MARKETING COMMUNICATION

Marketing communication as stated by Aonodona John Terugwa (2001). In the book title marketing communication strategy is the process by which information about an organization and its offering is disseminated to selected markets. Because of the function, communication plays in facilitating mutually beneficial exchange relationship between an organization and prospective buyers even if prospective buyer possesses a pressing need, no exchange would occur without communication. Communication is necessary to inform buyers of the following; the availability of an offering or product, the unique benefits of the product or service where to obtain and how to use the product.

Marketing organization aims its effort at satisfying its customers to a profit rate based on the communication process used on connecting with the customers, Aondona J.T in his book, describes two dominant orientations on the marketing organization; the marketing orientation and the product orientation.

For the course of this study, some evidence has been adapted in the marketing communication concept. The probable reason for non-adoption for the concept includes:

i.                   Some managers that the concept is irrelevant.

ii.                 Ignorance on the part of management on how to effectively implement the concept.

iii.              Total ignorance of the existence of the organization

iv.              Lack of commitment of marketing managers to the success of the business.

To achieve effectiveness and deficiency of small and medium scale enterprises, the company formulates its marketing communication strategy within the context of it’s co-operate goals, objectives and whichever a good marketing communication strategy should not concern only to the achievement of the firms overall objectives.

  NEED FOR MARKETING COMMUNICATION

In order to influence action toward the welfare of the company, it requires information about prices, competitions, technology and finance as well as information about the business cycle and government activities. Communication is essential to any productive organization being the organization a profit or non-profit making, but communications enhance its success. Marketing communication strategy also called (promotion) is another ingredient of marketing mix. Manson permeable in their book “Market Game” said promotion blends in small and medium business enterprises include sales-promotion, personal selling and advertising.

In addition, firms try to get publicity in business magazines and trade publication, product having been produced, price and disseminated must be communicated (promoted) so as to make people aware, persuade, influence and convince prospects of the product features band characteristics or even their existence of presence in the market.

Marketing communication strategy promotional strategy includes all those activities other than price education by which a company attempt to carry out.

Aonodona J.T, marketing communication strategy (2001) that the objectives of communication strategy may be internally or externally formulated for the internal objectives are:

1.     To establish and disseminate goals of an organization or company.

2.     To develop plans for their achievement based on the product.

3.     To lead, direct, motivate and create a climate in which people want to contribute.

4.     To organize human and other resources in the most effective efficient way.

Nevertheless, communication also relates the company to its external environment. In the first place, as the distance between producers or companies and consumers grows, the problem of marketing communication becomes significant for the external environment. It is through information exchange that managers become aware of the needs of the customers, the availability of supplier and the concerns of the community.

For any marketing communication to achieve its target goals, it is not enough to communicate only with ultimate consumers or industrial users, once middlemen are introduced into the market pattern, it become assent that the middlemen to be informed about products.

2.2     MARKETING COMMUNIATION PROCESS

In an organization, this shows how the information of the organization or company is been produced and how it has no put on for sales. Many processes of communication have to be followed befoe the information is clearly made available for the customers, this can be shown on the diagram as it is drawn by Ms. Monica Rowland in her lecture note on communication, Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa, Nasarawa State. This can be shown on the diagram below

Sender

Encoding

Message Media

Decoding

Receiver

Response

Noise

Feed Back

 

 

 

 

 

 

MARKETING COMMUNICATION PROCESS AS DRAWN BY MRS. MONICA ROWLAND IN HER LECTURE NOTE

Encoding refers to the communication design of the message in term, which in plan should enable the intended meaning to be conveyed to the receiver.

Decoding relates to the interpretations of the message which the communicator has aimed at the specific target audience.

 

 

2.3     IMPLICATION OF THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS

Although this is a simplified representation of the communication process, it will illustrates a number of key point, first communications starts with the sender having a message or meaning to share or send to an intended audience.

In order to share this messages or meaning the communicator must encode these into signs and symbols, which incorporate the message or meaning. The sign and symbols can be for examples, visual such as work picture or oral such as speech and other sounds. In fact there are many ways in which the message or meaning can be encoded. The process need to be done in such a way that the target audience can readily interpret (decode) the intended meaning. Other words, the encoding process must take into account and be consistent with the target audience. A good example of the importance of this point in marketing communication is where a company is communicating through international and hence cultural boundaries, we all know that what may be readily understand in one culture may be interpreted in very different ways in another international marketers in particular that have encountered problem in the past because they have not encoded meaning in which way allows for accurate understanding by target audience. Even on the domestic markets, communication is most effective where symbols used are consistent with target audience. The encoded messages are delivered through a variety of possible media channel. We think of media channel as including television, commercial radio newspaper and magazines. In addition to these messages are delivered through company sales force and the other element of the marketing mix. Peter Ozidine in his book said that one of media planning, not only media are of the major cost in promotional budgets.

However the plethora of choice with respect to media, their scheduling and their coverage makes the choice of channels a key one.

As already noted above, communication is aimed at the receiver. In marketing communication, the receiver is the target audience. These financial institutions, shareholders of the local community, government etc. irrespective of the target audience, effective communication requires that the encoded message be decode.

2.4     STEPS IN PLANNING MARKETING COMMUNICATION

The major steps in developing effective communication programmes in an organization as listed by Peter Ozidine in the book business communication includes the following:

1.     Identify the target audience

2.     Determine the communication objectives

3.     Designing the message

4.     Selecting the communication channels

5.     Allocate the total communication cost if any

6.     Measuring the communication result

7.     Manage and coordinate the total marketing processes

By identifying the target audience, the communication must start with a clear target audience in mind of the audience that may be potential buyers of the company’s product, current users, deciders or influencers.

The audience may be individuals, groups, particular publics or public.

The target audience will critically influence the communicator’s decisions on what is to be said, how it is to be said, when to say, where to be said and who is to say it.

Another point is that of determining the communication objectives. Here once the target market and its characteristics are identified, the marketing communicator must decide on the designed response.

Formulating the message will require solving your problems on what to say (message content), how to say it logically (message structure), how should it be said (message sources). Furthermore, the communicators must select efficient channels of communication to carry the message.

Communication channels are two brand type: personal and non-personal. More so, the marketing communicator must allocate the total promotion budge, which is one of the most difficult marketing decision facing companies, based on this, the companies do not know how much the companies spend on promotion budget and its four promotional tools of advertising, sales promotion, publicity and sales force.

Companies are always searching for ways to gain efficiency by substituting one promotional tool for another as the economy becomes more favourable. Other companies have increased sales promotion expenditure in relation to advertising to gain quicker sales.

After implementing the promotional plan, the communicator must measure its impact on the target audience. This involves asking the target audience whether they recognize or recall the message, how they feel about the message and their previous and current attitude towards the product and company.