Introduction
The three key communication channels used in marketing communication plans are digital marketing, TV or radio advertisements, and sales promotion. The present paper will aim to discuss the recommended use of these communication channels by Fitbit, which will help the company to become more profitable.
Communications Channel 1: Digital Marketing
Digital marketing is a promising communications strategy for Fitbit, as it would allow the company to reach its target audience. First of all, most people aged 25-40 are active users of the Internet, including social networks. Secondly, digital marketing allows to target people with specific interests, thus making the advertisements more cost-effective (Nadaraja & Yazdanifard, 2013). Lastly, digital marketing often includes direct links to the company’s website, so that the customers could make a purchase straight away. However, digital marketing also has some drawbacks. For instance, it is often difficult to choose a specific website or platform for digital marketing due to the variety of options available (Quesenberry, 2018). Moreover, as most companies use digital marketing today, Fitbit will likely encounter high competition for the target audience.
The media plan for digital marketing should include at least three aspects: paid partnerships with social media influencers (SMIs), direct online ads, and active use of corporate social media profiles. Partnerships with bloggers who post about health and fitness could help in reaching target customers. Direct online ads, on the other hand, are often based on the user’s past internet searches and would thus attract consumers who are already interested in fitness trackers or smartwatches. Lastly, staying active on social media platforms would help the company to deliver promotional offers to customers, provide updates about new products, and stimulate the customers’ interest (Nadaraja & Yazdanifard, 2013).
Communications Channel 2: Broadcast Advertising (TV, Radio)
Broadcast advertising is probably the most popular type of marketing. It is a good fit for the target market, as most of the potential customers listen to the radio or watch TV daily. Moreover, TV advertisements allow highlighting the visual attractiveness of the product, which is among the distinguishing features of Fitbit smartwatches and fitness trackers. Broadcast advertisements are highly effective and are rarely used by Fitbit’s competitors, which is also a major advantage. Also, choosing a particular time of day for broadcast advertising can help to reach the target population (Forneris, n.d.). Nevertheless, the main disadvantage of TV and radio advertisements is that they are expensive. Furthermore, TV advertisements may be less effective due to viewer behavior, as many people mute the TV or switch to a different channel (Forneris, n.d.).
Despite these considerations, Fitbit could use broadcast advertising to its advantage. Placing short, visually appealing TV advertisements supplemented by upbeat music would help catch the audience’s attention. Also, researching viewing behaviors of the target population would be helpful.
Communications Channel 3: Sales Promotion
Sales promotion strategies would also be effective in reaching the target market, as middle-class working professionals tend to favor both monetary and non-monetary promotions. The main advantage of sales promotion is that they are effective in predicting purchase intentions (Santini, Sampaio, Perin, Espartel, & Ladeira, 2015). Moreover, they could attract new customers while also increasing brand loyalty. Sales promotions are also more cost-effective than other marketing strategies (Santini et al., 2015). The two main drawbacks of sales promotions are that not all types of sales promotions are equally powerful and that they are usually temporary, thus having little effect on sales in the long term. Types of sales promotions that would be helpful to Fitbit are discounts and promo codes. Time-limited discounts could create a sense of urgency, thus granting an immediate boost in sales. Promo-codes, on the other hand, are useful for attracting new customers and developing brand loyalty.
Conclusion
Overall, the proposed Marketing Communications Plan ensures that Fitbit uses all of the available communications channels effectively. Following the strategy detailed in the report, the company would be able to reach more customers, thus increasing sales and becoming more competitive.
References
Forneris, J. (n.d.). The pros & cons of TV advertising.
Nadaraja, R., & Yazdanifard, R. (2013). Social media marketing: Advantages and disadvantages. Web.
Quesenberry, K. A. (2018). The basic social media mistakes companies still make. Harvard Business Review.
Santini, F. D. O., Sampaio, C. H., Perin, M. G., Espartel, L. B., & Ladeira, W. J. (2015). Moderating effects of sales promotion types. Brazilian Administration Review, 12(2), 169-189.