The secret of success in the world of marketing is good communication with the target audience. Marketing activities without a strong communication strategy are far from producing the expected results. The fact that there is an uninterrupted and holistic communication flow in all marketing activities and the progress of the activities in the relevant line directly affects the prestige and reliability of the brand.
What is Marketing Communication?
Marketing communication is the set of strategies and tools that a business or brand uses to reach the target audience, promote its products or services, influence customers, and establish relationships. Marketing communication aims to attract the attention of the target audience, arouse their interest and influence the purchasing decision by using communication channels to achieve marketing objectives. It also plays an important role in retaining existing customers. Especially advancing with integrated marketing communication plans makes positive contributions to the image and prestige of the brands.
What Are the Characteristics of Marketing Communications?
Local and global marketing communication is a tool to reach a wider audience in the business world. Marketing communication uses a variety of tools and channels such as advertising, public relations, sales promotions, direct marketing, personal selling, and digital marketing. These fields are used to convey the value, benefits, quality, and unique features of the products or services to the target audience. In addition, purposes such as increasing brand awareness, creating and maintaining brand image, gaining customer loyalty and increasing market share form the basis of marketing communication activities.
Pazarlama iletişiminde pazar araştırmalarına dayanılarak stratejiler oluşturulur ve hedef kitleye doğru kanallar aracılığıyla ulaşılır. Bu stratejiler, mesajların hedef kitleye uygun olarak tasarlanmasını, iletişim araçlarının doğru seçilmesini ve iletişim etkinliklerinin takibini içerir.In marketing communication, strategies are created based on market research and the target audience is reached through the right channels. These strategies include designing the messages in accordance with the target audience, choosing the right communication tools and tracking the performance of the communication activities.
We can summarize marketing communication as the communication process that brands use to market their products or services. A good marketing communication strategy aims to interact with the target audience, increase the brand value and enable the organization to compete successfully.
Marketing communication management is carried out by experts who are competent in both marketing and communication. In this context, following the developments in the digital field closely, being aware of new channels and channels, and having high presentation-communication skills come to the fore in success.
What Are the Purposes of Marketing Communications?
There are many targets of marketing communication. We can summarize them as follows:
- Promoting products or services more effectively,
- Creating and consolidating the brand image,
- Increasing brand recognition and awareness,
- Developing and consolidating customer relations,
- Carrying out customer information,
- Increasing sales and profitability,
- To become more potent in competition,
- Reaching new markets,
- Influencing consumer behavior and attitudes,
- Increasing customer loyalty and establishing long-term relationships.
What Are the Benefits of Marketing Communications to Customer Relationships?
Strong marketing communication provides great benefits to customer relations. Therefore, it refers to a title that brands meticulously put on it.
Presenting accurate and complete information to the targeted audience positively affects customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. In addition, a transparent and honest approach creates good results in terms of brand trust and reputation.
Marketing communication encourages customers to interact with the brand. Having customers provide feedback, make suggestions, and engage with the brand increases customer engagement and contributes to the brand-customer relationship. It enables better evaluation of customer returns and increases satisfaction.
Marketing communication is also very important for new customers to discover the brand. A good communication strategy ensures that potential customers are interested in the brand and are directed to the purchasing process. It also supports the establishment of longer-term relationships with existing customers.
What are the Popular Marketing Communication Models?
Models created by various experts in marketing communication have been used by marketers for many years. Among these models, AIDA, Hierarchy of Effects, DAGMAR, POEM, Communication Funnel, and Marketing Communication Mix come to the fore.
Hierarchy of Effects Model
The Hierarchy of Effects Model is a model used to understand the steps consumers go through in the purchasing process and to design marketing communication strategies according to these steps. Considering that consumers have different needs and behaviors at each stage, it is aimed to create an effective communication strategy.
This model has 5 stages:
- Awareness: It is the stage where the consumer has knowledge about a brand, product or service. Marketing communication focuses on making the consumer aware of the brand’s existence.
- Knowledge: It is the stage where the consumer does not begin to learn about the brand. Marketing communication aims to increase the knowledge level of the consumer by conveying the features, benefits, usage, and other relevant information of the brand.
- Liking: This is the stage where the consumer likes the brand. Marketing communication aims to increase brand preference by enabling the brand to have a positive effect on consumers.
- Preference: It is the stage in which the consumer prefers the brand to other alternatives. Marketing communication tries to get consumers to see the brand ahead of others.
- Purchase: The fifth and final stage is the consumer’s decision to purchase the brand. Marketing communication uses a variety of strategies to increase and stimulate consumer purchase intention.
AIDA Model
The AIDA model also aims to attract the attention of prospective customers through various stages and direct them to sales. At each step, it is aimed to maintain the interest of the consumer and direct them to the purchase decision by using different communication tools and methods. Efforts are made to attract consumers’ attention, arouse their interest, generate desire, and make them take action.
The stages of the AIDA model are:
- Attention: In the first step, it is tried to attract the attention of the consumer. Awareness about the brand or product is created by using an effective title, image, or message that will attract the attention of the consumer.
- Interest: In this step, the interest of the consumer is aroused. It is aimed to sustain the interest of the consumer by emphasizing elements such as the features, benefits, and unique selling points of the product or service.
- Desire: In the third step, a request is created by the consumer. By emphasizing the value offered by the brand, the benefits provided by the product, and the advantages offered to the consumer, it is ensured that the consumer has a desire for the product or service.
- Action: In the last step, the consumer is expected to perform an action. An action such as purchasing, trying a product, or registering is requested from the consumer.
What is the Marketing Communications Mix?
A marketing communication mix is the combination of communication tools, channels, and methods used while creating marketing communication strategies. The marketing communications mix helps determine how various communication tools will be used to achieve marketing objectives.
The key components in the mix are:
- Advertising: Advertising is a communication tool used to announce the brand or product to large audiences. Media channels such as television, radio, newspapers, magazines, outdoor advertisements, and digital platforms are used and messages are delivered to the target audience.
- Public Relations: Public relations is the discipline that manages the communication of the brand or company with the public. By using tools such as press releases, media relations, events, sponsorships, and crisis communication, the brand’s reputation is strengthened and positive news is spread. Ongoing work is carried out in the name of public relations and promotion.
- Sales Promotions: Sales promotions are activities aimed at accelerating purchasing decisions by offering short-term incentives to consumers. With incentives such as discounts, coupons, free samples, contests, and gifts, it is aimed to attract consumers, increase sales and encourage loyalty.
- Direct Marketing: Direct marketing is a communication tool that provides direct messages to the target audience. By sending personalized messages via e-mail, letter, telephone, SMS, and catalogs, direct interaction with customers is ensured, special offers are offered and feedback is obtained.
- Personal Selling: Personal selling is a communication tool that aims to sell a product or service by communicating one-to-one through sales representatives. Customers are given detailed information about the product, answers to questions are offered and solutions tailored to the needs of customers are offered.
We can also describe these components as integrated marketing communication tools. These channels can be used for integrated marketing communication management.
How to Create Marketing Communication Strategies?
When creating marketing communication strategies, it is necessary to start with good planning. Ensuring uninterruptedness and integrity in communication step by step is very important for success.
Identifying the target audience is the first step in creating a marketing communication. Communication is a mutual flow of at least two people. Considering that brands appeal to large audiences, the addressed group should be determined well. Here, the creation of consumer profiles and customer segments allows more valid studies to be made in the name of communication. In addition to the audience, the creation of goals in communication is also an important step. Strategies for different objectives such as increasing awareness, increasing sales, creating customer loyalty, and acquiring new customers are also diversified. If the goals are determined correctly, it will be easier to work on them.
After the determination of the targets and the audience, the creation of mottos, messages, and positions suitable for these headings comes into play. The position of products or services is presented with strong messages. Engaging and different messages that appeal to the target audience increase the power of communication. Emphasizing the unique value proposition and competitive advantages of your brand or product strengthens impact.
The next step is to choose the communication tools for the marketing communication strategy. Among the tools such as advertising, public relations, sales promotions, direct marketing, and digital marketing, which will provide the best interaction with the target audience, concentrate and work on them.
Budgeting is the next step. This budget should include the costs of communication tools, the duration of the campaign, and the resources necessary to achieve the goals
It is important to follow up and measure the strategy while putting the marketing communication strategy into practice. It is necessary to monitor the success of the campaigns, evaluate the feedback and update the strategy if necessary.
Tips to Have Better Marketing Communications
It is very important to know your target audience well in the success of marketing communication. Knowing about their demographics, behaviors, interests, and needs strengthens communication.
It is critical to reflect the norms and values of your brand or product in your communication messages. Being candid with consumers and using language that aligns with their values helps build trust and loyalty.
Your communication messages should be clear, understandable, and concise. It is important to avoid complex or exaggerated expressions. You can increase the impact of your communication by using simple and understandable language.
Identifying the channels in which your target audience is active in communication and using these channels effectively are the keys to success in marketing communication. You can interact with consumers and deliver the right messages at the right time through social media, digital platforms, e-mail, and mobile applications.
Personalizing communications helps you build a stronger connection with consumers. Methods such as special offers to customers, using personal language, and addressing them by name can be used.
Keeping your brand and products in mind by communicating with consumers regularly is also among the things that need to be done. Interaction should be maintained by regularly sharing information such as new products, campaigns, and discounts.
It is important to consider and evaluate feedback from consumers. You can use the feedback to understand the satisfaction and expectations of consumers and adjust your strategy accordingly.
In marketing communication, maintaining multi-channel activities and ensuring the integrity of messages are among the strategies that lead to success. Contact us to find out how we can support you in this regard.
