Internet Promotion

Why is understanding the target market a crucial aspect of the communication process?

Understanding the target market is crucial to identify customer’s wants and needs. 
A proper understanding of the target market is also crucial to selecting the marketing mix and effective ways to communicate to that market.  For example, if your target market is the GI generation it would not be wise to focus the marketing strategy around viral videos and social network marketing.  Conversely, if your target market is the millennial generation you would not want to focus solely on newspaper advertisements.  If the target market spans multiple generations, the marketer will need to focus on developing a relationship with each generation to be effective (Williams 2010).  Understanding the age group of the target market allows the marker to communicate most effectively with their customer.  Beyond age groups, there are other factors in identifying the target market such as gender, geographic location, ethnicity, or interests.  These must also be taken into consideration to communicate effectively.

Discuss the AIDA concept. How do these different stages of consumer involvement affect the promotional mix? 

The AIDA concept involves increasing consumer awareness of the product, generating interest in the product, fostering desire for the product, and prompting the consumer to take action to purchase the product.  The first step is to create awareness that the product exists, and this can be done online or through offline promotion (Roberts, 2008).  This is the crucial first step and brings the product to consumer’s attention.  The second step is to generate interest in the product, and this can be done through a good understanding of the target market, and focusing promotion in such a way to captivate the audience.  The third step is to get consumers to desire the product, and this is getting your customers to have a strong want or need for the product (Level343, 2012).  This step may involve showing the benefits or features of the product.  The final stage is prompting action, or getting your customers to purchase the product.  This may be a simple “buy it now” button on the website or a call to action in the promotion.  

Explain the difference between a "pull" and a "push" promotional strategy. Under what conditions should each strategy be used?

Push and pull strategies can be used for promotion and they each take a different approach to generate consumer interest.  The push strategy uses a sales force to push the promotion to the customer.  The sales team generates interest in the consumer.  The pull strategy uses advertising to create demand in the consumer, so the consumer wants the product.  A push strategy pushes desire to the consumer through sales techniques while a pull strategy pulls the desire from the consumer by having customers ask for the products in stores.  A marketer may want to use a push strategy on a niche product or complex product that needs a little explanation while a pull strategy may be best for some commodity items like toys or food items.  Some products require a combination of techniques such as cars which use heavy push and pull strategies to sell to consumers.  Some professional products like an x-ray machine may use only a push strategy and other products like candy bars use only a pull strategy.

What is an advertising appeal? Give some examples of advertising appeals you have observed recently in the media.

Advertising appeal is generating a reason for people to desire the product.  Some of the different forms of advertising appeal are personal, emotional, fear, social, sex, music, scarcity, rational, masculine or feminine, brand, snob, adventure, romance, youth, or bandwagon appeals (Ambekar, 2009).  The Olympic Games have generated some interesting advertising by different companies highlighting athletes that have won gold medals.  This demonstrates using some personal appeal driving emotions such as pride, joy, or self-esteem to foster some interest in the product.  It also uses some social appeal inspiring affiliation with an athlete.  Promotion for products such as perfumes and colognes often use sex appeal and romantic appeal to generate interest in the product with images of two people close to each other.  A final example can be seen in advertising for Subaru vehicles, which often show driving off road in the wilderness and the slogan “love, wherever the road takes you.”  This promotion uses the appeal of adventure and fosters interest in consumers visualizing themselves in the great outdoors with their car.  

What is public relations ? List and describe three tools of public relations.

Public relations is generating publicity using unpaid methods to generate media attention (Roberts, 2008).  Public relations is interfacing between the company or brand and the public.  Three tools commonly used by public relations professionals are press releases, public events, and product placement in films or on TV.  A press release is a public statement that is written and distributed to media outlets such as a newspaper or website who then publishes the statement.  An event can be a party or public announcement made and people are invited or welcome to attend from the public.  A great example of using events to generate publicity can be seen when Apple announces new products.  Apple typically makes a product announcement a major affair and invites a number of people to attend a live keynote.  The final tool of placing the product in a film or on TV can be seen when news shows discuss a new product or a TV show highlights a product.  A great example can be seen when someone drinks a coke in a TV show, which brings attention and generates interest in the product without a paid advertisement.

Works Cited

Ambekar, A. (2009, January 9). Different types of advertising appeals. Retrieved from http://www.articleswave.com/advertising-articles/types-of-advertising-appeals.html

Level343. (2012, January 19).  Using AIDA method as part of your internet marketing strategy. Retrieved from http://level343.com/article_archive/2012/01/19/using-aida-method-as-part-of-your-internet-marketing-strategy/

Roberts, M. (2008). Internet marketing: integrating online and offline strategies. Mason, Oh: Cengage Learning.

Williams, K., Page, R., Petrosky, A., & Hernandez, E. (2010, August). Multi-generational marketing: descriptions, characteristics, lifestyles, and attitudes. Journal of Applied Business Economics, 11(2), 21-36.  Retrieved from http://proxy.msbcollege.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/815978214?accountid=41205