ABSTRACT
Promotional efforts are the most visible manifestation of the strategy at the heart of a marketing plan. Some observers might think of the promotional strategy as the marketing strategy. However, as evident from the location of this chapter in this book, much planning and strategizing must necessarily precede promotional decisions. As we have seen, the four elements of the marketing mix (product, place, price, and promotion) are the strategic and tactical tools by which we implement a positioning strategy, which is in turn the product of an extensive situation analysis. Until a solid positioning strategy is articulated to reach a clearly defined target audience, considering promotional decisions is not appropriate.
