Integrated Marketing Communication: Explanation

Sohini Mazumder August 25, 2020January 16, 2023 0 Comments

Integrated Marketing Communication: When a business organisation introduces a product or service, their first step is to communicate it to the consumers to create demand. For this reason, various methods are adopted for successful marketing and promotion of their produced goods and services.

What is Integrated Marketing Communication?

Integrated Marketing Communication means informing customers through various ways of communication.

For example, when a new noodle is introduced, they advertise, they try to give out free samples, they create a demand among the targeted customers which is the young generation. They do advertising through media, then they send samples n schools, salesmen are sent to different schools, institutions, and places where there are more children so that they can create an effective demand especially among the targeted customers.

This is what is known as Integrated Marketing Communication. It is a part or strategy of marketing where the information about the product or services is sent to the consumers not only from one or two specific channels but through every possible channel. The reason behind calling this process an Integrated Marketing Communication is here everything regarding the products or services are communicated to the consumers through a marketing procedure where all communication platforms are considered in an integrated way.

Advantages:

Integrated Marketing Communication has its own set of benefits. The reason why Business Organisations Should use Integrated Marketing Communication are stated below:

Reducing the cost is a vital component for any business organisation. This is a cost-effective method, where no extra cost is charged for using any pictures, diagrams, or graphs.
It is a continuous process where separate campaigns are set up for marketing through different platforms. This continuity helps in bring positive and effective
Integrated Marketing Communication or IMC can help to inform the customers about their goods and services in detail and thus it helps them to clarify all their doubts and provide answers to all their questions. Thus, it can help people to take decision without any confusion. There is clarity in whatever step the customer might take.
It also helps in making better customer relations. As the customers would be interested in the products and services.

Disadvantages:

Like any other initiative or strategy, IMC also faces few drawbacks. Some of them have been discussed below:

Small businesses might find it difficult as it can be burdensome to find enough resources for initiating Integrated Marketing Communication.
At times getting the repetitive information and message from so many platforms, become very mundane for the customers, Due to which the message lack efficiency to persuade the customers.
IMC requires too much data and contents, maintaining so many data in a large amount can be burdensome.

Tools of Integrated Marketing Communication

1. Internet Marketing

The best way to market any product or services in the national and international levels is through the internet. It is interactive enough and also brings speedy responses to grievances.

2. Social Media Marketing

Currently, social media helps in connecting with people very easily. It helps in sending and receiving communication very easy and also direct contact is also possible here.

3. Television

Promoting a product through a television would no doubt be a failure; it will cover a huge amount of audiences who are willing and interested in the product.

4. Newspaper and Magazines

Readers who have not come across any information related to the launched product through television or social media, can be notified through newspapers and magazines.

5. Sales Promotion

Effective sales promotion can help I augmenting the sales of any business organisation by promoting the products to the targeted customers. This is a very systematic approach.

6. Sponsorship

This initiative also helps in promoting and informing the consumers about the product and services of any business organisation. It helps to gain customer loyalty.

Mentioned above are few among the numerous tools used for Integrated Marketing Communication. When all the tools are simultaneously and effectively used then they can bring an encouraging and positive results for any business organisation.

Example:

If we consider an example of any company, for example, KFC. It has created its impression but still, it didn’t stop advertising its product. They have taken it now to the internet and social media platforms also they provide flyers and leaflets and also in newspapers and magazines they promote. This is exactly how Integrated Marketing Communication looks like in the real world.

Also Read: Cross Promotion: Definition, Features, Advantages, Example