Final answer:
The final step in developing a promotional program is to identify the target audience. The campaign message should be crafted based on salient issues to the potential customers, using clear and simple communication that can be effective in sound bites. The strategy should also consider competitors' positions and may leverage the central route to persuasion for analytical audiences.
Step-by-step explanation:
In developing a promotional program for a firm's product, the final step is to identify the target audience, which should align with the target market for the product to the greatest extent possible. By using tools such as polls and targeting groups, firms can determine the issues that are most salient to their potential customers. This knowledge aids in crafting a campaign message that resonates with the audience and can be distilled into simple, easily digestible media sound bites for effective communication.
Additionally, it's important to be aware of what competitors are doing and decide whether to build upon their strategies or take a different path. Understanding the competitive landscape, as illustrated by two firms on Main Street, can inform how to better position one's own business. Moreover, the central route to persuasion indicates that when targeting an analytical audience who deeply processes information, like small business owners purchasing computers, focusing on product quality and specific features such as processing speed and memory capacity can be particularly persuasive.