Definition of Marketing Communication

Introduction

To be a manager is to be a communicator – the two are inextricably linked. A great manager needs to communicate upwards, sideways and with his/her team all the time. Employees have a stake in the business, so it is essential that they are kept fully informed regularly and that their views and opinions are sought.

Communication is any process in which people share information, ideas, and feelings. It involves not only the spoken and written word, but also body language, personal mannerisms and style, and the physical environment -anything that adds meaning to a message.

Diagram from Communicating Effectively by Hybels and Weaver

Noise - is the interference that keeps a message from being understood or accurately interpreted.

External noise: Comes from environment. i.e. loud music, hot sun, babies...

Internal noise: Occurs in the minds of the sender receiver when their thoughts and feelings are focused on something other than the communication at hand.

Semantic: Caused by people’s emotional reaction to words.

Simply stated, the communication process involves a sender who transmits a message through a selected channel to the receiver. A simple communication process model is given here

A simple communication process model

Most problems in business are caused by poor communication. What is more, one of the two most common reasons why employees feel demotivated is that they don’t know what’s going on and no-one’s interested in their views. Good communication can improve the performance of your business, so take time to do it well.

We will take you through the following essential pointers to effective communication:

Two-Way Communication

Ensure it is two-way. Many managers focus only on communications downwards – giving information to their people. However, for communication to be really effective it must be two-way. You need therefore, to give information to others and to gain information from them by asking questions.

What?

Decide what to communicate. Many managers are far too secretive. If you are keeping something from your team, ask yourself why. There may be a good reason, but most issues relating to the business, its performance and its future plans should be shared. This will create a greater sense of ownership and involvement amongst your team.

When?

Decide when to communicate. Communication should be timely. Share information as things happen. Avoid the temptation to store up your communication until the next monthly meeting! By then, it may seem like history and you may have lost the opportunity to gain the input of others.

Why?

Decide why you are communicating. This will influence how best to do it. Is it to share information? Is it to persuade? Influence? Is it to gain feedback? Is it to prompt action?
Tailor the Communication

Make it relevant to your audience. The art of good communication is to tailor the message to the recipient. Consider, for example:

What is their reaction likely to be?

How much detail do they like to have?

How easily and quickly can they absorb information?

Are they interested in hard facts, data and substantiation?

The best communicators are those who make the effort to get it right for their audience.

How?

Choose your method. There are lots of ways to communicate. Select the right combination for the right circumstances. Here are a few:

Review

Review the effectiveness of each method from time to time, to ensure that you are using the most effective combination. For example, at the end of a team meeting, take five minutes to conduct a review – what went well? What could we do differently next time?

And finally

Good communicators make the message interesting by giving a human twist, telling a story, using analogies, giving examples…. etc.

The recall rate of the spoken word improves when supported by good visual aids, but is still only around 30%!

Importance of Marketing Communication

It is very important to have a communication flow between the firm and the consumer. In the absence of a direct face-to-face contact with the consumer, the marketer has to make provisions for developing a communication flow between them and their customers.

The Traditional view, the marketer’s held, was that they can enter into a communication with their consumer through the development of a ‘promotion mix’, which includes personal selling, advertising, sales promotion and publicity. However, in the existing competitive scenario, firms have realized that in order to woo and win over consumers, they have to develop a multi dimensional flow of communication network between them on one hand and with the consumers on the other side.

While the organization performs its role as an effective communicator, the firm is also a sender of market message and also a receiver of the market response.

Marketing Communication Through Products

According to Philip Kotler “A product is anything that can be offered to a market for attentions, acquisition, use or consumption that might satisfy a want or need. It includes physical objects, services, persons, places, organizations and ideas. So a product is said to be the carrier of messages through its package, color, size shape physical attributes, label and above all its brand name. The consumer does not consider the product as a non-living thing but instead he would assign meaning and significance to a product because of its brand personality or brand equity or image.

E.g. Margo soap – conveys the message of a complete neem diet for the consumer skin and Lux soap – feel like a star.

Price – Status

Pricing as viewed today is the analysis of the consumer’s perception of “value and sacrifice”. In certain cases the consumer’s view price as a status signs. This is very true in premium or higher priced products. E.g. Onida’s Plasma TV.

Promotion – a Vital Component in Marketing Communication

By using persuasive communication, the marketer seeks to transfer a set of meanings, feelings and tones about a product to some target audience. Such communication will affect the consumer’s attitudes and motivation levels and can help in formulating conceptions of the advertised brand. Through advertising a marketer reaches the consumers by advocating the use or the usefulness of the product. It attracts consumers, increases their curiosity towards the product or increases the usage level of the product. Effective communication would convert competitor’s consumers and help retain their own consumers.

Firms use consumer oriented franchise building promotions because they re-in force the consumer’s brand understanding. Sales promotion tools like coupons, premium, catalog, trade fairs, exhibitions, road shows and hoardings etc., convey a selling message along with the deal.

Both publicity and public relation can stimulate and provide support methods to communicate about the company and its products. They also enjoy more credibility with the public than advertising.