Promotional Objectives Statement On The Process of Strategic Planning, Marketing

Introduction.

At the time I have taught at the career of marketing (which is not much time right now (August 2011)), I noticed a big difficulty many students face in developing and drafting promotional purposes.

Some students have asked, incredible as it seems to question why the insistence on the correct design and drafting of the objectives as the basis for promotional planning. The answer is the same as it would for any other planning process: the statement of the objectives is the key that sets the pace for the development of strategies and tactics.

What are they promotional objectives.

In order to establish the goals we must know the company's promotional and marketing strategy best. This means understanding:

Your negociosFortalezasDebilidadesConformación misiónValoresModelo of departmental and operating systems on which we internoRecursos human, financial, transportation, utility, etc.Ciclo of life in the company and / or their products are and the current marketing plan, which includes all other P's of marketing mix:

ProductsThe strategy preciosLa strategy distribution strategy

It also means knowing the situation in the industry in which the company operates. This means, to know:

The threats faced or may face opportunities that present or may present competition and the advantage or competitive advantages poseenLos elements empresaLa differentiation pattern of use and consumption of products or services offered by the empresaLas trends in consumer behavior or users (other trends may be known but generally belong to the field of functions of other departments of the company).

After learning (as well as possible or within our possibilities and executive level) these details we can begin the process of designing promotional objectives.

Before proceeding, we must remember several things about what is the promotion and its role.

In the way it is set within the concept of marketing mix marketing mix or four Ps, the Promotion is the fourth (P) and consists of four tools of communication: Advertising, Public Relations, Sales Promotion and Personal Selling. So in designing the overall promotional objective (covering one year of management) must take into account that covers these four tools. It is important to note that in the promotion, there is a function that directly affects the business performance of the company, personal selling.

When we see this many of us can be shocking that this P include this element without which no business and many people think that their companies "do promotion", but do make sales. The confusion in this regard is clear when we understand the concept of marketing mix and the 4 P point to marketing functions developed by the company and not to their departments or areas. That is, the four P does not explain how the company operating, explaining and linking strategies. An advertising company that is doing promotion. If you only do public relations is doing promotion, sales promotion if it makes promotion, if you do none of the above but it offers and sells products or services, is doing promotion.

It is a good idea then that despite the company at the time no other promotional tools used in the time of the marketing plan, develop a promotional objective and open to allow the window to the other tools as we know, in the year situations can occur that merit the use of them.

How to conceptualize the overall aim.

An overall aim is first and foremost a broad guideline that responds to the marketing plan, which in turn responds to the business plan of the company and its mission.

The overall aim must correspond to the following:

The internal situation of the company and industry (which we saw earlier), more specifically, should support the overall plan marketingResponder the functions of promotional tools (advertising, PR, Sales Promotion, Sales for the period specified PersonalesSer Plans covering the measurable and identify evaluation criteria that will respond to the end of the period for which planteóDebe be achievable within the time period abarcaDebe be understandable, not just senior executives, but all marketing staff so that it functions as a framework for assigning responsibility to acciónDebe promocionalesNo tools lead regarding the general objectives of marketing

As stated by John J. Burnett (Promotion, concepts and strategies, 1996) most of the time can subscribe promotional purposes within the following categories:

Raise awareness, understanding, comprehension or educate about our products and / or services in selected markets in the selected channels on consumers, etc.Cambiar the attitude of our consumers and / or users or markets for our products or categories of productosIncitar behavioral changes in markets, channels, consumers or clientesReforzar preference or the positioning of our brands.

To achieve these actions, each will play a promotional tool, whether dominant or secondary. If we are to create awareness, we will use primarily advertising, if we are to improve the company image, we use primarily public relations, if we intend to strengthen our position we will use a mix of all the promotional tools. If we want greater market share, develop more personal selling and sales promotion and other tools to support these two.

It should be noted that while we are talking about general promotional purposes, they always respond to specific business units, product categories, a division of the enterprise or business in general if this does not have such segmentations. So these general promotional purposes, are at once specific objectives within the marketing plan.

For example, in a multinational company, could be drawn overall objectives of promotion for a specific region or country. If the multinational company has several product categories and these are managed by different managers category, then the marketing plan within each of these managers establish their general promotional objectives respond to the specifics of their business unit. We may also set goals for general promotional markets or specific distribution channels. For example, for wholesale channels, retail, supermarkets, and convenience.

Drafting of the general objectives of promotion.

Much of what is described earlier in the conceptualization of the objectives will be present in the writing of them. Using the rules designed for the construction of other types of objectives can shape the promotional purposes. These are:

Indicate the market or market segment that will address the acciónIndicar a single action using a verb written in infinitivoIndicar performance conditions that indicates the extent of achievement of objectives. These conditions can be expressed in absolute or relative depending on the company whatsoever. You can be one or more of una.Indicar condition the period of time covered

Here are some examples:

By the end of the year 2012 [period of time] increase [verb-action] 5% over 2011 [performance condition] our sales in the market for digital washers [market your intended action].

40% [performance condition] consumers of breakfast cereals in the Dominica Republic [market your intended action] recognize [verb-action] our brand "x" as the highest quality in 2011 [period of time].

As an exercise, draw yourself the elements of the following objectives:

For the 2012-2013 fiscal year to achieve through a campaign of advertising and sales promotion that 6% of consumers of soft drinks in the Caribbean region prefer our brands.

At the end of 2012, buyers of dog food in the supermarket channel Santo Domingo, recognized as the brand that offers greater benefits for your pets.

2.000 conquer new clients in the fiscal year 2011-2012 for our personal banking area with a strong campaign in Advertising and Public Relations.

In the period 2012-2013, making 35% of alcohol users in the country recognize that the use of these drinks is harmful to health.

The specific objectives of promotion.

After having the overall objective of our business unit, then we must write the specific objectives that will lead us to achieve this. The rules given above for the general objectives also apply to the specific objectives.

One approach that we find quite adequate to divide these specific objectives according to the promotional tool to which it corresponds. That is, could top the list of specific targets, saying:

Specific objectives for advertising

Specific objectives for public relations

Specific objectives for sales promotion

Specific objectives for personal sales

Take one of the above examples:

General objectives:

40% [performance condition] consumers of breakfast cereals in the Dominica Republic [market your intended action] recognize [verb-action] our brand "x" as the highest quality in 2011 [period of time].

Specific objectives for advertising:

-Highlight [verb-action] the characteristics of quality and satisfaction offered by our cereal brand "x" [performance condition] to housewives who buy breakfast cereal for their children [market your intended action] by an advertising campaign conducted in the month of February 2011 [period of time].

-Achieve [verb-action] a share of voice not less than 22% [performance condition] in the evening hours [market your intended action] and 18% [performance condition] in prime time National TV [market your intended action] in the months of March and April (of 2011) [time].

-For the months of May and June to initiate a recall campaign in outdoor media and mobile advertising in the cities of the great Santo Domingo, Santiago and La Romana.

Specific objectives for public relations:

-Starting in the month of May a public relations campaign which will run throughout 2011 aimed at reinforcing the image of our company and our brand of cereal "x" as a product that respects the environment and contributes to the health of the children in the Dominican Republic.

Specific objectives for sales promotion:

-For the first quarter of 2011, getting between 60 and 75% of shoppers who buy breakfast cereal in the supermarket chain Enjoy our brand "x".

-For the first quarter of 2011, getting between 55 and 80% of shoppers who buy breakfast cereal in the supermarket chain in the cities of Santo Domingio, Santiago and La Romana buy our cereal brand "x".

-For the summer of 2011, 90% of children children's camps subscribed to taste and take home samples of our cereal "x".

-In the months of August and September 2011, will place in every supermarket chain offers three for two of our promotional package of 450 grm.

Specific objectives for personal sales:

-In 2011, the Dominican Republic to increase our sales coverage by 50% compared to 2010.

-In the second quarter of 2011 [period of time], capture [verb-action] as clients of credit sales [performance condition] supermarkets in the cities of the towns of Moca, La Vega, San Pedro and Higuey [market your intended action].

-Achieve sales increased 15% on routes serving the city of Santo Domingo, Santiago and La Romana.

Conclusions.

Design and write promotional purposes often presents a challenge for students and marketing professionals. Design and drafting these goals serves the same process used for other business and commercial management. For these objectives are realistic and appropriate should be based specifically on the company and the situation the same. Each company is different and can not use written goals for other companies, however if possible, but not recommended, adapt them to our company if business objectives are used to belong to the same industry and market. As with all management, it is preferable to conduct the promotion planning at the beginning of the annual management, right after the other parts of the marketing plan be prepared. That is, when we defined the product strategy, pricing and distribution.

In small and medium enterprises (SMEs), it is possible to include the promotional plan within the overall business plan for the fact that many times their systems and departments are not as extensive, however, it is important to recognize the functions of the promotion and planned as such. In this way our approach and will be better focused.

To compose promotional objectives is important to include four parts, no matter the order:

The period of time abarcaEl acciónLa verb that indicates the condition of execution that will help us measure the achievement of market objetivoEl to direct the operation

If you have questions or want to dwell a little on this subject can write to my e jleoguzman@yahoo.com

Good sales.

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