Which of the following is NOT an element of the communication process in marketing?

In the communication process in marketing, the primary elements include the sender, the channel, and the message. The sender is the source of the information, often a marketer or brand, who encodes a message that needs to be conveyed. The channel represents the medium through which the message is delivered, such as social media, television, or print. The message itself is the actual content that the sender wants to communicate to the receiver.

Price, however, does not belong to this communication process. While price is a critical component of the broader marketing mix (often referred to as the 4 Ps: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion), it does not directly pertain to the communication framework. Instead, price relates more to the positioning of a product in the market and its perceived value to consumers, rather than the act of transmitting a message. Understanding these distinctions helps marketers effectively convey their messages without confusing other components of their strategy, such as pricing.