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WHAT EVERETT ROGERS POSIT IN DIFFUSION OF INNOVATION THEORY

Diffusion of innovation theory was developed by Everett Rogers in 1962. It originated in communication to explain how, over time, an idea gains momentum and diffuses (spreads) through a specific population or social system. The theory further explains that the end result of this diffusion is that people, as part of a social system, adopt a new idea. Adoption means a person does something different than what they had previously (i.e. purchase or use a new product, acquire and perform a new behavior). According to Rogers, the key to adoption is that the person must perceive the idea, behavior or product as new or innovative. It is through this that innovation takes place.

The adoption of a new product idea or behavior i.e. innovation does not happen simultaneously in social system; rather it is a process whereby some people are more apt to adopt the innovation than others. Research has therefore shown that people who adopt the innovation early have different characteristics compared to those who adopt it later. There are five established adopter categories. These are;

Innovators: They are the people who want to be the first to try an innovation. They are interested in new ideas. These people are very willing to take risks and are often the first to develop new ideas. Very little, if anything needs to be done to appeal this population.

Early adopters: These are opinion leaders. They enjoy leadership roles and embrace change opportunities. They are already aware of the need to change and so are very comfortable adopting new ideas.

Early majority: These people are rarely leaders, but do adopt new ideas before the average people. That said, they typically need to see evidence that the innovation works before they adopt it.

Late majority: These people are skeptical of change and will only adopt an innovation after it had been tried by the majority. Strategies to appeal this population include how many other people have tried the innovation and adopted it successfully.

Laggards: These people are bound by tradition and are very conservative. They are very skeptical of change are the hardest group to bring on board. Strategies to appeal to this people include statistics, fear appeals and pressure from people in other adopter groups.

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Integrated Marketing Communication is an approach to achieving the objectives of a marketing campaign through a well coordinated use of different promotional methods that are intended to reinforce each other. In other words Integrated Marketing Communication is a way of getting all the various components of your business to work together to develop and promote salable product or service.

There are four types of integrated marketing communication which also helps to streamline a company’s marketing communication. These include:

External marketing integration is when a company deals with outside sources. These sources include advertising/marketing agencies or public relations agencies. Through the outside sources the company is able to inform the world about its product.

Internal marketing integration means that you strive to keep your employees excited about any new developments that the company is involved in. Naturally, if you're going to introduce a new product, you won't want the workers to reveal details prematurely, but by generating excitement among your own people, that excitement gets transmitted to others outside the company.

Horizontal integration is important when it comes to actual development of the product or service. For instance a company’s distribution team to talk to the production team and the production team talk to the financing team. By making sure that the lines of communication stay open, you'll find your business flowing more smoothly than if certain groups are kept out of the loop.

Vertical marketing integration enables product to fit in with the corporate policy and structure of the company. By making sure that the product or service is aligned with the company's mission, you should have a leg up on enveloping a seamless production plan.

Finally, when a company takes all of the different types of integrated marketing and have and the product developed, you'll have the information you need to present your product to customers. By engaging in advertising, and through the judicious use of public relations, you'll be able to apply sales tools to create a successful product campaign.

Integrated marketing communication saves money as it eliminates duplication in areas as such as graphics and photography since they can be shared and used in advertising, exhibitions and sales literature.

Marketing communication is a coordinated promotional messages delivered through one or more channels such as print, radio, television, direct and personal selling. This enables a company capture attention, build desire and gain favor among consumers. In other words marketing communication helps to develop brand awareness which means that the consumer translates product information into perceptions about the product’s attributes and its position within the larger market.

Marketing communication therefore operate through variables or elements in the promotion mix. These include advertising, directing marketing, personal selling, sales promotion, public relations and sponsorship marketing.

These elements or variables in the promotion mix exist in the market at different periods and thus influence a company’s marketing communication.

Personal selling is the most cost effective for a company where the potential buyers or consumers are small. The however result to oral communication with its potential buyers. This may initially focus on developing a relationship with the potential buyer, but will ultimately end with an attempt to “close the sale”. A good example would be businesses selling software systems designed for supermarket retailers.

On the other hand, where markets are geographically dispersed or, where there substantial numbers of potential buyers, advertising is usually the most effective.

A company may also adopt sales promotion to provide more information about products such as baked beans or bread.

In a situation where potential buyers need to be provided with detailed, complex information to help them evaluate a purchase, either public relations or personal selling is almost always required-often using selling teams rather than just an individual.

The above arguments suggest that a company’s marketing communication greatly depends on the choice of variables in the promotion mix which are all meant to satisfy the demands of the consumer.

REFERENCE:

Principles of Adverting (Yaw Gyau)

www.businessdictionary.com

www.ehow.com/info_7877051_types-integrated-marketing-communication.html#ixzz2eyVXYPNn

www.tutor2u.net/business/marketing/promotion