INTEGRATED MARKETING
P1 Evaluate different types of marketing channels and how they serve communication objectives within an organization context
Being a marketing manager at an organization like Burberry a fashion clothing brand operating in United Kingdom it is one of the most important duty along with responsibility to assess the ways in which the company can engage in marketing communication in order to promote their products and ensure that they reach a large number of customers within a short span of time. It is also the responsibility to evaluate the various types of marketing channels and the ways in which they serve communication objectives within the organization.
Marketing communication is a process of making the people aware of the products, reminding them about the products and persuading them to purchase the products and services of an organization. This process helps the potential customers to understand the benefits and the values offered by the goods or services of an organization and simultaneously help in developing loyalty and trust of the customers towards the brand or organization thereby strengthening the relationship between the customers and the brands (Mulhern, 2013).
Various types of the marketing communication channels and ways in which they can serve communication objectives of Burberry
The main purpose of the communication channels is to attract the attention of potential customers towards the brand, goods or services of the organization, develop a sense of interest among them to try the brand's products or services, convincing or persuading the customers that they need the products or services of the company and creating a desire among them to purchase the products or services and finally implementing actions to convert the potential customers to final customers. Some of marketing communication channels includes direct marketing, advertising, public relations, sales promotions and personal selling.
Advertising
Advertising is referred to as a paid form of marketing communication channel which employs promotion or selling of products, ideas or services through a non-personal message and is openly sponsored. The advertising sponsors are those businesses which have been established and willingly wishes to promote the products and services of other businesses. Advertising communication channels include traditional media like newspapers, magazines, television, radio and outdoor posters, billboards, etc. and digital media like internet, social media, digital displays, etc. (Andrews and Shimp, 2017).
The company can select appropriate content for advertising the products and services of the company to target a large number of potential customers within a short span of time. Advertises on newspapers, internet, magazines, television, radio, etc. can help in attracting all customers toward the company. Though advertisements have a large number of advantages it has drawbacks too and both have been discussed as follows:
Advantages
Helps in reaching a large number of people within a small time frame
Inclusion of celebrities in advertisements of products can help in increasing the image of the products of Burberry
Disadvantages
Lacks the provision of feedback from customers
It is less persuasive than that of personal selling (Gabrielli and Balboni, 2010)
Personal selling
Personal selling is referred to as the process of selling in which the representative of the company or more precisely the sales person of the companies interact face to face with the customers to provide information to the customers regarding the benefits, features, advantages, price and their attributes of the company to the customers. This serves communication objectives in an efficient manner as the people are instantly answered which solves their queries immediately thereby increasing the loyalty and trust of the customers towards the products and services of the company (Belch et. al, 2014).
Advantages
The salespersons can customize the messages according to the attitude and needs of the potential customers
As it is a dual way communication procedure the deals are usually closed positively
Disadvantages
A very few number of customers can be reached at the same time
Cost is too high as compared to other communication channels as it includes payment of salaries to the marketers or sales person (Belch et. al, 2014).
Sales promotion
Sales promotion comprises of different communication activities which are attempted to offer incentives to the customers or adding value to ensure immediate sales of the products and services of the company. This process helps in attracting the customers and encouraging them to make a purchase of the products and services of the company by immediately thereby stimulating high rate of sales of the products and services of the company. Sales promotion techniques include offering free gifts, free samples, and discounts on price, vouchers and coupons, etc. to the customers (Kotler, 2015).
Advantages
The results can be easily measured
It helps in encouraging the potential customers to make purchases of the products and services of the company immediately
Disadvantages
It is a shot term action or tactic to attract a large number of customers but not at all suitable for long term gains
The process is very expensive (Andrews and Shimp, 2017)