Types of Communication

Defining Communication:

Communication means exchanging the information, ideas, signals, feelings, emotions or thoughts with the help of a particular medium i.e in writing or by speaking.
In the process of communication a sender encodes a message and sends across a particular medium. The receiver decodes the message which has been sent across the medium and sends an appropriate feedback with the help of the channel.

Depending on the type of the message that is to be sent the channel is selected. However the  choice of the channel creates an impact on the communication.

There are certain types of communications. Below mentioned are some.

Verbal Communication: 
In this particular form of communication the message is sent out verbally either by writing the message down or by word of mouth. The message while communicating should be kept simple and short. Because the person who is sending the message across knows what he wants to communicate but the receiver might have some different perception or attitude regarding the message conveyed. This can be a barrier in the communication. Verbal communication is further divided in to two categories.

• Oral Communication:   Oral communication means the message which is sent across through TV, radio, word of mouth, face to face conversation, telephonic conversation etc. The key advantage is that you can see the facial expression of the person and can judge whether the person is convinced by the message sent. Also oral communication can elicit a quick response.
• Written Communication: Written communication is across letters, reports, memos, email. Written signs and symbols are used particularly in the written communication. The precise the communication, the more polished the language better is the impact that shall be created due to written communication. The key advantage is you can edit the text before publishing it. However written communication can not elicit a quick response.

Non Verbal Communication:

Non verbal communication aims at sending the messages with the help of expressions, gestures, body language, tone of voice. Non verbal communication helps to interpret the message more accurately. Non Verbal communication is dependent on the appearance of the speaker, the gesture, the body language, the tone of voice, volume and the speech rate.

Communication based on cause:
Depending on the purpose the communication can be further divided into formal or non formal communication.

• Formal communication: When it comes to formal communication there are certain rules and protocols which are to be followed. The communication is formal and official in style. This usually occurs into official or corporate meetings.Usually slang or routine language is not used, precise and formal language is used for communication.

• Informal Communication:Informal communication usually happens in the casual talks in the routine social situations with friends or family. There are no barriers for the usage of the language. Slangs can be used in informal communication. Informal communication helps to express and also to form bonds with colleagues, friends.

Advertising Standard Council of India - ASCI

Advertising Standards Council of India is a self regulatory voluntary organization of the advertising industry. The role of ASCI and CCC (Consumer Complaint Council) is dealing with complaints received from the consumers and the industry, against the advertisements which are false or misleading and leads to unsafe practices or unfair to competition. This is where ASCI comes into picture.

ASCI has adopted the Code of Self regulation in advertising. It particularly means commitment of the advertisers to honest advertising and fair competition in the market place. It stands for the protection of the legitimate interests of the consumers and all concerned with advertising, which means the advertisers and the agencies who are responsible for the creation of advertisements.

Since the code is been adopted, the 3 things come into picture:

Fewer false and misleading claims, lesser unfair advertisements and increasing respectability.

The mission of ASCI is to maintain and enhance the publics confidence in advertising. ASCI seeks to ensure that advertisements confirm its Code for Self regulation. The advertisements need to be:

• Truthful and fair to competition and consumers
• The advertisement should fit in the norms of public decency
• The products which are likely to impact the minors or the ones which have hazardous impact should not be advertised. 

 ASCI encourages the public to complain about the advertisements which they find deceptive or do not fit in the decency standards or for any other reason. ASCI also ensures prompt and ample amount of consideration. After this the CCC takes at a look at the advertisement and then an appropriate decision is conveyed to the complainant and the advertiser.

If an ad is to be reviewed for its impact on the viewers/audience/readers then the advertiser is also informed duly about the complaint and the points raised in the complaint. Then depending on complaint the advertiser is also permitted to elicit a response on the substantial issues raised by the complainant.

Only then the CCC of the ASCI will be in a position to deliberate meaningfully on the issues involved and to arrive at a fair and objective conclusion, which would stand the scrutiny of all concerned with the right of freedom of expression and the freedom of consumers to choose the products and services made available to them in the market place.

A clearly copy of the copy or the ad under complaint with the full particulars of the name and date of publication or a print out of an ad is sent to the advertiser. The identity of the complainant is not revealed.

The code of the Advertising Practices:

To ensure the truthfulness and honesty of representations and claims made:

1. Advertisements must be truthful.
2. Where advertising claims are expressly stated to be based on or supported by independent research or assessment, the source and date of this should be indicated in the advertisement.
3. Ads should not contain any reference to any person without due permission
4. Ads shall not distort facts or mislead the consumer by the means of implications or omissions.
5. To ensure that ads are not offensive to generally accepted standard of public decency
6. To safeguard against the indiscriminate use of advertising products hazardous to society.
7. Ads addressed to children shall not contain anything whether in illustration or otherwise which might result into their physical or mental harm
8. Ads should not show children climbing or reaching to dangerous location to reach any product or for any other purpose.

Direct Marketing Media

Whenever a particular advertisement generates a qualified lead or generates an direct order only then that particular advertisement is called as an direct advertisement.
In this blog I will elaborating the direct marketing tools which are effective to generate potential leads or to stimulate orders.

1. Telemarketing:
Telemarketing is the largest direct marketing tool used by consumer and business products. Telemarketers make use of the latest technologies including hardware and software, database, call centers. Telemarketing activity is thoroughly planned and well executed. It is strategised in such a way that the person who is called by the telemarketing company is a potential customer of the firms target group. There is a personal interaction, though not face to face and also an attempt to satisfy the needs of the consumer. Telemarketing is used as a part of the integrated marketing communications programme. It is rarely used as a stand alone medium by the direct marketers. 

2. Direct Mail Marketing:
Direct mail marketing particularly includes personally addressed mails of brochures or leaflets. Direct mailers are sent extensively by apparel stores or jewellery store. 
Example: Garden Vareli sends out mailers during their sales which consists a message stating, carry this mailer to the sale venue and get a certain amount of discount.

2.1 Individual Mailers: These mailers particularly talk only about a certain product in detail. It carries all the specifications which a buyer might want to refer. Particularly used by mutual fund companies or by computer software package.

2.2 Catalogs: Catalogs are the widely used category by both, consumer goods and B2B marketers . Catalogs usually consists the line of the merchandise.

3. Direct Response TV:
A direct response TV commercial is more or less like the TV commercials. However DRTV commercial asks for an immediate action from the individuals. While the TV commercials aim to target the mass market, DRTV is targeted only to a specialized target audience. It also consists of a telephone number which encourages the prospects to place orders or seek detail about that particular product.

4. Direct Response Print Media:
In this particular medium a print ad is placed in a magazine or in a newspaper. It usually includes at least one reply mechanism in it.

5. Direct Response Radio:
Since majority of people spend most of their time travelling, where TV viewing is not practical. At this times Direct response radio proves to be an effective medium. Earlier radio was not considered as a strong direct marketing medium. However due to the ability to reach the segmented audience with utmost precision majority of the direct marketers make use of direct response radio.

6. Database marketing:
Database marketing particularly includes individually addressable marketing media channels to deliver highly targeted offers to customers and prospects.Firms can stay close to their target market by compiling and keeping a permanent record of all customer and prospect communications. It helps to improve future contacts and makes realistic planning of marketing activities possible.

Introduction to Direct Marketing

Let's start by defining Direct Marketing.

Direct marketing is an interactive system of marketing which uses one or more advertising media to effect a measurable response and/or transaction at any location.

There are 3 key aspects in this definition. 


The first one is that direct marketing is "interactive" in which both the marketer as well as the prospective consumer engage in two way communication. Usually the general form of advertising is one way communication where the information is sent out, but the prospect cannot react over the telephone or by through other medium.

The second aspect is that the direct marketing activities are "measurable" in nature. Direct marketing allows the marketer to identify/measure the outcome/response of any particular communication.

The third aspect is that direct marketing communications "can take place at any location". The prospective consumer can be contacted over a telephone/mail/fax.

The Advantages of direct marketing:
Direct marketing, like the other forms of communication aims at persuading the target audience. However there are some things which direct marketing does better than the traditional forms of marketing.

Expense and Profits through direct marketing:
Direct marketers make use of the paid messages just like the general advertisers, however the expenses for direct marketing campaigns are more since the aim is to generate a response. Direct marketing is basically selling your product/service without a sales person or without an intermediary. Since the intermediaries are eliminated the profit earned is more. However the expenditure on media is more as compared to general marketing. The expenditure generally accounts to 10 to 30 percent of the sales, depending on the media involved.

Customer Service:
Customer service plays an important role when it comes to direct marketing.Majority of the firms make money from repeat business rather than just from one sale. Hence a due importance has to be given to the customer service as well. Its an important mechanism to have regular interactions between the marketer and the consumer.

Precision in targeting:
The direct marketing campaigns are based on the use of the database that are segmented with respect to certain criteria like college goers, frequent flyers etc. The direct marketing communications are aimed at the precisely targeted prospects to reduce the waste which is present in other forms of communications.

Personalization:
Direct marketing communications are personalised and hence it creates a direct appeal to the prospective consumer. The ability to personalise extends just beyond the names where you can also communicate based on the past purchases, customer characteristics and likewise.

Call for immediate action:
Direct marketing communication always contains a call for action in their copy. The prospect is either encouraged to gain more information or place the order by calling the number in the direct response print ad.

Measurement:
The effect of the direct marketing activity can always be measured. You can track the performance, the campaigns can be monitored on a real time basis. You can precisely check what has worked and the areas which can be explored or the ones which have to be improvised.
Tracking the performance also helps in analyzing the behavior of the target group and also establish long term relationship with the target audience.