Communication Center Objectives and Marketing Tools

1. Communication Center Objectives

The four objectives of a communication center are:

• Ensuring the client identifies the company and relates it to the activities taking place.
• Attracting new customers.
• Positioning the center above the competition.
• Modifying customer demand to avoid seasonality.

2. Communication Classifications

Communication can be classified based on:

• Where it is carried out: Internal communication or external communication.
• The medium used: Communication between people or communication over a physical medium.

3. Internal Communication Through Media

This involves informing clients about the services and products offered at the center through physical media. Examples:

• Brochures.
• Advertising at the point of sale (POS).

4. External Communication Through People

This occurs when customers interact with staff. It is influenced by their image, mannerisms, speaking style, vocabulary, and professionalism. Examples:

• Communication with the practitioner.
• Public relations (PR).

5. External Communication Media

Items such as a logo, a label, and a brochure are forms of external communication through the media.

Promotion involving direct interaction is external communication between people, aimed at capturing the public's attention.

6. Sales Promotion Marketing Tools

Marketing tools used in sales promotion include:

• Contests and sweepstakes.
• Discount coupons.
• Free samples.
• Discounts.
• Gifts.
• Demonstrations.

7. Advertising Definition and Characteristics

Advertising is a communication tool that is not paid for by staff and uses an identified poster or message. Its characteristics include:

• It is public; what is offered is the same for all consumers.
• The message can be repeated many times.
• It is very expressive, utilizing colors, message content, and so on.
• It is impersonal to the general public.

8. What is Promotion?

Promotion is a package of incentives offered to final customers, designed for the short term to increase and accelerate sales.

9. True or False Statements on Advertising and Marketing

Review of marketing principles:

• Advertising uses technical language. - False
• Advertising promises things it cannot fulfill. - False
• When a service or product is very expensive, customers seek information from different sources to compare. - True
• Advertising emphasizes prices over the customer's wants and needs. - False
• When competition is high, advertising should be combined with promotion and personal selling. - True
• When a good or service is new or a business is opening, ad spending should be increased. - True
• If there is sufficient time in the market, investment equals the initial investment. - False
• In choosing the advertising environment, frequency and impact are the same. - False
• All products can be advertised in all media. - False
• All media have the same audience. - False
• If advertising targets a young sector, choices must be made regarding the most-watched programs and times for that target audience. - True
• Using the color green is synonymous with youth, ecology, and tranquility. - True
• The color black is synonymous with simplicity and mystery. - True
• Colors influence advertising and must therefore be adequately selected. - True