The Importance of Implementing an Integrated Marketing Plan for Your Small Business

The Adoption of Integrated Marketing is Essential in Today's Crowded Market Place

The progression of marketing - moving beyond traditional to include interactive, consumer driven, social marketing has spread like Ebola. It’s often referred to as Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC). IMC is ushering in a new era in which marketers blend communication messages across all available media channels into a continuous brand experience. As part of a successful integrated marketing strategy, IMC integrates public relations, advertising, online, social media, etc; and other communications elements into one cohesive entity all sharing the same message.

Many organizations today are now embracing this concept of IMC. Instead of dividing marketing communications into separate groups that rarely communicate; organizations are now integrating all marketing disciplines under one umbrella; thus, making every communication consistent with one message, sharing the same strategy. This also allows marketers to execute marketing campaigns more efficiently without having to jump through hoops to get approvals for creative, content, messaging, etc.

The key to effective integration is the cohesiveness between various marketing messages, and the understanding that marketing is fundamentally a conversation between a company and its prospective customer. It is not one specific marketing campaign or press release; rather, how the blending and execution of such disciplines convey a message synergistically, and at every possible customer touch point.

IMC includes the various tools such as advertising, public relations, personal selling, sales promotion, direct & database marketing, sponsorship, event marketing, social media marketing, and online marketing (search, banner advertising, affiliate, etc.). Since the purpose of marketing is to generate revenue, increase market share, drive preference to purchase, and/or build brand awareness, marketers need to find ways to do this effectively; and embracing an integrated marketing strategy is the first step.

Integrated Marketing Examples