About this short course

Once a company has identified a need, produced a suitable product or service to satisfy that need and ensured that the product or service is easily available through various distribution channels, the next step is to inform and convince consumers to buy these products. This is the role that marketing communication plays. Various marketing communication mix elements can be used by the marketer when communicating to customers. This module explores each of these, including advertising, sales promotion, personal selling, publicity and PR, direct marketing and digital/Internet marketing.

Marketing communication is defined as the sharing of information between an organisation and its target audience, and between other members of the distribution channel to influence the attitude of the target market and to change their behaviour. There are three clear objectives of the marketing communication strategy; to inform, to persuade and to remind consumers of a company’s products. In the past, the various marketing communication mix elements were dealt with separately within companies.

This has changed with many companies now realising the need for integrated marketing communication. This means that companies plan how to use the various marketing communication mix elements in a combined communication strategy, creating synergy and delivering more meaningful results. Marketing communication messages are sent through some form of media to the target audience. There are four broad categories of media (print, broadcast, out-of-home and interactive), through which news, entertainment, education and promotional messages are disseminated to the target audience.

The communication media chosen should not only effectively carry the message and expose the customer to the company’s message, but it should also create a relationship with the customer by connecting the consumer with the organisation. Included in the marketing communications strategy is a media plan outlining the most effective media to communicate the brand message through.

Choosing the right media will assist in creating or strengthening the relationship between the company and the customer.

You will learn about:

• The role of marketing communication and the marketing communication mix
• Integrated marketing communications
• Media classification and planning
• Setting up social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter)