International Marketing in Germany – From a cultural perspective

2.2.3
 
Promotion 
The third P in the marketing mix introduces promotion. Kotler et al.’s definition of promotion 
is:

“Activities that communicate the product or service and its merits to target 
customers and persuade them to buy.”
34
 
For a company to succeed it isn’t enough with just a good product, it needs to communicate 
the product in a way that builds and maintains relationships. If the company is not visible, it 
does not exist. Hence, communication is one of the most important tasks for a company.
35
The 
26
Homburg, C. & Krohmer, H., 
Marketingmanagement,
(2006), p. 563 
27
Kotler, P. et al., 
Principles of Marketing,
(2005), p. 539 
28
Homburg, C., & Krohmer, H., 
Marketingmanagement,
(2006), p. 563 
29
Kotler, P. et al., 
Principles of Marketing,
(2005), p. 550 
30
Ibid, p. 546f 
31
Ibid, p. 546 
32
Ibid, p. 549, 560 
33
Ibid, p. 540, 552 
34
Ibid, p. 34 
35
Mårtensson, R., 
Marknadskommunikation. Kunden. Varumärket. Lönsamheten., 
(2008),
 
p. 14

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14 
promotion mix contains advertising, personal selling, sales promotion, public relations and 
direct marketing. Advertising is explained by everything that a company pays for in the 
purpose of promoting and presenting something. It cannot be personal. Personal selling is 
described by when the purpose is to build customer relationships and make sales by having a 
sales force. Sales promotion means every short-term action that a company takes in the 
purpose of getting higher sales. Public relations deal with building public relationships as well 
as image mostly through publicity. Direct marketing is described as the direct way of 
connecting customers such as telephone, email, mail and the internet.
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Not only the tools in the promotion mix communicate the message, but also the rest of the 
marketing mix such as product design, channels and price, which is why it is very important 
coordinate the entire marketing mix.
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