737 International Journal of Scientific Management and Development *Correspondent Author : Abbas Abbasi (aabbasi@shirazu.ac.ir) Manuscript No: IJSMD-KINA-2014-363 International Journal of Scientific Management and Development ISSN:2345-3974 Vol.2 (12), 737-746 December (2014) Research Paper Investigation and Prioritization of Promotion among Retailers by AHP method Case study: Ice cream industry Abbas Abbasi *1 , Tahere Rahbar 2 *1Assistant Professor, Management Department Shiraz University, Iran 2Management department, shahidbahonar university of keraman, kerman,Iran Available online at: www.IJSMD.Com Received 5 th July 2014, Revised 2 th August 2014, Accepted 11 th August 2014 Abstract This study investigates the most effective method to promote the products among food retailers and supermarket owners. Owing to the wide variety of brands and the aggressive competition among food producers, it is essential that we choose an appropriate method to promote the products that enter stores.We intend to determine the most effective promotion mix among trailers through prioritizing three main promotion methods: personal selling, selling promotion, and joint advertisement between the producer and the retailer in the store. This act of prioritization of the three methods is performed regarding criteria of hierarchy model of decision making to purchase the product. Finally, AIDA, creation of awareness and attention, delight, and persuasion in the addressees to do the final purchase, proved to be the most efficient promotion mix among retailers. Moreover, a few elements of each promotion method were also selected and prioritized. This essay is a field study whose objectives are applied. The statistical society of the study was the entire food retailers of Shiraz which Ramak (Bita) ice-cream company intends to affect. The sample group of our study consisted of 250 retailers that existed in five regions of Shiraz.The data obtained from every region was analyzed separately using AHP method Expert Choice software. The findings of this essay indicated that promotion method was the first priority, and joint advertisement and personal selling were placed after. Key words: Product promotion, Promotion mix, ice cream manufacturing industry, retailers,AIDA, AHP Introduction In each economic agency, the marketing section is supposed to establish an efficient communication between consumers and the target communityparticularly by means of IMC (Integrated Marketing Communication) in the promotion mix form (Rezaei, 2009). The IMC model that involves a certain combination of elements like impersonal advertisement, factors of sale promotion, public relations, and personal selling enables the agency to accomplish its marketing and advertisement goals (Kotler, 2003). In other words, decision variables provide a framework in the shape of different IMC models through which the agency develops programs for its promotion activities in the market (Duncan, 2002).Therefore, we assume two functions for the application of promotion mix: first is deciding about positioning the goods and new services of the market, and the other is evaluation of the existing promotion strategies (D'Esopo, 2007) . The instruments used to promote the position of goods and services in target markets for different consumers are diverse, and each meets particular goals better (Vlacvei.A, 2009). These tools are divisible into four categories: 1) impersonal advertisement 2) personal selling 3) sale promotion and 4) public relations (Sabbir, 2010). These categories include other specific tools including media advertisement, gifts with sales, point of sale adve rtisement, special advertisement, commercial and guild exhibition, free gifts, discounts, coupons, trade credit cards, financial support, direct marketing, and etc (Raghubir, 1999). Marketing of dairy products is more complicated and problematic mainly because of their high decay potential, being seasonal, and bulk. This article intends to provide an account of modern and traditional promotion methods in dairy industry especially ice- cream. In this study, we are supposed to concentrate on trailers’ promotion methods and determine the strategies and policies through which our company can gain an acceptable position among trailers and occupy more space of the stores in such intensive competitive atmosphere governing the dairy production in particular ice-cream. Materials: Since customers and consumers’ behaviors are obviously affected by promotion actions, it is vital that an appropriate and efficient communication model be chosen to guide the consumers following both long-term and short-term marketing objectives (Hosseini, 2009). Marketing communication system must be in the shape of an enhancing combination that is proportionate to the position of the product, product line, and even the agency and its lifetime in order to determine the position of the product in the target market by identifying major and minor features of the product least erroneously, and offer an effective and helpful message (Rezaei, 2009). Consolidated marketing communications will, in fact, lead to more complete knowledge about consumers. Therefore, we will be able to introduce the agency, its products and services, the brand, and the purposes behind the agency’s plans, which will, in turn, inform, encourage, and affect the target consumers. All phases of this process have to be defined precisely with their features and priorities. Eventually, an adequate promotion mix has to be developed to enlighten all the addressees (Hsu.T-h, 2009). The achievements of economic agencies in sale and marketing reside in understanding each promotion variable concerning ambiguity features and environment complexity, getting rid of traditional ideas and restrictions, boosting the existing equipment