Question

Imagine a scenario where you are planning to open your ‘mom and pop’ café near Kean University union campus for the very first time. What are the five promotional elements you would use to design an integrated marketing communications program for your café? How would you design each element of the promotional mix? Discuss with the help of examples. (principles of marketing course)

Answer 1

Introduction :

Generally , it is a good idea to start a cafe near the university . But as we make business with the students we have to carefully design the promotional strategies . And also it may not be the single cafe near the university . So , in order to attract and retain the students we should be vigilant in making good Strategies .

Promotional Mix :

As we generally know , promotional Mix will have 5 elements . They are :

1. Advertising

2. Sales promotion

3. Personal selling

4. Direct marketing

5. Public relations

1. Advertising : As they are students , the price of the product should be not be too high . And the cafe should maintain many varieties in the menu . As it was near to the college , as students pass by they will look at the cafe normally . So I recommend that simple standee banner with prices and tasty menu items printed will be enough and also reduces the cost.

2. Sales promotion : During saturday and sunday , and on national importance days , we should offer combo items as 25% off . I choose saturday and Sunday because these days students may take more leaves when compared to other days . So , by this way we can make our sales to average throughout the week .

3. Personal selling : Though as we can't sell big food items to the customers by personal selling . What we can do is to sell some small items to the students directly by the sales person in the college premises by taking permission .

4 . Direct marketing : For this we have to make an agreement with the college authorities . We have to take orders from students during college times and supply food items to them personally during lunch time .

5. Public relations : For any business , especially for mom and pop stores , relations is very important . There was a saying , if you maintain good public relations with customers , he may make 10000$ business in the very long run . Public relations make customers to visit that store again . For maintaining a good public relations , communication is the best solution .