INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS

- approach used by organizations to brand and coordinate their marketing efforts

across MULTIPLE COMMUNICATION CHANNELS.
- strategic, collaborative, and promotional marketing function where a targeted
audience receives CONSISTENT AND PERSUASIVE BRAND MESSAGING
through various marketing channels
- strategy that takes your marketing department from disparate functions to one
interconnected approach. IMC takes your various marketing collateral and
channels from digital, to social media, to PR, to direct mail and MERGES THEM
WITH ONE DEPENDABLE MESSAGE.

PERSONAL COMMUNICATION CHANNELS

- two or more person communicate face to face or person to audience thru phone
or E-mail
NON-PERSONAL COMMUNICATION CHANNELS
- communication directed to more than one person and include advertising, sales
promotion, events and experiences and public relation
CONSUMER PERCEPTION OF COMMUNICATION
- Consumer perceptions are a key component of success or failure, so
organizations must strive to align communications into clear, concise, and
customer-oriented messages.
CONSUMER PERCEPTIONS
- MARKETING FACES A NUMBER OF CHALLENGES IN THE MODERN
WORLD, MOSTLY REVOLVING AROUND TRUST, AD BLINDNESS, AND THE
ASSUMPTION BY CONSUMERS THAT BUSINESSES ARE “JUST TRYING TO
SELL THEM SOMETHING.” CONSUMERS ARE APT TO NATURALLY
DISMISS ADS AS BIAS, WHICH TRADITIONALLY THEY OFTEN WERE (AND
ARE). THIS IS ONE OF THE GREAT MISTAKES OF MARKETING THAT
INTEGRATED AND ITERATIVE COMMUNICATION SEEKS TO SOLVE.
- Integrated marketing communications (IMC) pursues this, expanding upon
traditional marketing strategies to incorporate broader storytelling across a
wider variety (and consistently expanding) series of communication
channels between the organization and it’s various stakeholders.
- From a technical view, this is all about identifying and aligning the vast array of
tools in a marketer’s kit (i.e. advertising, blogs, social media, PR, direct selling,
etc.). However, another key piece to this puzzle is how the consumer feels
about the organization, and how receptive they are to the values and
operations of the company.
TOUCH POINT WHEEL
- Integrated marketing communications revolve around touch points, which are
places where the potential consumer and the organization have an opportunity to
communicate or interact.
OUTSIDE-IN APPROACH
- At this stage, the organization must actively listen to the needs, wants,
opinions, beliefs, and perceptions of their core communities (i.e.
stakeholders), and strive to become what it is that these stakeholders expect
them to be. This is an iterative process, where consumer perceptions are
constantly being measured and built back into the organizations operations,
products, services, and values.
INSIDE-OUT APPROACH
- This approach focuses on identifying and communicating one, single, clear,
and perfectly unified message, and displaying that as the integral brand all
consumers encounter. It works best when it is honest, clear, and aligned with
the opinions and values of consumers.
CROSS-FUNCTIONAL STRATEGIC APPROACH
- In this model, the entire organization is often restructured to build
interconnected and agile channels between the firm and the consumers.
Two-way communication and constant iteration is the central dynamic of this
model.
LOYALTY
- The ultimate objective in identifying and building consumer perceptions into an
integrated marketing strategy is engagement and loyalty. This means that
consumers will identify positively with the brand, and prefer to buy
habitually from the organization (as opposed to the competition). This is
accomplished through truly integrating a customer-centric strategy.
LOYALTY GRID
- Customer loyalty encompasses both perception and behavior, represented here
in a small grid where relative attitude and patronage are assessed at higher and
lower levels.
6 STEPS IN THE IMC PLANNING PROCESS
There are typically six steps in the IMC planning process. Each are important in their
own right and can be applied to practically any business or organization, no matter the
size or industry.
STEP 1: KNOW YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE
As a general rule, there is no “general audience”. You always want to communicate with
a specific audience to make the most effective use of your resources.
Segmenting specific audiences into groups based on characteristics will help you
identify who are most likely to purchase or utilize your products and services.
STEP 2: DEVELOP A SITUATION ANALYSIS
Commonly referred to as a SWOT Analysis, this is basically a structured method of
evaluating the internal strengths and weaknesses, and external opportunities and
threats that can impact your brand.
A situation analysis can provide much insight into both internal and external conditions
that can lead to a more effective marketing communications strategy.
STEP 3: DETERMINING MARKETING COMMUNICATION OBJECTIVES
In this step, you basically want to document what you want to accomplish with your IMC
strategy. Objectives should be measurable if you truly want to map your campaign’s
effectiveness at the end of your plan’s term.
STEP 4: DETERMINING YOUR BUDGET
Having a realistic idea on what you have to work with is important as it will shape the
tactics you develop in the next step. Once you determine your overall budget, you will
want to come back to this after completing step five to further refine your budget
allocations.
STEP 5: STRATEGIES AND TACTICS
Looking back at the findings you obtain in step two and the objectives you created in
step three, you will want to develop strategies which are ideas on how you will
accomplish those objectives. Tactics are specific actions on how you plan to
execute a strategy.
STEP 6: EVALUATION AND MEASUREMENT
Almost as important as the plan as a whole, you want to outline a method of how you
will evaluate the effectiveness of your IMC strategy.
Sometimes elements of your plan will not work. It’s important to know what did
or didn’t, try to understand why, and make note for future planning.

THE 4 CS OF INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS

1. COHERENCE
- The different parts of your campaign should convey a coherent message. Consumers
will see components of your campaign on their phones, on TV, on billboards, and
on the internet. You want those components to naturally connect so that they form a
clear picture in consumers’ minds.
2. CONSISTENCY
- All of the components of your integrated marketing campaign should have the same
look and feel as the others.
This doesn’t mean that they have to be carbon copies of each other. Pay attention to
your logo, your color scheme, and your slogan, and use them consistently in every part
of your campaign.
3. CONTINUITY
- Your campaign needs to have a natural flow.
Think of your campaign as an exercise in storytelling. All the parts of the campaign need
to tell the same story. They don’t always need to tell it in perfect order—after all, stories
with flashbacks or fast-forwards are fun. But each new component should build on what
you’ve already done.
4. COMPLEMENTARY
- Your messages work better when they’re together. In an ideal campaign, the whole will
be greater than the sum of its parts. Each new funny, exciting, or visually stunning
component will add to the overall appeal of your campaign.
THE COMMUNICATION CHANNELS
Marketing communication channels are important because they serve as the foundation
for all marketing activities. They allow businesses to target different audiences
with tailored strategies that maximize their return on investment. Advertising networks
also rely on the concept of distinct marketing communication channels. They treat each
channel as a separate product, worth a different price.
Types of Marketing Communication Channels
1. Traditional marketing communication channels
2. Digital marketing communication channels
Traditional Marketing Communication Channels
1. Physical Mail
2. Radio
3. Television
4. Billboard and Signs
5. Telemarketing
6. Events
7. Print
Digital Marketing Communication Channels
1. Social Media
2. Email
3. Websites
4. Blogs
5. Videos
6. Online and Mobile Ads
7. Podcasts
6 ELEMENTS OF INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS
1. Advertising
2. Internet marketing
3. Public relations
4. Direct marketing
5. Personal selling
6. Sales promotion

MEASURING IMC SUCCESS

Why Measure the Success of and IMC?
- Measuring the success of an Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC)
strategy is essential to evaluate its effectiveness and determine areas for
improvement.
Here are key ways to measure IMC success:
1. Set Clear Objectives
Start by defining specific, measurable goals aligned with the overall marketing strategy.
These could be related to awareness, engagement, sales, or customer loyalty.
2. Brand Awareness Metrics
• Reach and Impressions: Measure the number of people who have seen
or interacted with your campaign across various channels (TV, radio,
social media, email, etc.).
• Surveys and Focus Groups: Conduct pre- and post-campaign surveys
to assess shifts in brand awareness among target audiences.
3. Engagement and Interaction Rates
• Social Media Metrics: Monitor likes, comments, shares, retweets, and
overall social media engagement to evaluate how well the audience is
responding to your IMC efforts.
• Click-Through Rate (CTR): Measure the effectiveness of digital ads,
email campaigns, and other online initiatives.
4. Lead Generation and Conversions
• Conversion Rate: Track the percentage of leads that turn into actual
sales or desired actions (such as sign-ups or downloads) as a direct result
of the IMC efforts.
• Cost Per Acquisition (CPA): Measure how much it costs to acquire a
customer through your IMC channels.
5. Sales and Revenue
• Sales Growth: Analyze any increase in sales directly related to the
campaign, taking into account both online and offline sales.
• Revenue Attribution: Use tools like multi-touch attribution models to
understand which elements of your IMC campaign contributed most to
revenue generation.
6. Customer Retention and Loyalty
• Customer Retention Rates: Track repeat business or long-term
customer loyalty through membership sign-ups, return purchases, and
continued engagement with the brand.
• Net Promoter Score (NPS): Use NPS surveys to gauge customer
satisfaction and likelihood to recommend your brand, reflecting the impact
of your IMC on customer relationships.
7. Media Reach and Frequency
• Media Impressions: Analyze the total number of people who were
exposed to your messages through paid media, earned media, or owned
media.
• Frequency: Measure how often your target audience is exposed to the
message to ensure it is being reinforced appropriately.
8. Return on Investment (ROI)
• ROI Calculation: Assess the financial return on the marketing budget
allocated to your IMC campaign. Compare the campaign’s total revenue
with the cost of running it.
• Profitability: Track profitability per channel and overall for the campaign
to evaluate cost-efficiency.
9. Customer Sentiment and Feedback
• Sentiment Analysis: Monitor the tone and sentiment of customer
conversations online and in response to campaign efforts. Tools like social
listening platforms can help analyze positive, neutral, or negative
feedback.
• Customer Satisfaction Surveys: Regularly survey customers to gauge
their satisfaction and how well they feel the brand is meeting their needs.
10. Consistency Across Channels
• Message Consistency: Evaluate whether your brand’s message is
consistent across all channels. If customers experience disjointed
messages, it can negatively impact the success of your IMC.
• Brand Cohesion: Ensure that the visuals, voice, and messaging are
aligned across digital, print, broadcast, and in-store communication.
11. Tracking Attribution Models
• Use attribution models (first-touch, last-touch, multi-touch) to track how
each touch point within the IMC strategy influences the overall customer
journey and conversion process.
LEGAL ISSUES IN INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION
1. Unfair business practices
2. Unauthorized use of products
3. False association
4. Surrogate advertising
5. Parody
6. Misleading and deceptive content in advertising