Integrated Marketing Communications and the Changing Media Landscape

Read this chapter, which discusses the different methods of communication employed by businesses to reach their customers, the types of message strategies commonly used, and budgetary issues that companies must consider. Among this chapter's key takeaways, you will learn that as the media landscape changes, marketers may change the type of promotions they use to reach their target markets. With changing technology and social media, less money is being budgeted for traditional media like magazines, and more money is budgeted for "new media". Regardless of the type of media used, marketers use integrated marketing communications (IMC) to deliver one consistent message to buyers.

Sales Promotions

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

  1. Learn about different types of sales promotions companies use to get customers to buy their products.
  2. Understand the different types of sales promotions companies use with their business customers.
  3. Understand why sales promotions have become such an integral part of an organization's promotion mix.
  4. Differentiate between push and pull strategies.

Sales promotions are activities that supplement a company's advertising, public relations, and professional selling efforts. They create incentives for customers to buy products more quickly and make larger purchases. Sales promotions are often temporary, but when the economy is weak, sales promotions become even more popular for consumers and are used more frequently by organizations.