Promotion is an important part of a business's strategy in surviving today's competitive marketplace. To achieve desired sales results, entrepreneurs must consider all forms of promotion and decide which ones should be used and in what proportion. Naturally, the aim of every small business owner is to get the most from every dollar spent for promotion. The combination of different forms of promotion is called the promotional mix . The makeup of the promotional mix varies with the product being promoted, the nature of the potential customers, the general market conditions, and the funds available.
Advertising is a non-personal sales message that is paid for by an identified company.
It promotes the company's products, services, or image and is directed toward a mass audience. The fact that advertising is paid for distinguishes it from free publicity. The non-personal approach of advertising distinguishes it from personal selling. Advertising media are the channels of communication used by advertisers to send their messages to potential customers. Advertising media include radio, television, newspapers, magazines, direct mail, and billboards.