Integrated Marketing in The Digital World

I N T E G R AT E D M A R K E T I N G IN THE D I G I TA L W O R L D
By Duane Sprague and Pete Codella, APR Of Vortex Integrated Marketing
INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION
Duane Sprague and Pete Codella, APR
TABLE OF CONTENTS:01
Introduction.....................................................................................4 Its Not Just One Look, One Message ............................................. 5 Social Buzz ....................................................................................... 7 Both Legs In .....................................................................................9 Branded EntertainmentAmerican Style .....................................11 Integrating Social Media ChannelsThe New Frontier ............... 12 Mobile Goes MobileTwitter Sells Food ...................................... 15 Establishing Your Budget .............................................................. 19 The IMC Planning Model .............................................................. 21 Traditional Communication Model ..............................................23 Integrated Marketing Model .........................................................24 IMC Manager .................................................................................25 Summary........................................................................................26 About the Authors .........................................................................28
Vortex Integrated Marketing LLC
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COPYRIGHT:02
2009 by Duane Sprague and Pete Codella, APR of Vortex Integrated Marketing LLC Copyright holder has licensed this work under the Creative Commons Attribution No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
E-Book layout and design by Swan Advertising swanadvertising.com
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AN INVITATION TO SHARE:03
We chose to publish this e-book to reach the most people in the most efcient way possible. Our hope is that youll nd the information contained herein valuable and helpful, so much so that youll want to share it with your colleagues and friends. We want you to share this e-book. Please: Blog about it Tweet about it Link to it on Facebook or LinkedIn Share it however you wish The more the concepts in this e-book are shared, the more rened each of us can be in our quest for perfect integrated marketing communication. We encourage you to use part or all of this e-book and only ask that you give attribution to the authors.
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INTRODUCTION:04
Building a powerful brand has always been about a focused message, continuity and consistency. With todays highly fragmented digital and traditional media choices, thats truer now than ever. With so many digital communication and content delivery channels now available, including the proliferation of user generated and social media tools, using a comprehensive and integrated marketing strategy is critical to managing your brand image. Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) should be part of your strategic game plan to help you monitor and leverage every customer contact point and brand experience to help create a consumer centric brand.
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Its Not Just One Look, One Message

Typically when people refer to an integrated communication strategy, they are referring to integrated advertising, or the one-look one-voice concept where all the advertising material has a common look, feel and message. Although this is certainly a large aspect of IMC and creating a powerful brand, IMC goes well beyond planned communication. It embraces every unplanned communication as well.
Companies That Get It

Hilo Hattie is the hands down dominant player in the gift shop business on the Hawaiian Islands. They integrate an entire shopping and service experience, delivered consistently, and combined with a great selection, and powerful advertising and marketing. For example, they provide a free shuttle to and from the hotels to bring you into the stores. And not just any shuttle, but one of those festive open-air cable car style shuttles that kids and tourists love. Or if you drive yourself, they have friendly, smiling parking lot attendants who will direct you to an open FREE parking space. And in Honolulu where parking is limited and expensive, this is a big value. Once you get to the front door, you are welcomed by a friendly greeter, who places a complimentary shell necklace around your neck, thanks you for coming, and directs you to the complimentary refreshments. You have a choice of tropical fruit punch, fresh pineapple juice, ice-cold water, or fresh Hawaiian grown coffee.
Inside you are offered a variety of free samples of tropical nuts, chocolates, and other delicious treats. They must know that it takes energy to shop, and hungry people dont stay long. You also notice that the temperature is absolutely perfect. Not too cold or too warm. Most retail environments in tropical areas have the air conditioning so cold it freezes out the customers who come in wearing beach attire. Most retailers set the temperature for the employees, not the customers. The store is well staffed with very friendly and helpful people, all wearing festive island attire sold in the store, a nametag and a big smile. They ask if you need help, and if you do, they are in fact very knowledgeable and helpful. You never have to search for a sales clerk, as they are plentiful. The product selection is huge; in fact the biggest of any gift shop on the islands. So you know you can nd whatever you are looking for. In whatever size, color, price range, quality, brand or style. The products are very well displayed, with the right retail lighting, and always shown in an attractive display that makes the product look very enticing.
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Like Las Vegas, there are no clocks or windows, so you can spend hours shopping and not realize it. And why leave when they give you free food and drink samples, so you dont feel that you need to rush out to grab a bite. The restrooms are easily accessible, large and ultra clean. And the overall store decor is festive, colorful, and very clean. In fact, as far as retail store lighting goes, it is perfect. Not too bright and not too many green tinted uorescent lights. And to make it even more of a fun and spontaneous destination, the oor clerks will hand you a key to the treasure chest and if your key opens it (one in twenty do), you can choose any item in the treasure chest as a free gift. When it comes to payment, they have lots of modern check-out stands to get you through quickly, and they accept cash, debit cards, every domestic and international credit card known to man, and travelers checks. They also offer shipping to anywhere in the world, and gift-wrapping. It all adds up to an integrated shopping experience that seems to be the same on every island. As for marketing, they do a lot of print advertising in all the tourist magazines, on the free maps, the restaurant guides, and on the hotel closed circuit TV. All their print advertising includes a trackable and coded coupon for a free T-shirt or mug, both attractive, and of course with their logo on it, which provides additional brand advertising. Their ads have a call to action, an expiration date, and explain their unique selling proposition.
For all of the reasons above, Hilo Hattie has become a destination for millions of tourists a year. They have also established the benchmark in their industry for volume and protability. Keep in mind, they are not necessarily the lowest in price either. They have built their brand on a consistent delivery of service, selection and value. Other organizations that deliver a consistent and integrated brand message and customer experience come to mind like Disney, Ritz-Carlton, Harley-Davidson, Audi, Google, Apple and Hollister. All great brands that deliver a superior product, customer experience, culture and service by integrating their mission statement, objectives, and their measurement and reporting tools with their hiring, training, retail environments and locations, packaging, marketing, PR and advertising.
They have built their brand on a consistent delivery of service, selection and value.
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Social Buzz
Integrated marketing communication means that at every contact point where the customer or prospect receives an impression of the brand including actual experiences and interaction, as well as what they may hear or read from media, even down to the social buzz regarding the brand the message is consistent with the brand position, personality and mission. Social buzz may include user reviews, testimonials, word of mouth, blog posts and comments, and social networking. Channels include sites like Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and YouTube. This digital space is impossible to control, manipulate or silence. In other words, the brand must deliver on its promise or the news will spread.
Somewhat manageable impressions traditional public or media relations, community relations, and mainstream media channels by way of placed articles and interviews. Unplanned and largely uncontrollable impressions customer interactions with employees on or off the job, and social media buzz.
All Inclusive Plan

In order to best predict and manage all three pillars, a true IMC strategy considers every aspect of the business to ensure total focus and consistent delivery on the stated goals and objectives for the brand experience and brand impression. This includes the corporate, departmental and individual mission statements, the compensation/rewards plan, reporting and benchmarking, management style, and employee training. It also includes packaging, positioning, promotions, pricing, store locations, merchandising, the warranty and guarantee, and even the means and speed of distribution. Effective IMC requires an inside out, top-down, bottomup, total buy-in approach to management and marketing. It requires team work and camaraderie. It requires building and fostering a culture that believes in and works toward a common and unied vision for the brand.
The digital space is impossible to control, manipulate or silence.

Three Parts
IMC means then, that a brand manager must be concerned with all three pillars of the marketing communication plan: Planned impressions totally controlled.
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IMC starts with the inside reality of a company. In other words, the ofce of the CEO sets the pace and tone for the entire organization. It is then consciously and deliberately executed throughout the company. The CEO must take a proactive role in the IMC process, as they will help create, support, endorse, and execute the corporate psyche, goals, culture and mission statement, which are the backbone of IMC. Integrated marketing communication is a comprehensive, consistent; goal oriented, focused and planned methodology to all aspects of communication. It is the hottest trend in marketing communication and brand management today. IMC ties together the leading-edge business principles of management by objectives, total quality management, relationship marketing, mission marketing, digital marketing, social media marketing, and database marketing.
prefer, you can break through the competitive, unfocused, inconsistent and off-target clutter. While the competitions approach is trying-this-and-trying-that, a little-here-and-a-little-there, the organization with an IMC process reaps the rewards of building a solid brand image a distinct corporate identity, and top of mind awareness for its product category. By remaining consistent and relevant in its marketing message, consistent in its service and shopping experience (which delivers the experience the advertising message says they will have), the organization is building trust with its customers and prospects. Trust and consistency is the cornerstone of a long-term customer relationship.
Begin With Research

The foundation of IMC starts with sufcient research to understand who the target market is (demographic, geographic and psychographic prole), what message they want to hear and how they want to be communicated with (what media channels they prefer). Such research includes information on how the customer denes your service and how you can maintain a positive relationship with them. By focusing a consistent and appropriate message to your dened market, using the channels of communication they
IMC...is the hottest trend in brand management today.
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Both Legs In
IMC is a process, not an event. Its a mind-set, not a pep rally. It is an all encompassing strategic and tactical approach to every facet of your marketing communication. It includes mass media advertising, digital media, niche market advertising, interactive marketing, social media marketing, direct mail, database marketing, contact management and follow-up systems, events, promotions, public relations, in-store displays, packaging, distribution methods, pricing strategy, employee uniforms and dress codes, sales approach, corporate communication, corpo-
every message and customer contact point within your organization, including the way telephone operators, greeters, sales people, nance people, service people and others relate to, talk to, prioritize and deal with the public. It includes your hiring and training practices, compensation plan, job descriptions, employee dress codes and standards, and management style.
Database It
IMC creates processes and logistical systems to build and maintain customer databases for follow up to provide customer requested information, to retain and grow customers, and for speedy and thorough customer conict resolution. An ideal database marketing program will include data enrichment or data overlays of purchased data to better prole, segment and target your database based on geographic, demographic and psychographic segmenting. It will also include the most important database marketing segmentation technique known as RFM analysis segmenting your customers based on Recency of purchase, Frequency of purchases, and Monetary value of purchases. Recency is the most important consideration of RFM analysis. Part of your database marketing strategy should include building an e-mail database of your Web site visitors and sending personalized automated e-mail responders based on event and time triggers. This, of course, assumes they have opted-in to receive your e-mails, which are hopefully helpful articles, tips, and useful information.
IMC is a process, not an event.

rate mission statement, cause related or mission marketing and relationship marketing. The more platforms, communication channels and touch points you can effectively integrate the more powerful your brand becomes as it builds consistency and continuity in the mind of the market.
Reach Out and Touch Someone

Integrated marketing communication makes shopping easy and fun with Integrated Marketing.docmanages
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Tear Down That Wall

To be effective, IMC must tear down the traditional departmental walls that create information silos and management efdoms. All departments must work together as a unied team to carry out the strategic plan in total unison. The entire organization, from top to bottom, must have one aim, one mission, and one message to the public, thus providing the public with a planned and consistent experience. Customers and prospects are treated in the same way no matter what department, location, and time of day or individual they deal with. Each employee who has contact with customers has easy and quick access to each customers purchase and service history in order to respond quickly, intelligently and accurately to questions or problems. Every transaction and interaction the customer has with the company is recorded on the same company-wide database in a timely and consistent manner.
Bring in the Digital Media

Naturally an integrated communications strategy cannot ignore all things digital, like a well planned opt-in e-mail campaign in the way of a newsletter or special announcements. Also look at effective ways to integrate and leverage the marketing power of SMS or text messaging campaigns, Web sites, landing pages, micro sites, widgets (small selfcontained applications that reside on Web sites or social media pages, usually in the way of games or small applications), WAP sites (Wireless Application Protocol) are stripped down Web sites designed for mobile phone access and use. And dont forget online video streaming or slide share programs to show your PowerPoint or Keynote presentations. The Web is increasingly becoming a full multi-media entertainment and education platform. Online video is almost a must on todays Web site. Some of these tools have viral marketing potential, like Web videos and widgets, a.k.a. gadgets that are cool, fun or useful. Branded widgets can be easily shared and passed around the internet and placed on blogs, social media pages or Web sites. You may also want to consider an always-on branded custom browser toolbar as a means to increase brand awareness, Web trafc, and usage of your applications and widgets.
The Web is becoming a full multi-media entertainment and education platform.
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Branded Entertainment American Style

Think of a branded widget/gadget and a branded tool bar as a product placement strategy, much like video games and American Idol have become so adept at utilizing. And this is only the beginning. As media channels continue to proliferate, causing more audience fragmentation, and DVRs and commercial free media sources become the norm, creative product placement and branded entertainment will be more important to your marketing strategy than ever. It seems to have served Ford, Coke and AT&T very well. In fact Ford did a masterful job of integrating their logo and products into the programming, the entertainment, the Web site, the music, and even into the gifts given to the talent. Ford and the American Idol producers orchestrated a near seamless interweaving of product, promotion and programming content. Bravo! Traditional sponsorships of events, teams, venues, Web sites, bands, and anything else you can effectively brand, leverage and tie-in to your strategy will also become more critical as traditional media platforms lose their audience share to prolic new media alternatives. We once sponsored a hot local salsa band for one of our clients who were pursuing more share from the Latino market. When they performed live they wore our branded shirts, tossed out branded T-shirts to the crowd, with a yer rolled up inside, and even gave us mentions and words of gratitude on stage. They also performed on our
TV and radio commercials, and were present in the print ads and the targeted Web site. And to top it off, they performed at a private customer appreciation show and party. It was a huge success due to the multi-media integration, combined with entertainment and product endorsement.
When you can emotionalize your brand, and truly make it a lifestyle, you have a power brand.
Getting creative through lifestyle events and sponsorships is a great way to cut through the clutter and connect emotionally with your market. Harley-Davidson, Jeep, Sea Ray boats, Apple, and many others have effectively created sponsored clubs, rides, jamborees, shows, concerts, parties, and events of all kinds that have created a lifestyle and culture around the use of their brand. When you can emotionalize your brand, and truly make it a lifestyle, you have a super brand.
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Integrating Social Media Channels The New Frontier

Today an IMC campaign is obligated to include strategies and tactics focused on utilization of what is commonly called social media. There are myths and misunderstandings about the use of social media that require clarity. Although touted to be free, in actuality, it takes a great deal of time and focus to both understand the myriad of social media tools now available, and to know how to best utilize them for business or personal purposes.
Although touted to be free (social media) takes a great deal of time and focus.
The Social Media Circle of Engagement:
Goal Oriented
Just as your overall marketing plan is based on achieving specic goals, you should have specic objectives for engagement on various social media channels. Some social media tools are better than others for accomplishing specic goals. Know your objectives and goals at the outset, and then determine the best social media strategy and platform.
Listen and understand what the market is saying. Comment on market discussions in positive and useful ways. Create your own unique content that the market will nd interesting or useful. Publish your content on multiple channels. Engage continually. We call this the Social Media Circle of Engagement because its a continuous process. Going through the steps sequentially then calling it quits doesnt accomplish your purpose. Persistence and dedication should be your social media watchcry. By rst listening, and then understanding your key audience, you are better equipped to tailor your messages to their needs and wants. Try to use your information and
Approach to Social Media Marketing

Like most things, there really is a right and wrong way to go about interacting with others on social media platforms. As a rule of thumb, this Social Media Circle of Engagement provides a helpful guide for when and how to get involved.
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content to solve your constituents problems where possible. Just as research forms the foundation of solid integrated marketing communication activities, listening is the foundation of effective social media engagement.
Unless your organization monitors and responds to whats being said on these digital platforms, you may be perceived as arrogant, disconnected and unresponsive. The previously accepted timeframe of several days in which to respond to a crisis through traditional media channels, thanks to social media, is now more like several hours, even minutes. And weekends are no longer excluded. The rate of travel of information is so fast, and its distribution channels so varied today, that one can no longer rely on traditional methods and means alone. This is why a well planned, managed and executed integrated marketing plan is so critical. The means of information creation and distribution is now in the hands of the consumer and niche publishers, as much as it is in the hands of mass media conglomerates. If we are not managing and integrating our content and our brand message and brand image across traditional and new media channels, as well as integrating with pubic and community relations efforts, we may lose our reputation and brand image, and ultimately lose market share.
The travel of information is so fast, one can no longer rely on traditional methods alone.
Listening and Monitoring
Even if you dont want to utilize social media channels for content distribution, in order to understand your key constituencies, you should use social media to listen to and monitor conversations. We have seen countless examples Amazon, Dominos and Motrin to name only a few of brands that have been amed on social media. A group of social media participants decide theyre unhappy with a company or brand and embark on a journey to expose the perceived wrongs. They campaign like politicians, walking the virtual streets to inform others of their distaste for what has transpired.
Control
Some corporate brand managers mistakenly believe they can completely control their brand image. With the advent of social media and dozens of new digital publishing channels, complete control is no longer possible. Whether you acknowledge it, or even like it or not, people are commenting on social networks regarding your brand.
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The real question is what are you doing on those same networks to represent your brand and direct the conversation? Digital publishing provides great versatility and accessibility for reaching key audiences. Its more important than ever for companies and organizations to utilize digital channels to tell their own story instead of letting someone else tell it for them.
Think Mobile
These days you would be well-served to also create a mobile phone database for creating opt-in text messaging campaigns. E-mail is becoming less and less relevant with the 14 to 20-something crowd. This demographic will likely never use a printed phone directory, subscribe to a newspaper, or have a traditional hard-wired telephone. More and more, the information, entertainment and content they create, share and consume is done so on a portable electronic devices. Also be thinking of very cool and subtly branded wallpaper, screen savers, ring-tones, viral content and games if you want to engage this age group.
Building Trust
There has probably never been a greater opportunity for communicators to build trust and respect directly with their own constituencies (instead of going through the media). Companies and organizations that learn to leverage the power of social networks, using honest, authentic communication, will benet from increased loyalty. The nature of social media is personal. The more a company conveys a human voice, which can still advocate for that companys products/services, the more likely social media participants are to share that content and support the message.
Consistency
As in all integrated marketing activities, the brand messaging for your company should remain consistent on each digital channel. Such consistency, frequency and focus helps create and support a power brand.
Whether you like it or not, people are commenting on social networks regarding your brand.
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Mobile Goes MobileTwitter Sells Food

Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service that enables its users to send and read other users updates known as tweets. One example of how a mobile lunch truck company in Los Angeles is monetizing Twitter is quite simple and effective. Kogi BBQ trucks who offer up a Korean-Mexican fusion on wheels uses twitter and its ability to broadcast up to 140character messages to Twitter members, has become the advertising tool of choice. The Kogi staff will upload their daily menu specials to the Twitter feed and tell people when and where the trucks will be.
real game lies in the fact that only Twitter users are even aware of the unique daily specials. So it creates an insiders club even among lunch truck patrons. Other mobile food vendors are now using Twitter and traditional restaurants as well. What better way to alert your patrons that you have a limited supply of line caught Alaskan salmon served with fresh king crab legs tonight only. Or that you have a special dinner performance from a local jazz trio Wednesday night only. Oh the possibilities of mobile marketing.
IMC Manager Skill Set

It should go without saying that an adept integrated marketing communication manger is someone with a working knowledge of the new digital tools and platforms, and their most benecial uses. If this intellectual capital resource isnt already within your organization, you should look to qualied consultants and advisors to ll in the gaps. Be careful, as there are many so-called social media experts. Make certain the employee or advisor you select not only has an intellectual understanding of social media, but is seen as an industry thought leader and revered practitioner.
Be careful, as there are many so-called social media experts.

The Kogi trucks offer some very unique and gourmet items at very reasonable prices, and have established a loyal following. Often lines have formed before the truck even arrives. But the Twitter tool has done more than just announce the daily specials and the locations. It has made it a fun game to keep up with the trucks and know where and when to go to beat the non-twitter crowds. And the
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Going Viral
Some companies and agencies are tempted to create campaigns that are intended to go viral. More often than not, if you set-out to create a viral campaign, you fail. Chances are youll nd success quicker and more effectively by producing quality content than by chasing the viral video that gets millions of views. Besides, whats your objective? If its to get eyeballs on a screen, thats one thing, but if its to sell product or inuence behavior, perhaps a viral video isnt what you need at all.
An effective digital strategy places your brand virtually above the fold just as a traditional media relations strategy lands articles on the front page of newspapers. The only difference is printed newspaper subscriptions are shrinking while online participation continues to soar.
Management Team
A cross-functional communication management team should be established. This team consists of department heads across the organization. A team leader oversees, organizes and coordinates the group, but does not dominate the direction or discussion. Each departmental head generates ideas, aids in the communication strategy development, implementation, management, training, and results tracking for his or her own department. They make sure all communications are on strategy, on target, and approved by the IMC or brand manager. There is no individual departmental marketing of independent messages, themes or looks. In addition, the cross-functional management team in an integrated company essentially expands the marketing responsibility beyond the marketing department and makes each employee a marketing representative. A communication generalist is part of the team, to recommend, implement, manage and evaluate the appropriate research techniques, tactics, media options, strengths and weaknesses, costs, and efciencies. This person cannot be biased toward a single medium, and should not be paid media commissions. This person acts as a consultant and
Social Media Benefits

A philosophy that includes publishing keyword rich content on a number of digital platforms will provide for top search placement. With the shift from traditional to new media, managing search results for your brands and people has never been more important.
The only difference is printed newspaper subscriptions are shrinking while online participation continutes to soar.
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resource for nding the appropriate specialists and media outlets for the communication goals and objectives. The IMC Manager then ensures that every communication is on strategy before it is released.
Two-Way Communication
Communication strategies place equal emphasis on communicating with, and not just to, customers and prospects. An interactive and customer focused two-way dialog versus a one-way monolog is actively pursued and supported throughout the organization. True communication versus pure mass media advertising is developed. Customers and prospects are to be invited and encouraged to discuss ideas, register complaints, and give feedback to the organization. Two-way communication is made easy, fast and non-confrontational between employees and management, and employees and customers. The many social media tools available today are a perfect venue for encouraging user feedback, engagement and open dialog. The IMC organization values its customer base (revenue stream), its employees (revenue creators), and its sophisticated database (communication system) more than brick and mortar assets.
Social media tools are perfect for encouraging user feedback, engagement and open dialog.
Employee compensation plans and bonuses are structured to reward not only transactions but customer retention and satisfaction as well. Employees are rewarded for being pro-active in solving problems and complaints quickly and completely. They are rewarded for superior customer service that keeps customers coming back and recommending the business to others. The single most important and powerful customer satisfaction measurement tool is this simple survey question: Would you recommend this product to a friend? For more details on the power of this single question, and the Net Promoter Score see Turning your consumers into die-hard fans written by John Blasberg, Vijay Vishwanath and James Allen at Bain & Co. (www.bain.com).
Define Your Mission

At the core of the marketing strategy is a mission statement. The mission statement explains very briey what the organization stands for and why it exists (beyond making money for the shareholders). The mission statement denes what drives or motivates the organization and its employees to perform exceedingly well on a regular basis.
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Also at the core of the marketing strategy, is a mission marketing program. Mission marketing is similar to cause-related marketing, but it is on a bigger scale, is longterm, focused and integrated throughout the organization. With a mission marketing program, the organization adopts a single charity, fund or cause, and becomes the sponsor and the champion of that cause. Every customer, prospect and employee is aware of it. A percentage of every sale goes to support that single cause and such fundraising and support is actively communicated to the media and public using appropriate IMC tools and tactics. One of the best examples of such a mission marketing program is Paul Newmans gourmet food product line. Every label on every product explains that all prots go to charity. The cause is broad based so as not to alienate segments of the customer base, unless it is appropriate to focus on a specic and narrow based cause that all customers can support based on the niche the company serves. For example, a surf ware product may only support clean oceans, or a beach access cause. Back in the day, Coppertone sun tanning lotion was sponsoring all the trash cans on the southern California beaches with their ad totally consuming the trash can, which was great ad positioning. It could also have been benecial for their mission marketing program to support a clean beaches organization. Typically a neutral cause is chosen, usually without political, religious, or ethnic ties, unless of course, this is your niche market. It can be a local or a national cause, as long
as the donating organization is a big and recognized part of it. The fund or charity must be willing to work with you, and help support your fundraising efforts and public relations objectives. The mission marketing statement helps signicantly to separate you from the crowded arena of look-alike competitors. It gives you a legitimate and newsworthy venue for free media exposure, and it gives people one more reason to do business with you. Mission marketing is one of the most powerful, yet misunderstood and underutilized branding strategies available.
Mission marketing is one of the most powerful branding strategies available.
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Establishing Your Budget

The communication budget should be zero-based. In other words, the budget is not determined by last years spending, or a percentage of sales revenue, or on whatever is left over after all other expenses are paid. The communication budget starts at ground zero and is created to meet the dened communication objectives and desired results. If the marketing strategy is solid, the advertising execution is excellent, and the sales people are well trained, then it stands to reason that the communication objectives will be met, causing the sales goals to be reached, and thus creating the planned return on investment. Advertising and marketing plans and budgets should be based on where you want to go, and not where you have been. Looking in the rear-view mirror when you are moving forward is not going to get you there. This of course assumes that the proper intellectual capital, research, strategy, tactics, training, and resources are in place to implement and capitalize on the plan.
However, dont wait for that big idea to hit like a lightening bolt. If the big idea doesnt come, roll forward with the best you have. A message that is consistently on target with its audience, has sufcient reach and frequency, and is integrated throughout the organization will likely be successful over time.
Plans and budgets should be based on where you want to go, and not where you have been.
Plan Your Communication Strategy
In addition to zero-based budgeting, zero-based communication planning is used. As such, all media and communication options are treated equally, absent bias, commission structure, or personal preferences.
The Big Idea

The perfect campaign consistently interweaves a big creative idea into every communication message. The big idea may be a creative and effective way to position and differentiate the product, explain a key benet, substantiate a unique selling proposition, portray the quality, or demonstrate the utility.
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The best tool(s) for the strategic objectives are utilized. Analyze each medium based on the chosen strategy, the message to be conveyed, the relevance of the medium to the target audience and their media consumption habits.
It takes trained and talented people to carry out the plan at every level.
Next, analyze the cost per point or cost per impression, as well as production costs associated with each medium, and weigh the differences. It is usually better to use a mixture of appropriate media to complement and leverage the campaign message. Remember, every medium has distinct strengths and weaknesses. As with any effective marketing effort, serious attention is paid to the details of implementation, including quality of production, effective media placement, appropriate timing of message delivery, and awless promotion. There is always free cheese in a mousetrap. So remember that it takes trained and talented people to carry out the plan at every level. And talented people cost money. It helps to keep the denition of insanity in mind: Doing
the same thing over and over, and expecting a different result. In other words, if you always call on the same talent pool, utilize the same advertising media, or use the same tactics hoping to generate completely different results, you consistently will be disappointed. Look at a variety of experts and sources for implementation and inspiration. It takes an unbiased individual with a very broad, and yet specic, understanding of every aspect of advertising, marketing, promotions, public relations, relationship marketing, research, social media, customer service and branding to effectively manage an IMC plan.
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The IMC Planning Model

The basic ow of IMC events for the retailer may look like this: 1. Gather qualitative and quantitative market research about your market area and customers: Focus groups Customer database enhancements with demographic, psychographic, credit prole and lifestyle data Scarborough research data SRDS (Standard Rates and Data Service) research data State, local and federal research and census data Customer surveys Sales mapping Manufacturer research data Independent research conducted by local media sources Other credible data and research ndings 2. Assess the state of the company: all assets and resources currently available (human capital, nancial capital, technology, knowledge base, patents, unique processes, distribution, location(s), customer and prospect databases, market share, brand awareness, collaborative marketing partners, co-op funds, special contacts, culture, training, industry trends, etc.). 3. Conduct a SWOT analysis for your company and your competitors (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats). 4. Analyze all past marketing and advertising failures, un-achieved goals, poor performing markets, products and services. Analyze all successes in the same areas. Understand what is similar and what is different among them that made some a success and the others a failure.
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5. Create a list of all the marketing and communication objectives. Place a time frame on each objective. Prioritize them according to the impact they will have on the organization in terms of creating a sizable and loyal customer base. 6. Identify, analyze and prioritize the most cost effective communication media available to achieve your objectives. 7. Establish a budget to reach the stated objectives utilizing the appropriate media mix for the strategy and target audience. 8. Create the IMC cross functional management team: Establish the IMC departmental team leaders. Establish the IMC manager. 9. Create the strategy to reach the stated objectives. 10. Create the tactical plans to implement the strategy. 11. Create the tracking tools and train the staff to use them. 12. Assess the current skills of the staff to ensure they are capable of executing the portion of the plan they are responsible for. Train, move, or replace where necessary. 13. Execute the strategy (most companies fail not because of poor planning, but because of poor execution). 14. Track results against the stated objectives. 15. Survey the customers to see if they are receiving the same message you think you are sending, both from a service standpoint and a communications standpoint. 16. Analyze the results and create a report for the cross functional IMC management team. 17. Make adjustments to strategy, tactics and budget if necessary. Depending on the objectives and the organization, there may be several additional steps, and processes involved, but this provides an idea of the comprehensive approach.
VortexPlan.com
IMC:23
In a typical non-integrated organization, each department operates in its own silo, with separate goals, objectives, key performance indicators, training programs, compensation plans, customer databases, etc. They do not typically share customer information, and they have their own customer contact points, databases, messages, agendas, communication channels and analytics. The customer receives a different experience, message and brand impression with each departmental contact. This creates brand schizophrenia for the customer, because they never know what experience or message they will get. Without continuity of experience and message, there is no brand building. Lacking a powerful brand personality based on service, quality, image or experience as a differentiator, the company and product becomes a commodity competing on price alone. Competing on price alone is the least protable and least stable position.
VP
VP
VP
VP
VP
VP Customer Service
VP Billing/Accounting
VP
Advertising
Operations
VortexPlan.com
Marketing
IT/Web
Sales
PR
IMC:24
An integrated company may have an IMC manager that ties every customer contact point together into a strategic plan that creates consistency and continuity, as well as shared information and databases for superior efciency and effectiveness in sales, service, retention and billing. Integrated companies create higher ROI.
VP
VP IMC MANAGER
VP
Billing/Accounting
Customer Service
Advertising
= Customer data/information/intelligence must ow freely between departments wherever possible (while protecting against credit and identity theft)
Customer, brand messaging, training and strategy Information must ow downward, upward and horizontally.
Operations
VortexPlan.com
Marketing
IT/Web
Sales
PR
IMC:25
Web Sitesearch optimized, user friendly, content rich, viral functions, analytics, landing page, auto responders and a database building tool Sales and Customer Service Training, and Customer Experiencemerchandising, point of purchase displays, uniforms, sales collateral, statements stuffers, presentation materials, facilities and operations, lighting, security, parking, etc.
Social Media SitesFacebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Flickr, Blogs, Twitter, Slide Share
IMC MANAGER
Online Marketing Tools e-mail, SMS text messaging, social media ads, online banner ads, site sponsorships, widgets, viral content, paid search, paid links, afliate marketing
Public, Media and Community Relationspress releases, speaking, sponsorships, special events, promotions, ebooks, books and articles
Ofine Marketing ToolsTV, radio, direct mail, print, outdoor, transit, directories, signage, yers
VortexPlan.com
IMC:26
Summary
Integrated marketing communication is a company-wide endeavor to create a whole business as seen from the customers point of view. Integrated marketing is a cross-functional process for managing protable customer relationships. It brings people and corporate learning together in order to maintain strategic consistency in communication, facilitate purposeful dialogue with customers and prospects, and market a corporate mission that increases customer and prospect trust in the organization. Integrated marketing communication breaks through the media clutter. IMC means unity of effort, unity of purpose, unity of process, unity of goal, and unity of action. The American Association of Advertising Agencies describes integrated marketing communication as: A concept of marketing communications planning that recognizes the added value of a comprehensive plan that evaluates the strategic roles of a variety of communication disciplines for example general advertising, direct response, sales promotions, and public relations and combines these disciplines to provide clarity, consistency, and maximum communication impact. Creating and implementing an IMC strategy is difcult. The most difcult aspect is getting every employee in every department to work, plan and think together as a team. It is the separate and distinct territories that destroy integration, consistency, proactivity, real branding ability, and solid customer service and retention. Getting managers to understand that this is necessary is required for the integrated marketing communication process to succeed.
VortexPlan.com
IMC:27
Benefits to IMC When an organization integrates, its communication and interactions become consistent, its reputation and image more distinct, and its customers more trustful. The organization builds integrity because it is seen as a whole, rather than as a collection of fragmented functional units. Integrated marketing communication leverages every contact point and media impression, and maximizes impact by emphasizing a one-look, one-voice approach. IMC gives consistency to the customer shopping and ownership experience. Brand image and awareness are built faster because all planned messages are consistent, and the best media tools are used based on a strategic marketing plan, backed by research to guide the direction of the campaign. With integrated marketing communication, customer retention and satisfaction is increased, growth by referrals spirals upward, prospects become customers more easily, and advertising dollars are more effectively spent. The organization builds on the solid foundation of a large and loyal customer base, an unshakable reputation, a positive public image, and a strategic plan. These are competitive strengths that cannot be easily or quickly duplicated by the competition.
VortexPlan.com
IMC:28
About the Authors

Duane DJ Sprague is an internationally published contributing author to university textbooks on Integrated Marketing Communication and Branding, and holds a graduate certicate in Integrated Marketing Communication from the University of Utah. Duane has also published over 60 marketing articles in the U.S. and Canada, and managed successful ad agencies with national and international clients, including Fortune 100 companies. Duane served as Vice President of Advertising and Digital Media for the Utah Jazz and the Larry H. Miller Sports and Entertainment Group of Companies, and currently is a consultant, practitioner and speaker on marketing, advertising and digital media with Vortex Integrated Marketing. Pete Codella is Accredited in Public Relations and provides social media consulting. He is a public relations practitioner, consultant, speaker and enthusiastic social media publisher. Pete is an online instructor at the University of California, Irvine Extension, for a course he created on using social media as a tool for public relations. He is also the founder of NewsCactus, a hosted online newsroom solution.
Duane DJ Sprague duane@vortexplan.com
Sprague and Codella are partners in Vortex Integrated Marketing based in Utahs Salt Lake City valley. They may be reached at VortexPlan.com. Both Sprague and Codella are also available through the ProtAcademy.net professional speakers bureau.
Pete Codella, APR pete@vortexplan.com
VortexPlan.com
IMC:29
Integrated Marketing in the Digital World
Vortex Integrated Marketing VortexPlan.com Published: August 2009
VortexPlan.com

Integrated Marketing in The Digital World

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I N T E G R AT E D M A R K E T I N G IN THE D I G I TA L W O R L D

By Duane Sprague and Pete Codella, APR Of Vortex Integrated Marketing

INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION

Duane Sprague and Pete Codella, APR

Vortex Integrated Marketing LLC

INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION

Duane Sprague and Pete Codella, APR

E-Book layout and design by Swan Advertising swanadvertising.com

Vortex Integrated Marketing LLC

INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION

Duane Sprague and Pete Codella, APR

Vortex Integrated Marketing LLC

INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION

Duane Sprague and Pete Codella, APR

Vortex Integrated Marketing LLC

INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION

Duane Sprague and Pete Codella, APR

Its Not Just One Look, One Message

Companies That Get It

Vortex Integrated Marketing LLC

INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION

Duane Sprague and Pete Codella, APR

Vortex Integrated Marketing LLC

INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION

Duane Sprague and Pete Codella, APR

All Inclusive Plan

The digital space is impossible to control, manipulate or silence.

Vortex Integrated Marketing LLC

INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION

Duane Sprague and Pete Codella, APR

Begin With Research

IMC...is the hottest trend in brand management today.

Vortex Integrated Marketing LLC

INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION

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IMC is a process, not an event.

Reach Out and Touch Someone

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INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION

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Tear Down That Wall

Bring in the Digital Media

The Web is becoming a full multi-media entertainment and education platform.

Vortex Integrated Marketing LLC

INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION

Duane Sprague and Pete Codella, APR

Branded Entertainment American Style

Vortex Integrated Marketing LLC

INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION

Duane Sprague and Pete Codella, APR

Integrating Social Media Channels The New Frontier

Approach to Social Media Marketing

Vortex Integrated Marketing LLC

INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION

Duane Sprague and Pete Codella, APR

Vortex Integrated Marketing LLC

INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION

Duane Sprague and Pete Codella, APR

Vortex Integrated Marketing LLC

INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION

Duane Sprague and Pete Codella, APR

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