Understanding Promotion as Marketing: Purpose, Steps and Types of Strategy!

Have you heard the term promotion in everyday life? Promotion has various meanings, it could be that other people interpret promotion as a promotion, it can also be interpreted as an effort to sell products.

The definition of promotion as marketing explains that promotional activities are aimed at persuading other people to recognize, buy and use the products or services offered. For more details, here is the definition of promotion:

Definition of Promotion

Promotion is an effort made by a person or group of people to be able to increase business or sales of a product or service. Promotion in English is called promotion which also has the meaning to increase, develop or improve. 

Based on the Big Indonesian Dictionary (KBBI), promotion is promotion or introduction of a product in order to promote business, trade and so on. According to Kotler (1992), promotion is a term used to cover the marketing mix and play a role in persuasive communication.

Based on a number of definitions above, promotion can be understood as a tool or effort made and related to communication to be able to introduce a business or product in order to persuade other people to buy it. Promotion can also be done as an effort to make people aware of the products we have. In other words, we can understand that promotion is part of marketing.

Promotion Purpose

Promotion is an activity related to increasing sales of products or services to generate income. Promotion is also known as actions taken to be able to inform, tell and communicate to others about the existence of the product. The following are a number of objectives in promotion activities:

• Giving information

The purpose of promotion is to provide information to customers or target audiences about products or services. Usually in the promotion of information that is carried out includes the existence of the product, how to use the product, the price offered, the advantages and benefits of the product, to build a corporate image for a product.

Provision of information on regular promotions is also intended to reduce misunderstandings or mistakes that exist in the audience. This is useful to show that the product or service offered is safe to use.

• Persuade customers

Promotion aims to persuade customers to buy and use the products that have been offered. Usually this is also done to introduce the advantages of the product compared to brands owned by competitors. To persuade members, promotion usually seeks to change customer perceptions of a product according to the needs of these customers without reducing or exaggerating product functions.

• Maintain the existence of the product in society (reminder)

Promotion also aims to maintain the existence of the product in society by doing reminder. This is done so that people know the product exists, where to buy it, what is its use and maintain its existence in the market. Therefore, promotion is not only aimed at increasing sales, but also introducing a product to the public.

Promotion Steps

To carry out a promotion, someone needs to know in advance what needs to be prepared. Here are promotional steps you can take:

1. Identify target audience.
2. Determine the purpose of the promotion.
3. Prepare the required budget.
4. Develop messages to be conveyed to the target audience.
5. Determine promotional mix.
6. Have a medium of communication used.
7. Measuring the effectiveness of the promotion carried out.
8. Manage, coordinate and modify promotional strategies that are felt to be more effective.

Types of Promotion Strategy

In carrying out promotional activities, it is necessary to develop a strategy that is in accordance with the objectives to be achieved. The following are the types of promotion strategies that you can consider when doing promotions:

• Strategy Defensive

Strategy defensive is a type of promotion that is used with the aim of maintaining the existence or existence of a product so that customers do not turn away or use products with other brands. Strategy defensive This is more suitable for business or business level market grows hers is still high.

• Strategy Attack

Strategy attack is a type of promotion strategy used to expand the marketing of a product or service in the market. This type of strategy is used to get more customers than competitors. Strategy attack tend to be more suitable when used market share low, but potential market grows high.

• Strategy Develop

Strategy develop is a type of promotion used to increase product growth in the market, it is usually used if a product has a high market share but relatively slow growth. Usually strategy develop also used when people feel identical with the product or service offered.

Thus the explanation regarding the notion of promotion as part of marketing. Through the explanation previously presented, it can be concluded that promotion is carried out to increase product sales, form a brand image to maintain its existence in the market. 

Promotion also requires a strategy that adapts to the goals to be achieved. In your opinion, which promotion strategy is more suitable for your product?