Components of a Promotion Mix: advertising, direct selling, sales promotion,
public relations
Advertising. This is a non-personal promotion of products and services. Marketers
use advertising as a vital tool for increasing brand awareness. Advertisers show
promotions to masses of people using email, webpages, banner ads, television,
radio, etc.
Direct selling. This is a one-to-one communication between a sales representative
and a potential customer. Direct selling influences people to decide to buy certain
products or services. It is one of the most effective ways of promoting your brand
because the sales rep can tailor the promotion precisely to those who are most
likely to make a purchase. On the other hand, this is the most expensive form of
sales because companies need to pay for one person’s time.
Sales promotion. This is a set of short-term activities that are designed to
encourage immediate purchase. Sales promotions are a campaign that uses time-
sensitive offers — sales, discounts, coupons, etc., to engage existing consumers
and bring in a larger audience. Many companies make this a core component of
their marketing efforts, though sometimes it’s the most annoying type of
communication for people.
Public relations. This type of promotional method determines the way people treat
the brand. Companies using PR try to build a firm and attractive brand image by
planting interesting news stories about their activities in the media. Public relations
are not fully controlled by the company, though, as some reviews and webpages
may negatively highlight the brand. If a company adequately solves these issues,
people will reward them with positive word-of-mouth consideration.
