IMC and Customer Satisfaction
Advertising of organic herbs for the garden becomes critical since most of the products will be found in limited or certain shops. Consequently, the use of store medicines has resulted to consumers spending a lot of money. Thus, introduction of the use of herbs to the market is likely to draw attention from many consumers. All that will be required is an effective advertising campaign for the herbs. The company will employ the use of herbs advertising experts. This will help to ensure that any potential negative perceptions consumers have about the organic products such as herbs can be addressed and incorporated in the advertising campaign.
Since communication will be key in the advertisements, the advertising messages will enhance and stress on the benefits of a healthy lifestyle the consumers can enjoy using herbal medicine. Furthermore, the natural and genuine taste of the organic products will be emphasized to ensure that consumers realize that healthy foods can also be tasty and enjoyable. This will be essential for promoting the food section and café. Promotion of messages that signify and portray the advantages the consumers can gain from organic products will more likely influence their purchasing decisions positively rather than negatively (Guido, 2009).
The marketing of pet products and supplies will require a similar approach. Furthermore, the company will use different print media such as specialized magazines. For instance, to reach pet owners, the company will feature adverts in magazines that deal with pet supplies. For most of the organic herbs, adverts will be featured in most organic magazines and health magazines. The company will also employ sales promotion. Since the company has well educated and trained employees, they will be put to use in sales promotion and offering education and information services to potential clients.
Measuring the Effectiveness of Advertisements
Measurement of the effectiveness of advertising will use several approaches. This will include measuring whether the goals of advertisement were achieved, evaluation of the media used in advertising and evaluating the layouts and illustrations used in the adverts. Effectiveness of advertisement will be measured before, during and after the advertising campaign is over (Pride and Ferrell, 2006).
These three different stages will be used to establish the effectiveness of the various approaches used. Measuring the effectiveness of the advertisements prior to the campaign will involve the assessment and evaluation of illustrations and layouts used for the print media. Additionally, the message depicted in these media will also be assessed based on the response of a preselected consumer panel. This will more likely give a more expected level of response from potential consumers than solely relying on consumer experts.
During the advertising campaign period, the company will ensure that they include a form or a toll free phone number on the various channels used in advertisement. Potential consumers will request or enquire any information using these forms and phone numbers. Thus, adverts that will have the highest number of inquiries will lead to the conclusion that they are more effective compared to the others. This will be the approach used for evaluating different media used.
Sales volumes will be used for evaluation after the advertisement campaign is completed. The advertisement will be deemed effective if there is an increase in sales of herbs and pet supplies. Furthermore, the level of recall of print adverts will be used to ascertain the efficacy of the advertisement. This will involve the use of a recognition test, which will involve asking various consumers whether they recall the advert (Pride and Ferrell, 2006).
Promotional Strategies
Personal selling
Personal selling as a promotional strategy will be used to target the different marketing channels. This approach will involve using different sales people who will employ trade discounts to motivate retailers to market the company’s products. This will especially be used as a means of promoting the herbs and the pet supplies to the retailers.
Marketing Public Relations
A public relations department will be set up to ensure that the company’s products are marketed effectively. This approach will be aimed at increasing the value and credibility of herbs and pet supplies that the company will be offering, in addition to increasing consumer satisfaction, of services and products offered.
Direct Marketing
The company in developing a more personal relationship with potential consumers will employ direct marketing. Databases will be set up to store customer information such as feedback and various requests and inquiries about herbs and pet supplies (Kitchen and Pelsmacker, 2004).
Sales Promotion
Sale promotions strategies will include free samples, discounts, and reduced prices on the products. The company will also hold trade fairs, which will seek to provide additional information on the benefits that consumers will obtain from the use of the company’s herbs and the benefits of the pet supplies to their pets.
Measuring Customer Satisfaction
Customer satisfaction will be measured using customers surveys, which will be used to ascertain the customer satisfaction using post purchase evaluations. This will incorporate three main aspects. The customer surveys will be designed to find out the overall satisfaction of the customers, loyalty of the customers and repurchase likelihood of the customers. If the research shows an increase in the number of dedicated customers, the company will be able to know that the customer levels of satisfaction are increasing. Surveys, which are designed to ask questions that include the likelihood of the customers purchasing the products, will help generate the quantity of the company’s products being purchased. Further, such information will aid in improving the products of the company.
Addressing Gaps in Customer Expectations and Experiences
The gaps in customer expectations will be addressed using a number of approaches (Fogli, 2006). In cases where customers are dissatisfied in the services provided by the employees, training will be conducted to improve the employees’ service delivery to clients who complain or behave inappropriately. Secondly, the company will develop channels and policies that customers can use to forward their issues concerning products and services of the company. A business ethics and conduct department will be set up to ensure such policies and channels are used.
Thirdly, various policies and channels will be provided to the customers to use in case of any dissatisfaction and they will be educated on the level of service delivery to expect from the company. This will be implemented using direct communications from service employees and advertising. Fourthly, technology will be used to improve the quality of customer service delivery. To ensure technical service delivery is improved, employees will be trained on the effective use of technology that supports customer delivery. For instance, the company having its on call operations will be more effective than using a call center that may cause delays in receiving customer orders.
References
Fogli, L. (2006). Customer service delivery research and best practices. San Francisco: Jossey
Bass.
Guido, G. (2009). Behind ethical consumption: purchasing motives and marketing strategies for
Organic food products, non-GMOs, bio-fuels. Bern: Peter Lang.
Kitchen, P. J., & Pelsmacker, P. d. (2004).Integrated marketing communications: a primer.
London: Routledge.
Pride, W. M., & Ferrell, O. C. (2006).Marketing: concepts and strategies (Library Ed.). Boston:
Houghton Mifflin Co.
