CHAPTER ONE
1.0
This chapter is
intended to discuss certain vital element in marketing known as the “marketing
communication mix”. The purpose of the study will be discussed. Attempts will
be made to identify problems of the organization (i.e. Kwara Hotel), upon which
hypothesis will be formulated to be analyzed in later chapters. The aims,
objectives and significance of the study will also be discussed, and a brief
historical background of the organization.
Promotion is
marketing involves the designa dn communication of information about the
existence, the nature and the usefulness of a business organization and or its
product or service to a given market audience or the society at large. Through
promotional activities an organization seeks to inform its existing and
potential customers of the desirable elements or special attraction of its
product. Since the large of the selling organization is intricately interwoven
with its products, additionally, a business organization through promotion
creates for itself the desirable impression in the minds of its customers and
its community. Buyers patronize products or services because of their believes
in the qualities of the product as well as, having confidence in the ability or
the firm to make reliable and functional product or services.
As an economy shifted from of the
relative scarcity to one comparative abundance as both the number of consumer
and the number of producers grew, moreso, completion for consumer’s money
intensified, a need emerged for planned, controlled marketing communications.
Over the years, the transmission of
information about products to potential buyers in a manner designed to prompt
positive action has grown increasingly sophisticated. We (marketers) have
developed good ways to communicate. We have learned to identify and segment
market. We have made intensive studies of motivation and buyers psychology or
consumers behaviour. We have home to rely increasingly on marketing research as
opposed to hunches. And we have come to depend on planned communications to
arouse attention, stimulate interest, generate desire and motivate action. Most
firm on longer operates on the principles that all you need is a “good product”
sell itself. Modern marketing therefore,e calls for more than developing a good
product, pricing it attractively and making it available to target customers.
Organization or marketing organization
manages a complex marketing communication system. The organization communicates
with its middle men, customers and public. To communicate well, organization
wires advertising agencies to develop effective, sales promotions specialist to
design sales incentive programmes, and public relation firm to develop their
corporate image. They train their sales people to friendly helpful and
persuasive. For many organizations, the question is not whether to communicate,
but know how much to spend on communication and in what ways.
The goals of specific communication and
in what ways may include selling more of products to existing customers,
selling the product during off seasons, increasing sales by promotion new uses
for the product and so on. While, some firms have money than others to spend
for promotion, on firm has unlimited resources.
Therefore, each company must determine
for itself which of those goals are most important and how much it can afford
to spend to reach them.
1.1 STATEMENT
OF RESEARCH
There
is no special training or course for the staff so as to effectively promote the
services the organization is rendering.
Duet to bungetary constraints the
organization cannot meet the necessary requirement needed to facilitate their
promotional activities.
There is no form of bonus to the staff
based on their performance regarding their effort on promotional activities of
the Kwara hotel.
1.2 AIMS AND
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The
aims and objective of this study is to research into problem affecting the promotional
activities of the Kwara hotel and recommend solutions toward solving the
problems. And to consider how Kwara hotel employ these strategies to promote
their services so as to meet the needs of their customers. The effect of
promotional activities on the organization.
1.3 SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY
The
significance of the study will be to provide insight into the effectiveness of
the promotional strategies adopted by the organization. Also to consider the
role of management of Kwara hotel, in ensuring an effective promotion of the
services it’s rending of acceptable prices so as to give customer the desired
level of service and satisfaction.
However, after completion of this
research work, the organizations of Kwara hotel is expected to identify some
basic problems and the anticipated problem that could envisage in the future
time, having in mind that this research work would have provide some workable
and realistic solution and also giving room for further research when
necessary.
1.4 SCOPE OF
THE STUDY
The
research is restricted to Kwara Hotel organization at Kwara-state.
This research work will cover the
following benefit on how to make used of the promotional tools in term of
advertising, Awareness, Absolute price difference, Balance strategy, broadcast
advertising, chatter, competitive advantage, competive, coupon, Discourage
retention strategy, marketing, marketing mixes, pricing, promotional publicity,
strategy etc.
1.5 LIMITATIONS
OF STUDY
The
determination of sample size was one of the limitations faced by the
researcher, in the process of generating relevant data for this project.
However, I was able to sample quite a large number of people.
Time (lack of time) was one of the
constraints but in confine myself to those points I consider very important for
this research project. Moreso, getting an appointment with administrative
manager dueto is official busy schedule which lead to distribution of only
fifty questionnaires because my intention was to distribute up to an hundred
for easy calculations.
1.6 DEFINITIONS
OF TERMS
1.6.1 Advertising: Non
personal promotional activities that are paid for by one or more sponsors.
1.6.1 Awareness: A
means of measuring factors having to do with advertising campaigns, such as
creating awareness of a new product.
1.6.3 Absolute price difference: The
price difference in absolute terms as compared with the price originally
charged pair to a change.
1.6.4 Balancing strategy: A
marketing strategy in which the firm seeks to balance revenue cost flows to achieve
desired profit and market share.
1.6.5 Broadcast advertising: Advertising
is one in television or radio
1.6.6 Chatter: The
promotional environment in which the buyer is presented with so many choices
that is difficult for one promotion to stand out from the others.
1.6.7 Competitive advantage: An
advantage that a firm can offer over a competitive firm.
1.6.8 Competitive: Organization
was competing with the firm for business or the acceptance of ideas.
1.6.9 Coupon: A
direct – response device used for ordering or inquiring about a product or
service. Also a promotional device used to promote increase in sales through
price discount or other forms of special purchase offer.
1.6.10 Discount pricing:
Pricing at a discount when ordered in large qualities or under other special
circumstances determined by the seller.
1.6.11 Free offer:
Free items given in return for purchasing a product
1.6.12 Goodwill: An
advantage that a marketer has acquired due to past performance of actions,
which goes beyond the product or services sold.
1.6.13 Maintenance strategy:
A strategy of maintaining firm’s position in the market.
1.6.14 Marketing retention strategy: A
marketing strategy that involved holding onto market currency served
1.6.15 Marketing:
the process of planning and executing the conception, pricing promotion, and
distribution of ideas, goals, and services to create exchange that satisfy
individual (customer or consumer) and organizational objectives.
1.6.16 Marketing mixes:
The combination and amount of resources allocated by the marketing managers to
product, price and promotion, known as 4ps.
1.6.17 Pricing:
the action by which the cost of a product or service to the buyer is set the
price structure in a particular industry.
1.6.18 Promotion: Marketing
activities that involve communicating information between buyer and seller,
They include advertising face to face selling sales promotion etc.
1.6.19: Publicity: A
firm of promotion that is non-paid and non-personal.
1.6.20 Strategy: A
specific action carried out to achieve a certain goal