CHAPTER ONE

1.0  INTRODUCTION

The embellishment of business including non profit organization and education services require that, the firms make key decisions. This discussion effect the total marketing programs of the firms simply put the marketing strategy. However one vital are such of decision which demand proper attention is the promotional policies and programmes to inform, persuade and educate its target audience of the existence of the organization and their services, although creation of demand for a firms product may be the ultimate objectives.

1.1  BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

       Firm must put in place a set of activities aimed at stimulating demand for the service, this may involve demanding the optimal combination of the promotional mix advertising sales promotion, personal selling, publicizing, public relations, direct marketing and packaging is achieve its promotional objectives the optimum blend is a function of the promotion. With the educational institution in imo state, there is need to appraise the promotional strategies used by the educational institution in facing competition in the institution which is being keener everyday.

1.2  STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

       Inadequate customers patronage and often given by entrepreneur as a major cause of their failure. A careful review of their circumstances often reveals abnormality ignorgance of the need for promotional skill or deliberate neglect of the necessary strategies. Quite often marketers are very optimistic about sales (patronage) they conceive the wrong motion towards the promotion strategy, there are need for promotional strategies in the education institution because most of this potential student are not aware of educational institution like tutorial institution (University as a result of many educational institution lack coordinated promotional strategies).

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The promotional objectives of this study is to evaluate the promotional activities in the marketing of education service in imo states metropolis with particular the interest on federal polytechnic Nekede Owerri.

To determine the extent to which consumers users of the educational system federal polytechnic Nekede Owerri.

To determine the impact of promotional strategies on consumers interest for educational services.

To determine the extent promotional activities educational institution services achieve the institutional promotional objectives.

To determine the impact of promotional activities of consumers (students) on their performance towards the institution (federal polytechnic Owerri).

To examine the major set back on promotional activities of education.

To make appropriate recommendation base on the findings of the study.

1.4  RESEARCH QUESTIONS

       Based on the problem and objective of this study the following research questions have been formulated.

Does promotional activities of educational institution led to increase awareness of institution to its users?

Does promotional law effect negatively on promotional activities of educational services?

Does promotional activity of education institution lead to increase consumers (student) patronage?

To what extent does promotional activity adopted by the institution in imo state metropolis?

1.5  SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

       Odo (1992) stated that significance of a study simply means how the difference users and readers of the project will review the study. In light of the above study will be the great benefits to the operation of higher institution and most importantly as the study will unveil some of the cost effective and efficient promotional game plan that could be adopted are embrace the performance of their operation not only in imo state metropolis but also with the country (Nigeria).

Promotional consultants have been deprived of excellent performance in their operation beaus of scarcity and insufficient data and inadequate literature available in this research. This study went successfully completed and adequately supersede will be in addition or the extend literature needed in promotion and vital marketing communication. Promotional practitioners and consultant will therefore use it extensively for reference. Above all student will also be beneficial in both the researcher and reader understanding in the area which could stir up their study. Based on the pre-group it become indisputable that the need for this study with wit.

1.6  SCOPE OF THE STUDY

       This study concentrated on promotional activities of tertiary institutions. However, due to the researcher’s predisposition and many other limited which could not allow this, the scope of this study has been narrowed down to federal polytechnic Nekede Owerri, imo state metropolis.

17   LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

       Over the years they have been a lot of problems associated with the problem of research findings which are as follows:

Poor adequate promotional strategy analysis in the institution has kept potential student uninformed towards the institutional development which are facing some educational institution in Nigeria.

1.8  DEFINITION OF TERMS

PROMOTIONAL STRATEGY: It is controlled integrated program of communication method and materials prospective customers (Adirika, Ebube, Nnolim).

ADVERTISING: It is a group of activities aiming at and inducing dissemination of information in any paid non personal presentation form consuming an ideas product or services to compare actions accordance with the import and identifiable sponsor.

SALES PROMOTION PUBLIC RELATION: The deliberate planned and sustained effort to established and maintain, mutual understanding between and organization and its public.

DIRECT MARKETING: It’s an interaction marketing media effect a measurable response.

PERSONAL SELLING: Face to face interactions will or more prospective purchase for the purpose of making presentation answering questions and producing in order.

PUBLIC RELATION AND PUBLICITY: A variety of program designed to promote or protect a company’s image or its individual services.