To implement marketing communications objectives, a promotional mix or combination of media to reach the target audience needs to be designed. The promotional mix assumes the following:

You know who your customer is-you've done research or know from past experience who they are (how old, how much money they make, where they live, male/female, etc.).

You understand the advantages of various media and media vehicles (or have an advertising agency you can consult with about it) and how they relate to your target audience.

With this in mind, a combination of various media and related media vehicles to reach the target audience needs to be identified. Examples of media and media vehicles utilized in the promotional mix include the following:

Each media vehicle has relative advantages and disadvantages in reaching a specific target audience or customer group-a multitude of resources and studies are available, including Neilsen. There are also different media costs, production costs, and a variety of considerations for each of them. A good marketer or advertising agency can develop a promotional mix that will include all these factors, ultimately taking into consideration both the effectiveness of reaching a specific target audience and the overall budget.