After reading this article you will learn about Communication:- 1. Meaning of Communication 2. Elements of Communication.

Meaning of Communication:

The word communication is derived from the Latin communes which means ‘common’ We attempt to communicate, that is, to establish a ‘Commonness’ with another person. There are three essential parts of communication, viz., the source, message and receiver.

True communication takes place only when the message means the same thing (in common) to both the parties, i.e., the sender of the message and its receiver.

Marketing communication involves sharing of meaning, information, and concepts by the source and the receiver about products and services and about the firm selling (hem. Marketing communication is undertaken by marketers through the devices of promotion viz., advertising, publicity, salesmanship and sales promotion. We have also word-of-mouth communication to accelerate the spreading over of marketing communication.

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The effective communication occurs when a sender (source) sends a message and a receiver responds to the message in a manner which satisfies the sender. Both must have identical meaning of the message. Effective communication is equal to: receipt of the message plus understanding plus acceptance plus action. In marketing, action means decision to purchase.

Elements of Communication:

1. The Source: a marketing company, a sender of message.

2. The Message: the commercial idea, sales story, the copy theme.

3. The Channel: the vehicle carrying the message such as radio, television, a salesman, an advertising medium, sales literature sent through the mail.

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4. The Receiver: a person or a group of persons; the receiver is a potential customer.

5. The Feedback: a response, a reaction or message sent back by a customer to the marketer. The feedback improves the effectiveness of communication.

6. The Noise: noise creates many obstacles reducing effectiveness of the communication process.

In marketing management, the source or communicator is the marketer who desires to promote his product. He attempts to deliver a message to a receiver. He can deliver the message in many ways. All forms of promotion are media or channels of communicating or sending the message.

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The receiver or audience is the target market segment; i.e., the group of consumers for whom the message is sent. Message is received and interpreted by consumers and if their predispositions become favourable, they decide to purchase. Feedback is the reverse flow of communication from the consumer to the marketer.

When the message is transmitted through personal salesmanship, the seller may have prompt feedback from the receiver. The sender can find out how the message is being received as we have face-to-face direct communication through sales talk and conversation. The salesman can balance the message on the basis of feedback from the buyer.

This is the real advantage of personal selling. Personal interaction is the most efficient form of communication. Under mass communication or advertising, mass sellers must rely for information feedback (returned message from buyer) on dealers, consumerism, complaints from consumers, marketing research or total sales results given through said analysis. Mass communication is essentially one-way communication.

Feedback is difficult and usually delayed. Consumer surveys, electronic devices, and other types of marketing research are used to get feedback. However, this feedback is delayed and it is of no use in altering a message already sent. Of course, it is useful in altering the future advertising message.

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Distortion and Noise in the Promotion Channel: Marketing communications may be distorted particularly when a message passes through a number of channels. Noise is a more serious problem. It can arise due to faulty transmission, faulty reception, or interference. Competitive communications constitute the most serious noise. A consumer may be tuned to many communication flows (Advertisements) at a time.

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