The role of promotion in the marketing mix

VOCABULARY

 

to encourage – поощрять, стимулировать

leaflet – листовка, брошюра

publicity – реклама, известность

a long established product –укоренившийся, “утвердившийся” товар

gift – подарок

to claim – требовать

entry form – заявка, бланк

What is promotion?

Promotion involves communicating with customers about products or services to encourage them to buy.

Promotion as part of the marketing mix includes four important methods:

Advertising: these can take different forms in order to inform potential customers and encourage sales for the advertiser.

Sales promotion: is used to support advertising and encourage new or existing consumers to buy the product.

Personal selling: this usually involves sending out sales representatives to businesses to talk directly with the customer.

Public relations: this involves making the public aware of the product or company through sponsorship or publicity in the media.

The combination of these four methods is called the Promotion Mix.

Promotional methods must be used for the following reasons:

1. To inform customers about the availability of a product, its price and where it is available for sale. This is called informative promotion.

2. To encourage and persuade consumers to buy the product. This is called persuasive promotion.

3. To remind consumers that a long established product is and will continue to be available. This is called reminder promotion.

Promotion gives a consumer information about the rest of the marketing mix – without it, consumers would not know about the product, the price it sells for or the place where the product is sold. Promotion is very important when a brand image is being created for a product. It is difficult to think of products that are not advertised and promoted. Most products are produced for the mass market and need advertising and promoting.

 

There are several different types of promotion that can be used:

Price reductions

Examples include reduced prices in shops and money-off coupons which are used when a product is next purchased. Money-off coupons are sometimes found on the bottom of leaflets, in newspapers or on the packet of the product itself, for example, “$1.00 off your next packet”. This encourages the consumer to try the product and hopefully become a regular customer.

 

Gifts

Sometimes small gifts are placed in the packaging of a product to encourage the consumer to buy it. This is often used with products like breakfast cereals and the gifts are usually aimed at children. Sometimes coupons are put on the back of packets which have to be cut out and collected. When a specific number have been gathered they can be exchanged for a gift, such as a book. Collecting coupons requires several packets of the product to be purchased before the gift can be claimed and so several packets of the product will be sold. The aim is that the customer may continue buying the product even after the promotion has ended.

Competitions

The packaging of a product may include an entry form which allows the customer to enter a competition. The prize is often an expensive item, such as a car. This again obviously encourages the consumer to buy the product.

After-sales service

With expensive products, like cars or computers, providing an after-sales service can be a way of encouraging the customer to buy. They can be reassured that, if the product goes wrong in the first few weeks or months after they have bought it, they will be able to take it back and get it repaired with no additional charge to themselves. This may make the customer buy from a shop that offers an after-sales service rather than from somewhere that does not.

Free samples

This is most commonly used with products like food, shampoo and cleaning products. A free sample can be given in the shop to encourage the customer to try the product and hopefully buy it. Free samples can also be given away with other products. For example, new washing machines often contain a free sample of washing powder.

WORD STUDY

 

Ex. 41. Study the different meanings of the word promote and use it to translate the

sentences.

 

to promote (v) 1. выдвигать; продвигать; повышать в чине / звании

2. способствовать, помогать, содействовать; поддерживать

3. побуждать, стимулировать; активизировать, возбуждать

4. учреждать (to promote a company)

5. создавать благоприятные условия для продажи,

рекламировать; содействовать продаже какого-л. товара

 

promotion (n) 1. продвижение по службе; повышение в звании; производство

в чин

2. продвижение, раскрутка, рекламирование, промоушен

 

Study different collocations with the word promotion

 

promotion program — программа содействия развитию

sales promotion —продвижение товаров

promotion of health — укрепление здоровья, оздоровление

 

 

1. If I am not promoted within the next two years I am going to change jobs.

2. Regular exercise promotes all-round good health.

3. To promote a company you should honour some regulations.

4. Advertising companies are always having to think up new ways to promote products.

5. He made his promotion to major.

6. Sugary foods promote putting on weight.

7. He was promoted to the rank of colonel.

8. I got (a) promotion at work.

9. He is recommended for promotion.

 

 

WORD STUDY

 

Ex. 42. Match the words with their definitions.

 

_____ coupon	a) a small part of anything, intended as representative of the whole; specimen
_____ leaflet	b) a printed and usually folded sheet of paper for distribution, usually free and containing advertising material or information about a product
_____ sales representative	c) a mental representation or picture; idea produced by the imagination
_____ image	d) a person who represents and tries to sell the products or services of a firm,
_____ sample	e) a detachable part of a ticket or advertisement entitling the holder to a discount, free gift, etc

Ex. 43. Replace the words in italics by synonyms from the text.

 

1. to stimulate and persuade consumers to buy the product ______________________

2. through sponsorship or advertising in the media ____________________________

3. before the gift can be demanded _________________________________________

4. an advertising sample can be given in the shop... __________________________

5. encouraging is very important when a brand image is being created _____________

6. Personal selling involves sending out sales dealers to businesses to talk face-to-face with the

customer. _________________________________________________

7. coupons have to be cut out and gathered ____________________________

8. When a definite number have been gathered they can be swapped for a present ___________

______________________________

9. free samples are most generally used with products like food __________________________

10. and get it repaired with no additional payment to themselves __________________________

11. which allows the customer to enter a contest ______________________________________

12. The prize is often an luxurious item, such as a car __________________________________

 

Ex. 44. Give English equivalents to the following phrases.

 

1. торговый представитель _________________________________________

2. известность ____________________________________________________

3. наличие товара _________________________________________________

4. образ торговой марки ____________________________________________

5. рынок товаров массового производства _____________________________

6. купоны, дающие право на скидку __________________________________

7. постоянный клиент (покупатель) ___________________________________

8. участвовать в конкурсе ___________________________________________

9. послепродажное сервисное обслуживание ___________________________

10. перестать работать ______________________________________________

11. сухие завтраки _________________________________________________

12. чистящие средства ______________________________________________

Ex. 45. Match the adjectives on the left with the nouns on the right.

 

promotional money-off personal brand regular marketing reduced after-sale washing public free informative potential

a. mix b. customers c. selling d. relations e. methods f. promotion g. image i. coupons j. customer k. service l. sample m. machine n. prices

 

 

COMPREHENSION

 

Ex. 46. Say if the sentences are true or false. Correct the false ones.

 

1. There are three basic promotional tools: advertising, sales promotion, and personal selling.

2. Personal selling involves giving free samples to the customers in a shop.

3. Persuasive promotion encourages and persuades consumers to buy the product.

4. Promotion plays no role in creating a brand image for a product.

5. Money-off coupons encourage the consumer to try the product and hopefully become a regular

customer.

6. To claim for a gift you may produce (предъявить)only one coupon.

7. Even after-sales service can’t encourage the customer to buy expensive products.

8. Free samples are most commonly used with products like food, shampoo and cleaning

products.