What is Important in Market Communication? Consider Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) Strategy

 

 

 

 

What is Integrated Marketing Strategy (IMC)?

 

 

Integrated marketing strategy (IMC in short) is defined as a strategic, collaborative, and promotional marketing strategy to send consistent and persuasive brand messages through multiple channels in an integrated way to motivate buyer’s decision making.

 

 

Why Is Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) Important?

 

 

IMC plays an important role in the marketing of goods and services. IMC influences customers' behaviors.

 

1. Awareness

The fundamental goal of IMC is to create customer awareness to win a market competition through techniques such as publicity, advertising, and personal selling.

 

2. Brand Loyalty

Brand loyalty is the tendency of consumers to make repeat purchases and recommend a brand to others. Consumers will continue to buy products from a company they trust. The company can build brand loyalty through sales promotions, personal selling, and timely direct marketing.

 

3. Brand Image

Brand image is the current perception of the customers about a brand. Marketers utilize various marketing techniques to develop the brand image. Some examples are Coca-Cola, Mc Donald, and Walmart.

 

• Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola is well known for happiness, joy, and good experience.

 

• McDonald

McDonald has a brand image of reasonable and quick service.

 

• Walmart

People believe they sell products for a lesser price than any other usual retailers.

 

4. Market Expansion

A marketer can use multiple IMC techniques to expand its markets from local to regional or even national levels.

 

5. Persuasion

A marketer can use IMC techniques to encourage consumers to buy from the brand by showing why they are better than other competitors that sell similar products.

 

5. Educating Customers

IMC is good to use for educating customers on how to use a product and handle operations, and etc.

 

 

Element of Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC)

 

 

1. Publicity

The types of mass communication used for product promotion through news about a firm’s actions, products, awards, policies, etc.

 

2. Advertising

Advertising is a paid form of nonpersonal presentation and promotion of products, services, and ideas by an identified sponsor. Media such as social media sites, TV, radio, direct email, magazines, and newspapers are used for advertising.

 

3. Sales Promotion

Sales promotion is a set of marketing activities to increase sales of products or services. Marketing techniques in sales promotion include;

 

• Discounts
• Free samples
• After purchase service
• Consumer contests
• Exchange offers

 

4. Sponsorships

Company may sponsor sport, cultural, and social events to make a distinct image for itself or its brands.

 

5. Personal Selling

Personal selling involves face to face communication between a company’s representative and potential customers. Personal selling is the most old and traditional form of promotion.

 

6. Public Relation (PR)

PR refers to the practice of managing the release and spread of information between an individual or organization, and the public or its stakeholders such as customers, employees, investors and suppliers in order to maintain goodwill of the individual or organization. Firms need to consider the impact of their actions on the public.

 

7. Packaging

A well-designed package can appeal the product type and quality to potential customers.

 

8. Direct Marketing

Direct marketing includes selling products and services directly to consumers. Techniques in direct marketing are such as direct emails, telemarketing, catalogus, and brochures.