What is The Fundamental Framework of Integrated Marketing?
Integrated marketing is an approach that unifies marketing elements. Social media, public relations, advertisement, etc., are unified to brand identity. And the message is consistent on various media channels. It enables both small and big businesses to provide a seamless and captivating customer experience. It also optimizes companies’ image and rapport with stakeholders.
Integrated marketing is holistic and combines traditional and modern media practices. Also, it is multi-disciplinary. It merges marketing, social media, and advertising to create a more robust approach. It does this rather than employing separate teams or efforts. With this, professionals can execute and track advertising messages. This will in turn, influence and target specific audiences.
You may be unfamiliar with this approach and want to try it out. However, you can either train your team or hire an integrated marketing company. There are a series of integrated marketing agencies that can offer their services and help boost your marketing.
Integrated marketing firms offer top-notch integrated marketing services. The right B2B marketing agency will help you access leads from even the slimmest of niches. And you are guaranteed brand awareness. Also, integrated marketing companies are especially ideal for B2-B. This is because they deal with a more complex audience. With their marketing agency services, they produce multiple results and deliver swift ROI.
Components of Integrated Marketing
The absence of integrated marketing in a firm can be costly. It can affect business profit and reduce their audience reach. Integrated marketing can make so much difference in the productivity and reach of a business.
Like every other concept, integrated marketing has its framework. There are components that make for successful integrated marketing.
And these components are fundamentals on which integrated marketing rests.
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Customer Priority
Integrated marketing is customer-focused. Although the knowledge of prioritizing customers is widespread, it is lacking in practice. Loyal customers are where the bulk of the revenue comes from.
And most sales businesses have come from returning customers. Integrated marketing makes it easy to know how and where customers want to connect and make it happen. Since customers are kings, you have to serve them what they desire.
A content marketing agency can take care of the customer engagement side. Everyone knows that content is king and it plays a vital role in customer retention
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Interdepartmental Cooperation
Good communication among departments can help integrated marketing. They have to exchange their plans and ideas so no one is left out. But departments also need to work together. They have to be willing to do whatever is required to resolve issues.
Also, they must see teamwork as vital to the success of integrated marketing. Departments shifting from segregation to integration will improve morale and profitability.
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Database Communication
As a component of integrated marketing, database communication is essential. Integrated marketing comprises communication paths that allow easy sharing across various channels. They can be automated and manual, but they provide needed information for business growth.
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Leverage
A successful integrated marketing strategy makes use of leverage. The various channels of communication have their strengths and weaknesses. Integrated marketing uses the force of one to substitute for the fault of the other.
This improves efficiency and reduces cost. For leverage to be effective, systems have to be put in place to monitor various channels. This is because channels evolve quickly, and what is obtainable today may not be tomorrow.
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Return on Investment
Expected return on investment should be included in the integrated marketing strategy. Every department will think differently if they know there is a target to be met.
Every department and function should gear towards increasing the business’s financial state. Activities that don’t attract paying customers or increase profit are a total waste.
Benefits of Integrated Marketing
Integrated marketing has shown that there’s power in consistency. The primary message of your business is spread consistently across channels. Here are the benefits of integrated marketing for your business.
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Increased Efficiency
With the provision of a streamlined process, integrated marketing can improve efficiency. It enables your unified message to move across different channels. As a result, the time meant for creating individual messages for other platforms is saved. Also, extra cost is avoided.
It improves efficiency within your internal team’s communication. Due to the harmonized contents, all team members have to be on the same page before a message is released. Integrated communication platforms can ensure that all messages are centralized. And everyone has to adhere to the same guidelines.
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Access to a Broader Audience
Another benefit of integrated marketing is that it gives access to a larger audience. You have a greater chance of reaching and attracting the right audience to your brand. To achieve this, keep in mind that your target customers and message must be consistent across all channels.
However, having access to a broad audience doesn’t always mean it’s the right audience. As such, it’s crucial to target the right audience. While some businesses have mastered the art, it may still be a struggle for others.
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Cost-Effectiveness
It costs a lot to create digital content like images and graphics. Now imagine having to develop different digital content for every marketing platform.
Expensive, right? Integrated marketing can help your business avoid all that cost. By sharing the same content, the extra costs and resources of creating individual messages are eliminated.
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Eliminates Confusion
With integrated marketing, you can hardly miss the key message of your advertisement. Ordinarily, you may send different pieces of information on various channels. But, this might confuse your customers and prospects. If your email says one thing, your magazines say another thing, and your Instagram page, viewers will be confused.
But with the unifying feature of integrated marketing, you can paint one solid picture despite using different channels. This way, customers and prospects can trust and engage with your intended message. They will know who you are and what you offer.
Conclusion
Integrated marketing builds brand identity by unifying channels. It enhances customer experience and increases profitability. Integrated marketing has lots of benefits. These are increased efficiency, access to a bigger audience, and cost-effectiveness.
Also, integrated marketing eliminates confusion. It enables customers to see coherent ideas in every channel. This way, there is trust and confidence in your business.
Some components make up integrated marketing. These are basic for successful marketing. And integrated marketing prioritizes customers. Loyal customers are the primary source of business revenue.
