Promotion through Websites in Manufacturing Enterprises of Food-Processing Industry

Abstract

Purpose of the article: There is a great potential in enhancing relationships of enterprises with their customers via websites. The article describes an innovative concept of marketing communication through websites, presents its essential elements and summarizes the findings on evaluation of website marketing communication in large manufacturing enterprises of food-processing industry in the CR. Scientific aim: Carrying out a complex evaluation of websites of leading manufacturing enterprises in food-processing industry in terms of accessibility and general usability, targeting all audiences of the supply chain – starting with immediate customers up to final consumers, also in terms of striving for an integrated system of communication targets, to begin with providing customers with information as far as to acquiring feedback and customers´ opinions, in terms of presenting positioning strategies and assuring individual components of marketing communication mix through possible forms of website marketing communication. Methodology/methods: Qualitative research of website marketing communication of 25 large foodprocessing enterprises in the CR, its content analysis and evaluation in terms of website communication requirements in current market conditions. Findings: Marketing communication through websites in large food-processing enterprises has been evaluated as mostly insufficient based on the findings in the CR researched companies. The websites are difficult to access for customers, are insufficiently accommodated to search engines and marketing communication there mostly only aims to inform visitors about the enterprises and their products, however, they do not attempt to establish a mutual dialogue and encourage the customers´ preferences, trust in and loyalty to the company. The websites use interactive instruments, such as on-line counseling, discussions, customer feedback forms etc. either not at all, or to a minimum degree. Conclusions: (limits, implications etc) Marketing communication via websites should be targeted and differentiated according to the message recipient target groups, while respecting the differences between communication with final consumers and communication with immediate customersmiddlemen, through whom the products are distributed to final consumers. The system of marketing communication should support the whole concept of aims, such as the brand building, providing information about the company and products, persuading customers about advantages of the offer, creating the brand and products preferences, increasing customers´ readiness to the purchase and also enhancing their trust in the company and its products, transmitting information and opinions of customers along the whole supply chain, from the immediate customers up to the final consumers, back to the company. That is why a varied scope of communication instruments is to be used to function efficiently and intensify the interaction among all the elements of the supply chain, i.e. between the supplier and sales and parallely between the manufacturer and final consumers.