Today’s marketing landscape is complex and fragmented. People aren’t paying attention to ads as much as they used to because there are so many different markets, channels, and products. So, how do companies, especially brands that sell directly to consumers (D2C), stand out? How can they bring in new customers and save time and money at the same time? Not every business has the money to spend hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars on multiple marketing channels to reach their target audience, after all. However, integrated marketing communication is the way to do it. So let’s talk more about what integrated marketing campaigns are, and why it’s good for your business.<\/p>
Integrated marketing is a way to make sure that all of your brand’s marketing channels<\/a> send the same message. It gives customers the same experience no matter how they choose to interact with a company.<\/p> If you don’t have an integrated marketing plan, you might send mixed messages or talk in a disconnected way. Customers may see this as a sign that your brand isn’t well put together.<\/p> For example, a customer should have the same experience and message whether they are viewing marketing content on a desktop or a mobile device. Also, a customer who asks questions on your website through an automated chatbot should get the same service as a customer who calls and talks to a real salesperson.<\/p> Because digital marketing channels are so complicated, integrated marketing usually doesn’t happen without careful planning and work. But the money spent is well worth it.<\/p> A well-integrated marketing strategy gives you a number of benefits that can help your marketing work be more successful.<\/p> We see more than 350 ads a day, but only about a third of them catch our attention for more than a few seconds. Few people will remember these ads even a day later.<\/p> One way to make sure that your ads and other marketing materials leave a lasting impression is to put them all together into a single story that can be told in different ways.<\/p> Customers are more likely to remember a billboard ad if it reminds them of an ad they saw on their favorite website. They’ll be even more likely to interact with ads that remind them of recent social media interactions with your brand.<\/p> Integrated marketing means that your brand’s story is more consistent, which makes your campaign do better as a whole.<\/p> Companies with the best marketing results are 1.5 times more likely to have an integrated technology solution in place that helps them tell the same story across all of their channels.<\/p> Integrating your marketing channels can also save you money because you can use the same marketing content on different channels. For example, if your brand has a mascot, you can use pictures and videos of the mascot in both online and offline marketing.<\/p> You can also synchronize your message by giving the same talking points to sales reps in different places or at different events. Practices like these are not only more effective because they are consistent with the story, but they also help you save money.<\/p> Integrated marketing plans help more than just the marketers who use them. Customers will also like how a unified brand story gives them a sense of stability and predictability.<\/p> They will find it easier to understand what you do and how you can help them if they already know you. In this way, integrated marketing and omnichannel marketing<\/a> go hand in hand as ways to give customers the best experiences.<\/p> If you want to get the best results from your integrated marketing strategy, follow these tips.<\/p> There are many ways to connect your marketing channels. Some common ways to do things could be:<\/p> Choose the marketing methods that make the most sense for your goals and resources. If some of your channels are visual, like web and TV commercials, it will be harder to have everything seem the same.<\/p> Also, if some channels are interactive and others are only outbound, you should choose marketing content and strategies that work for each. When you combine marketing channels, you should also think about which stages of the buying cycle are being strengthened.<\/p> If your campaigns are aimed at getting leads at the top of the funnel, it will be most important to send a consistent message about the value of your brand and the types of solutions you offer.<\/p> Middle-funnel resources may address typical sales objections across channels. You may deliver the same message to brand-aware people who need to convert.<\/p> Your integrated marketing plan should be based on data about how your customers act and should be updated as new data comes in. By gathering and analyzing data from all of your marketing channels, you can figure out which ones work best.<\/p> This will assist you to determine where to invest more money to clarify your communications. If one channel’s data isn’t as good as others, its messages may not be as consistent.<\/p> Depending on your business and the marketing channels you use, the KPIs you use to collect and analyze data will be different. Here are some important facts to keep in mind:<\/p> Before you start a campaign, it can be hard to know which marketing strategies will work best for integrated marketing, so test your content ahead of time.<\/p> Some brands of marketing technology let you do A\/B testing, where you can send different versions of your content to see which ones work best. For example, you can test images, colors, or product offers to see which ones get the most attention from your audience.<\/p> Integrated marketing uses a lot of different resources and platforms, so it’s important to involve other parts of your business. Your marketing and sales teams are a natural choice here since they play a big role in figuring out how to carry out your integrated plan. It’s important to make sure they’re all on the same page.<\/p> Also, think bigger. Why not use your software development<\/a> team as an example? They might be able to tell you what kinds of digital marketing tools you can make in the future.<\/p> Coordinating with many different people will give you a bigger picture of how you can better meet the needs of more of your customers.<\/p> Because it takes an average of 6 touchpoints to generate a sales lead, integrated marketing is a concept that every marketer and business owner needs to grasp. Ads that are strategically placed across many platforms can generate the kind of brand recognition that ultimately leads to sales.<\/p> The vast majority of consumers would rather learn more about a product before making a purchase. To increase sales and cement client loyalty, integrated marketing spreads information about a product or service to consumers via a wide variety of channels.<\/p> The constant barrage of advertisements has trained consumers to ignore them. This is especially true for the younger demographic. Numerous studies have shown that millennials despise conventional advertising. Young adults, however, claim to have faith in YouTube and social media stars as authoritative figures. Additionally, they place a high value on recommendations made by satisfied customers.<\/p> People generally forget branded material after only 3 days since they are constantly bombarded with advertisements. That’s why it’s important to use an integrated marketing strategy that relays the same message in several forms.<\/p> Let’s consider some top examples of integrated marketing campaigns.<\/p> The “Share a Coke” campaign that Coke ran in 2014 is one of the most well-known examples of successful integrated marketing. The Coke bottles were the center of the campaign. Coca-Cola<\/a> took off its famous logo from the 20-ounce bottle and put 250 well-known names there instead. Then, people were told to look for their names or the names of their friends on Coke bottles and post about it on social media.<\/p> The #shareacoke hashtag for the campaign went viral. During the first year of the campaign, Coca-Cola customers posted more than 500,000 photos with the hashtag #shareacoke. Furthermore, Coca-Cola also got about 25 million more people to follow them on Facebook. I think the campaign to be Coca-most Cola’s most successful one ever.<\/p> They always name Apple as one of the best brands in the world. Furthermore, Apple stores are easy to distinguish because they look like their products and website.<\/p> Apple wants to make sure that users have the same experience at every step of their journey. Also, the company’s products, ads, and even stores all have a similar look and feel that makes them easy to spot. This helps people remember the brand and recognize it.<\/p>Why Use an Integrated Marketing Strategy?<\/h2>
#1. Create a Consistent Narrative<\/h3>
#2. Improve Marketing Campaign Performance<\/h3>
#3. Reduce Costs and Increase Value<\/h3>
#4. Create a Better Customer Experience<\/h3>
How to Create an Integrated Marketing Strategy<\/h2>
#1. Combine Your Marketing Channels<\/h3>
#2. Collect and Analyze Customer Data<\/h3>
#3. Lean Into Inter-Department Expertise<\/h3>
Why are the Significances of Integrated Marketing?<\/h2>
Examples of Successful Integrated Marketing Campaigns<\/h2>
#1. Coca-Cola\u2019s 2014 “Share a Coke” Campaign<\/h3>
#2. Apple\u2019s In-Store Experience<\/h3>
#3. Old Spice’s 2010 “Smell Like a Man” Campaign<\/h3>