| How can Integrated Marketing Communications help | | | | things done for a client faster, more efficiantly and with |
| me, the small business owner? | | | | better quality for the same or lower price. Plus, as a |
| Integrated Marketing Communication is essential to | | | | business owner you have to factor in the time you |
| small business owners because they, even more so | | | | may spend shopping for the best price and reading |
| than large corporations can not afford to misspend or | | | | reviews to make sure that the best price doesn't give |
| waste money on a single isolated marketing effort. | | | | you the worst services. |
| For instance, as a small business owner, it may be | | | | However, the cost of each component shouldn't be |
| tempting to focus on one aspect of marketing - a new | | | | your primary concern when evaluating an integrated |
| website, a direct mail campaign, radio ads or as a | | | | marketing plan. Instead, look at the expense and |
| manufacturer, simply letting your partners market for | | | | benefits of the entire plan working together. For |
| you. However, what happens if that one piece of | | | | instance, a website might cost $2,000 to build and then |
| marketing doesn't work? | | | | you might spend $10,000 in pay-per-click advertising |
| ANSWER: Your entire marketing effort fails. | | | | over the next year, but if the content on the website |
| Instead, wouldn't it be great to have an integrated | | | | doesn't match the message on your direct mail, or |
| marketing plan that takes the best parts of online | | | | your customer service people aren't able to answer |
| marketing such as websites, email newsletters, search | | | | questions about the website then you wasted a lot of |
| engine optimization, and pay-per-click advertising and | | | | money. |
| use that to make your traditional, offline efforts such | | | | Instead, don't look at the website as a single entity. |
| as direct mail, advertising and public relations even | | | | Make sure that it is perfectly integrated into your |
| more effective. | | | | marketing strategy: |
| For instance, this may be as simple as making sure | | | | * Promote it at all opportunities. This includes not just |
| that your website has the same key words as your | | | | pay-per-click ads, but also on business cards, in radio |
| radio advertising and that your banners at the little | | | | ads, even place a sticker on your products letting |
| league games also have the same message. To | | | | customers know they can download copies of the |
| internalize a message, a person must be exposed to it | | | | product manuals there, and print it on your receipts |
| several times. If you hit them three times with three | | | | telling customers to download coupons on the website. |
| different messages it is nearly the same as being | | | | * Develop an email newsletter to offer your |
| exposed only once. Even worse, it could be confusing | | | | customers and prospective customers news and |
| and disorienting, resulting in a negative experience with | | | | information they can use - not just a brochure to sell |
| your brand. | | | | your products. |
| Integrated Marketing Communications addresses this | | | | * Create a blog and allow people to subscribe to it. |
| issue by creating a plan with a consistent message | | | | This will build trust and familiarity between your |
| and then delivering it through as many media as | | | | customers and your company. Don't limit blog posts to |
| possible, online and offline. | | | | just the president, sometimes a post from a project |
| What are the components of an integrated marketing | | | | manager or even the receptionist can keep the blog |
| plan? | | | | interesting and attention grabbing. |
| An Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) plan | | | | * Create a contest - but make sure the message is |
| should draw from all communications disciplines | | | | consistent with your integrated marketing strategy. |
| available, including online, offline, and interpersonal. | | | | Have people visit your website to enter. |
| Online marketing channels include any e-marketing | | | | * If you run an advertisement promoting a specific |
| campaigns or programs, from search engine | | | | service, make sure that that your customers can find |
| optimization (SEO), pay-per-click, affiliate, email, banner | | | | more information about it quickly and easily. Perhaps |
| to latest web related channels for webinar, blog, RSS, | | | | even put a graphic at the top of your page saying |
| podcast, and Internet TV. Offline marketing channels | | | | "Attention 99.5 listeners, Click Here to Learn More |
| are traditional print (newspaper, magazine), mail order, | | | | about Gutter Cleaning" |
| public relation, billboard, radio, and television. | | | | Those are just some examples for how you can |
| Interpersonal marketing includes participating in | | | | integrate your marketing plan and maximize the initial |
| community groups, networking organizations, your | | | | investment you made by building a website. |
| handshake, how you dress, and even how you | | | | Isn't an an integrated marketing communication just like |
| answer the phone or return calls. | | | | any other marketing plan? |
| While not every communication discipline needs to be | | | | A marketing plan can be just a marketing plan for a |
| included for each campaign, it is important for any | | | | website, or a marketing plan for an advertising |
| integrated marketing practitioner to be well versed in | | | | campaign, but an Integrated Marketing Communications |
| the various components so that he or she can select | | | | plan involves all aspects of marketing, across the entire |
| the ones most appropriate for a specific client's budget | | | | company. This means that you are integrated all |
| and demands. | | | | aspects of the company into a single cohesive plan. |
| Is it better to go with an agency, or shop for individual | | | | After all you could have a great website marketing |
| services myself? | | | | plan, an awesome advertising campaign and an award |
| While both have benefits, an agency can be a benefit | | | | winning PR agency, but if a customer reads a press |
| if you don't already have a network of trusted service | | | | release or hears your ad and decides to visit your |
| providers including printers, promotional products | | | | website where he can't find more info about your PR |
| companies, tradeshow planners etc. who are familiar | | | | or advertising message what's the point of spending |
| with your business. Often times, an agency can get | | | | the money in the first place? |