IMC Communication Tools

IMC Communication Tools

Advertising

Sales
Promotion

Direct
Marketing
Publicity/Public
Relations

Interactive/
Internet Marketing
Personal
Selling

Advertising
Any paid form of nonpersonal communication
about an organization, product, service, idea
or cause by an identified sponsor.
Disadvantages of advertising
Advantages of advertising
Advertiser controls the
High costs of producing
message
and running ads
Cost effective way to
Credibility problems and
communicate with large
consumer skepticism
audiences
Effective way to create
Clutter
brand images and
Difficulty in determining
symbolic appeals
effectiveness
Often can be effective
way to strike responsive
chord with consumers

Classifications of Advertising
Advertising to Consumer Markets
National advertising
Retail/local advertising
Advertising to increase demand
Primary demand for the product category
Selective demand for a specific brand

Business & professional advertising

Business-to-business advertising
Professional advertising
Trade advertising

Direct Marketing
A system of marketing by which
organizations communicate directly
with target customers to generate a
response and/or a transaction.
Advantages of direct marketing
Changes in society have made
consumers more receptive to
direct-marketing
Allows marketers to be very
selective and target specific
segments of customers
Messages can be customized for
specific customers.
Effectiveness easier to measure

Disadvantages of direct marketing

Lack of customer receptivity and
very low response rates
Clutter (too many messages)
Image problems particularly with
telemarketing

Direct Marketing

Direct marketing methods

Direct mail
Catalogs
Telemarketing
Direct response ads
Direct selling
Internet

Interactive/Internet Marketing
A form of marketing communication through interactive media
which allow for a two-way flow of information whereby users can
participate in and modify the content of the information they
receive in real time.

Advantages of interactive/ Disadvantages of interactive/

internet marketing
internet marketing
Can be used for a variety of IMC
functions
Messages can be tailored to
specific interests and needs of
customers
Interactive nature of the Internet
leads to higher level of
involvement
Can provide large amounts of
information to customers.

Internet is not yet a mass

medium as many consumers
lack access
Attention to Internet ads is
very low
Great deal of clutter on the
Internet
Audience measurement is a
problem on the Internet

Interactive/Internet Marketing

Use of the Internet as an IMC Tool

As an advertising medium to inform, educate
and persuade customers
As a direct sales tool
To obtain customer database information
To communicate and interact with buyers
To provide customer service and support
To build and maintain customer relationships
As a tool for implementing sales promotion
As a tool for implementing publicity/public
relations programs

The Internet is an important IMC tool for

American Airlines

Source: Courtesy American Airlines.

Sales Promotion
Marketing activities that provide extra
value or incentives to the sales force,
distributors, or ultimate consumers and
can stimulate immediate sales.
Consumer-oriented
Trade-oriented
Targeted toward marketing
Targeted to the ultimate
intermediaries such as
users of a product or
retailers, wholesalers, or
service
distributors

Coupons
Sampling
Premiums
Rebates
Contests
Sweepstakes
POP materials

Promotion allowances
Merchandise allowances
Price deals
Sales contests
Trade shows

Sales Promotion Uses

Introduce new products
Get existing customers to buy more
Attract new customers
Combat competition
Maintain sales in off season
Increase retail inventories
Tie in advertising & personal selling
Enhance personal selling efforts

Publicity
Nonpersonal communication regarding an
organization, product, service, or idea not
directly paid for or run under identified
sponsorship.

Advantages of publicity
Credibility
Low cost (although not totally free)
Often results in word-of-mouth

Disadvantages of publicity
Not always under control of organization
Can be negative

Publicity Vehicles

News Releases:

Single-page news stories sent to

media who might print or broadcast
the content.

Feature Articles:

Larger manuscripts composed and

edited for a particular medium.

Press Conferences:

Meetings and presentations to

invited reporters and editors.

Special Events:

Sponsorship of events, teams, or

programs of public value.

Advertising Versus Publicity

FACTOR
Control
Credibility
Reach
Frequency
Cost
Flexibility
Timing

ADVERTISING PUBLICITY
Great
Little
Lower
Higher
Achievable Undetermined
Schedulable Undetermined
Specific
Unspecified/low
High
Low
Specifiable
Tentative

Public Relations
The management function which evaluates public
attitudes, identifies the policies and procedures of
an individual or organization with the public interest,
and executes a program of action to earn public
understanding and acceptance.

Tools used by Public Relations

Publicity
Special publications
Community activity participation
Fund-raising
Special event sponsorship

Personal Selling
Direct person-to-person communication
whereby a seller attempts to assist
and/or persuade perspective buyers to
to purchase a product or service.
Advantages of personal selling
Disadvantages of personal selling
Direct contact between buyer High costs per contact
and seller allows for more
flexibility
Expensive way to reach large
Can tailor sales message to
audiences
specific needs of customers
Difficult to have consistent and
Allows for more direct and
uniform message delivered to
immediate feedback
all customers
Sales efforts can be targeted
to specific markets and
customers who are best
prospects.

Promotional Management
Coordinating the promotional mix
elements to develop a controlled,
integrated program of effective
marketing communications.

Considerations for developing the

promotional program include:
Type of product
Buyers decision process
Stage of product life cycle
Channels of distribution

Integrated Marketing Communications

Planning Model
Review of Marketing Plan

Promotional Program Situation Analysis

Analysis of the Communications Process

Budget Determination

Develop Integrated Marketing Communications Programs

Advertising

Sales
Promotion

PR/
Publicity

Personal
Selling

Direct
Marketing

Internet/
Interactive

Advertising
Objectives

Sales
Promotion
Objectives

PR/
Publicity
Objectives

Personal
Selling
Objectives

Direct
Marketing
Objectives

Internet/
Interactive
Objectives

Message
Strategy

Sales
Promotion
Strategy

PR/
Publicity
Strategy

Personal
Selling
Strategy

Direct
Marketing
Strategy

Internet/
Interactive
Strategy

Integration & Implementation of Marketing Communications Strategies

Monitor, Evaluate & Control Promotional Program

The Marketing Plan

A document that describes the overall

marketing strategy and programs
developed for a company, product or
brand. The plan includes:
A detailed situation analysis
Specific marketing objectives
A marketing strategy and program that includes
selection of a target market and plans for
marketing mix elements

4.

A program for implementing the strategy

5.

A process for monitoring and evaluating

performance

Situation Analysis
Internal Factors
Assessment of the firms
promotional organization and
capabilities
Review of the firms previous
promotional programs
Assessment of firm or brand image
and implications for promotion
Assessment of relative strengths and
weaknesses of product/service

External Factors
Customer analysis
Competitive analysis
Environmental analysis

IMC Program Situation Analysis

External Factors

Environmental analysis
Technological
Demographic
Economic

Political/Legal
Socio/Cultural

Competitive Analysis
Direct and indirect competitors
Position relative to competitors
Size of competitors advertising/
promotional budgets
IMC strategies being used by
competitors

IMC Program Situation Analysis

External Factors

Customer Analysis
Who buys our product or service?
Who initiates and makes the decision
to purchase and who influences the process?
How is the purchase decision made?
What attributes or criteria are important to
customers?
What are customers perceptions of and attitudes
toward our company, product/service or brands?
What factors influence the decision making process?
Contact points where customers can be reached?

Analysis of Communications Process

Analyze best combination of source,

message and channel factors for
communicating with target audience.
Establish communication goals and
objectives.

Potential Communications Objectives

Sales
Customer loyalty
Company image
Brand image
Store patronage
Service contract

An inquiry
A visit by a prospect
Product trial
Recommendation
Adoption of the product

Contact Points Where Customers

Can Be Effectively Reached

Mass media
Broadcast - radio/TV
Newspapers
Magazines

Direct Marketing
Internet/interactive
Brochures, sales
literature
Publicity/PR

Events/sponsorships
Local
Regional
National/international

Sales Promotions
In-store/POP
Product placements in movies
and television shows
Promotional products

Develop Integrated Marketing

Communications Program
Advertising
Determine objectives and budget
Message development
Called Creative Strategy
Determine basic appeal
Determine main message

Media strategy

Communication channels
Type of media . . .
Newspapers/Magazines
Radio/Television
Outdoor/Specialty

Select specific media

Specific papers, magazines, TV
programs, radio stations, billboards, or
other media

Integrate and Implement Marketing

Communications Strategies
Integrate promotional mix strategies.
Create and produce ads.
Purchase media time and space
Design and implement direct
marketing programs
Design and implement sales promotion
program
Design and implement public relations/
publicity programs
Design and implement interactive/
internet marketing programs

Monitor, Evaluate and Control Integrated

Marketing Communications Program

Evaluate promotional program

results and determine
effectiveness
Take actions to control and
adjust promotional programs