Marketing Discussion on Integrated Marketing Communication

Week 10 Marketing Discussion on Integrated Marketing Communication

Integrated marketing communications (IMC) is driven by one factor, that no single channel (digital, direct, public relations, advertising and others) controls the consumer’s experience. Reinold & Tropp, (2012), explains that during evaluation of integrated marketing communication, sales figures are an important aspect. Sales figures should be incorporated during IMC evaluation as the process should be performed in a synergy manner rather than in isolation. Sales figures will assist in facilitating brand awareness, increase sales, boost unique brand association and create a positive brand image. The sales figure will assist in profit and sales increase while saving money, time and stress through IMC application.

In evaluation of marketing communications, hard data such as store traffic and redemption rates are used in measuring the success of the campaign (Patti, Hartley, van Dessel, & Baack, 2015). The results of a marketing plan can be calculated using hard data. 

In IMC, behavioral measures is used in creating a good brand image in the memory of a customer as customers share the positivity of a brand to others through word of mouth. For good marketing performance, accountability will require more than marketing activities uniform measurements using a similar scale for all brands. Behavioral measures are an essential gauge of the effectiveness of integrated marketing communications.

Reference 

Patti, C., Hartley, S., van Dessel, M., & Baack, D. (2015). Improving integrated marketing communications practices: A comparison of objectives and results. Journal Of Marketing Communications, 1-20. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13527266.2015.1027251

Reinold, T. & Tropp, J. (2012). Integrated marketing communications: How can we measure its effectiveness?. Journal Of Marketing Communications, 18(2), 113-132. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13527266.2010.489334

Reply to April Smith

Hi April, I like your discussion on integrated marketing communication where you have highlighted its importance.  I agree with you that sales figures are important during the evaluation of integrated marketing communications. IMC is beneficial as it increases great accountability levels, creates more customer loyalty and globalizes marketing strategies.  Sales figure will help in creating awareness of a brand boost brand loyalty, increase sales and profit of a company. They will use different sales and marketing strategies to boost sales. 

It’s true that measuring behavioral measures effectiveness helps in eliminating errors that are in long run expensive. It will also help in looking for alternative strategies as it increases the efficiency of advertising. Hard data will help in measuring the effectiveness of a campaign. For an effective integrated marketing communication plan, there is need for greater coordination between sales and marketing functions. Which are the critical issues in integrated marketing communications? 

Reply to Kimberly Riles

Hello Kimberly, your discussion on integrated marketing communication is on point. I like your discussion on the importance of sales figures during the evaluation of IMC. A sales strategy should always be designed to execute the marketing strategy of an organization for individual accounts. The sales figures are responsible in accounting management, personal selling, installation, merchandising, after sales marketing and competitive marketing intelligence. The sales figures will help in firm’s sales and profit performance. 

The redemption rates and store traffic are essential during the measuring of a company’s success. This helps in setting strategies for integrated marketing communication and checking the progress of the strategy. It is important to measure the effectiveness of behavioral measures as it increases the efficiency of advertising, eliminate costly errors as well as identifying alternative strategies. As you stated on your post, it is important to monitor the results to help in identifying the effectiveness of marketing communications to the consumer. How can you measure the results of a marketing plan?