The Marketing Communication Used by Zamog Limited to Build Relationship with an External Audience - Coursework Example

Marketing communication involves advertising, personal selling, sales promotion and public relations. The relationship marketing (RM) perspective is based on the notion that in addition to the value of the products and services exchanged, the relationship between the two parties concerned enhances the value for the customer and the supplier (Grönoos, 2004). An ongoing relationship thus offers the customer security, a feeling of control and a sense of trust. The role of marketing communication in relationship marketing is very important. In RM the customer is treated as a partner and their needs are identified, and loyalty developed through quality service (Fjällborg, Morin, Mannberg, Rosell & Heckscher, 2005). This need can be touched upon through the advertisements that speak of the lifestyle of the target consumers and such advertisements would build up an emotional relationship with the customers. Personal selling refers to personal interaction with the customers. Today it is possible to reach the customers directly through the internet. Blogging is a form of viram marketing and companies like General Motors, IBM, Sun Microsystems, Microsoft, GE, Home Depot, Guinness, Honda, and Southwest Airlines are using blogs as a medium of communication to interact with its customers and other stakeholders (Singh, Veron-Jackson & Cullinane, 2008). This is one of the most impressive, cheap and fastest means to reach the customers and enter into relationship marketing. Sales promotion too can be done through local communities who help to spread the word. This is known as word-of-mouth (WOM) publicity but engages the customers’ attention thereby giving an opportunity to the marketers to listen to the customers. In relationship marketing the service consumption is very important as it is important how the consumer perceives the service. This enhances the relationship between the two parties and ensures future sales. Relationship marketing does not look at single transactions but business is done on a long-term scale. If the relationship is well developed, it creates loyalty, long-term bonds with mutual benefits and results in minimizing customer turnover. This has forced the organizations to have effective channel partners as it is critical to the success of any business. The traditional channel partners may not have the capacity to carry all the products all the time and nor may they be able to cater to all the customers every time (Reshare, n.d.). Besides, the customers are internet savvy and they extensively rely on the internet to research and buy products. The online customer thus wants a direct online relationship with the producer but also wants an offline real person to interact with. Hence the manufacturer has to ensure that the channel partners maintain and build relationship with their customers both online and offline. The channel partners have to also ensure customer defection, decrease order taking time and improve efficiency. Sometime it becomes important for the organization to have an alternate channel along with the existing sales force they can create a lower cost sales model. This alternate channel if managed effectively can be beneficial to the organization, its channel partners and the ultimate consumer. Through the new model the organization is able to capture a new market share with relatively little risk or financial investment (Weese, 2008). There is improvement in customer satisfaction and on-going customer support. Customer retention and repeat sales improve as a relationship is build with the customers. Thus the role of the manufacturer is most critical as they have to ensure control and communication directly with its channel partners, with the customers as well as with the retailers. Currently Zamog is selling in the UK through wholesalers, retailers, and also distributing freely through the NHS and other non-profit organization. They are trying to change the attitude of people through education on safe sex but they have not made any efforts to build relationship with their channel partners. They are primarily using the internet to educate their channel partners about how their product is manufactured. This is aimed at informing their channel partners of their efficient manufacturing system which would help them to convince the end consumer about the hygienic way their condoms are produced. Their website informs of the packaging and the different flavors their products is available in. No doubt packaging is a very effective sales promotion strategy but there is no evidence that the organization is in direct and regular contact with its channel partners. They are using their retailer and wholesalers to distribute and promote their products. They have not identified any new user group but focus on capturing the market share of the same user group as most brand do. They have not attempted to identify and educate a new market or segment any other user group. Zamol also distributes freely through NHS but there is no evidence of a follow-up or even an educative session before free distribution. Zamog does not have any direct contact or communication wit its wholesalers, retailers or any of the non-profit organization. There are no channels of communication with the direct consumers as they rely totally on the wholesalers and retailers to reach their products to the end users. Their website caries educative information about prevention of diseases through the use of the condoms but they have not handled their channel partners effectively. They do not work through NGOs of other private bodies to promote healthy sex which in turn would promote their products. In nutshell, they have not been successful in establishing and maintaining contacts, control and communication with their channel partners. To succeed in the competitive market it is very essential to its relationship with the channel partners through effective marketing communication strategies. Zamog should focus on creating a new user group and use the channel partners to identify, establish and maintain direct relations with a new user group. Young women you suffering from HIV, they have grown up in an environment on condoms but still do not use them. There is a behavioural shift as the consumer seems to be bored although they are fully aware of the product, its benefits and about diseases and all the ill effects (Heller, 1998). The high-risk groups are not properly targeted and non-product based behaviours are not promoted (Deloitte, 2003). Zamog should focus on this area. They should provide and promote a range of safe behaviours to the end users through their channel partners. Zamog should first segment the population according to sexual history, health risks and likely behavioural choices. Social marketing is to bring about change in the behaviour and Zamog should make full use of this capability. They should involve their channel partners to establish performance indicators based on behavioural data. For marketing in a developed country like the UK communication is very important. Zamog should appeal to their sentiments and announce online contests where the focus is on lifestyle and how the usage of condoms enhances the manliness of the man or boosts the male ego. There should be some incentives just to participate and again some rewards for the winners. The contest should invite slogans to promote the brand Intense Condoms and when the participants themselves make an effort to describe the brand, they would be prone to use it. This would work as viral marketing as most of the young people have their own network of friends and associates. It would also enhance publicity through WOM. Announcement about the contest should be made through the local dailies. Thus all the four marketing communication mix elements would help enhance the relationship marketing – advertisement through daily newspapers, channel promotion through online contests, publicity through WOM and sales promotion through viral marketing. References Deloitte, 2003, Moving beyond condoms: Should social marketing programs do more to promote abstinence and partner reduction in sub-Saharan Africa?, retrieved online 21 April 2009, from http://apha.confex.com/apha/viewHandout.epl?uploadid=422 Ferguson, R & Hlavinka, K 2007, Choosing the right tools for your relationship banking strategy, Journal of Consumer Marketing, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 110–117 Gronroos, C 2004, The relationship marketing process: communication, interaction, dialogue, Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, vol. 19, no. 2, pp. 99-113 Heller, A 1998, Condom marketing changes focus as consumer attitudes shift, retrieved online 21 April 2009, from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3374/is_5_20/ai_56202310/ Reshare, n.d., Distribution Relationship Management: A channel management solution For B2B & B2C eCommerce, retrieved online 21 April 2009, from http://www.reshare.com/channelmanagement/Reshare_General.pdf Singh, T Veron-Jackson, L & Cullinane, J 2008, Blogging: A new play in your marketing game plan, Business Horizons, vol. 51, pp. 281—292 Weese, RJ 2008, IS IT TIME TO CHANGE THE CHANNEL?, retrieved online 21 April 2009, from http://www.b2bsalesconnections.com/articles/Is_It_Time_To_Change_The_Channel.pdf Read More