which promotional activities they will use. This step is often the most challenging, as organizations have a plethora of choices, from promotions to sponsored events to public relations opportunities. Organizations should carefully consider the pros and cons of each activity, selecting those that are most likely to achieve their promotional objectives.
Organizations can also use event marketing to effectively promote their brand. Event marketing typically takes the form of trade shows, conferences, seminars and live events – all with the goal of increasing customer engagement. Organizations should select events that attract target audiences and leverage their unique branding capabilities to stand out from competitors. Finally, some organizations choose to add co-marketing or strategic partnerships to their promotional mix, which can further extend their reach.
No promotional strategy is complete without a budget and a way to measure success. Organizations should allot funds for each promotional activity, taking cost into consideration and relying on research to ensure that the right people are being reached. Each promo should be measured in terms of its effectiveness in achieving stated goals – a comparison of reports will demonstrate which activities are successful and should be repeated.
Developing a promotional plan may be difficult and time-consuming, but it’s necessary to ensure success. Organizations should assess their current market position, determine appropriate objectives, select appropriate promotional activities and create a budget that allows for measurement of effectiveness. When these steps are closely followed, the organization will be well on its way to successful promotion for achieving desired results.