marketing mix Tag

02 Feb

Posted at 13:04h in IMC by
integrated marketing communicationsIMC is a complicated beast. After working on integrated marketing communications strategies for several years I still feel as if each new campaign is like a new romance novel, with unusual plot twists and surprise endings. Although a lot of people say they're doing IMC, unfortunately most supposedly integrated campaigns are not really integrated in the true sense of the word. The AMA defines IMC as “a planning process designed to assure that all brand contacts received by a customer or prospect for a product, service, or organization are relevant to that person and consistent over time.” The key words here are ALL, RELEVANT and CONSISTENT. We're all working on a continuum, gradually adding capability and components as we learn what mix works best for our brands. Making sure EVERY touchpoint is consistent with the other, and relevant to the message is nearly impossible in this fragmented communications world. So to borrow a phrase from a well-known 12-step group, it's about progress, not perfection. HOWEVER. And here comes the big BUT. I'm afraid there are a lot of people trying to catch the wave of IMC that have no idea what they're doing. It's really appalling and you need to make sure you're not falling into the trap of a consultant who claims to make IMC "easy." To help you with these hucksters, and to help you grade your own work, here are 5 ways to know if your campaign is truly integrated: 1. You've articulated strategies that align with overall measurable goals.  

17 Jan

Posted at 14:09h in Integrated Marketing by
I was on the phone with a friend of mine this week who was frustrated because one of her clients was pulling all their money out of one medium, to sink it into another.  I wonder when businesses will finally get it that there isn't a silver bullet, single item that will market them to success. What works is the mix...and although it's frustrating to realize that you have to juggle several balls at once these days for marketing to stick, it's what you have to do. It's really not that hard, and it doesn't take as much time as you think. People often ask me how I can come up with a good blend of marketing channels so quickly. Well, part of it is just experience . But another part is a quick rundown I do when I'm working with, or pitching a client. You can do the same thing if you're educated about your business. 1. First, I find out about the target audience. After they tell me "It's everyone aged 8-80! Everyone loves our product/service/etc"   I remind them that reaching this target market would probably require a billion gajillion dollars. So...who buys their product most often? Where do they live? Boil it down into a quick description of a couple of target segments, something like this: "Moms, aged 28-45, who live in the Minnetonka area, work part-time or stay at home and like crafts. They like Facebook, Pinterest and 50 Shades of Grey (or is it Gray?)"