Customers learn about products through promotion. Promotion is the process of communicating with potential customers in an effort to influence their behavior or beliefs. Advertising, sales promotions, public relations, and personal selling make up the promotional mix.
Advertising is any form of nonpersonal communication used for promotional purposes that is paid for by an identified sponsor. This may include print media, outdoor media, broadcast media, or digital media.
Sales promotion involves the methods used to encourage customers to buy a product within a specific time period, usually as soon as possible. A sales promotion can include coupons, rebates, promotional items, samples, loyalty programs, contests and sweepstakes, trade shows, and displays.
Public relations consists of marketing activities that promote goodwill between a company and the public. The goal is to continually project a positive image about a company. Public relations activities may include community outreach, company events, and corporate social responsibility programs.
Personal selling is any direct contact between a salesperson and a customer with the objective of making a sale.
By combining the elements of the promotional mix in a coordinated manner, marketers can deliver a consistent message to customers. This is known as integrated marketing communications, or IMC.