Steps in Developing Effective Communication

Now we examine the steps in developing an effectual integrated communications and promotion program. The marketing communicator has to do the following:recognize the target audience; design a message; determine the communication aims; select the media through which to send the message; decide the message source; and collect feedback.

Identifying the Target Audience

A marketing communicator begins with a visible target audience in mind. The audience may be potential purchaser or current users, those who make the purchasing decision or those who influence it. The audience can be groups, individuals, special publics, or the general public. The focused audience will heavily affect on the communicator's decisions on what will be said, when it will be said, how it will be said, who will say it and where it will be said.

Determining the Communication Objectives

Once the target audience has been distinct, the marketing communicator has to decide what response is sought. Obviously, in many cases, the concluding response is purchase. But purchase is the result of a long procedure of consumer decision making. The marketing communicator has to know where the target audience stands now and to what stage it has to be moved. The focused audience may be in any of six buyer-readiness stages, normally the stages consumers pass through on their way to building a purchase. These stages include, knowledge, awareness, preference, liking, conviction, and purchase as shown in figure.

The marketing communicator's target market can be unaware totally of the product, know just its name, or know one or a few things regarding it. The communicator has to first build awareness and knowledge. Obviously, marketing communications alone cannot build positive feelings and purchases for product itself ought to provide higher value for the customer. Actually, outstanding marketing communications may speed the demise of a poor product. The more rapidly potential buyers learn regarding the poor product, the more rapidly they become alert of its faults. Therefore, good marketing communication calls for "good deeds followed by good words."

Designing a Message

Having defined the wanted audience response, the communicator turns to developing an effective message. Perfectly, the message should get Attention, arouse Desire, hold Interest, and get Action (a framework called as the AIDA model). In practice, few of the messages take the consumer all the way from awareness to purchase, but the AIDA framework recommended the desirable qualities of a good message. In putting the message together, the marketing communicator has to decide what to say (message content) and how to say it (message structure and format).

Message Content

The communicator must figure out an appeal or theme that will manufacture the desired response. There are three kinds of appeals: emotional, rational and moral. Rational appeals connect to the audience's self-interest. They indicate that the product will manufacture the desired benefits. Examples include messages showing a product's quality, value, economy or performance. Emotional appeals try to stir up either positive or negative emotions that may motivate purchase. Communicators can use positive emotional appeals like pride, love, joy, and humour.

Message Structure

The communicator has to also decide how to handle three message arrangement issues. The first one is whether to attract a conclusion or leave it to the audience. Early research indicated that drawing a conclusion was more effective usually. Latest research, however, recommend that in many cases the advertiser is better off asking questions and allowing purchaser come to their own conclusions. The second one is whether to present a one-sided argument (mentioning just the product's strengths) or a two-sided argument (touting the product's strengths whereas also admitting its shortcomings)., a one-sided argument is usually more effective in sales presentations-except while audiences are highly educated or likely to hear opposing claims, or while the communicator has a negative alliance to overcome.

Message Format

The marketing communicator also requires a strong format for the message. In a print ad, the communicator must decide on the copy, headline illustration, and colour. To draw attention, advertisers may use novelty and contrast; eye-catching headlines and pictures; message size and position; distinctive formats; and shape, colour and movement. If the message is to be carried over on the radio, the communicator must choose words, sounds, and voices. The "sound" of broadcaster promoting banking services should be different from one promoting quality furniture. If the message is to be carried on television or in person, then all of these elements along with body language have to be planned. Presenters plan their facial expressions, dress, gestures, posture, and hairstyle. If the message is carried on the product or its package, the communicator must watch scent, colour, texture size, and shape.

k. Choosing Media

The communicator now must select channels of communication. There are two broad kinds of communication channels-personal and non personal.

• Personal Communication Channels

In personal communication channels, two or more people directly communicate with each other. They may communicate face to face, through the mail, over the telephone, or even through an Internet "chat." Personal communication channels are effective because they permit for personal addressing and feedback.

Some personal communication channels are directly controlled by the company. For instance, company salespeople contact to buyers in the target market. But other personal communications regarding the product can reach buyers through channels not controlled by the company directly. These may include independent experts-consumer buying guides, consumer advocates and others-building statements to target buyers. Or they may be neighbours, family members, friends and associates talking to focused buyers. This last channel, called as word-of-mouth influence, has considerable effect in various product areas.

Personal influence carries high weight for products that are risky, costly or highly visible. For instance, purchaser of automobiles and major appliances frequently go beyond mass-media sources to seek the opinions of knowledgeable people.

Companies  may  take  steps  to  put  personal  communication  channels  to  work  for  them.  For instance, they may create opinion leaders-people whose opinions are sought by others-by supplying sure people having the product on attractive terms. For instance, they may work through community members like class presidents, local radio personalities and heads of local organizations. They may use significant people in their advertisements or develop advertising that has great "conversation value."

• Non personal Communication Channels

Non personal communication channels are media that hold messages with no personal contact or feedback. They include major media, events, and atmospheres. Chief media include print media (magazines, newspapers, direct mail), display media (signs, billboards posters), broadcast media (television, radio), and online media (online services, Web sites). Atmospheres are designed environments that reinforce or create the buyer's leanings toward purchasing a product. Therefore, lawyers' offices and banks are designed to communicate confidence and other qualities that may be valued by their clients. Events are staged take placed that communicate messages to target audiences. For instance, public relations departments arrange grand openings, press conferences, public tours, shows and exhibits and other events.

Non personal communication directly affects buyers. Additionally, by using mass media frequently affects buyers indirectly by causing more personal communication. Communications first flow from, magazines, television and other mass media to opinion leaders and then from these opinion leaders to others. Therefore, opinion leaders step among the mass media and their audiences and carry messages to people who are less exposed to media. This recommends that mass communicators should aim directly their messages at opinion leaders, allowing them carry the message to others.

Selecting the Message Source

In either personal or non personal communication, the message's impact on the focused audience is also influence by how the audience views the communicator. Messages delivered by greatly credible sources are more persuasive.  Therefore, marketers hire celebrity endorsers-well-known actors, athlete and even cartoon characters-to deliver their messages. Various food companies promote to dentists, doctors and other health care providers to inspire these professionals to suggest their products to patients.

Collecting Feedback

After sending the message, the communicator has to research its effect on the focused audience. It involves asking the focused audience members whether they remember the message, what points they recall,  how many times they saw it, how they felt regarding the message, and their present and past attitudes toward the company and product. The communicator would also like to measure behaviour concluding from the message-how many people bought a manufacture, talked to others regarding it, or visited the store.

Feedback on marketing communications can suggest changes in the promotion program or in the manufacture offer itself.