Integrated Marketing Communications
Many of the companies in 1980s rather than relying only on advertisement adopted an integrated strategy. They combined various promotional tools and marketing activities to communicate with their target audience. Their integrated strategy worked as they expected. Later on, it became the trend.
Components of Integrated Marketing Communications
The following diagram illustrates the major components of integrated marketing communications −
Integrated marketing covers a wide area and includes the following elements −
Ad − An ad has a very important role that increases the visibility of your products on a very large scale.
Social Media − Social media (such as Facebook, YouTube, etc.) is a tool/medium to promote your business.
Employee Branding − A reliable employment brand is one that nicely communicates the culture, mission, and values of your company and gives people a compelling reason to want to work for – and stay with your company/organization. Today, all companies practice employment branding technique.
Conference and Events − Conference and event are the activities, which are organized on specific time and at specific place for brand promotion. Organizing company primarily sends invitations to potential audience and also advertises it through different media channels to invite maximum people to participate in the conference/event.
Corporate Responsibility − Corporations have a responsibility to those groups and individuals who can affect their business. For example, stakeholders (e.g., employees, customers, suppliers, communities, etc.) and society at large. Therefore, corporate responsibility suggests that corporations need to be consistent with ethical principles and conduct such as honesty, respect, and integrity with all stakeholders.
Affinity Marketing − Affinity marketing is a sort of social bonding with other organizations and customers who share the same interest. This act increases brand loyalty for both companies and products and promotes market awareness.
Partnership − Partnership, simply means, an association of two or more people/companies/organizations. More often two people or companies agree to work in partnership for a common goal.
Financial Communication − The purpose of a financial communication is to bridge the gap between the investment decisions makers and financial experts necessary for the financial transactions.
Public Relation − Public relation is an important technique that establishes a friendly relationship between a company or organization and the public.
Direct Marketing − Direct marketing is the technique to sell products/goods directly to the customers through different medium. For example, through mail, telephone, etc. Retailer has no role in direct marketing.
Check Your Progress
- What is integrated marketing communications?
- Define various components of integrated marketing communications.
- What do you understand by a campaign?
- Give an example of direct marketing.
