The document discusses the marketing communication mix for ecommerce businesses. It identifies six key elements: advertising, personal selling, discounts and promotions, public relations, direct marketing, and event sponsorship. An example is given of Flipkart's integrated marketing communications strategy that uses various elements like advertising, social media presence, and public relations. The key lesson is that the marketing communication mix must mirror where consumers are spending their time as digital channels continue to grow in importance.

1. wwww.etailingindiaexpo.com
A Brief Guide to Marketing Communication Mix for eCommerce
The final element in marketing mix 4C’s is communication. With this marketing mix, you do not
“promote” your business; rather, you communicate value to your customers/consumers.
When assessing how you will communicate with your customer, keep these thoughts in mind:
 Engaging with your customer through meaningful communication builds customer
confidence that drives sales. Make your communication more personal.
 Your communication should answer what is in store for customers.
 Take advantage of Social Media tools. You can use social media to “promote” your
products (as the 4Ps Matrix would advise) but you can also use it to ask your customers
for their insights.
 Remember, what you say and where and how you say could be unique to each group.
Six Elements of Marketing Communication Mix
Advertising

2. wwww.etailingindiaexpo.com
Advertising is often considered the most important element of the communication mix. In fact,
marketing and advertising are often misconstrued as the same thing. Advertising includes all
messages format a business pays to deliver through a medium to reach a targeted audience.
Personal Selling
Personal selling is many a times integrated with the direct marketing element. However, many
companies make such extensive use of a sales force that it is important to consider this
component separately. It is more emphasized by companies that sell higher-end products and
services that require more assertive efforts to persuade customers to buy.
Discounts and Promotions
Sales promotions or discounts are similar to advertising in that they are often promoted through
paid communication. However, sales promotions actually involve offering a discounted price to a
buyer. This may include coupons, percent-off deals, rebates and loyalties. The aim of this
communication tool includes increasing revenue and cash flow, attracting new customers and
clearing out the inventory.
Public Relations
Public relations is sometimes somewhat similar to advertising in that much of it involves
messages communicated through mass media. The major difference is you don't pay for the time
or space for the message. A television or newspaper feature story mentioning a business, for
instance, isn't paid for and can provide brand exposure.
Direct Marketing
Direct marketing includes some facets of both sales promotions and personal selling. It is an
interactive communication with customers where the company's message implores a response
from targeted customers. Mailers and direct mail are common formats. These messages are sent
to customers with special offers or calls to action, often promoting limited-time deals or new
product launches.

3. wwww.etailingindiaexpo.com
Event Sponsorship
Event sponsorship is the element sometimes left out of the five-element communication mix.
Many models include it within advertising. Event sponsorship occurs when a company pays to
have a presence at a sports, entertainment, nonprofit or community events.
When deciding upon your unique marketing communications mix, you should also
consider the Product Life Cycle. Here is a general guideline as to how and when to
emphasize different parts of the mix according to the stages of a typical product life cycle:
 Pre-Introduction: Light advertising, pre-introduction publicity
 Introduction: Heavy use of advertising, public relations for awareness, sales promotion
for trial
 Growth: Advertising, public relations, branding and brand marketing, personal selling for
distribution
 Maturity: Advertising decreases, sales promotion, personal selling, reminder &
persuasion
 Decline: Advertising and public relations decrease, limited sales promotion, personal
selling for distribution.
Communication for eCommerce and Retail Business
In today’s world , consumers are more than likely to begin their journey on social media looking
for conversation, and most importantly look for recommendations. But, it goes beyond search.
Consumers are looking to connect with brands they value. A biggest gain of today's eCommerce

4. wwww.etailingindiaexpo.com
experience is continuing the conversation after the initial sale where technology becomes a key.
Communication Mix will not only be the lifeline of continuing the conversation, but also the
connecting the consumer value experience of creating long lasting relationships based upon a
lifetime value. Hence, eCommerce players and retailers consider Communication a top priority
for business.
An Example from eCommerce ecosystem:
You can source case-studies from all the major etailers about their Comunication methodologies.
One such example is of Flipkart’s use of Integrated Marketing Communications.
 Flipkart has wisely used the advertising element to boost their business to a peak level.
Each of their ads are designed in such a way that message which can be easily felt by the
customers and which also includes emotions in it, including its past video
(#FlipkartForYourFirst trip to Thailand) where it depicts the feel of happiness and
excitement.
 It has even engaged the customer’s brain with their cognitive ads technique known as
non-comparative ads.
Results: Gain in Customer and Market
The important reason how they gained a good attitude towards their ads and brands is, the way
they advertised.
In Media:
 Occasional Ads like “The Big Billion Day” and
 Seasonal Ad features like “Flipkart HAPPY DIWALI SALE” during Diwali each year

5. wwww.etailingindiaexpo.com
In their website:
 Continuous Ads, they each day they change the ads on their homepage
Social Media Presence
The most important in social media is the social listening, which the Flipkart does well. They
have an impressive way to have a track and remind their customer about their last search which
they left viewing, by popping up in the news feed or in the bottom in your Facebook page. They
also post any news, events and offers during festival offers which also helps in pre-purchase
awareness among customers. Plus, there are always options of added SM tools such as Twitter
and Google+ on its page.
Besides, Word of mouth generates more than twice the sales of paid advertising in categories as
diverse as health-care and mobile phones.
Public Relations
Flipkat is very good in maintaining public relationships, by making press release for any news
worthy such as $1 billion GMV achievement speech by the founder Sachin Bansal in a ‘Slash
N’ technology conference 2015, which was the event sponsored and conducted by them from
2013.
Also, they are really good at handling the negative effects of media, like when they had a glitch
in their 1st ‘The Big Billion Day ‘they apologized in a press meet which made their customers to
gain their trust back.
So, what have we learnt?
The pace of digital change continues to be fast with digital channels constantly growing in
volume and strength. Smart marketers work on their toes to ensure their marketing strategies and
touch-points mirror where the consumer is spending their time. These 4C’s reflect a more client-
oriented marketing philosophy and successful retailers in this consumer centric world are quickly
adapting and evolving to its new challenges.