Unit 16 Marketing Communication Planning Assignment

Program	Diploma in Business
Unit Number and Title	Unit 16 Marketing Communication Planning
QFC Level	Level 4

Introduction

The Unit 16 Marketing communication planning assignment has been developed over the marketing communicational planning and related strategies. The marketing communicational processes and related theories are critically analysed by indentifying the tools of marketing. The basic marketing theory and the communicational theory are also analysed before developing the marketing planning. The effectiveness of the marketing and the features of it are briefly elaborated. The marketing communication strategies are developed over the global market approach of the organisation. Along with the life cycle management plan of the product marketing spending plan of budget and pricing plan is also described. By using Tesco as the chosen organisation the  marketing planning  has been developed. The company background has been given along with its range of products and services. The target market and its customers of Tesco have been profiled within this report.

Brief description of the company and its range of products and an analysis of the specific product and profiling of the target market.

Tesco is the leading brand in the grocery retail business in worldwide measure. It has been the third largest retail brand in the world. Through innovation Tesco has been leading in the supermarket industry. The brand has opened their first business store in 1929 in London. They invented different types of retail stores such as Tesco Metro for meeting the needs of local shoppers, Tesco Express which is the first Petrol station convenience store in UK. Later the organisation introduced the Club card which the first customer loyalty card in UK. With the joint venture with Royal Bank of Scotland and offers the customers a range of different financial services. Tesco is currently the largest CD retailer in UK. The organisation has been focusing over the products as well as the innovation process. Tesco has been able to manage 1.8% devaluation across the product lines. Frow et al. (2014) The organisation has been giving better shopping experience to the customers through online shopping, small stores, etc. Tesco.com has been generating sales which are more than £700 million as well as profits which are more than £35 million within business. The services of Tesco have been reaching 90% population within UK and have been handling more than 170,000 orders within a week.

As Tesco has been the retail store it has a wide range product. The store is mainly offering grocery products and other products and other products like fresh food, health and beauty products, frozen food, drinks, household products, magazines etc.  They offer both food and non-food products to the customers. Frow et al. (2014). Grocery products are the most demanded products in Tesco. The various grocery products of different brands are offered by Tesco.

The success Tesco as the biggest supermarket has been the strategic use of the well targeted market.  Business strategy of Tesco  led the market insights through their club card loyalty program. They target the price sensitive customers and through their club card they offer value over low price. They offer finest range of products to the upmarket customers. The organisation has been targeting higher income customers for their high priced products. The Tesco is focusing over those customers who are willing to spend over high priced products. Cho et al. (2012) The brand is also targeting the online shoppers in current measures. With the increasing online shopping trend the shoppers of age 20-30 are being targeted by Tesco through online activities. The age group of 50-70 years are also targeted by Tesco on offering delivery services. The mass market customers are targeted through the programs like Every-day low price. The brand is also preferring geographical segmentation strategy for targeting different markets efficiently. The customers of different regions with different demographic features are targeted through market research. Frow et al. (2014) Different products by analysing the preferences of different customers in different regions are offered. The emerging geographical regions are targeted by Tesco for their business in order to have the base of customers who are able to pay higher prices for higher quality or value.

Provide a report to critically evaluate the characteristics, features and effectiveness of the marketing communications tools of that chosen organization.

Marketing communicational tools are significant in achieving the marketing objectives. The marketing is related to the activities which are done to promote products to the targeted customers. Through the marketing communicational tools the organisation communicates with the customers. These tools are effective in maintaining the customer relationship. Through the marketing strategy the organisations like Tesco tends to achieve the competitive edge in the market through the marketing strategy and can generate profits and higher sales. Cho et al. (2012) The marketing strategies are efficient tools for the selling the products and making systemic approaches in the marketing. Marketing communicational tools are also referred as integrated marketing communicational tools. There are different communicational tools within the IMC such as advertising, public relations, online marketing, sales campaigns and direct marketing etc. These tools are used for promoting the similar messages of the brand to the customers. The marketing communicational tools which are chosen by Tesco have different characteristics:

• Advertising: Through advertising long term impact on the mind of the customers can be placed. It is also use for triggering quick sales. (Cornelissen, 2014). Though the advertising activities require larger budget than other communicational tools it can be used for targeting customers in any geographic locations. Within advertisements there are different characteristics. The organisation can repeat the advertisements or the messages in repeated manner. The advertisements are useful to target a bigger size population.
• Sales promotion: Different coupons and premiums are used in the sales promotions. The sales promotions are used for short term goals. The activities are done for the highlights the offers which are provided by the organisations. The sales promotional tools are effective in order to make proper communications with the customers. The sales promotional tools are used for giving incentives to the customers and value to them. (Lusch, & Vargo, 2014)
• Public relations: Through public relations the organisation can maintain the current customer base and also extends by adding new customers.
• Direct marketing: Through direct mail this marketing is done. Through this tool individual customers are approached with unique measures. (Lusch, & Vargo, 2014)
• Personal selling: Personal selling is conducted through personal interactions. The personal selling also includes the market research activities by analysing the customer preferences.  

The marketing tools of Tesco

The marketing strategy of TESCO is conducted over the philosophy of making the products available for the customers. Through the activities the Tesco has been guiding the shoppers in their shopping. The marketing activities are also used by Tesco for anticipating the needs of customers. (Cornelissen, 2014). The Tesco has been making targeted market campaigns by assessing the customer information through club card data and knowledge about local market. Different marketing activities by Tesco:

1. Mailing to club card members and non club card members
2. Advertisements through radio, T.V. magazines etc.
3. Coupons at malls
4. Club card points promotions
5. Billboard campaigns
6. PR and different events
7. Press releases through alliance partners
8. Internet advertisements
9. Direct marketing through club cards to know the preferences of the customers. Billboard campaigns (Solomon, 2014)

Through these activities Tesco tends to make their promotions and marketing approaches. The promotional messages are sent through these tools. Tesco also measures the customer preferences through feedback forms. This approach is important for brand loyalty to the customer.

The effectiveness of marketing communicational tools

The marketing communicational tools are used by Tesco to effect the perception of the customers towards the brand reputation and image. Tesco develop their marketing communicational tools on having market research. The communicational tools are useful for making market research and to know the  decision making process  

of the consumers. By analysing the buyers decision process the organisation can influence through better promotional tools and their execution. (Solomon, 2014) Through introducing locusassignments.as trail Tesco can influence the customer perception. During the purchase stage of the customers when the customers are in the stores Tesco staffs ensure that the customer chose the specific brands.

Through adverting Tesco communicates with the end customers. The adverting is used for passing the messages about different products. Different media are used in the advertising by different media. The advertisements are used for influencing the mass customers not individuals. Tesco designs the advertisements to penetrate a huge segment of the customers. Through the advertisements the organisation represents their products and services with pictures and efficient contents. These contents and pictures are the design to deliver proper messages to the customers. Leonidou et al (2013) The advertisements are designed to deliver certain messages in the mind of the customers. Through repeated telecast of the advertisements Tesco tends to connect with the target market.

The integrated sales promotions are used by Tesco to develop desire among the customers to buy the products. The desire will develop the needs of purchasing the products. Through the sales promotional tools Tesco manipulates the pricing strategy. This is also efficient to gain the advantages over the competitors. As the cost of the products has a great role in the consumers decision making process, sales promotions attracts the attention of the customers through discount deals. In market with similar products or brands through sales Tesco might not helpful in getting competitive advantages but it helps Tesco in boosting the sales for certain time span. In the market with dissimilar brands and products Tesco gets the help to penetrate deep within the market through the sales promotions. (Chaffey, & Ellis, 2012) Tesco uses this tool to attract the customers to the stores and by giving discount deals Tesco gets rid of the unsold or old stocks of the store. This approach is also useful in making ways for the new product arrival. As the benefits are provided over short termed measures for attracting the customers, new customers are also attracted than the loyal customers.

Public relation is the technique which has been used by Tesco to exploit the sentiments of the customers in the beneficial aspects of the organisation. Within the public relational tools the people are involved having significant impacts over the organisational operations. These people are both the retailers and the customers. This tool is useful to maintain the relationships with the organisation. Different events are organised by Tesco for having better relationship with the customers. Through the practices within the public relations the organisation portrays its responsibilities towards the society. This tool is effective for maintaining the corporate social responsibilities (Chaffey, & Ellis, 2012). This in return impacts over the public sentiments towards Tesco. The sponsored events are used by Tesco for placing positive image in the minds of the public. The PR agencies or specialists are attainted by Tesco in this regard.

Direct marketing is done by Tesco by assessing the details of the customers using the club card information and the market research. With the information about the customers and their preferences the organisation uses direct marketing tools to attract them towards the stores. The needs of the customers are analysed by direct marketing and Tesco provides their services as per the needs. Extensive research, public surveys are used before conducting the marketing for collecting the views of the consumers over the products and services of Tesco. Morgan et al. (2012) Tesco uses the database of the customers by adding the responses of the customers and their buying behaviours or needs while shopping in Tesco to use the details while approaching the customers. The segments of customers who are like to be personally addressed are attended through public relational tools. Based on the psychology of the customers Tesco approaches directly to the customers through mails, text messages etc. By analysing the effectiveness of this tool Tesco makes significant changes while required. 

Personal selling is done by Tesco by adding the sales representatives who are attached in the day to day sale activities. Though with the fast development in the online selling Tesco does not place significant interest over the personal selling, this tool is significant to maintain the sale s force. Certain customers in different geographical region are not fond of following the commercials or advertisements through social media rather they prefer door to door selling. Analysing these customers Tesco performs door to door selling in certain regions. The sales representatives of Tesco are highly trained with proper measures for the convincing the customers and satisfy their enquiries over the products. Morgan et al. (2012) With the growth of the online or e-shopping the personal selling are less preferred in marketing strategy.

Online advertising tools are used by Tesco in order attract the current customer base. In the online marketing strategy the organisation has been attracting the attention of the customers without facing constraints of the regional boundaries. The social media has been used by Tesco for their online promotional activities. Through their website Tesco offe4ring different information about their products and discount offers. They also attract the attention of the female shoppers through sharing recipes with them Morgan et al. (2012).

You are required to devise a strategic marketing communication plan to market the product in the UK.

The strategic marketing communicational plan for Tesco in order to market the product in UK:

1. Goals and objectives of the communicational plan: The goals and the objectives of the marketing communication plan must be outlines before developing the plan. Both the short term and long termed goals should be defined over the marketing planning strategies. Tesco has the objectives to deliver proper messages to the customers with efficient manners. Through the marketing communicational tools Tesco can address the individual needs of the customers and attract their interest over the products. The objectives of the marketing communicational plan are related to the SMART tools and techniques Berthon  et al. (2012). The goals should be specific, attainable, measurable, relevant and time bound. Through the implementation of the SMART techniques the objectives and the goals of the marketing planning can be specific and measurable. This will lead to the efficient achievements of the objectives over evaluating the specific units and attainable measures. The goals of the marketing planning should be relevant with the current scenario within the market. With the time measurements or allotment the marketing team members can complete their strategies.
2. Target audience: In order to analyse the audience Tesco needs to consider the marketing research over the demographic areas, psychographic areas, social media usages, economic environment etc. After segmenting the customers Tesco has to prioritise them over their  organisations behaviour  and their requirements. Berthon  et al. (2012) Understanding the audience is the first step within the marketing strategy. The current customers or the loyal customers of Tesco have been analysed at forts with the help of the Club card details and organisational database. Apart from the loyal customers other customers should be analysed through the use of the surveys, interviews, feedback forms of the customers. With the market surveys and research methods Tesco will be able to identify the reason behind the customers are purchasing their products and services, the methods of their purchase, where they are purchasing their products, their further requirements with the services and product’s quality. The main focus of Tesco is to approach the customers with high income status in all genders and all ages. The local residential public are approached with the marketing tools.
3. Strategies: Within the market strategies the messages should be developed over analysing the mass communication, direct communication etc. Within the strategies the channels of the communication should be adopted with proper measures Mitchell  et al. (2010).
4. USP: The USP or unique selling proposition should be communicated through the communicational methods. The Unique selling proposition of the services of Tesco are useful to attract the customers over the rivals. The unique selling proposition should be developed with string measures by Tesco to move the customers to act Mitchell  et al. (2010). It is the central of all communicational strategies. Through USP Tesco can generate the sentiments of the customers towards them and increase their importance among the customers’ household necessities.
5. Messages: The key messages which are needed should be developed which can resonate individual audience. The importance of the messages in the marketing has been significant as the messages are the key players within marketing to attract the customers or providing any information to them. for the service users the key message should content the measures through which they can avail the services, the offers which are provided to them, reliability of the products, developing the messages by valuing their opinions. The service users can be attracted through websites, social media, sales, direct mailing, text messages, advertisements through any channels Slater et al.(2010).
6. Tools: Different strategies include different tools of marketing communications such as,
7. Internet: Tesco must maintain its presence within the social media like Facebook, twitter, LinkedIn etc. through these the organisation can approach to a wide customer base in worldwide measures. Apart from the social media the organisation should use the blog as their promotional tool. Through blog Tesco can promote their positive image among the services users in different communities Slater et al.(2010). Though modern technology will provide better use of these tools in the marketing planning Tesco has to retain their focus over the customers or public rather than on technology.
8. Direct mails: Many customers prefer direct communications. The Business market can be approached through the direct mails and direct notifications over the discount offers or business deals.
9. Partnerships: Through creating partnerships with different brands and promoting in joint venture will lead the promotions successful.
10. Advertisements: Advertisements in T.V, magazines about the new product arrivals or new discount offers or the current deals will lead to the successful promotions Slater et al.(2010). Through creative advertisements Tesco can inspire their customers in their brand.
11. Work plan: Within the work plan the organisation should create the promotional activities and maintain their steadiness. The coordination between different activities and different plans should be evaluated Slater et al. (2010). The work plan should ensure coordination among the different departments which are involved within the marketing planning and strategic implementation.
12. Budget: While outlining the budget the objectives and goals should be considered. The organisation also needs to evaluate the requirements to hire additional resources or upgrading the skills of the staffs Slater et al. (2010). The budget can be allocated on including the shareholders like banks.
13. Implementation plan: The marketing strategies can be implemented within the specific time scale of six months. The implementation planning also needs to evaluate the current position of Tesco to implement such planning.  

You are required to develop a marketing communication strategy and evaluate how all the elements of Communication Process do apply within the global context.

Marketing communication has been developed along with the components of marketing communications. Through the different marketing communicational tools the organisation can appeal to its target market. The marketing communicational strategy of Tesco considering the global context:

• Communication process: Within the marketing strategy the communicational process should be analysed by Tesco while approaching the global market. The communicational theory and the information theory are also important in this regard. Within the communicational processes there are significant elements:
• Source: The source of the information within the communicational mechanism is the person who is sharing the information. The source of the original information is necessary in the marketing strategy (Kotler, & Armstrong, 2010).
• Message: Message is the information which has been shared by the source. The information is shared over an object. The message can consist of content or images.
• Encoding: The message has been encoded with the process of assembling. The encoding is done by the sender of the message. The encoding is done to avoid the irrelevant messages, offensive measures of the messages.
• Channel: The channel within the communication process should be chosen by analysing the efficiency of them to reach to the audience and providing the message in efficient manner (Kotler, & Armstrong, 2010). The client server model is approached by organisations in this regard.
• Decode: Decoding the messages is done by the receiver of re message. The decoding is done by the receiver is he is able to understand the information.
• Receiver: eceivers are the audience within the marketing strategy. Depending on them the channels and the messages are developed for communicating the information about products or organisation.
• Feedback: Feedback is the reaction which is provided by the receivers of the message. 
• Marketing strategy: The marketing strategy for the global market should be developed over the objectives to approach to a diverse market with different people and different requirements (Kotler, & Armstrong, 2010).
• Objectives: The objectives of Tesco in the marketing strategy are to make use of the technologies and communicational tools with cost effectiveness measures.
• Audience: The audience who are included within the marketing strategy are the customers in the global market who belong from the specific region. The audience also includes the staffs that are associated with the execution of the marketing strategy and their skills. Analysing the socio-demographic factors of different region Tesco can be able to prioritise the target market. By understanding the audience or the social-demographic needs of the target group Tesco can maximise the value within the customer relations (Kotler, & Armstrong, 2010). The communicational processes should be considered while targeting the audience. The internal as well as external stakeholders should also be included within the audience of Tesco.
• Message: For approaching the global audience Tesco should consider languages in their messages. Apart from the languages social norms and governmental regulations should also be considered (Perreault, 2010).
• Barriers: Barriers are the key constraints while executing the marketing communicational strategy. In order to make the communicational strategy successful Tesco should analyse the market and the factors associated with it through the external and internal market analysis. Regarding this SWOT and PESTLE analysis over the targeted market segments must be conducted by Tesco.
• Marketing mix: The marketing mix of Tesco considering the products and services which are offered worldwide and the prices of the products along with the promotional mix and extended marketing mix (Perreault, 2010). The marketing mix would lead to the product life cycle management strategy. With this strategy the products and services can be changed in sequential manner with the changes in the requirements of the customers.

Tactics or communicational tools: The strategies can be formed over analysing the communication process within the sender of the message. There are wide range of mechanisms which are used within the communicational tools. The integrated marketing makes the use of the marketing mix. By considering the objectives and the integrated marketing campaign can be implemented. The marketing strategy of Tesco includes:

• Social media PR such as the updates over the Facebook, Twitter
• Online web presence
• Targeted email
• Digital marketing
• E-news letters
• Articles within different magazines
• Approaching different advertising agencies Ataman et al. (2010)

Evaluation: The effectiveness of the  marketing strategy can be evaluated by considering the objectives and the goals. Using the evidenced marketing research will provide proper data over the requirements of the customers are considered while evaluating the marketing strategy. Current sales number and predefined sales figures are also compared while making the evaluation of the effectiveness of the strategy. There are more than 7 billion people within the global market. This ration has been encouraging the business to make further steps within the global market and have benefits over the business. Within the UK market there are more than 44% people who prefer text messages for the communicational methods and other 36% are preferring internet tools for the communications. Analysing these facts Tesco can make further implementation within their marketing strategies Ataman et al. (2010).

Conclusion

The technological changes and the evaluation of the communicational technologies are analysed by Tesco. By mapping the stakeholders and the target funders the organisation can develop the marketing strategies and make aware the customers. The e-tailing business of Tesco is a significant step within the marketing strategy. Apart from the usages of the internet the organisation is also adapting the technological infrastructure for the marketing strategies. With the rapid changes in the technologies the organisation must make efficient strategies to maintain their current position as well as required improvements. The strategic model of the marketing planning would be needed for having competitive edge in the global market. as there are many efficient rivals in the global market proper communication with the customers should be done by Tesco.

Reference

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