The Marketing Communication Strategies of Street Vendors in Dar es Salaam Tanzania

Abstract

The marketing communication is considered to be the lifeblood of business undertakings. However, there is a lack of knowledge about how the micro informal businesses carry out this important marketing function. The aim of this study is to explore the marketing communication strategies (MCS) used by street vendors in Dar es salaam Tanzania. Specifically, it looks at the type MCS applied, and the strengths and weaknesses of each. A qualitative data consisting interview and focus group discussion were collected from 59 street vendors in Dar es Salaam. The data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The findings show that, the MCS used by street vendors are weak and relatively similar, however, its choice is highly influenced by costs and marketing skills among street vendors. This implies that, marketing opportunities of street vendors are underutilized since the public is not well informed about their offerings. This calls for interventions for the street vendors, particularly in marketing skills development.