Basics of an Integrated Marketing Campaign

Integrated Marketing (IM) is a pretty basic concept involving the unification and utilization of many forms of media to communicate a businesses message and build its customer base and brand. More importantly, IM integrates various tools by creatively linking them together into an efficient and cohesive strategic marketing campaign. It is the coordination and integration of all marketing communications tools, avenues, functions and sources within a company into a cohesive and seamless program that maximizes the impact on consumers and internet end users.

Achieve Business Goals With Online and Offline Strategies

There are two main categories for IM strategies, online and offline marketing. Although the strategies begin in different platforms they are all intertwined in some way whether they are on the internet or out in the real world. Some offline marketing ideas for an integrated strategy are still very effective including: local media exposure through newspaper and other traditional print, news channels, radio advertising, television commercials, billboard ads, public relations, industry relations, social awareness and community event involvement or sponsorship.

Internet Technologies Used In An Integrated Marketing Campaign

Online strategies are being focused on more by all sized businesses in every industry and are proving to be cost effective as well as a great way to boost global and local business. Some online strategies include social media marketing thorough sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Yelp and Digg, blog and micro-blog posting, search engine optimization (SEO), Pay-Per-Click Marketing, Internet Radio and T.V., podcasts, webinars, banners, video marketing, viral marketing, article marketing and much more. Yes, it is a lot to take in but the sooner a business incorporates these new technologies into their marketing strategies the better because all of these terms whether they seem familiar or not right now will become so very quickly.

Integrating Online and Offline Marketing Efforts

Involving the new technologies discussed above allows the business owner to participate in a type of voyeurism that (if done correctly) lets them essentially read the consumers mind. If a business really uses the tools available now through new technologies they can monitor trends in the market and identify and act upon those changes almost instantaneously. This is, and will, continue to evolve to the point where we know exactly what our customer or potential clients want almost before they even know what they want. Please do not underestimate the amazing world that the online technologies are creating for business. Now is the time to get on board and really see what the future holds for business. Integrated Marketing should encompass both online and offline techniques if one expects to truly be competitive in todays business arena.