Integrated Marketing - Beat the Competition with an a Simple Strategy

The Value of Integrated Marketing 

When it comes to marketing, popular media focuses on new and flashy topics and excludes what's useful. Today, social media and mobile marketing dominate the headlines.  

That means something is under-reported. In my view, the media overlook integrated marketing.

Integrated Marketing Communications

Case in point: social media is important. But unless you know how to employ it effectively, you’re likely wasting time and money.

That said, this month I plan to focus on integrated marketing. 

In my view, integrated marketing should be at the heart of what you do because it optimizes your marketing efforts.

During this month, I plan to address:

§  Benefits of integrated marketing.

§  How to employ integrated marketing online and off.

§  Concrete examples of B2B companies using integrated marketing.

§  How SEO, branding, and direct marketing fit into integrated marketing.

§  Creating an Integration Content Marketing Plan

Beginning with this post, I’ll start with the benefits of integrated marketing. After all, you need to see what integrated marketing can do for you. Otherwise, why delve deeper into it?

Before examining integrated marketing, we need to define it.

A Working Definition of Integrated Marketing

Integrated marketing implies standardized messaging of all your business communications. It's customer-focused, and it removes marketing silos.

Integrating business communications means taking a holistic approach. Integration leads you to look at how all the pieces work together. Do they support one another? Or are some aspects of your marketing out of alignment?

Done right, integrated marketing achieves harmony among all your marketing content. It also helps synchronize your distribution channels. It’s like an orchestra. You’re the conductor, and your job is to keep each section in sync.

Next, we’ll look at the benefits. You’ll understand why integrated marketing is such an effective strategy.

Benefits of Integrated Marketing

Integrated marketing has both implied and concrete benefits. Some are easily measured, while others are more difficult to measure. But all add value.

Here’s how the benefits stack up.

• Builds and Bolsters Branding. When you approach marketing from an integrated view, you ensure messaging is constant and consistent. And you do this across all marketing channels, online and off. Message reinforcement across all channels helps prospects recognize your brand more easily.
• Reduces Marketing Costs. As you harmonize your marketing efforts, you won’t waste time or money publishing extraneous marketing content. And you can easily re-purpose content from one channel to another. This improves efficiency and further reduces the cost of additional content publication.
• Increases Reach. As you optimize your marketing content across all channels, you’ll get your message out to a larger audience. No distribution channel will be ignored. Moreover, you’ll maximize efficiency by using the right channel at the right time with the right content.
• Improves Targeted Marketing. You’ll tailor your message to each unique audience, and hone your message across channels. When you address personas across your marketing channels, this improves targeted messaging. And improved messaging helps you beat the competition because your message will break through the noise.
• Enhances Competitive Advantage. Sharpened focus due to integration leads to increased competitiveness over time. Gradually, your marketing content will achieve better response rates. With more effective marketing content, you’ll also stand out from the crowd. As you put distance between your business and your competitors, you're positioning your business to increase market share.
• Increases Leads and Sales. As you integrate marketing content, your messaging will be more focused, relevant, and compelling. You’ll reach a wider audience, increase market share and improve conversion rates. You’ll see bottom line results in the number of leads and sales. That’s what you’ll achieve with integrated marketing.

Integrated Marketing’s Multiplier Effect

As you can see, integrated marketing has many benefits. And they’re all related. They all stem from how you organize various marketing elements to work together.

Essentially, you maximize each marketing channel and marketing content for efficiency and effectiveness. This leads to what’s called a multiplier effect. Namely, you benefit from powerful synergies that only come from integration.

This results in a situation where “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts”. Beating the competition won’t be so challenging.

Integrated marketing should be a key piece of any serious marketing program. 

In closing, let me leave you with this quote from Philip Kotler:

“Poor firms ignore their competitors; average firms copy their

 competitors; winning firms lead their competitors”.

Where would you place your firm? Are you beating the competition? Do you employ integrated marketing? Is it the cornerstone of your marketing strategy? 

Please let me know if you have any questions or comments. I’d be glad to hear from you.

Have a great week!

Alex Milo

B2B Copywriter and Consultant

“Helping Transportation and Logistics Companies Generate Leads with Compelling Content”

Phone: 256-886-4684
Email: amilo@b2bcopywriting-alexmilo.com

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