PROMOTION MIX, WHAT IS PROMOTION MIX?

PROMOTION MIX

WHAT IS PROMOTION MIX?

The term Promotion Mix is used to refer to the combination of different kind of promotion tools used by a firm to advertise and sell its product.

Promotion mix refers to the combination of various promotional elements viz. advertising, personal selling, publicity, and sales promotion techniques used by a Business firm to create, maintain and increase demand of the product. it involves an integration of all the above elements promotion.

Usually, a firm chooses more than one type of promotional tools and the manager of the firm is to decide how he is going to choose the communication media and blend them into an effective promotion programme. Promotion mix is the name given to the combination of the method used in communicating with the customer.

ELEMENTS OF PROMOTION MIX (METHOD OF PROMOTION)

Product promotion can take 'place in many ways Advertising, Sales Promotion, Personal Selling, Direct Marketing, and Public Relation and Publicity. Similarly,

promotional tools may have many mixes.

First, various method of promotion is discussed. Next, a review of their mixes has been considered. Finally, factors that affect promotion have been listed for developing the right promotional strategies.

Fig.1

ELEMENTS OF PROMOTION MIX (METHOD OF PROMOTION)

Promotion mix consists of following major tools.

1. Advertising. It is an impersonal form of promotion that is directed toward masses and is paid for, with the clear identification of the sponsorers. Advertising is the most visible form of all promotional tools. The media include Mass media (T.V, youtube, website,  Radio, Newspaper), Magazines, point-of-purchase displays, packaging, sponsorship banners etc. The recent trend is toward sponsorship like Pepsi The Independence cup '97

2. Sales Promotion it consists of short term and temporary incentives to purchase or induce trials. The tool includes arranging contests, games, premium packs, gifts, off-season discounts, sampling, rebates, Trade in allowances, exchange offer, etc.

3. Personal Selling is the personal direct presentation of a product to the customer or prospective customer for the purpose

of making sales. The tools include techniques like sales presentations, meetings, incentive programmes, and samples.

4. Direct Marketing It is the use of non-personal contact tools to solicit a trial or purchase. The tools include catalog selling, mail order, Tele-marketing, WWW

marketing, TV shopping, etc.

5. Public Relation and Publicity it encompasses a wide variety of communication efforts to contribute a generally favorable attitude towards the organization and its products.

Publicity is not paid for. The tool includes press conferences, speeches, annual reports, event, publication, donations for public cause and sponsorship. sponsorship is covered here to include that part which is not paid for example Pepsi paid for sponsorship of the independence cup, 1997, But it generated news items in newspaper, Radio, Television, Sports magazines, etc. first part is an advertisement and the second part is publicity.