Product promotion is ... The concept, organization of advertising, integrated methods and processes

Any manufacturer seeks to sell as much as possible of their product. This is done to increase profits.

This, in turn, necessitates the promotion of goods and services. After all, no matter how high-quality a product may be, until a consumer knows about it and its properties, it will not work to sell a large amount of it.

Definition of a concept

What is product promotion? This is a set of activities and activities involving the communication of potential consumers with information about its benefits to stimulate their desire to make a purchase.

When promoting a product being sold, short-term schemes are used that can be applied at points of sale or in the marketing system if the manufacturer has started the release of a new product. The purpose of such events is to revitalize or increase sales. Surprise packages for customers, gifts, contests, offers at low prices, etc. can serve as their example.

In addition, long-term schemes are often used to promote goods. These include, for example, the regular demonstration of a thing or device in specialized stores.

Product promotion is an event that includes the efforts of creative advertising. They imply the creation of an advertising product of an original nature, rather than the traditional placement of information in the media.

Thus, product promotion is any form of message that serves to inform about a product, remind about it, to convince customers, etc. Such events can improve sales efficiency and due to the communicative effect on staff and partners.

Means of promotion are marketing communications. They are considered as a tool with the help of which the entire process of product promotion is managed, which starts from the manufacturer and ends with the target buyer.

The goals of product promotion are to form the response of consumers, including:

• making a purchase;
• getting satisfaction from the purchased item;
• distribution of positive information about the company and the product.

Main stages

The organization of the promotion of goods can be imagined in the form of a pyramid. Its very first stage is “Knowledge”. It includes two steps:

1. Awareness. It includes the acquisition by the buyer of primary knowledge about the product (its individual properties and the name of the manufacturer's company). Ways to promote goods at this stage is advertising and propaganda.
2. Knowledge. At this step, the consumer receives detailed information about the product of interest to him, among which may be, for example, technical specifications.

The structure of the second stage of marketing promotion of goods, which is called "Emotion", includes three steps. Among them:

1. Favor The product is liked by the consumer for any specific characteristics. On the part of the manufacturer, the existing defects are eliminated.
2. Preference for this product or service.
3. The conviction that this particular product must be bought.

The organization of sales and promotion of goods at the third stage, which is called the “Purchase”, is nearing completion. It consists of a single, sixth step pyramid. This is a consumer push to purchase in the form of lower prices, gifts and promotions.

Main functions

Product promotion is a complex of actions pursuing a twofold goal. One of its directions is the activation of consumer demand. In addition, the process of promoting goods is carried out in order to maintain a favorable attitude towards the company. At the same time, such events are entrusted with the implementation of a number of functions. These include:

1. Bringing information to potential consumers about the proposed product and its main parameters. It is not enough for a manufacturer to have a product with high competitive advantages and any related innovations. Its sales will not reach the proper level until the consumer knows about the product. To bring the necessary information to him is the most important function of promotion. For example, an ultrasonic washing machine will be sold only when the manufacturer will explain its advantage over conventional units, and the owners of this equipment will leave their enthusiastic reviews about it.
2. The formation of the necessary image. This function in the product promotion system serves to create an understanding among consumers about it as a prestigious product manufactured using innovative technologies and having a low price. Often, this image exceeds the actual consumer content of a product or service, distinguishing them from similar offers of competitors. This can be, for example, plastic windows in which “there is no lead”, shampoo with a pH of 5.5 and so on.
3. Constantly maintaining the popularity of the product. This function of promoting goods is carried out by reminding customers of the need and importance in their lives of what they are invited to purchase. For example, consumers should not forget about purchasing the Coca-Cola drink for the New Year, because only with it the holiday will come.
4. Changing existing stereotypes of product perception. Sometimes buyers have a negative opinion about a product or service, which does not at all correspond to the expectations that the manufacturer and supplier have on them. In order to reverse such a negative trend, they use a special promotion campaign. An example of this is the increase to 3 years by the South Korean corporation Samsung, the term of service maintenance of its equipment. By this, she convinced potential buyers that her household appliances are no less high-quality than those of Japanese firms. The motivation for buying Samsung equipment was lower prices with better service.
5. Stimulation of all participants included in the marketing system. If the sale of goods is not done to the end consumer, but to the intermediary, then the best way to increase purchases will be to stimulate demand using promotion.
6. Market launch of more expensive offers. The price of a product is not always the dominant factor for a person when he makes a purchasing decision. It is more important that consumers perceive the product they need as one that has unique properties. For example, the Tepal company pans, despite their high price, differ from competitors ’analogues with a removable handle, which allows them to be compactly placed in a cabinet.
7. Dissemination of favorable information about the enterprise. A similar function is the result of what is called philanthropy, sponsorship, social packages, etc. Such a promotion is in its last place in importance. After all, to force a consumer to buy a low-quality product at a high price with a negative attitude to it, no one can.

All of the above functions are a set of product promotion. With its use, the manufacturer manages to increase sales.

Advertising

Product promotion marketing is a developed program of specific communications. Moreover, each of the tools used for this purpose has unique characteristics and requires the allocation of a certain amount of cash.

The most effective of all the methods of promoting goods used to work with a large audience is advertising. It represents any paid form of presenting the ideas of the proposed product.

Advertising affects the increase in sales already by the fact that it exists. The fact is that consumers always believe that a product “promoted” in the media must be of high quality. Otherwise, it is difficult to explain the company's spending on advertising, which subsequently simply will not pay off.

Of all the methods of product promotion, this one works great at the stage when the formation of customer consciousness occurs. In addition, when applying advertising, the manufacturer has the opportunity to work with a fairly large audience across the country.

The main features of this product promotion tool are:

• public character (information is regulated by a separate law on advertising);
• expressiveness, which finds expression in the possibility of an effective idea of ​​the product and the manufacturing company;
• ability to exhortation;
• impersonality (advertising is a monologue-appeal to a wide audience).

Of all the tools for promoting goods, advertising is the longest. And today it is the most massive way to promote. A tool such as advertising can be considered in terms of various aspects. In this case, several types of presentation of product information are highlighted.

In-house advertising

This method of product promotion is an suggestion to employees who must certainly believe in their own enterprise. In order to have a favorable attitude towards the company, within the framework of in-house advertising, certain social events are carried out. These include:

• employee benefits system;
• bringing the structure of the enterprise to a rational look;
• establishing good relationships between managers and employees;
• organization of joint rest;
• uniform and brand insignia;
• the presence in the company of its printed publication.

Prestige Advertising

An enterprise pursuing a marketing policy for promoting a product should have a favorable opinion of customers about itself. To do this, he should raise his prestige. This is carried out using a special type of advertising, which is in direct connection with the intercompany. The following tools are used:

• contacts with reporters;
• Media announcements, including favorable reviews about the company;
• participation in the life of the region and the city, which pursues the benefits for the enterprise.

Sales promotion

Product promotion is the main area of ​​activity for presenting information on the proposed product. Moreover, when organizing advertising, it is necessary to rely on a comprehensive study of the market and monitor the implementation of the following functions:

• creation of prestige of the enterprise;
• demand stimulation;
• providing the buyer with the necessary information about the product;
• sales support, as well as support and expansion of the achieved volume;
• inspiring confidence in the manufacturer and its products.

Advertising at various stages of sales

In addition to the functions listed above, product information delivered to the consumer, it is necessary to be in accordance with the goals and objectives of a particular stage of the life cycle of the product being sold. Based on this, the following types of advertising are distinguished:

1. Informative. This type of advertising corresponds to the stage of marketing products when it is only launched on the market. The main objective of such advertising is to create primary demand, as well as informing the buyer that this product can be purchased.
2. Exhortatory. This advertisement is used in the marketing strategy at that stage of the product life cycle, when the company needs to form selective demand and consolidate the position of the offered product in the target segment. Exhortative advertising is a presentation of information explaining the best quality of the product compared to competitors.
3. Reminiscent of. This type of advertising is used at the stage when the product is already firmly established in the market. Such information reminds the buyer of the existence of the product and further enhances the brand image of the company. A kind of reminiscent of advertising is reinforcing. Its goal is to convince product owners of the correctness of their decision.
4. Social. This type of advertising is aimed at solving social issues in certain regions.

Use of prints

Information for the promotion of goods may be posted:

1. In the press relating to fast periodicals. This is an advertisement in newspapers and on leaflets, the “life” of which is no more than 1-2 weeks. The advantage of such a presentation of information is its efficiency, coverage of a significant audience, low cost, flexibility of formats, simplified response system. Among the minuses are low quality, a small number of secondary readers, as well as an abundance of other advertisements on the pages of newspapers.
2. In publications related to the average periodicals. This ad has attracted the attention of readers for a month. Its advantage is the availability of a long circulation, in higher quality, as well as the ability to influence a certain category of consumers. Of the minuses of such advertising, it is distinguished by its lower efficiency compared to newspapers, as well as a higher cost of ads.
3. In the press, attributed to slow periodicals. This includes telephone directories and directories. The duration of such advertising is about a year. Its main advantage lies in the long period of relevance of the publication and in significant secondary circulations. Among the shortcomings are low efficiency and outdated information.

TV

Advertising in this information source is the most expensive. Moreover, the cost of television advertising is constantly growing due to the limited amount of time.

The advantage of this method of product promotion is a wide reach of consumers, the ability to segment information by region, significant emotional impact, as well as a high level of attention. Among the shortcomings can be noted a significant cost, oversaturation, poor selectivity of the target audience, as well as a shift in consumer interests towards the Internet.

Radio

Among the advantages of such advertising are its relatively low cost, mass audience and mobile means of distribution. Among the minuses are the fleetingness of contacts, the low level of attracting attention, as well as the need for multiple submission of information.

Outdoor advertising

This method of product promotion involves the placement of stretch marks and billboards. Advertising in transport is also used. The advantage of this method of presenting information is its round-the-clock work, little competition, high frequency of contacts, attracting the attention of many people. Among the minuses, there is a lack of selectivity and difficulty in quantifying the effectiveness.

Souvenir advertising

This method of presenting information attracts considerable attention. In addition, souvenir advertisements placed on notebooks, pens, T-shirts, etc., also have a secondary audience. Among the shortcomings, a small place can be allocated for posting information, and therefore only the name of the company and its logo are used. The disadvantage of souvenir advertising is its limited edition.

Internet advertising

This includes several types of reporting. This advertising is contextual, pop-up, on social networks, banners and so on.

Its main advantage is the ability to count the number of buyers who are interested in the product. Among the shortcomings, there is a negative attitude of people to pop-ups that interfere with viewing the context.

Sales promotion

This concept refers to incentive measures of a short nature that encourage the purchase or sale of a proposed product. Sales promotion is one of the methods of product promotion, which includes elements such as promotions and discounts. The main features of this tool of marketing communications are:

• awareness;
• attractiveness;
• prompting an immediate purchase;
• consumer response challenge.

Sales promotion, like other ways of promoting a product, has its own advantages and disadvantages. Its advantages are ensuring the maneuverability of the product, good integration with advertising and personal sales. In addition, sales promotion focuses on the immediate purchase and the creation of conditions for the attractiveness of the transaction. In the process of implementing this method, the company does not suffer significant losses from the introduction of incentives in the form of discounts and concessions, realizing them on their own.

The disadvantages of sales promotion are its inconsistency and short-term, difficulty in determining success and high costs.

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Personal sales

Of all the other types of product promotion, this is an oral presentation of the product, which is carried out during a conversation with one or several customers at once. The purpose of this conversation is to make sales. Distinctive features of this method are:

• personal character;
• building trust between seller and buyer;
• a significant degree of motivation for the manifestation of a consumer response.

Personal sales occupy an important place in the promotion of goods due to their functional capabilities. On the one hand, they form and further maintain the image of the proposed product, and on the other, they allow us to achieve feedback with the client, which allows us to analyze the company's sales and make adjustments to plans for organizing subsequent campaigns.

How does the company decide to promote goods? The choice of a specific marketing communication tool will depend on various factors. Among them are the following:

• financial capabilities of the company;
• used channels of product promotion;
• life cycle of the product being sold;
• Accepted marketing strategy of the company.