Promotion is that term which many people confuse with the word «marketing». But promotion is just one of the four Ps and a good «marketer» is not just a good promoter but also a good planner and a good listener.

Promotion can take many forms: advertising in various media, events, press releases, trade shows, brochures, flyers, and Internet sites to name a few. Promotion means creating awareness although awareness is just the beginning. Good promotion compels the buyer to buy. The «need» for the product must be addressed. How does it solve the customer’s needs (even needs he doesn’t know he has)?

There is virtually no limit on the amount of TV, radio, and newspaper advertising that one can do. When Apple announced the Macintosh in 1984, it used «shocking» television advertisement that was aired during the American Super Bowl broadcast. What an audience! What an impact! And then it was followed up with an inundation of print advertising as well as focused trade publications and trade shows. Of course, this also resulted in extensive «free» media coverage because of the news worthiness of this innovation.

Promotion is done with the purpose of not only creating demand, but building brand awareness. The challenge is to come up with another «kleenex» or «coke» or «Tamagochi».