The Back to the Basics, 4 part, Marketing Series is coming to an end. In previous weeks, we have talked about Products, Pricing, and Place. If you are reading the tips for the first time, I would recommend starting with Products and reading through the last few weeks. Today, we will be discussing Promotion.
The last “P” of Marketing is promotion. This is the part that everyone relates to marketing; it is extremely important (but so are the other components!). You need to create a promotional strategy, are you going to actively seek your customers or provide the information necessary for them to find you? What type of image or reputation do you want your company to hold? You need to figure that out, then make every conscious effort to infiltrate every part of your organization with that image. This is known as “branding”. This builds your credibility, your customer relationships, and their perceptions of your company.
Promotion is not simply publicity and media. While it is important to use advertising through print, television, radio, etc. to inform your customers, there are more ways! (Of course Social Media tools fall into this category). You can effectively promote your brand through your staff, sales, sales support, public relations, social responsibility, etc. This includes everything from the attitudes and behavior of your companies staff, the appearance of the staff, the appearance of your store, your website, etc. Every part of your company that interacts with the public should reflect the image you want for your company. 
Don’t forget about your budget! Many entrepreneurs love the advertising/promotional aspect of marketing and tend to get carried away, throwing their budget in the wind. It is important that you sit down and create a budget for your promotional plan. This will ensure that you strictly adhere to that budget.
To wrap it up, it is imperative that you recognize every part of your marketing strategy. Even if you already have a plan that is working for you, I encourage you to take the time to reevaluate each component of the 4 P’s and to analyze if you are most effectively addressing each issue. Try looking at your company/product from your customer’s view point, you may see something you have never seen before!
Danial
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