Promotion Decisions

Those unfamiliar with marketing often assume it is the same thing as advertising.  Certainly our coverage so far in the Principles of Marketing Tutorials has suggested this is not the case.  Marketing encompasses many tasks and decisions, of which advertising may only be a small portion.

Additionally, when non-marketers hear someone talk about “promotion” they frequently believe the person is talking about advertising.  While advertising is the most visible and best understood method of promotion, it is only one of several approaches a marketer can choose to promote their products and services.

In this tutorial we begin our discussion of the third major area of the marketing mix – promotion. 

Many view promotional activities as the most glamorous part of marketing.  This may have to do with the fact that promotion is often associated with creative activity undertaken to help distinguish a company’s products from competitors’ offerings.  While creativity is an important element in promotion decisions, marketers must also have a deep understanding of how the marketing communication process works and how promotion helps the organization achieve its objectives.