Marketers know that to be successful they must understand their buyers and potential buyers and develop specific strategies to best reach them. These include the identification of market opportunities, market segmentation, target marketing and positioning, and marketing program development. As can be seen in the lead-in to this chapter, this is often a challenging task.
In this chapter, we take a closer look at how marketing strategies influence the role of promotion and how promotional decisions must be coordinated with other areas of the marketing mix. In turn, all elements of the marketing mix must be consistent in a strategic plan that results in an integrated marketing communications program. We use the model in Figure 2-1 as a framework for analyzing how promotion fits into an organization's marketing strategy and programs
This model consists of four major components the organization's marketing strat egy and analysis, the target marketing process, the marketing planning program development (which includes the promotional mix), and the target market. As the model shows, the marketing process begins with the development of a marketing strategy and analysis in which the company decides the product or service areas and particular markets where it wants to compete. The company must then coordinate the various elements of the marketing mix into a cohesive marketing program that will reach the target market effectively. Note that a firm's promotion program is directed not only to the final buyer but also to the channel or "trade" members that distribute its products to the ultimate consumer. These channel members must be.