The concept of integrated marketing communications is becoming increasingly popular. It includes both a traditional advertising campaign - ATL advertising, as well as BTL communications and public relations. If with classic advertising everything is clear, then BTL - what is it?
Put the line
The terms ATL and BTL appeared around the middle of the 20th century. Many probably heard the story of a leader who, when signing the advertising budget, included the costs of distributing free product samples and wrote them yourself under the line of basic expenses. According to this legend, a division arose between “above the line” and “under the line”. ATL costs include expenses related to the placement of advertising information in the media. This television, radio, outdoor advertising, print media. BTL includes all kinds of sales promotion methods. The costs of this area are calculated from the total budget for the implementation of marketing communications. However, there is a tendency to redistribute the BTL budget from the residual to the core category.
BTL industry
BTL is what? An English-language term that describes marketing communications, depending on the principle of forming the target audience. The literal translation "below the line" means "below the line." It is a subtle marketing tool, including sales promotion, placement of POS materials, merchandising, direct mailing, incentive promotions for buyers and employees of the trading chain. It is believed that BTL advertising is more targeted and allows you to deliver a call to purchase or any other advertising message directly to the final individual consumer. Usually, the call is extremely individual, and BTL works, as a rule, directly in the place of sale or the decision-making area of ​​the purchase.
BTL in Russia
The effectiveness of traditional advertising in the media is gradually decreasing, which leads to an increase in the activity of BTL events, an increase in the quality of this industry and an increase in the budget for promotional events. ATL and BTL ads compete with each other for the client’s budget. Many Russian companies prefer to cooperate with network agencies, create projects together. Because to maintain a whole department in the state is expensive and impractical. And some don’t even know what a BTL project is inside and BTL is what? Corporate standards dictate requirements to agencies, including those related to the uniqueness of ongoing promotional events.
The reasons for the popularity of BTL
Consumers are becoming more demanding and informed, they need to independently understand the offered goods, get more useful information about them, and in some cases try the offered product. All this is offered by well-organized BTL events. BTL advertising is created directly for the target audience and is aimed at the end consumer of the promoted products. Obviously, the potential return on it will be significantly higher than on classical media advertising, where everyone receives an advertising message, regardless of whether a person needs this product or not.
BTL campaigns
BTL advertising agency uses the following tools to influence each specific customer: sales promotion, personal communications, public relations, merchandising, use of POS materials, event marketing.
For the end consumer, the BTL manager can offer such incentive methods as tastings, promotions on giving gifts for the purchase, win-win lotteries, distribution of probes (sampling), distribution of POS materials. Merchandising is used to encourage sellers, directors of retail stores and distributors. It is a display of goods on display cases and counters and tracking the availability of goods at points of sale. Conferences, seminars, contests, lotteries are also organized.
Event-specific special events include exhibitions, festivals, and concerts promoting the product, brand, or brand among consumers. Events to increase the loyalty of partners and to inform about the activities of the company. These are press conferences, seminars, exhibitions. Special events include programs to strengthen the corporate culture within the company between employees. This is a joint celebration, popular today team-building. Marketing research consists in a comparative analysis of market participants, the need to determine the volume, market share. Identification of market development trends.
Promotions
BTL projects typically include the work of a promoter, supervisor and project manager or coordinator. It is the promoter that will be the most important link in this chain. The success of the whole event depends on how well people who are in direct contact with the final consumer, who the campaign is aimed at, do their job. Therefore, the selection and training of personnel by the BTL agency should be given great attention.
Supervisor Responsibility
Within the framework of the project, promoters report to the supervisor. He controls their work at the point of sale at the time of the action. Since the supervisor also organizes the workplace of subordinates, he is also responsible for the quality of their work. It is important for the supervisor to be able to quickly navigate in a difficult situation and quickly resolve conflicts
Coordinator Responsibilities
The project manager, or coordinator, contacts with the managers of the retail stores in which the promotional events will be held. Responsible for the delivery of promotional stands, promotional materials, the required amount of the advertised product, its samples. In addition, the coordinator oversees the completion of the reporting of the event. In general, the manager’s task is to ensure the planned course of the promotional event.
What else does BTL consist of?
BTL marketing, in addition to the classic components, also includes some borderline tools. Event marketing is usually referred to as PR events rather than BTL, although during such projects promotions are conducted to evaluate the reaction of potential buyers to the advertised product. The second tool is the Internet, SMS and mailing lists. Their goal is to reach the target audience as much as possible. But in this case, there is direct contact with a potential consumer.
If we talk about the impact of POS materials, in this case, the impact will occur only at the time of the decision to purchase exclusively at points of sale. With the help of shelftalkers, wobblers, colorful price tags, promotional racks, a visual contact is established with customers, attracting their attention, which further contributes to sales growth due to impulse purchases.
Development trends
ATL and BTL ads undergo some changes over time. In economic crises, BTL suffers less than the traditional advertising market. Due to the fact that BTL allows for a minimum of costs to ensure maximum sales. There is also a tendency to enhance individualization of customer service. The emphasis is not so much on the product itself, but on the needs of customers and demonstrating customer care.
Typically, customers of BTL stocks are tobacco companies, FMCG, manufacturers of machinery, alcohol products, mobile operators, and pharmaceutical companies. They don’t need to explain, BTL is what? These companies are familiar with targeted offers and promotional events firsthand.
A successful promotion will not only fulfill its main function, for example, increasing sales for the period of the promotion by 30%, but will also provide a number of other advantages. Since during the campaign there is direct contact with the end customer, the promoter can create a positive image of the company in the eyes of the consumer, stimulate an additional purchase, and increase brand recognition.
Successful implementation of the action is preceded by painstaking analytical preparation. First you need to choose the right event to conduct. Having collected the necessary information base, it will be easier to determine the BTL tools. After collecting information, goals are set and accents are placed on the future project. Next, an estimate is approved and a detailed plan for the upcoming event is drawn up. The plan reflects a clear timeline for project implementation. The right time for the action will be one of the success factors. And the professionalism of the staff will allow you to implement the promotion successfully and achieve the desired results.