Outline the elements in the marketing communications mix and examine the main reasons why marketing communications techniques are such important tools in global marketing today

Nowadays it is necessary to consider the steps of marketing communication because it is becoming a very complex process. In the beginning a company must define its target group; then set the objectives and calculate the budget; think about legal, regulatory, social and ethical values; decide tools, messages and media; analyse the strategy and evaluate the campaign. According to Wood (2007) an integrated marketing communication (IMC) is essential to interact, to inform and to have an effect on the way that the customer behaves or thinks. The main IMC tools are advertising, sales promotion, personal selling, direct marketing and public relations. Kotler et al (2005) state that in respect of international markets every tool needs to be adopted differently to each country it operates in, in order to gain a wider range of potential customers.

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