DESCRIPTION OF PROMOTIONAL TACTICS

The major component to our Promotion Plan is the description (or listing) of the planned promotional tactics plan to use. There are many promotional tools and each one is easily the subject of an entire book. In fact, there are many good books available on the subjects listed here.

A partial list of promotional tools is listed below:
• Advertising

• Print advertising such as that in programs for events, trade journals, magazines, newspapers
• Direct mail
• Outdoor advertising, such as billboards and bus boards
• Broadcast advertising on radio and TV (or Internet sites)

• Marketing Collateral

We might choose to produce and distribute materials such as:

• brochures
• newsletters
• flyers
• posters

Also be sure our package design is appropriately informative and catchy.

• Promotional Activities

1. Sponsorships for special events (like fun runs)
2. Participation in community projects and boards of directors
3. Trade Shows - our product or service might be one that is suited to exhibiting at a trade show attended by the target audience. Trade shows are typically one- or two- day events that allow businesses to set up exhibits or booths showcasing their products or capabilities.
4. Fairs (like Health Fairs, Job Fairs)
5. Give-aways (like baseball caps and mugs with our logo)
6. Coupons and free samples
7. Conducting contests

• Public Speaking and Conferences Making speeches at conferences, professional association meetings and other events positions you and our company as a leader in your field. Attending conferences is also an opportunity to make valuable contacts that lead to sales.
• Publications such as newsletters, trade journals and books.
• Media Relations Campaigns. A campaign is our overall plan for contacting and staying in touch with targeted members of the media (reporters), might want to develop a media relations campaign if it would benefit our company to be mentioned in newspaper, magazine or TV broadcasts viewed by the target audience. Developing press releases and public service announcements could be included in our media relations campaign.

Advertising is uniquely able to deliver a consistent message reliably, quickly and efficiently. Unlike other marketing communication tactics, such as public relations, advertising allows our to control the message, the placement and the frequency. It is our opportunity to tell the world about the product.

Through advertising, we deliver a message about the product or service. Additionally, advertising can:

• establish and maintain an awareness and positive image of our company, products or services
• develop a need for products or services
• develop sales leads
• persuade customers that our products or services are the best
• promote events

Some unexpected results from advertising include attracting new salespeople or retailers and improving employee pride and morale.