ABSTRACT
This study examines sales promotion as an effective strategy for achieving marketing goals in an organization with particular reference to (Champion Breweries PLC. Uyo, Akwa Ibom State). The main objective of the study is to highlight the prospect and importance of sales promotion in Champion Breweries PLC. Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. Qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection was adopted in this study, structured questionnaires were administered to one hundred (100) respondents out of which eighty two (82) copies were filled and returned. Survey research design was implored in selecting the respondents comprising of one hundred and eighty seven (187) management and staff of Champion Breweries PLC. Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. Sample size of one hundred and twenty seven (127) was determined using Taro Yamane formula.
Descriptive and inferential statistics were used on different occasion in data analysis through statistical tools such as simple percentage and Pearson product moment correlation. The finding indicated that the adoption of sales promotion strategies significantly influence the effectiveness of Champion Breweries PLC. Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. It was therefore concluded that the effective implementation of sales promotion tools lead to increase in company sales volume and invariably higher profit, therefore the researcher recommended that management should engage regularly in more promotional mix strategies and also tend to be creative to consumers as this in turn would enhance and boost their sales revenue.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Sales promotion became an essential motivating factor in the area of marketing in any organization whether in the brewery industry or any other company.
The American Marketing Association (AMA) defines sales promotion as “media and non-media marketing pressures applied for a pre-determined, limited period of time in order to stimulate trial, increase consumer demand or improve product quality.
Business target sales promotion at three different audiences: consumer, resellers and the companies own sales force. Sales promotion acts as a competitive weapon by providing extra incentives for the target audience to purchase or support one brand (Champion Brewery PLC.) over another.
Most marketers believe that a given product or service has an established perceived price or value, and they use sales promotion to change this price-value relationship by increasing the value and/or lowering the price.
Finally, sales promotion tends to work best when it is applied to impulse items whose feature can be complex and expensive items that might require hand on demonstration.
HISTORY OF CHAMPION BREWERY PLC
Champion Brewery PLC Uyo, Akwa Ibom State are the producers of Champion Lager Beer and Champ Malta. Champion lager beer is an inviting sun-rip golden beverage with an exciting aroma for the action oriented man launched into the Nigerian market on the 11th of December, 1976, champion lager beer has since undergone several launches that have continued to make it the preferred beer in Cross River, Akwa Ibom and neighboring state along with pleasant tasting champ company’s non-alcoholic and deeply satisfying malt drink.
Champion Breweries PLC was incorporated as a private limited liability company in Cross River in the year 1974 with the name South East Breweries Limited. This was changed to Cross River Breweries limited and thereafter to Champion Breweries Limited. The company became a public limited liability company and was known as Champion Breweries PLC on the 1st of September 1992 and was listed on the Nigerian stock exchange on September 1, 1993.
History of Champion Breweries PLC while ownership structure change over the years, champion Breweries plc is today under the technical supervision of its controlling share holders a global beverage giant Heineken Nv. And this has put the company in a stead to even surpass every previous achievement on sales, consumer satisfaction and community engagement.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
It is true that consumers of both industrial and finished goods exhibit various attitudes toward the products and services offered and rendered to them. This is basically because presently consumers’ income is very low due to the economic predicament coupled with other environmental factor that influences their buying habit hence:
Manufactures are faced with the problem of stiff competition
Problem of low sales and low demand have prompted producers to use sales promotion to compliment the use of other promotional mixes like advertising.
However it has been observed over the years that some producers do not employ the use of appropriate sales promotion strategies and methods to enhance the achievement of stated goals and have neglected the importance of marketing concepts.
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The main objective of this study is to highlight the prospects and importance of sales promotion in Champion Breweries PLC.Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
The specific objectives of the study are:
To find out if there is a relationship between sales promotion and sales volume in Champion Breweries PLC. Uyo Akwa Ibom State.
To find out if there is a relationship between sales promotion and customers brand loyalty in Champion Breweries PLC. Uyo Akwa Ibom State.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The under listed questions are used to find out the importance of sale promotion in an organization.
Is there any relationship between sales promotion and the company sales volume?
Is there any relationship between sales promotion and customers brand loyalty?
RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
Ho1 : There is no significant relationship between sales promotion and sales volume in Champion Breweries PLC. Uyo Akwa Ibom State.
Ho2: there is no significant relationship between sales promotion and customers brand loyalty in Champion Breweries PLC. Uyo Akwa Ibom State.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
In this situation, for any business survival, promotional strategies especially sales promotion of different sort usually dominate budget and expenditure has taken an upward trend in the introduction of new products in recent times in Nigeria.
Champion Brewery PLC. Uyo is one of the largest manufacturing companies in the southern part of the country and has contributes a lot of revenue earning to the company and has also been a source of employment. It is therefore worthwhile to indicate a study that is hoped to enhance the business performance of the company upon the need to provide marketing department of Champion Brewery PLC. an insight of effects or impacts of sales promotion as an effective strategy for achieving organizational goals.
SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This research study covers all products of Champion Brewery PLC. Uyo within the confines of Aka Nung Udoe road in Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State to examine the impact of sales promotion strategies on consumer’s patronage.
1.8 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
In the process of undertaking this research work, a number of challenges both directly or indirectly have affected the study
Time: Due to academic activities, writing of test, term papers and assignment, time has been the major constraint of this study.
Attitude of employees are generally unpredictable as some of them were not willing to give useful information.
SOLUTIONS TO LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The researcher overcame the challenge of time by sharing the work among all the group members therefore making the research work easy to undertake.
The researcher overcame the challenge of information by explaining to the staff and personnel of Champion Brewery PLC. The purpose for using their organization as the case study with humility.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
Sales promotion: This may be defined as the use of short term incentives periodically to stimulate or encourage consumer to buy product.
Consumer: One who buy and uses goods and services to satisfy personal household or for sale.
Advertising: Any paid form of non-personal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods or services
Marketing: Is the management function that is concerned with the identification, anticipation and satisfaction of consumer’s want.
Public Relation: Conscious effort to improve and mention a good corporate image and relationship with public and employee and customers, shareholders, trade union etc.
