Marketing communication: principles and practice

Post-action control
occurs at the end of the planning period when the
degree of success achieved is reviewed and the causes of any gaps between
planned and actual performance are isolated. The new knowledge is used to
develop future plans.
P L A N N I N G T H E S Y S T E M
320
Plan
Take
corrective
action
Evaluate
performance
against
standards
Assign
responsibility
Set specific
performance
standards
Figure 16.11
The basic process of control

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Steering control
applies where performance deviations can be identified
early, and managers can take corrective action; the plan can be adjusted to
meet the original or modified objectives.
The corrective-action approach requires the manager to:
• select the performance measures to be monitored
• compare actual and planned performance at appropriate time intervals
• specify the acceptable degree of deviation
• identify implications of the deviations
• modify the plan to steer it towards the objectives
Both internal performance monitoring and trading environment monitoring
should be attempted, and this requires:
• a plan for planning
• a planning system
• and a marketing intelligence system
THE COST OF COMMUNICATION EFFORT
The means for communicating and the possibilities for impact and effect
are determined largely by the resources that are applied. How is the budget
allocation determined, then? Typically, a fixed proportion of sales is allocated,
or the spending of competing providers is monitored. Alternatively, whatever
is available is deployed. Ideally, the level of resource application needed to
accomplish the stated objectives is decided. 
In a sense, all actions are read as communicating by those who attend to
the people, products, company, industry, and market. Perhaps another
crucial question is: what does it cost us when we try not to communicate with
our customers and other stakeholders, or do not pay sufficient attention to
our own and their communication needs?
When we think of marketing communication budgets, we tend to think of
the purchase of advertising space, printing of product brochures, and charges
for trade shows, and so on. However, the cost of building and effectively
operating the total communication system, including the planning system,
is a major investment that can reap great rewards for all stakeholders.