우리는 일상 생활에서 promotion이라는 단어를 매우 자주 사용한다. 기업에 근무하는 사람이라면 실제 promotion활동에 참여한 적도 많을 것이다. 그렇다면 promotion의 정확한 뜻은 무엇일까? 크게 다음 두 가지로 정의할 수 있다.
1. Special effort to increase sales of a product
2. Something devised to publicize or advertise a product, cause, institution, etc., as a brochure, free sample, poster, television or radio commercial, or personal appearance
위의 두 정의에서 보듯 promotion이란 상품을 팔고자 하는 노력의 의미도 있지만 그 노력의 과정에서 만들어지는 각종 광고홍보물 및 매체를 의미하기도 한다. 결국 promotion은 추상적 의미와 구체적 의미를 동시에 가지고 있다. 따라서 promotion을 생각하고 시행할 때는 반드시 이 두 가지 면을 동시에 고려해야 한다.
예를 들어 세일즈 매니저가 한 상품을 잘 팔기 위한 노력에 동참할 것이라는 표현은 Obviously as sales manager he’ll be very involved in the promotion and marketing of the product라고 할 수 있다. 다양한 건강 상품 홍보물을 제공한다는 말은 A wide range of health promotion is also offered 라고 표현한다.
Questions
1. Do you think that promotion, one of the 4 P’s, is targeted only towards consumers?
2. What is personal selling and what are its pros and cons?
첫번째 질문에 대한 힌트로는 왜 회사가 무역 박람회 같은 곳에 참여하는지를 생각해 보라. 두번째 문제의 힌트로는 개인 판매에 대한 찬반 의견을 생각해 보자. 답을 써 보자. 정확한 영어로 쓸 필요없이 자유롭게 하고 쓰고 싶은 대로 쓴다.
다음의 두 대화를 잘 이해한 후 위 질문에 대한 답을 정성껏 써 보자.
Dialog 1
A: John? Hey, what are you doing here? It’s been a long time!
B: Oh my Goodness, long time no see! How are you, Joshua?
A: I’m good, never thought I’d run into you here.
What are you doing?
B: Oh, I’m passing out coupons to the distributors.
My company’s promoting a trade show for our new product.
A: Oh, I see. Pardon me if I’m wrong, but I thought promotion was targeted only towards consumers. I didn’t know companies did promotion towards other companies.
B: You’re right that you’re wrong, haha.
In fact, promotion is about communication with both consumers and collaborators, the parties in the channel.
For example, sales promotions are intended to get consumers to respond, and examples include coupons, samples and contests. Trade promotions are directed
towards collaborators in the distribution channel and include slotting fees, which are amounts paid for shelf space,discounts, and trade show participation.
A: Ah, I see. Anyways, it’s so good to see you again!
Here’s my business card.
Give me a call when you’re not too busy.
B: I will, thanks!
Dialog 2
A: Boss, I’m wondering how we should go about this selling process.
B: We definitely need to increase sales.
What would be an optimal option?
A: Maybe it’s about time we start personal selling.
B: Do you want to explain to me what you mean by personal selling and how it’s good or bad?
A: Well, personal selling means that the salesperson speaks personally to the consumer to try to influence the customer’s purchase decision. The advantage would be that the message can be tailored to the consumer.
B: But reaching one person after another would cost us a lot.
