Unit 12 Course Materials

In Unit 12: Promotion, we will discuss the fourth of the 4 P’s of marketing. Promotion is what we typically think of when we hear marketing: communicating with our target audiences about whatever it is we are trying to market, which can be a product, service, organization, idea, or brand. Communication is how you let people know about your offering (product) and why it matters, how much it costs (price), and where to find it (place).

We’ll also learn about the difference between the following terms:

  • Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large
  • Advertising is impersonal, one-way mass communication about a product or organization that is paid for by a marketer.
  • Public Relations is the element in the promotional mix that evaluates public attitudes, identifies issues that may elicit public concern, and executes programs to gain public understanding and acceptance

As you’ve learned about marketing this semester, you’ve also gained knowledge and skills that would help you in either other field. In this unit, you’ll learn a bit more about each and how these three groups work together within an organization to make sure products and services are targeted at the desired segment(s) of the population, shown in the best light, and positioned to be seen in the right places.

By the end of this unit, you should be able to:

  • Explain integrated marketing communication (IMC) and its connection to the organization’s marketing strategy
  • Discuss how to develop effective messaging for marketing communications
  • Explain factors to consider when selecting marketing communication methods to execute the strategy
  • Describe common methods of marketing communication, their advantages and disadvantages
  • Explain how IMC tools support the sales process
  • Describe the uses of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems for marketing communication purposes
  • Explain common tools and approaches used to measure marketing communication effectiveness
  • Create a marketing campaign and budget using multiple IMC tools to execute a marketing strategy

In order to successfully complete this unit, you’ll need to do the following:

1. Read this Open Educational Resource (free to access): Module 13: Promotion: Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC)1
Please note: you do not need to complete the activities listed in this resource.

2. Watch this video (embedded below) which explains Promotion in more detail from Corinne Miller on YouTube2.

As always, if you need more information, you can ask me a question. For information on due dates, check our Course Schedule.

Sources:

1CC LICENSED CONTENT, ORIGINAL Why It Matters: Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) Strategy. Provided by: Lumen Learning. License: CC BY: Attribution

2Corinne Miller on YouTube: MiniMod: Marketing Mix – Promotion Strategy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctx5oJ2WIdc