Question

In your own words, explain integrated marketing communications and why it is important. Describe the four promotional methods an organization can use in its promotion mix.

Answer 1

In short, IMC is utilising all available resources of a company or methods by the company to market/promote its products or services to increase sales and ultimately profit. It is important because a company should work on a strategy rather than going here and there and ends in getting loss only. A proper strategy will channelise its efforts and it may able to achieve higher than sales target.

Various tools can be used to promote like:

1. culture of the company, and focusing of consumer experience
2. various communication tools like social media, mobile, email etc
3. tools of promotion
4. tools of integration eg CRM (Customer relationship management)

marketing mix

1. product
2. price
3. place
4. promotion

Promotional mix is one of the 4ps of marketing mix. An organisation can use variety of promotional methods, 4 of them are:

• Advertising: companies now rely heavily on advertising. for eg e-commerce giants like Amazon, Flpkart advertise so intensively that they have very high conversion rates.
• Personal selling: taking example, the fashion products of mariano de vaio ( MDV style ) are sold just on the name this Italian blogger. CR7 products are sold in high volumes because they carry a support of football star Cristiano Ronaldo.
• Publicity: Publicity is another tool of promotion. Companies like nike is great example of publicity moves which endorses many big name celebrities time to time.
• Direct marketing: Again, e-commerce is enabing sellers to sell directly to customers via its online market place portal. Amazon will pick up from seller and deliever it to the customer doorstep.