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Traditional marketing is dead. Long live integration

Jun 02, 2013

sheree

Traditional marketing — including advertising, public relations, branding and corporate communications — is dead. Really??? Death is so, well…final.

Traditional forms of marketing aren’t dead, they are just changing, evolving and becoming more sophisticated in their integration.

No one form of media is all absolute, like once was believed of TV. Only big brands advertised on TV, lesser brands on radio and in print and small local brands could only afford local newspapers or letterbox drops.
This traditional view is dead, but not the overall strategies behind traditional marketing methods. Integrated marketing image

No one media is absolute or almighty, they all depend on each other for support, to promote and to deliver customers to your business.

Good marketing strategies involve a balance of traditional strategies while relying on technological advances to ensure the best form of communication possible to potential customers.

Did video really kill the radio star? Did the Internet kill of TV? Or haven't all forms of media just evolved to support and deliver on overall marketing strategies.

Sophisticated marketing programs focus on delivering integrated marketing programs that focus on how all aspects of marketing and sales can work together to deliver a positive customer experience and ultimately a sale.

Integrated marketing encompasses relationship marketing, aimed at establishing meaningful connections as much as possible between buyers and sellers.

So just what is integrated marketing?
Integrated marketing plan leverages a variety of marketing tactics to efficiently and effectively meet a marketing objectives, such as driving sales, increasing lead generation, or establishing a strong identity in the marketplace. A range of traditional and non-traditional marketing tactics are used together to best meet the overall objectives.

How do we put together an integrated marketing plan?
The first step in any marketing plan is in the planning. A good marketing strategy gives you a map and provides a clear direction on where you should go with your marketing efforts as well as giving you the insight on what methods are going to reach your customers in the most appropriate manner.

The overall marketing communications strategy should be the main driver for any integrated marketing campaign.

A good marketing strategy and marketing plan should identify:

Your overall business goals
The specific objectives you need to meet to achieve that goal
What is unique about what we are selling – in other words – what is your Unique Selling Proposition (your USP)
Who are our target audience?
Target market segmentations
What are our key messages?
Building your marketing strategy in a six or 12 month marketing plan is a way to save money, time and increase your overall return on your marketing dollars.

A good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow but there must be a plan.

The integration of activities through a well-balanced plan means you can achieve the main goals of any business.

Good Brand awareness
Increase Sales
Increased Client retention
Sales Leads.

And often the most important of all is employee satisfaction. A good plan helps all team members to have a sense that they belong to something bigger than themselves therefore creating opportunities.

Let the plan lead you not the activities. Hence all forms both traditional, less sexy and new funky activities are driven by the above. That is great integration.

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