Integrated Marketing Communication

What is Integrated Marketing Communication?

According to the American Marketing Association, IMC is defined as"a planning process designed to assure that all brand contacts received by a customer or prospect for a product, service, or organisation are relevant to that person and consistent over time."

 IMC requires that the company's departments complement each other for a greater result, such as in music, where all individual efforts of musicians and writer works for the perfect harmony of the song. 

Why IMC?

IMC is needed because marketing has changed over the past years, the accessibility, knowledge and technological advances require more efficient marketing communications. Nevertheless is important to look at the big picture to avoid wasting opportunities and bore consumers with same content throughout different channels, they should complement each other and carry the same message.

How does it work in practice?

Integrated Marketing communication require planning. This planning will allow companies to succeed in delivering great value to consumers and reduce marketing costs. 

Integrated marketing communication considers all points of contact your brand has online and offline. First of all, your logo should exist on every piece of paper you print, whether it is a magazine ad, brochure, letterhead or an in-store recipe card. The same is true for every digital screen that represents your business, such as your website, blog, e-newsletter or social media sites. If a potential customer were to look up your business online, you don’t want her uncertain if that Facebook page is yours or not because you logo is absent.

Both your brand and your plan need to be relevant to your customer. If you have researched your customers and have a plan for how to reach them, make sure it is suitable. For example, if you are a vitamin shop specializing in body-building supplements and protein drinks, it makes sense to get your logo seen at the local gyms through facility ads, supporting onsite health fairs or linking with their social media. If you sell car insurance, it makes sense to target a direct-mail campaign to new homeowners who most likely work and own a car.

http://imc.wvu.edu/about/what_is_imc

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/importance-integrated-marketing-communications-73248.html

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/brand-strategy-integrated-marketing-communication-64368.html