Use Integrated Marketing to Deliver Results


If you’re looking to maximize the return on your marketing costs ("[marketing is not just an expense], it is an investment" - Lisa Sasevich), then you need to develop an integrated marketing campaign.  An integrated marketing campaign uses more than one medium to communicate a message to your audience.  Integrated marketing can also mean a marketing campaign that leverages the power of different media types to move prospects through the process of becoming a customer.

The most successful marketing campaigns begin with the media type that particular prospects use regularly.  For example, if your competitors have a higher percentage of success with direct mail than with email marketing, targeting the same market segment, you could leverage that information to your benefit.  Studies have shown that individuals who fall within this consumer segment spend a lot of time opening and reading their mail.  That being the case, you want to make sure that your first contact with this marketing segment using direct mail marketing is aligned with their messaging preference of direct mail marketing.

Once you’ve decided where to start, you need to think about other media regularly used by your target segment.  Following the example above, let’s assume that the same individuals who read their mail also check email regularly.  With at least two marketing mediums identified, you’re ready to begin planning your next integrated marketing campaign. 

Begin with the end in mind.  If you are looking to sell a product, you need to think about the audience, message, offer, and timing of your campaign.  Having identified the proper marketing channels you’ll be using, develop themed marketing pieces.  You want the look, feel, and tone of your communications to be related across all media types if not identical.  Most importantly, communicate your unique selling proposition (your offer) throughout all marketing touch points.

To continue with the example above, let’s assume that we’re going to be selling widgets to a sub-segment of our target market segment.  We will begin with a direct mail piece describing the needs of our audience and how our widgets are the only ones that come with a money-back guarantee.  Recipients of the piece are asked to visit a special web page that provides a product demo. The same message is sent via email to the same audience – to split-test just in case and to have verifiable information to back up your marketing strategy.

When visitors log on to the specialty web page, they enter a code to access the demo. At the conclusion of the demo, visitors are offered a discount if they place an order online.  Prospects wishing to delay their purchase can request additional information through the inquiry form provided on the website. 

For individuals who entered their code to access the demo but did not purchase, an email is generated with another opportunity – attempting to convert them.  This can be accomplished through unique tracking URLs or codes that prospects need to enter prior to viewing a demo.  This is very similar to those marketing campaigns that take advantage of abandoned shopping carts!  For those individuals requesting more information, a telesales representative would contact them, again stressing key message points such as the money back guarantee.

This integrated campaign utilizes mail, email, a website, and telemarketing.  However, similar campaigns could use any additional media types that are appropriate (advertising, public relations, outdoor, etc.).  The key is to produce an integrated marketing campaign with a consistent message to express your offer.

Once you’ve completed your campaign, its time to quantify results and determine what generated your greatest response.  Did your direct marketing piece generate visits to your website?  Did those users convert?  How about your email? This information will be helpful when doing similar marketing campaigns in the future, providing guidance to fine tune the media used, the messaging, and/or your offer. 

It is again important to stress that integrated marketing should be driven by the communication preferences of your audience.  Develop a deeper understanding of how your audience makes decisions and the types of media they use to gather and analyze product information.  Then be sure to put these media types at the center of your marketing campaign.

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