Developing the Integrated Marketing Communications Program

Last Updated on Thu, 04 Jan 2024 | Marketing Communications

Developing the IMC program is generally the most involved and detailed step of the promotional planning process. As discussed earlier, each promotional-mix element has certain advantages and limitations. At this stage of the planning process, decisions have to be made regarding the role and importance of each element and their coordination with one another. As Figure 1-4 shows, each promotional-mix element has its own set of objectives and a budget and strategy for meeting them. Decisions must be made and activities performed to implement the promotional programs. Procedures must be developed for evaluating performance and making any necessary changes.

For example, the advertising program will have its own set of objectives, usually involving the communication of some message or appeal to a target audience. A budget will be determined, providing the advertising manager and the agency with some idea of how much money is available for developing the ad campaign and purchasing media to disseminate the ad message.

Two important aspects of the advertising program are development of the message and the media strategy. Message development, often referred to as creative strategy, involves determining the basic appeal and message the advertiser wishes to convey to the target audience. This process, along with the ads that result, is to many students the most fascinating aspect of promotion. Media strategy involves determining which communication channels will be used to deliver the advertising message to the target audience. Decisions must be made regarding which types of media will be used (e.g., newspapers, magazines, radio, TV, billboards) as well as specific media selections (e.g., a particular magazine or TV program). This task requires careful evaluation of the media options' advantages and limitations, costs, and ability to deliver the message effectively to the target market.

Once the message and media strategies have been determined, steps must be taken to implement them. Most large companies hire advertising agencies to plan and produce their messages and to evaluate and purchase the media that will carry their ads. However, most agencies work very closely with their clients as they develop the ads and select media, because it is the advertiser that ultimately approves (and pays for) the creative work and media plan.

A similar process takes place for the other elements of the IMC program as objectives are set, an overall strategy is developed, message and media strategies are determined, and steps are taken to implement them. While the marketer's advertising agencies may be used to perform some of the other IMC functions, they may also hire other communication specialists such as direct-marketing and interactive and/or sales promotion agencies, as well as public relations firms.

Continue reading here: Monitoring Evaluation and Control

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Readers' Questions

  • MARCEL
    Is the careful coordination of all promotional activities to produce a consistent?
    12 months ago
    • message to customers This is known as integrated marketing communications (IMC). IMC aims to coordinate promotional activities, such as advertising, public relations, sales promotion, direct marketing, social media, personal selling, and more, so that they all send the same message, creating a unified brand identity. Integrated marketing communications helps to ensure that customers receive a consistent message, making them more likely to respond positively to that message.
    • luciana
      How to develop and integrated marketing communications programme?
      1 year ago
      • Step 1: Define Your Goals and Objectives: Begin by defining the overall goal of your integrated marketing communications (IMC) program. Ask yourself what you hope to accomplish — make more sales, raise brand recognition, build customer loyalty, increase website visits, etc. Make sure this goal is measurable and clear. Step 2: Identify Your Target Audience: Once you’ve determined your overall goal for your IMC program, the next step is to identify your target audience. Analyze the demographics of your customers and the kinds of people you want to engage with your message. Step 3: Develop Your Messaging Strategy: Now that you’ve identified your target audience, it’s time to develop your messaging strategy. This involves crafting a compelling message that resonates with your target customer. Ask yourself: What message will be the most effective in reaching your audience? Step 4: Choose Your Communication Channels: Now that you’ve identified your goal, determined your target audience and developed your messaging strategy, you need to choose the communication channels you’ll use to reach your prospects and customers. Examples of communication channels include: digital advertising, print advertising, email marketing, social media, public relations, direct mail, and more. Step 5: Design Your Program: Now that you’ve chosen your channels, it’s time to design your program. This is where you determine how your message will be delivered, how often and where. Consider the customer experience and make sure it’s consistent across all channels. Step 6: Monitor and Measure Results: Once your program is up and running, it’s time to monitor and measure the results. Track your progress and make adjustments as necessary. Step 7: Evaluate and Refine: Finally, it’s important to evaluate and refine your IMC program over time. Pay close attention to the data you’
      • tracy
        What is the importance of appeals in advertising message development.?
        1 year ago
        • Appeals are an essential part of advertising message development. When used effectively, appeals help to create an emotional connection with the target audience by drawing on their individual wants and needs. Appeal-based messages can create a positive attitude towards the product or service being promoted and encourage the target to take action. By using words with strong emotional and psychological connections, advertising messages that include appeals can increase brand recognition and help to build relationships with customers. Appeals also provide a sense of urgency to the message and can push the target to make a purchase.