Dealing with different LC Business Verbs

What’s in a verb?

In Leaving Cert Business, an understanding of what is expected as an answer when presented with different verbs and context of the same topic/information is essential in order to achieve a H1.
Laid out below is a variety of styles of questions, using different verbs which would require different outcomes.
I’ve picked Advertising to look at different ways a candidate could answer different styles of questions, and I’ve written out reasoning in red below each question before I’ve written a suggested solution in blue.

For a downloadable version to use in class, click here!

 

 

Q: Define Advertising

(precise / to the point definition – no example/development with explanation)
The communication of information by a business to it’s target market using different media.
 

Q: Explain what is meant by ‘advertising’ as a promotional technique for a business

(explain – use keywords from the LC course to show what advertising is)
Communicating information to a target market, usually to persuade them to purchase your product.
Advertising can be Persuasive, competitive (e.g. Lidl vs Tesco prices), generic (e.g. drink more milk, not products) and informative (e.g. Toyota advertising a product recall).
  

Q: Evaluate a type of advertising a business could use

(This asks for a type of advertising, so no need for a definition of advertising, focus on a type and evaluate it)
Competitive
This is advertising that a business would use to compare themselves favourably to their rivals in the market on price, product features etc…
Evaluation: In my opinion, businesses need to be careful using competitive advertising as it may spark retaliation advertising from rivals showing up their advantages, drawing customers away from the business to rivals.
 

Q: Evaluate advertising as a form of promotional technique a business could use

(This Q asks to evaluate advertising, so you should give the keywords for advertising, and then give your opinion on it as a promotional technique)
Communicating information to a target market, usually to persuade them to purchase your product.
Advertising can be Persuasive, competitive, generic or informative.
Evaluation: In my opinion, a business needs to spend money on advertising to increase awareness and sales – a good ad with humour in it really gets people to like the brand, so they’d then be more likely to buy something.
 

Q: Outline the impact of advertising on a new business start-up

(The focus here is two-fold – 1. Impact of advertising, so not just keywords/types, so unlike previous questions where you were given the heading, it should include a heading, and also to link to a start-up, not just any business)
Increased Costs
A new business will have low sales when starting out so will need to invest money in to an advertising campaign.
They may need to pay a marketing company (outsource to them) to create ads for them.
If its an online company they would need to spend money on ads (Google Ads, Facebook Ads) so they can attract new customers.
 

Q: Illustrate a promotional technique used by a business of your choice

(Illustrate means give an example – you should always follow State, Explain, Relate, so the e.g. is the relate part)
Advertising 
Communicating information to a target market, usually to persuade them to purchase your product.
Advertising can be Persuasive, competitive (e.g. Lidl vs Tesco prices), generic (e.g. drink more milk, not products) and informative (e.g. Toyota advertising a product recall).
E.g. Vodafone has tv ads with Irish Rugby players
 

Q: Illustrate the factors a business might consider when advertising their products/ services

(Candidates shouldn’t define or explain advertising, as the question is specific to factors that effect what advertising you would do, with an example as it says illustrate using the S.E.R. method)
Nature of the product
If the business is very visually appealing and that is part of its USP, then choosing a form of advertising like TV or Newspapers might be better than radio where the consumer can’t see the good.
E.g. Apple use youtube ads to show their phone as it is visually attractive, so consumers can see the design in the ad. 

Q: Explain, using examples, the benefits of a business using ‘advertising’ as a promotional technique.

(Candidates shouldn’t define or explain advertising, as the question is specific to benefits that of using advertising for a business)
Attracting New Customers
A business could target specific advertising at a market segment to relate to them and help persuade them to buy their product.
E.g. Maltesers advertise that they have less than 200 calories which  may get new customers on a diet to buy them as a lower calorie treat.
 
In Summary:

Verbs and context are important.
Take time to clarify what the examiner wants you to write about is essential for top grades.
Then include keywords from the course and/or additional real life examples to back up your knowledge of the course and show understanding of it.

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6 comments

  • Was just trying to communicate this to LC class today. This is great. Thanks

    LR

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