Marketing Communication is not a Preserve of the Big Players: Compelling Evidence from Small and Medium Size Entreprises in the Upper East Region of Ghana
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53819/81018102t2526Abstract
In the era of digital communications, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) risk drowning in the clutter as their target customers are bombarded everyday with loads of messages. It has therefore become imperative to keep track on the relevance of traditional and digital marketing communications to SMEs. This study surveyed SME owners/managers and their customers, soliciting data on their firms’ performance and the influence of marketing communications on their buying decisions respectively. Structural equation modeling was used via the SmartPLS software to test the direct and indirect effects among variables. The analysis also includes the mediating role of brand visibility and the moderating role of sales promotion in the relationship between marketing communications and firm performance. The results show that traditional media are still very effective for reaching a large audience in local markets. Digital media communications also exert a lot of influence on brand visibility and purchase intentions. The empirical confirmation of brand visibility as a crucial mediator between marketing communications and firm performance is one of this study's main contributions. Sales promotion is also found in this study to be a moderator of the relationship between digital marketing communication and firm performance. On the contrary, sales promotion does not moderate the relationship between traditional marketing communication and firm performance. SMEs will benefit from an integrated approach to marketing communication, combining both traditional and digital media to expose their brands to customers and potential customers. Government policies that make digital infrastructure available and effective will also enhance the communication effectiveness of SMEs in region.
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