Integrated Marketing Communications

The Benefits and 7 Golden Rules of Integrated Marketing Communications

Are You Ready to Integrate your Marketing Communications?

The essence of integrated marketing communications is relatively straightforward. It is a technique that makes sure that all of your messages and communications have been carefully linked with one another.

At its most fundamental level, marketing communication requires the incorporation and combination of all of the advertising tools used within a marketing campaign to make sure that they are working together to maximize the potential – and the success – of that campaign. 

The strategic marketing theory says that all of the various tools being used work much more effectively as a whole than they do independently of one another. It is yet another example of the sum being greater than its parts – that is, when it has been done correctly.

What marketing communication means to your business

It’s all well and good to spout business theories and definitions, but what does this actually mean to your company and its successes in reality? It means that after all of the time, money, effort, and resources that you have put into your advertising and promotions, each of these communications will work in harmony with the rest so that they will boost your sales while they save you time, money, and frustration.

When done properly, all of your communications will be working together to provide you with a serious competitive advantage. It provides a much fuller interaction with your current and potential customers so that they will be encouraged along the various stages of the purchasing process.

In fact, integrated marketing communications has the powerful ability to build a bond of both trust and loyalty through relationship marketing; a process that could allow you to annihilate your competition.

Yes, it takes some effort, but as you can see, it’s certainly worth your while. If you take the time to learn the golden rules of integrated marketing communications, then you’ll be set to put it into place and take advantage of everything that it has to offer.

The 7 golden rules of marketing communication

Use these 7 golden rules to keep your IMC on the right track. 

1.    Get senior management involved! Make sure that the top level of the company knows what IMC is and how beneficial it can be. When the decision makers are fully on board, the process will run much more smoothly right from the start.

2.    Use different management levels. To make sure that it has been accomplished effectively and thoroughly, make it a task in which multiple management levels are involved. For example, place it on the management meeting agendas – even if it is merely for a creative session. This will encourage all of the different areas, from PR to advertising, and sales promotions to work together to integrate each of their messages. This takes careful communication planning, so regular cooperation will be necessary.

3.    Use a guide – such as a brand book or design manual – to ensure that all areas maintain a standard visual environment for typefaces, colors, logos, etc.

4.    Concentrate on message clarity. Make sure that everyone is aware of the goals of the communications and define your positioning statements. Ensure that every message contains a link to the core values of the organization. Make certain that all messages contribute to – instead of take away from – the value of the brand or the impression of the business.

5.    Start from scratch and work your way up. Begin with a brand new communications plan. Use a zero budget and identify exactly what you need for reaching your goals. While you will likely receive a budget that is less than your idea, you will be able to effectively prioritize your marketing activities based on the budget that you have structured.

6.    Always remember that the customer comes first. Each of your communications should be a part of a whole that will take the customer’s hand and lead him or her through the purchasing process. Begin by identifying each of the steps of that process so that your marketing strategy can guide the customer ever forward toward its completion.

7.    Build relationships. The stronger your customers feel about their loyalty and trust of your business and brand, the less likely they will be to consider the competition when they have a need for one of your products or services. Remember that it is much more valuable to keep a customer than to find new one-time shoppers.

Once you have put those golden rules into motion, keep in mind that you must always learn from your experiences and be ready to change a piece of them, or the whole thing, in order to achieve optimal results.