Price, product, promotion and place (4Ps): Promotional methods:

The idea

Promotional methods are the ways a business communicates with customers to inform, persuade and remind them about its products. They include advertising (television, radio, print, online), sales promotion (money-off coupons, buy-one-get-one-free, competitions), public relations (press releases, sponsorship), personal selling (sales representatives), direct marketing (emails, texts, mailshots) and social media. Each method has strengths and weaknesses: advertising reaches many people but can be costly; sales promotion boosts short-term sales but may erode brand image; social media is cheap and interactive but needs constant management. A small café might use local newspaper adverts and loyalty cards, while a global brand might use television and influencer campaigns. The choice depends on budget, target market, product type and business objectives.

What earns the marks

• Identifies a range of promotional methods, such as advertising, sales promotion, public relations, personal selling, direct marketing and social media.
• Explains how a specific promotional method works, for example sales promotion offers short-term incentives like coupons or competitions to encourage immediate purchases.
• Analyses the suitability of a promotional method for a given business context, considering budget, target audience and product characteristics.
• Evaluates trade-offs between promotional methods, such as the wide reach of television advertising versus the low cost and interactivity of social media.
• Applies promotional methods to a business scenario, suggesting a coherent mix that supports the business's marketing objectives.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Confusing promotion with advertising only.

  Put it right: Promotion includes all communication methods, such as sales promotion, public relations and personal selling.

• Assuming all promotional methods are equally suitable for every business.

  Put it right: Suitability depends on factors like budget, target market and product type.

• Ignoring the cost or resource implications of promotional methods.

  Put it right: Consider whether a method is affordable and manageable for the business.

Exam tips

• Use specific examples of promotional methods in your answers, such as 'buy-one-get-one-free' rather than just 'sales promotion'.
• When evaluating, weigh up advantages and disadvantages of at least two methods before reaching a justified conclusion.
• Link promotional methods to the business's target market and objectives to show contextual understanding.