ABSTRACT
This research project examine the
effects of integrated marketing communication on sales volume. It also evaluate how consumer brand loyalty
result in increase in sales volume.
A sample size of One hundred was drawn
from the population. A hundred questionnaires were distributed randomly to
stratified groups among the staff of De-United Food Industries Plc. Eighty five
respondents duly filled and returned the questionnaires. A 5 - point likert
scale was developed and validated to collect information from the respondents.
The data collected was analyzed with
basic descriptive statistics such as frequency and simple percentages. Chi-square
analysis was also made. The core findings from the results obtained show that
There is a significant correlation
between Integrated Marketing Communication and level of sales, Integrated
Marketing Communication promotes brand loyalty, and Integrated Marketing
Communication increases consumer's awareness of a particular product.
Conclusion was draw from the summary of
the result. Various remarks and recommendations were proffered to the
organization of study
.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
of the Study
1.2 Statement
of Problem
1.3 Objectives
of the Study
1.4 Significance
of the Study
1.5 Research
Questions
1.6 Statement
of Hypotheses
1.7 Scope
of the Study
1.8 Limitation
of the Study
1.9 Definition
of Terms
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.0
Introduction
2.1 The
Concept of Marketing Communications
2.2 The
Communication Process
2.3 The
Objectives of Marketing Communication
2.4 Marketing
Communication Mix
2.5 Marketing
Communication Strategies
2.6 Developing
an Effective Communication System
2.7 Integrating
the Communication Mix
2.8 Evaluating
the Effectiveness Of Communication
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Research
Population and Sample
3.2 Research
Design
3.3 Data
Collection Instrument
3.4 Administration
of Instrument
3.5 Method
of Data Analysis
3.6 Restatement
of Hypotheses
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Analysis
of Personal Data Of Respondents
4.3 Analysis
of Data
4.4 Test
of Hypotheses
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary
of Findings
5.2 Conclusion
5.3 Recommendation
Bibliography
Appendix: Questionnaire
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Today's marketing requires more than
just developing a good product, pricing it attractively, and making it
available to target consumers. Companies must also communicate with current and
prospective customers, and what they communicate should not be left to chance.
All of their communications effort must be blended into a consistent and
coordinated communications program. Just as good as communication is important
in building and maintaining any kind of relationship, it is a crucial element
in a company's efforts to build profitable customer relationship.
Several factors are changing the face
of today's marketing communications. First, as mass markets have fragmented,
marketers are shifting away from mass marketing. More and more, they are
developing focused marketing programs designed to build closer relationship with
customers in more narrowly defined micro markets. Secondly, the vast improvement
in information technology are speeding the movement toward segmented market.
The shift from mass marketing to segmented marketing has had a dramatic impact
on marketing communications.
Just as mass marketing gave rise to a
new generation of massmedia communications, the shift toward one - to - one
marketing is spawning a new generation of more specialized and highly targeted
communications efforts.
In the past years, many companies
around the world have perfected the art of mass marketing - selling
standardized products to a mass market. As a result, they have developed
effective mass - media advertising techniques to support their mass- marketing
strategies. These companies spent millions of naira in their mass media,
reaching out to several millions of customer with a single advert. However, as
we move into the twenty - first century, marketing managers face some new
marketing realities which necessitated the need for an integrated marketing
communication.
Don Schultz (2005) stated that
integrated marketing communication "is the process of developing and
implementing various forms of persuasive communication programs with customers
and prospects overtime". The overall purpose being to build and maintain a
long lasting relationship with customers by constantly keeping in touch with
customers through adequate information on their products, market dynamics and
communicating product benefits to prospective consumers.
Kotler and Armstrong (2008) defined
Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) as "a concept under which a
company carefully integrates and coordinates its many communications channels
to deliver a clear, consistent, and compelling message about the organization
and its products". Integrated marketing involves identifying the target
audience and shaping a well - coordinated promotional program to obtain the
desired audience response. It builds brand identity and strong customer
relationships by tying together all of the company's messages and images. Brand
messages and positioning are coordinated across all communication activities
and media. IMC means that the company's advertising and personal selling
communications have the same message, look, and feel as its Web site. Its
public relations materials say the same thing as its direct mail campaign.
Carefully blended mix of promotion tools
It is therefore trite to say that for
companies to thrive in this ever dynamic and increasingly complex and
competitive business environment, an effective communication strategy must be
developed which will involve a well coordinated communication channels that
help in positioning the products of the company, and building a long lasting
customer relationship.
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
As the saying goes "He who fails
to plan, plans to fail". Also, the ultimate success of a company depends
absolutely on how effectively it can plan and use its available. Leveraging
these resources is quite a challenge for many companies today.
The major problem associated with
inadequate marketing communication is that the company's products are poorly
exposed to current and prospective customers. As a result of this, many
companies loose their customers to aggressive and forth rite - thinking
marketers. This could be the reason why many companies, after a few years of
launching, go bankrupt since they cannot sell their products.
Marketers fail to understand the fact
that integrated marketing communication helps to enhance brand loyalty.
Therefore all their communications efforts are done haphazardly - advertising
and personal selling messages portray a different meaning.
Producers of goods and services often
a time underestimate the importance of integrated marketing communication. Some
will say it is a gross waste of resources, creating public awareness for a
particular product. They fail to evaluate the correlation between communication
budgets and the effect on sales growth.
Because customers differ,
communications programs need to be developed for specific segments, niches, and
even individuals. And given the new interactive communications technologies in
the globe today, the problem facing marketers is not only, "How can we
reach our customers?" but also, "How can we find ways to let our
customers reach us?" Therefore, many companies find it difficult to
develop a systematic communication process through which they can communicate
to customers and equally get feedback from the customers. To communicate
effectively, marketers must understand how communication works.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The objective of the research work is
to look at the effects of using integrated marketing communication tools no
sales of goods using De - United Foods
Industries Plc, as the case study. The research work will therefore
consider the following:
v To examine the extent that integrated
marketing communication brings about awareness for a particular product.
v To find out the impact of integrated
marketing communication on sales of a product.
v To assess the effect of integrated
marketing communication on consumer brand loyalty to a particular product or
brand.
v To evaluate how consumer brand
loyalty result in increase in sales volume.
v To find out if there is a direct
relationship between integrated marketing communication and sales volume of a
particular product.
v Lastly, the researcher intends to
critically analyze how ineffective combination of marketing communication tools
can lead to low sales and customer dissatisfaction.
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The objective of this study is also
an attempt to articulate potentially accruable benefit that would result from a
successful communication mix and therefore, answer the research questions that
will arise later in this chapter.
The research will also alight all the
elements of Integrated Market Communication (IMC) thereby, educating marketers
on the communication process and how to integrate them to produce desired
results.
It will also examine the impact of
integrated marketing communications on the company's sales, the relationship
between communication budgets and sales growth.
This research is of significance to
business executives in that it provides adequate solution to the underlying
problem of low turn over rate of products, and can help them to update or
improve their technical skill for better performance.
It is also of academic significance
because future researchers may use the findings here to update existing
literature and building theories.
Practicing managers in organizations
where Integrated Marketing Communication has been embraced may rely on the
findings and methodology of this research to form a basis for their daily
decisions.
Consumers and the society at large
are also expected to benefit from the findings of this research. The findings
will help consumers to appreciate the importance of the various communication
tools as such tools or channel are engaged for their benefits- communicating
product benefits, information on brand, packaging, prices and other product and
market dynamics which help the consumers through the purchase decision process.
1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
This research work will seek to
answer questions related to problems that have been stated earlier on in this
chapter. The questions are as follows:
RQ 1; To what
extent does integrated marketing communication bring about awareness for a
particular product?
RQ 2; What
impact does integrated marketing communication has on sales of a product?
RQ 3; Will integrated marketing communication
enhance consumer brand loyalty to a particular product or brand?
RQ 4; Can
consumer brand loyalty result in increase in sales volume?
RQ 5; Will
there be a direct relationship between integrated marketing communication (say
advertising budget) and sales volume of a particular product?
1.6 STATEMENT OF HYPOTHESES
This research work presents three (3)
testable dependent variables:
v Awareness of the customers
v Brand loyalty
v Increase in sales volume
The independent variables are the
integrated marketing communication tools. Their relationships will be explored
to provide answer to the research questions. To provide a logical framework
within which the conclusion of this research work can be drawn, the hypotheses
shall be tested for the reliability and acceptability of the outcome of this
research work.
The Null Hypothesis (Ho) and the
Alternate Hypothesis (Hi)
HYPOTHESIS 1
Hi: Integrated
Marketing Communication promotes brand loyalty.
Ho:
Integrated Marketing Communication does not promote brand loyalty.
HYPOTHESIS 2
Hi:
Integrated Marketing Communication increases consumer's awareness of a
particular product.
Ho:
Integrated Marketing Communication does not increase consumer's awareness of a
particular product.
HYPOTHESIS 3
Hi: There is a significant
correlation between Integrated Marketing Communication and level of sales.
Hi: There is no
significant correlation between Integrated Marketing Communication and level of
sales.
1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The scope of this research work is
limited to just one state out of the thirty six (36) states in Nigeria, that is, Lagos and also, it is to look at how
integrated marketing communications affect sales with De - United Foods Industries Plc as the case study. Data shall be
sourced from both primary and secondary sources i.e. questionnaires, and text,
journals magazine and the internet.
1.8 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The lack of financial aid also stands
as a bottleneck to the progress of this research work. In as much as fast food
restaurants are unevenly dispersed around the town, it becomes a tedious task
if not impossible for the researcher to go round all the outlets in the country
to make enquiry.
Accurate data is basic to any
research work, so to say, but it is quite unfortunate that accurate data is not
obtainable in Nigeria.
Data required are not available and where available, they are mere estimates
and not obtained through rigorous research work. Inadequate texts in the
library are also a constraint here.
Other factors that stood as
constraint to this research are time factors, secrecy on the part of the
respondents to give vital information.
1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS
ADVERTISING:
This is defined as ant paid form of non - personal presentation and promotion
of ideas, goods or services by an identified sponsor.
PERSONAL SELLING: Personal presentation by the firm's sales force for the purpose of
making sales and building customer relationship.
SALES PROMOTION: Short - term incentives that encourages the purchase or sale of a
product or service.
PUBLIC RELATIONS: Building god relations with the company's various publics by obtaining
favorable publicity, building up a good "corporate image," and
handling or heading off unfavorable rumors, stories, and events.
DIRECT MARKETING: Direct communications with carefully targeted individual consumers - the
use of telephone, mail, fax, e-mail, the internet, and other tools to
communicate directly with specific consumers.
INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION: A concept under which a company carefully integrates
and coordinates its many communications channels to deliver a clear,
consistent, and compelling message about the organization and its products.
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