Why do you need an integrated marketing communications strategy? Why are so many companies cutting their budgets in half and hiring consultants? Why don’t more people want to work in this field? In fact, most of these questions come from the “why” part of the equation. If someone asked you, “Why do you need an integrated marketing communications strategy?”
You can’t help but answer “Because it’s what you’ll be using to sell my product.” But what if you didn’t have a product to sell, but you had a potential customer who desperately needs a product…and you can provide it! How many more “million dollar” ideas do you need to implement?
It is all included:
The reason why companies use integrated marketing communications is that they provide everything needed to communicate with their customers and prospects. They provide voice, data, and video. They even provide a way to have a salesperson call a prospect or respond to their online survey. Does it get any better than that? We all know how expensive, time-consuming and frustrating it can be to build and maintain a good relationship with customers. Let’s face it. People get bored very quickly. Voice mail often rings with “the next appointment” or “to speak with the supervisor”. Data may get lost in the ether. Video can be fickle and can’t always catch every moment.
Integration of the Latest Technology:
It is in this integration of technology and creative thinking lies a successful strategy. Companies who lack the skills and expertise found in this step are doomed to fail. But those with both know how and the will to succeed will thrive. Let’s look at an example of just how easy it can be to utilize the latest marketing communications tools to promote your company. ONPASSIVE has a huge collection of AI enabled tools and applications that help in understanding the needs of an excellent marketing strategy.
Picture this; you have a client who has given you their business details. Your job as a marketer/business owner is to get them to take action-which means getting them to fill out your opt-in form! With integrated marketing communications, not only is the communication easy to manage; it is most likely to be successful. Why do you need an integrated marketing communications strategy?
Proactive Competition and Communication:
The answer is simple. When you can get prospects and customers to fill out forms on a daily basis, you are miles ahead of your competitors. This type of proactive communication fosters loyalty and a sense of urgency. Customers love to take action and when you can give them the tools and information they need to get things done, they are more likely to buy from you and recommend you to others.
Importance of Marketing Communication Strategy:
Why do you need an integrated marketing communications strategy? Any company that doesn’t understand this basic concept is falling behind their competition. The Internet has allowed consumers to shop for almost anything. The days of driving through streets and finding a grocery store are long gone. You must use online shopping and other communication tools to connect with consumers.
Customers don’t want to be “sold” anything. They want to buy what they want. If you want to build your customer base and increase your profit margin then you need to have a strong integrated marketing communications strategy in place. Without it, your message will be lost in the millions of pages of online spam.
How should you draft your messages?
Your messages need to be clear and concise. Consumers get hundreds of messages each day from competitors. If your company sends out messages about an event that happened a few months ago, there is a chance that some of those messages are going to be accidentally deleted by the recipient before they reach their inbox. A well-designed integrated marketing communications campaign starts by knowing who your audience is and what their preferences are. Then, you design your content so that it targets these people or at least a portion of them.
Messages need to be short and up front. In order to avoid confusion, your customers should always receive messages in the same order. For example, if you are sending out press releases about new products, your message should always start with “press release.” Then, when the release is released online, it should clearly state that it is a press release. Make sure that you are not sending mixed messages by rephrasing the words or changing the order of the sentences in your message.
Conclusion:
Finally, integrated marketing communications can only be successful if your message is consistent. To avoid confusing your customers, make sure all of your communications are uniform. Do not send the same ads to the same email recipients or in the same magazine. Keep in mind that people who have received the same advertisement in the same magazine more than likely know what you are trying to say. Always follow the principles of integrating your messages and your brand.
