Many people are confused about the differences between branding, advertising, promotions, and public relations. Regardless, the actual “marketing” process is misinterpreted anyway. To give you a basic understanding, marketing is not a one-time event or activity, it is a process, a combination of things that come together. By definition, marketing is the act of mixing product, price, place, and promotion. But first, let’s move on to …
Brand.
A great example of branding is Apple. iMac, iPod, iTouch, iPhone, iTunes. Do you get the point? Apple has created a massive branding strategy using the “i” element. Think the Ritz-Carlton, LifeTime Family Fitness, Hilton Hotels and what do you see? First class service, luxury amenities, excellent service? Now how about Best Western, 24-Hour Fitness, Motel 6? What kind of “brand” is each of them? Can you see the contrast? What is the brand of your company? Are you sure? If you think it’s a high-end facility, do you prove it? Would you see the receptionist at the Ritz-Carlton with a button promoting the frequent guest club? Would you see a receptionist at a Motel 6 in a $ 1000 suit? Is everything you do, say, print, write, and provide consistent with your brand message? If not, you may want to consider who your true target audience is and work to ensure that you continue to provide services that directly relate to them.
Advertising
Advertising is the actual process of displaying your message. Radio advertising … Television advertising … The only act of making something happen. Tie your advertising and your brand together, you have the marketing process. If you are simply “advertising” with no direction, no goal, no drive, then you are just a lost puppy wandering aimlessly in the hope that someone will give you a good home.
Promotions
A promotion is usually a one-time event with a specific purpose or objective. While marketing is ongoing, a promotion can be a one-day, one-week, one-month, or even one-hour event. In retail, a “SALE” is usually a promotion. Auto Dealers Offering Zero Percent Interest is a limited time promotion. They typically have a specific start and end date, and have a very clear understanding of the ROI (return on investment) that any particular promotion must achieve in order to be a success.
Public relations
Public relations, or public relations, generally revolves around unpaid news sources and focuses on your business as far as the community is concerned. If you see a positive story, or hopefully positive, on the news or in a newspaper article, this is the kind of press that a public relations firm can help you get. They have strong relationships with the media and often provide them with stories about their clients, in the hope that the press will be free. You too can harness the power of the free press and public relations, although it can sometimes be difficult to get noticed, which is the strong point of the public relations firm.
Marketing
Marketing is the process that drives all of the above elements. Directs the feel, image, and tone of advertising, promotions, and public relations. For each of these elements, there are experts in each of these fields. You can hire one company just to handle your branding, and another to handle your advertising, marketing, and yet another for your public relations. Of course, as a small business owner, you may not always have the budget for such businesses. You can learn how to achieve the same results at http://TheMarketingWire.com and get the latest in marketing news, education, and resources to help you build and grow your business.
