This paper examines four customer marketing channels suitable for a small-scale cookie business operating through a local bakery. The channels discussed are word-of-mouth referrals, local newspaper advertising, flier distribution, and in-store promotional sales. The paper evaluates each channel's cost-effectiveness and reach, concluding that the bakery itself serves as the most critical channel. It emphasizes the role of bakery staff in converting occasional buyers into loyal customers and in gathering product feedback that can drive future diversification.
With the decision to sell the cookies made and a bakery identified, the next step is to consider which customer marketing channels to use when approaching potential clientele. A first appropriate channel in this situation is word of mouth. Since friends have already enjoyed the cookies, they are likely to praise them and encourage others to purchase from the bakery. The main advantage of this channel is that it involves no expense.
A second channel is media advertising. This approach is limited by a reduced marketing budget; however, it could materialize in the form of an advertisement in the local newspaper. The ad could promote both the cookie product and the bakery, with the cost of placing the ad shared between both parties. A third channel is the distribution of fliers, which is cost-effective and capable of reaching a wide range of potential customers. Finally, the bakery itself can serve as a marketing channel by offering promotional sales on the cookies. For this method to succeed, bakery staff must be polite and capable of completing sales effectively.
"Staff convert buyers into loyal, feedback-giving customers"
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