The document discusses the communication process and key aspects of effective promotion. It describes the components of the communication process including the source, encoding, medium, receiver, decoding, and feedback. It then discusses obstacles that can interfere with effective communication such as poor encoding, poor decoding, medium failure, and communication noise. Finally, it provides tips for improving communication such as carefully encoding messages for the audience, allowing feedback, reducing noise, and choosing the right audience.

1. The Communication Process
Chapter 15.1

2. What is Promotion?
• Any form of communication used to inform,
persuade, and remind consumers about a
organization’s products or services.

3. Source (Sender) – an organization or
person
Encoding by the Source – putting the
message into language or symbols that
are familiar to the intended receiver.
Medium (Message Channel) – tv, radio,
newspaper, magazine, direct mail, sales
presentations, or billboards.
Receiver – the person(s) to whom the
encoded message is directed. (target
audience)
Decoding by the Receiver – interpreting
the message or symbols and converting
them into concepts and ideas.
Noise – interference that can cause the
message to be interpreted by the
receiver incorrectly. (competing
messages, radio static, poor quality
printer, ambiguous or unfamiliar words)
Feedback – the receiver’s reaction or
response to the source’s message

4. • Feedback is essential to teaching
people to fully appreciate their
strengths, so they use them to
their advantage.
Do you use
feedback in class
to improve your
work/learning?
• Feedback can help a business know
what is working for its customers
and what needs to be improved.
Why is
feedback
important to a
business?

5. Obstacles to Effective Communication
Poor Encoding Message source fails to create the right
sensory stimuli to meet the objectives
of the message.
• Verbally phrasing words poorly
• Ads that are difficult to understand,
using words or symbols lacking
meaning (cultural differences)
Poor Decoding Errors occur due to personal or
psychological factors
• Not paying attention to full tv ad
• Driving too quickly past a billboard
• Allowing one’s mind to wander
while talking to a salesperson

6. Obstacles to Effective Communication
Medium Failure Wrong medium is used to
communicate the message.
Ex. TV ad to doctors vs. a print ad
Communication Noise An outside force in someway affects
delivery of the message.
Advertising clutter (noise) – customers
are distracted or overwhelmed by the
large number of ads they encounter
every day.

7. Improving Communication
Carefully Encode
• Have a good understanding of how their audience interprets words, symbols, sounds, and
other stimuli
Allow Feedback
• Encourage message receiver to provide feedback
• Phone numbers and email, online forums, blogs, social media
Reduce Noise
• Sales People trained to reduce noise (remove client to a quiet space, non-busy times, etc.
• Use whitespace in magazines
Choose Right Audience
• Messages are more likely to be received and appropriately decoded by those who have an
interest.