IMC-Vortex Integrated Marketing082009

H O W T O B U I L D A

I N T O D A Y ’ S D I G I T A L W O R L D W I T H

By Duane Sprague and Pete Codella, APROf Vortex Integrated Marketing

P O W E R B R A N DI N T E G R AT E D M A R K E T I N G

INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION Duane Sprague and Pete Codella, APR

© Vortex Integrated Marketing LLC VortexPlan.com

Introduction .....................................................................................4

It’s Not Just One Look, One Message ............................................. 5

Social Buzz ....................................................................................... 7

Both Legs In .....................................................................................9

Branded Entertainment—American Style .....................................11

Integrating Social Media Channels—The New Frontier ............... 12

Mobile Goes Mobile—Twitter Sells Food ...................................... 15

Establishing Your Budget .............................................................. 19

The IMC Planning Model .............................................................. 21

Traditional Communication Model ..............................................23

Integrated Marketing Model .........................................................24

IMC Manager .................................................................................25

Summary ........................................................................................26

About the Authors .........................................................................28

TABLE OF CONTENTS:01



© 2009 by Duane Sprague and Pete Codella, APR of Vortex Integrated Marketing LLC

Copyright holder has licensed this work under the Creative Commons Attribution No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

E-Book layout and design by Swan Advertising swanadvertising.com

COPYRIGHT:02



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AN INVITATION TO SHARE:03



Building a powerful brand has always been about a focused message, continuity and consistency. With today’s highly fragmented digital and traditional media choices, that’s truer now than ever.

With so many digital communication and content delivery channels now available, including the proliferation of user generated and social media tools, using a comprehensive and integrated marketing strategy is critical to managing your brand image.

Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) should be part of your strategic game plan to help you monitor and leverage every customer contact point and brand experi-ence to help create a consumer centric brand.

INTRODUCTION:04



Companies That Get ItHilo Hattie is the hands down dominant player in the gift shop business on the Hawaiian Islands. They integrate an entire shopping and service experience, delivered consistently, and combined with a great selection, and powerful advertising and marketing.

For example, they provide a free shuttle to and from the hotels to bring you into the stores. And not just any shuttle, but one of those festive open-air cable car style shuttles that kids and tourists love. Or if you drive yourself, they have friendly, smiling parking lot attendants who will direct you to an open FREE parking space. And in Honolulu where parking is limited and expensive, this is a big value.

Once you get to the front door, you are welcomed by a friendly greeter, who places a complimentary shell neck-lace around your neck, thanks you for coming, and directs you to the complimentary refreshments. You have a choice of tropical fruit punch, fresh pineapple juice, ice-cold wa-ter, or fresh Hawaiian grown coffee.

Inside you are offered a variety of free samples of tropi-cal nuts, chocolates, and other delicious treats. They must know that it takes energy to shop, and hungry people don’t stay long. You also notice that the temperature is absolute-ly perfect. Not too cold or too warm. Most retail environ-ments in tropical areas have the air conditioning so cold it freezes out the customers who come in wearing beach attire. Most retailers set the temperature for the employ-ees, not the customers.

The store is well staffed with very friendly and helpful people, all wearing festive island attire sold in the store, a nametag and a big smile. They ask if you need help, and if you do, they are in fact very knowledgeable and help-ful. You never have to search for a sales clerk, as they are plentiful.

The product selection is huge; in fact the biggest of any gift shop on the islands. So you know you can find what-ever you are looking for. In whatever size, color, price range, quality, brand or style. The products are very well displayed, with the right retail lighting, and always shown in an attractive display that makes the product look very enticing.

It’s Not Just One Look, One MessageTypically when people refer to an integrated communication strategy, they are referring to integrated advertising, or the one-look one-voice concept where all the advertising material has a common look, feel and message. Although this is certainly a large aspect of IMC and creating a powerful brand, IMC goes well beyond planned communication. It embraces every unplanned communication as well.

IMC:05



Like Las Vegas, there are no clocks or windows, so you can spend hours shopping and not realize it. And why leave when they give you free food and drink samples, so you don’t feel that you need to rush out to grab a bite.

The restrooms are easily accessible, large and ultra clean. And the overall store decor is festive, colorful, and very clean. In fact, as far as retail store lighting goes, it is per-fect. Not too bright and not too many green tinted fluores-cent lights.

And to make it even more of a fun and spontaneous desti-nation, the floor clerks will hand you a key to the “treasure chest” and if your key opens it (one in twenty do), you can choose any item in the treasure chest as a free gift.

When it comes to payment, they have lots of modern check-out stands to get you through quickly, and they ac-cept cash, debit cards, every domestic and international credit card known to man, and traveler’s checks. They also offer shipping to anywhere in the world, and gift-wrap-ping. It all adds up to an integrated shopping experience that seems to be the same on every island.

As for marketing, they do a lot of print advertising in all the tourist magazines, on the free maps, the restaurant guides, and on the hotel closed circuit TV. All their print advertising includes a trackable and coded coupon for a free T-shirt or mug, both attractive, and of course with their logo on it, which provides additional brand advertis-ing. Their ads have a call to action, an expiration date, and explain their unique selling proposition.

For all of the reasons above, Hilo Hattie has become a destination for millions of tourists a year. They have also established the benchmark in their industry for volume and profitability. Keep in mind, they are not necessarily the lowest in price either. They have built their brand on a consistent delivery of service, selection and value.

Other organizations that deliver a consistent and integrat-ed brand message and customer experience come to mind like Disney, Ritz-Carlton, Harley-Davidson, Audi, Google, Apple and Hollister. All great brands that deliver a supe-rior product, customer experience, culture and service by integrating their mission statement, objectives, and their measurement and reporting tools with their hiring, train-ing, retail environments and locations, packaging, market-ing, PR and advertising.

IMC:06

“They have built their brand on a consistent

delivery of service, selection and value.”



Social BuzzIntegrated marketing communication means that at every contact point where the customer or prospect receives an impression of the brand — including actual experiences and interaction, as well as what they may hear or read from media, even down to the social buzz regarding the brand — the message is consistent with the brand posi-tion, personality and mission.

Social buzz may include user reviews, testimonials, word of mouth, blog posts and comments, and social network-ing. Channels include sites like Facebook, MySpace, Twit-ter and YouTube. This digital space is impossible to con-trol, manipulate or silence. In other words, the brand must deliver on its promise or the news will spread.

Three PartsIMC means then, that a brand manager must be con-cerned with all three pillars of the marketing communica-tion plan:

Planned impressions — totally controlled.

Somewhat manageable impressions — traditional public or media relations, community relations, and main-stream media channels by way of placed articles and interviews.

Unplanned and largely uncontrollable impressions — cus-tomer interactions with employees on or off the job, and social media buzz.

All Inclusive PlanIn order to best predict and manage all three pillars, a true IMC strategy considers every aspect of the business to ensure total focus and consistent delivery on the stated goals and objectives for the brand experience and brand impression. This includes the corporate, departmental and individual mission statements, the compensation/rewards plan, reporting and benchmarking, management style, and employee training. It also includes packaging, positioning, promotions, pricing, store locations, merchandising, the warranty and guarantee, and even the means and speed of distribution.

Effective IMC requires an inside out, top-down, bottom-up, total buy-in approach to management and market-ing. It requires team work and camaraderie. It requires building and fostering a culture that believes in and works toward a common and unified vision for the brand.

IMC:07

“The digital space is impossible to control,

manipulate or silence.”



IMC starts with the inside reality of a company. In other words, the office of the CEO sets the pace and tone for the entire organization. It is then consciously and deliberately executed throughout the company. The CEO must take a proactive role in the IMC process, as they will help create, support, endorse, and execute the corporate psyche, goals, culture and mission statement, which are the backbone of IMC.

Integrated marketing communication is a comprehensive, consistent; goal oriented, focused and planned methodol-ogy to all aspects of communication. It is the hottest trend in marketing communication and brand management today.

IMC ties together the leading-edge business principles of management by objectives, total quality management, re-lationship marketing, mission marketing, digital market-ing, social media marketing, and database marketing.

Begin With ResearchThe foundation of IMC starts with sufficient research to understand who the target market is (demographic, geo-graphic and psychographic profile), what message they want to hear and how they want to be communicated with (what media channels they prefer). Such research includes information on how the customer defines your service and how you can maintain a positive relationship with them.

By focusing a consistent and appropriate message to your defined market, using the channels of communication they

prefer, you can break through the competitive, unfocused, inconsistent and off-target clutter.

While the competition’s approach is trying-this-and-try-ing-that, a little-here-and-a-little-there, the organization with an IMC process reaps the rewards of building a solid brand image — a distinct corporate identity, and top of mind awareness for its product category. By remaining consistent and relevant in its marketing message, consis-tent in its service and shopping experience (which deliv-ers the experience the advertising message says they will have), the organization is building trust with its customers and prospects. Trust and consistency is the cornerstone of a long-term customer relationship.

IMC:08

“IMC...is the hottest trend in brand

management today.”



Both Legs InIMC is a process, not an event. It’s a mind-set, not a pep rally. It is an all encompassing strategic and tactical ap-proach to every facet of your marketing communication. It includes mass media advertising, digital media, niche market advertising, interactive marketing, social me-dia marketing, direct mail, database marketing, contact management and follow-up systems, events, promotions, public relations, in-store displays, packaging, distribution methods, pricing strategy, employee uniforms and dress codes, sales approach, corporate communication, corpo-

rate mission statement, cause related or mission market-ing and relationship marketing.

The more platforms, communication channels and touch points you can effectively integrate the more powerful your brand becomes as it builds consistency and continu-ity in the mind of the market.

Reach Out and Touch SomeoneIntegrated marketing communication makes shopping easy and fun with Integrated Marketing.doc”manages

every message and customer contact point within your or-ganization, including the way telephone operators, greet-ers, sales people, finance people, service people and others relate to, talk to, prioritize and deal with the public. It includes your hiring and training practices, compensation plan, job descriptions, employee dress codes and stan-dards, and management style.

Database ItIMC creates processes and logistical systems to build and maintain customer databases for follow up to provide cus-tomer requested information, to retain and grow customers, and for speedy and thorough customer conflict resolution.

An ideal database marketing program will include data en-richment or data overlays of purchased data to better pro-file, segment and target your database based on geographic, demographic and psychographic segmenting. It will also include the most important database marketing segmenta-tion technique known as RFM analysis — segmenting your customers based on Recency of purchase, Frequency of purchases, and Monetary value of purchases. Recency is the most important consideration of RFM analysis.

Part of your database marketing strategy should include building an e-mail database of your Web site visitors and sending personalized automated e-mail responders based on event and time triggers. This, of course, assumes they have opted-in to receive your e-mails, which are hopefully helpful articles, tips, and useful information.

IMC:09

“IMC is a process, not an event.”



Tear Down That WallTo be effective, IMC must tear down the traditional de-partmental walls that create information silos and man-agement fiefdoms. All departments must work together as a unified team to carry out the strategic plan in total unison. The entire organization, from top to bottom, must have one aim, one mission, and one message to the public, thus providing the public with a planned and consistent experience.

Customers and prospects are treated in the same way no matter what department, location, and time of day or indi-vidual they deal with. Each employee who has contact with customers has easy and quick access to each customer’s purchase and service history in order to respond quickly, intelligently and accurately to questions or problems. Ev-ery transaction and interaction the customer has with the company is recorded on the same company-wide database in a timely and consistent manner.

Bring in the Digital MediaNaturally an integrated communications strategy cannot ignore all things digital, like a well planned opt-in e-mail campaign in the way of a newsletter or special announce-ments. Also look at effective ways to integrate and leverage the marketing power of SMS or text messaging campaigns, Web sites, landing pages, micro sites, widgets (small self-contained applications that reside on Web sites or social media pages, usually in the way of games or small appli-cations), WAP sites (Wireless Application Protocol) are stripped down Web sites designed for mobile phone access and use.

And don’t forget online video streaming or slide share programs to show your PowerPoint or Keynote presenta-tions. The Web is increasingly becoming a full multi-me-dia entertainment and education platform. Online video is almost a must on today’s Web site.

Some of these tools have viral marketing potential, like Web videos and widgets, a.k.a. gadgets that are cool, fun or useful. Branded widgets can be easily shared and passed around the internet and placed on blogs, social media pages or Web sites.

You may also want to consider an always-on branded custom browser toolbar as a means to increase brand awareness, Web traffic, and usage of your applications and widgets.

IMC:10

“The Web is becoming a full multi-media entertainment and

education platform.”



Branded Entertainment — American StyleThink of a branded widget/gadget and a branded tool bar as a product placement strategy, much like video games and American Idol have become so adept at utilizing. And this is only the beginning.

As media channels continue to proliferate, causing more audience fragmentation, and DVRs and commercial free media sources become the norm, creative product place-ment and branded entertainment will be more important to your marketing strategy than ever. It seems to have served Ford, Coke and AT&T very well. In fact Ford did a masterful job of integrating their logo and products into the programming, the entertainment, the Web site, the music, and even into the gifts given to the talent. Ford and the American Idol producers orchestrated a near seamless interweaving of product, promotion and programming content. Bravo!

Traditional sponsorships of events, teams, venues, Web sites, bands, and anything else you can effectively brand, leverage and tie-in to your strategy will also become more critical as traditional media platforms lose their audience share to prolific new media alternatives.

We once sponsored a hot local salsa band for one of our clients who were pursuing more share from the Latino market. When they performed live they wore our branded shirts, tossed out branded T-shirts to the crowd, with a flyer rolled up inside, and even gave us mentions and words of gratitude on stage. They also performed on our

TV and radio commercials, and were present in the print ads and the targeted Web site. And to top it off, they per-formed at a private customer appreciation show and party. It was a huge success due to the multi-media integration, combined with entertainment and product endorsement.

Getting creative through lifestyle events and sponsorships is a great way to cut through the clutter and connect emo-tionally with your market.

Harley-Davidson, Jeep, Sea Ray boats, Apple, and many others have effectively created sponsored clubs, rides, jamborees, shows, concerts, parties, and events of all kinds that have created a lifestyle and culture around the use of their brand. When you can emotionalize your brand, and truly make it a lifestyle, you have a super brand.

IMC:11

“When you can emotionalize your

brand, and truly make it a lifestyle, you have

a power brand.”



Integrating Social Media Channels — The New FrontierToday an IMC campaign is obligated to include strategies and tactics focused on utilization of what is commonly called social media. There are myths and misunderstand-ings about the use of social media that require clarity.

Although touted to be free, in actuality, it takes a great deal of time and focus to both understand the myriad of social media tools now available, and to know how to best utilize them for business or personal purposes.

Goal OrientedJust as your overall marketing plan is based on achiev-ing specific goals, you should have specific objectives for engagement on various social media channels. Some social media tools are better than others for accomplishing spe-cific goals. Know your objectives and goals at the outset, and then determine the best social media strategy and platform.

Approach to Social Media MarketingLike most things, there really is a right and wrong way to go about interacting with others on social media plat-forms. As a rule of thumb, this Social Media Circle of Engagement provides a helpful guide for when and how to get involved.

The Social Media Circle of Engagement:

Listen and understand what the market is saying.

Comment on market discussions in positive and useful ways.

Create your own unique content that the market will find interesting or useful.

Publish your content on multiple channels.

Engage continually.

We call this the Social Media Circle of Engagement be-cause it’s a continuous process. Going through the steps sequentially then calling it quits doesn’t accomplish your purpose. Persistence and dedication should be your social media watchcry.

By first listening, and then understanding your key audi-ence, you are better equipped to tailor your messages to their needs and wants. Try to use your information and

IMC:12

“Although touted to be free (social media) takes

a great deal of time and focus.”



content to solve your constituent’s problems where pos-sible.

Just as research forms the foundation of solid integrated marketing communication activities, listening is the foun-dation of effective social media engagement.

Listening and MonitoringEven if you don’t want to utilize social media channels for content distribution, in order to understand your key con-stituencies, you should use social media to listen to and monitor conversations.

We have seen countless examples — Amazon, Domino’s and Motrin to name only a few — of brands that have been flamed on social media. A group of social media partici-pants decide they’re unhappy with a company or brand and embark on a journey to expose the perceived wrongs. They campaign like politicians, walking the virtual streets to inform others of their distaste for what has transpired.

Unless your organization monitors and responds to what’s being said on these digital platforms, you may be per-ceived as arrogant, disconnected and unresponsive. The previously accepted timeframe of several days in which to respond to a crisis through traditional media channels, thanks to social media, is now more like several hours, even minutes. And weekends are no longer excluded.

The rate of travel of information is so fast, and its distribu-tion channels so varied today, that one can no longer rely on traditional methods and means alone.

This is why a well planned, managed and executed inte-grated marketing plan is so critical. The means of infor-mation creation and distribution is now in the hands of the consumer and niche publishers, as much as it is in the hands of mass media conglomerates.

If we are not managing and integrating our content and our brand message and brand image across traditional and new media channels, as well as integrating with pubic and community relations efforts, we may lose our reputa-tion and brand image, and ultimately lose market share.

ControlSome corporate brand managers mistakenly believe they can completely control their brand image. With the advent of social media and dozens of new digital publishing chan-nels, complete control is no longer possible.

Whether you acknowledge it, or even like it or not, people are commenting on social networks regarding your brand.

IMC:13

“The travel of information is so fast, one can no

longer rely on traditional methods alone.”



The real question is what are you doing on those same networks to represent your brand and direct the conversa-tion?

Digital publishing provides great versatility and accessibil-ity for reaching key audiences. It’s more important than ever for companies and organizations to utilize digital channels to tell their own story instead of letting someone else tell it for them.

Building TrustThere has probably never been a greater opportunity for communicators to build trust and respect directly with their own constituencies (instead of going through the media). Companies and organizations that learn to lever-age the power of social networks, using honest, authentic communication, will benefit from increased loyalty.

The nature of social media is personal. The more a com-pany conveys a human voice, which can still advocate for that company’s products/services, the more likely social media participants are to share that content and support the message.

ConsistencyAs in all integrated marketing activities, the brand mes-saging for your company should remain consistent on each digital channel. Such consistency, frequency and focus helps create and support a power brand.

Think MobileThese days you would be well-served to also create a mobile phone database for creating opt-in text messag-ing campaigns. E-mail is becoming less and less relevant with the 14 to 20-something crowd. This demographic will likely never use a printed phone directory, subscribe to a newspaper, or have a traditional hard-wired telephone. More and more, the information, entertainment and con-tent they create, share and consume is done so on a por-table electronic devices.

Also be thinking of very cool and subtly branded wallpa-per, screen savers, ring-tones, viral content and games if you want to engage this age group.

IMC:14

“Whether you like it or not, people are

commenting on social networks regarding

your brand.”



Mobile Goes Mobile —Twitter Sells FoodTwitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service that enables its users to send and read other users’ updates known as tweets. One example of how a mobile lunch truck company in Los Angeles is monetizing Twitter is quite simple and effective.

Kogi BBQ trucks who offer up a Korean-Mexican fusion on wheels uses twitter and its ability to broadcast up to 140-character messages to Twitter members, has become “the” advertising tool of choice. The Kogi staff will upload their daily menu specials to the Twitter feed and tell people when and where the trucks will be.

The Kogi trucks offer some very unique and gourmet items at very reasonable prices, and have established a loyal following. Often lines have formed before the truck even arrives. But the Twitter tool has done more than just an-nounce the daily specials and the locations. It has made it a fun game to keep up with the trucks and know where and when to go to beat the non-twitter crowds. And the

real game lies in the fact that only Twitter users are even aware of the unique daily specials. So it creates an insiders club even among lunch truck patrons.

Other mobile food vendors are now using Twitter and traditional restaurants as well. What better way to alert your patrons that you have a limited supply of line caught Alaskan salmon served with fresh king crab legs tonight only. Or that you have a special dinner performance from a local jazz trio Wednesday night only. Oh the possibilities of mobile marketing.

IMC Manager Skill SetIt should go without saying that an adept integrated mar-keting communication manger is someone with a work-ing knowledge of the new digital tools and platforms, and their most beneficial uses. If this intellectual capital re-source isn’t already within your organization, you should look to qualified consultants and advisors to fill in the gaps.

Be careful, as there are many so-called social media ex-perts. Make certain the employee or advisor you select not only has an intellectual understanding of social media, but is seen as an industry thought leader and revered practi-tioner.

IMC:15

“Be careful, as there are many so-called social

media experts.”



Going ViralSome companies and agencies are tempted to create cam-paigns that are intended to go viral. More often than not, if you set-out to create a viral campaign, you fail.

Chances are you’ll find success quicker and more effective-ly by producing quality content than by chasing the viral video that gets millions of views. Besides, what’s your ob-jective? If it’s to get eyeballs on a screen, that’s one thing, but if it’s to sell product or influence behavior, perhaps a viral video isn’t what you need at all.

Social Media BenefitsA philosophy that includes publishing keyword rich con-tent on a number of digital platforms will provide for top search placement. With the shift from traditional to new media, managing search results for your brands and people has never been more important.

An effective digital strategy places your brand virtually above the fold just as a traditional media relations strategy lands articles on the front page of newspapers. The only difference is printed newspaper subscriptions are shrink-ing while online participation continues to soar.

Management TeamA cross-functional communication management team should be established. This team consists of department heads across the organization. A team leader oversees, or-ganizes and coordinates the group, but does not dominate the direction or discussion.

Each departmental head generates ideas, aids in the communication strategy development, implementation, management, training, and results tracking for his or her own department. They make sure all communications are on strategy, on target, and approved by the IMC or brand manager. There is no individual departmental marketing of independent messages, themes or looks. In addition, the cross-functional management team in an integrated company essentially expands the marketing responsibility beyond the marketing department and makes each em-ployee a marketing representative.

A communication generalist is part of the team, to recom-mend, implement, manage and evaluate the appropriate research techniques, tactics, media options, strengths and weaknesses, costs, and efficiencies. This person cannot be biased toward a single medium, and should not be paid media commissions. This person acts as a consultant and

IMC:16

“The only difference is printed newspaper

subscriptions are shrinking while online participation

continutes to soar.”



resource for finding the appropriate specialists and media outlets for the communication goals and objectives. The IMC Manager then ensures that every communication is on strategy before it is released.

Employee compensation plans and bonuses are structured to reward not only transactions but customer retention and satisfaction as well. Employees are rewarded for being pro-active in solving problems and complaints quickly and completely. They are rewarded for superior customer ser-vice that keeps customers coming back and recommend-ing the business to others.

The single most important and powerful customer satis-faction measurement tool is this simple survey question: “Would you recommend this product to a friend?” For more details on the power of this single question, and the “Net Promoter Score” see “Turning your consumers into die-hard fans” written by John Blasberg, Vijay Vishwanath and James Allen at Bain & Co. (www.bain.com).

Two-Way CommunicationCommunication strategies place equal emphasis on com-municating with, and not just to, customers and prospects. An interactive and customer focused two-way dialog ver-sus a one-way monolog is actively pursued and supported throughout the organization.

True communication versus pure mass media advertising is developed. Customers and prospects are to be invited and encouraged to discuss ideas, register complaints, and give feedback to the organization.

Two-way communication is made easy, fast and non-con-frontational between employees and management, and employees and customers. The many social media tools available today are a perfect venue for encouraging user feedback, engagement and open dialog.

The IMC organization values its customer base (revenue stream), its employees (revenue creators), and its sophis-ticated database (communication system) more than brick and mortar assets.

Define Your MissionAt the core of the marketing strategy is a mission state-ment. The mission statement explains very briefly what the organization stands for and why it exists (beyond mak-ing money for the shareholders). The mission statement defines what drives or motivates the organization and its employees to perform exceedingly well on a regular basis.

IMC:17

“Social media tools are perfect for encouraging

user feedback, engagement and open dialog.”



Also at the core of the marketing strategy, is a mission marketing program. Mission marketing is similar to cause-related marketing, but it is on a bigger scale, is long-term, focused and integrated throughout the organization.

With a mission marketing program, the organization adopts a single charity, fund or cause, and becomes the sponsor and the champion of that cause. Every customer, prospect and employee is aware of it. A percentage of ev-ery sale goes to support that single cause and such fund-raising and support is actively communicated to the media and public using appropriate IMC tools and tactics. One of the best examples of such a mission marketing program is Paul Newman’s gourmet food product line. Every label on every product explains that all profits go to charity.

The cause is broad based so as not to alienate segments of the customer base, unless it is appropriate to focus on a specific and narrow based cause that all customers can support based on the niche the company serves. For exam-ple, a surf ware product may only support clean oceans, or a beach access cause. Back in the day, Coppertone sun tan-ning lotion was sponsoring all the trash cans on the south-ern California beaches with their ad totally consuming the trash can, which was great ad positioning. It could also have been beneficial for their mission marketing program to support a clean beaches organization.

Typically a neutral cause is chosen, usually without politi-cal, religious, or ethnic ties, unless of course, this is your niche market. It can be a local or a national cause, as long

as the donating organization is a big and recognized part of it. The fund or charity must be willing to work with you, and help support your fundraising efforts and public rela-tions objectives.

The mission marketing statement helps significantly to separate you from the crowded arena of look-alike com-petitors. It gives you a legitimate and newsworthy venue for free media exposure, and it gives people one more rea-son to do business with you. Mission marketing is one of the most powerful, yet misunderstood and underutilized branding strategies available.

IMC:18

“Mission marketing is one of the most powerful branding

strategies available.”



Establishing Your BudgetThe communication budget should be zero-based. In other words, the budget is not determined by last year’s spend-ing, or a percentage of sales revenue, or on whatever is left over after all other expenses are paid. The communication budget starts at ground zero and is created to meet the defined communication objectives and desired results. If the marketing strategy is solid, the advertising execution is excellent, and the sales people are well trained, then it stands to reason that the communication objectives will be met, causing the sales goals to be reached, and thus creat-ing the planned return on investment.

Advertising and marketing plans and budgets should be based on where you want to go, and not where you have been. Looking in the rear-view mirror when you are mov-ing forward is not going to get you there.

This of course assumes that the proper intellectual capital, research, strategy, tactics, training, and resources are in place to implement and capitalize on the plan.

The Big IdeaThe perfect campaign consistently interweaves a big cre-ative idea into every communication message. The big idea may be a creative and effective way to position and differ-entiate the product, explain a key benefit, substantiate a unique selling proposition, portray the quality, or demon-strate the utility.

However, don’t wait for that big idea to hit like a lighten-ing bolt. If the big idea doesn’t come, roll forward with the best you have. A message that is consistently on target with its audience, has sufficient reach and frequency, and is integrated throughout the organization will likely be successful over time.

Plan Your Communication StrategyIn addition to zero-based budgeting, zero-based commu-nication planning is used. As such, all media and commu-nication options are treated equally, absent bias, commis-sion structure, or personal preferences.

IMC:19

“Plans and budgets should be based on where you want

to go, and not where you have been.”



The best tool(s) for the strategic objectives are utilized. Analyze each medium based on the chosen strategy, the message to be conveyed, the relevance of the medium to the target audience and their media consumption habits.

Next, analyze the cost per point or cost per impression, as well as production costs associated with each medium, and weigh the differences. It is usually better to use a mix-ture of appropriate media to complement and leverage the campaign message. Remember, every medium has distinct strengths and weaknesses.

As with any effective marketing effort, serious attention is paid to the details of implementation, including quality of production, effective media placement, appropriate timing of message delivery, and flawless promotion.

“There is always free cheese in a mousetrap.” So remem-ber that it takes trained and talented people to carry out the plan at every level. And talented people cost money.

It helps to keep the definition of insanity in mind: “Doing

the same thing over and over, and expecting a different re-sult.” In other words, if you always call on the same talent pool, utilize the same advertising media, or use the same tactics hoping to generate completely different results, you consistently will be disappointed. Look at a variety of experts and sources for implementation and inspiration.

It takes an unbiased individual with a very broad, and yet specific, understanding of every aspect of advertis-ing, marketing, promotions, public relations, relationship marketing, research, social media, customer service and branding to effectively manage an IMC plan.

IMC:20

“It takes trained and talented people to carry out the plan

at every level.”



The IMC Planning ModelThe basic flow of IMC events for the retailer may look like this:

1. Gather qualitative and quantitative market research about your market area and customers:

Focus groups

Customer database enhancements with demographic, psychographic, credit profile and lifestyle data

Scarborough research data

SRDS (Standard Rates and Data Service) research data

State, local and federal research and census data

Customer surveys

Sales mapping

Manufacturer research data

Independent research conducted by local media sources

Other credible data and research findings

2. Assess the state of the company: all assets and resources currently available (human capital, financial capital, technol-ogy, knowledge base, patents, unique processes, distribution, location(s), customer and prospect databases, market share, brand awareness, collaborative marketing partners, co-op funds, special contacts, culture, training, industry trends, etc.).

3. Conduct a SWOT analysis for your company and your competitors (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats).

4. Analyze all past marketing and advertising failures, un-achieved goals, poor performing markets, products and services. Analyze all successes in the same areas. Understand what is similar and what is different among them that made some a success and the others a failure.

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5. Create a list of all the marketing and communication objectives. Place a time frame on each objective. Prioritize them according to the impact they will have on the organization in terms of creating a sizable and loyal customer base.

6. Identify, analyze and prioritize the most cost effective communication media available to achieve your objectives.

7. Establish a budget to reach the stated objectives utilizing the appropriate media mix for the strategy and target audi-ence.

8. Create the IMC cross functional management team:

Establish the IMC departmental team leaders.

Establish the IMC manager.

9. Create the strategy to reach the stated objectives.

10. Create the tactical plans to implement the strategy.

11. Create the tracking tools and train the staff to use them.

12. Assess the current skills of the staff to ensure they are capable of executing the portion of the plan they are responsible for. Train, move, or replace where necessary.

13. Execute the strategy (most companies fail not because of poor planning, but because of poor execution).

14. Track results against the stated objectives.

15. Survey the customers to see if they are receiving the same message you think you are sending, both from a service standpoint and a communications standpoint.

16. Analyze the results and create a report for the cross functional IMC management team.

17. Make adjustments to strategy, tactics and budget if necessary.

Depending on the objectives and the organization, there may be several additional steps, and processes involved, but this provides an idea of the comprehensive approach.

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In a typical non-integrated organization, each department operates in its own silo, with separate goals, objectives, key performance indicators, training programs, compensation plans, customer databases, etc.

They do not typically share customer information, and they have their own customer contact points, databases, messages, agendas, communication channels and analytics.

The customer receives a different experience, message and brand impression with each depart-mental contact.

This creates brand schizophrenia for the customer, because they never know what experience or message they will get. Without continuity of experience and message, there is no brand building.

Lacking a powerful brand personality based on service, quality, image or experience as a differen-tiator, the company and product becomes a commodity competing on price alone. Competing on price alone is the least profitable and least stable position.

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An integrated company may have an IMC manager that ties every customer contact point together into a strategic plan that creates consistency and continuity, as well as shared information and databases for superior efficiency and

effectiveness in sales, service, retention and billing. Integrated companies create higher ROI.

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IMC MANAGER

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= Customer data/information/intelligence must flow freely between departments wherever possible (while protecting against credit and identity theft)

Customer, brand messaging, training and strategy Information must flow downward, upward and horizontally.

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IMCMANAGER

Sales and Customer Service Training, and Customer

Experience—merchandising, point of purchase displays, uniforms, sales collateral,

statements stuffers, presentation materials, facilities and

operations, lighting, security, parking, etc.

Public, Media and Community Relations—press releases,

speaking, sponsorships, special events, promotions, ebooks,

books and articles

Offline Marketing Tools—TV, radio, direct mail, print, outdoor, transit,

directories, signage, flyers

Online Marketing Tools— e-mail, SMS text messaging, social media ads, online banner ads, site

sponsorships, widgets, viral content, paid search, paid links,

affiliate marketing

Social Media Sites—Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Flickr, Blogs,

Twitter, Slide Share

Web Site—search optimized, user friendly, content rich, viral functions, analytics, landing page, auto responders and a

database building tool

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SummaryIntegrated marketing communication is a company-wide endeavor to create a whole business as seen from the customer’s point of view.

Integrated marketing is a cross-functional process for managing profitable customer relationships. It brings people and corporate learning together in order to maintain strategic consistency in communication, facilitate purposeful dialogue with customers and prospects, and market a corporate mission that increases customer and prospect trust in the organiza-tion. Integrated marketing communication breaks through the media clutter.

IMC means unity of effort, unity of purpose, unity of process, unity of goal, and unity of action.

The American Association of Advertising Agencies describes integrated marketing communication as:

“A concept of marketing communications planning that recognizes the added value of a comprehensive plan that evalu-ates the strategic roles of a variety of communication disciplines — for example general advertising, direct response, sales promotions, and public relations — and combines these disciplines to provide clarity, consistency, and maximum commu-nication impact.”

Creating and implementing an IMC strategy is difficult. The most difficult aspect is getting every employee in every depart-ment to work, plan and think together as a team. It is the separate and distinct territories that destroy integration, consis-tency, proactivity, real branding ability, and solid customer service and retention. Getting managers to understand that this is necessary is required for the integrated marketing communication process to succeed.

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Benefits to IMC

When an organization integrates, its communication and interactions become consistent, its reputation and image more distinct, and its cus-tomers more trustful. The organization builds integrity because it is seen as a whole, rather than as a collection of fragmented functional units.

Integrated marketing communication leverages every contact point and media impression, and maximizes impact by emphasizing a one-look, one-voice approach. IMC gives consistency to the customer shopping and ownership experience. Brand image and awareness are built faster because all planned messages are consistent, and the best media tools are used based on a strategic marketing plan, backed by research to guide the direction of the campaign.

With integrated marketing communication, customer retention and satisfaction is increased, growth by referrals spirals upward, prospects become customers more easily, and advertising dollars are more effec-tively spent. The organization builds on the solid foundation of a large and loyal customer base, an unshakable reputation, a positive public image, and a strategic plan. These are competitive strengths that cannot be easily or quickly duplicated by the competition.

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About the AuthorsDuane “DJ” Sprague is an internationally published contributing author to university textbooks on Integrated Marketing Communication and Branding, and holds a gradu-ate certificate in Integrated Marketing Communication from the University of Utah. Duane has also published over 60 marketing articles in the U.S. and Canada, and man-aged successful ad agencies with national and international clients, including Fortune 100 companies. Duane served as Vice President of Advertising and Digital Media for the Utah Jazz and the Larry H. Miller Sports and Entertainment Group of Companies, and currently is a consultant, practitioner and speaker on marketing, advertising and digital media with Vortex Integrated Marketing.

Pete Codella is Accredited in Public Relations and provides social media consulting. He is a public relations practitioner, consultant, speaker and en-thusiastic social media publisher. Pete is an online instructor at the University of California, Irvine Extension, for a course he created on using social media as a tool for public relations. He is also the founder of NewsCactus, a hosted online newsroom solution.

Sprague and Codella are partners in Vortex Integrated Marketing based in Utah’s Salt Lake City valley. They may be reached at VortexPlan.com. Both Sprague and Codella are also available through the ProfitAcademy.net professional speakers bureau.

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Duane “DJ” Sprague

Pete Codella, APR

[email protected]

[email protected]



Build a Power Brand With Integrated Marketing

© Vortex Integrated Marketing

VortexPlan.com

Published: August 2009

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IMC-Vortex Integrated Marketing082009

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