INTEGRATED MARKETING STRATEGY ::

Employing an Integrated Marketing Strategy is about allowing marketing decision-makers to view the entire marketing process from beginning to end. Developing an organizational marketing strategy begins with understanding how it relates to the overall organizational strategic plan:

Mission » Vision » Goals » Objectives » Strategies » Tactics / Initiatives

The last three components (strategies, tactics/initiatives) directly relate to marketing functions within the organization, but to be successful they must provide tracebility and accontability (i.e., metrics) as they relate to the overall organizational goals and objectives in order to promote buy-in and ownership by decision-makers (i.e., executive management).

Implementing marketing strategy best practices within the organization is based upon sound understand of structure and processes defined by the original marketing mix (the 4 Ps):

• PRODUCT or SERVICE
• PRICE
• PLACE or DISTRIBUTION
• PROMOTION

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4 Ps vs. 4 Cs:

Today, the 4 Ps have been expanded to incorporate a consumer-oriented model:

• Not PRODUCT, but CONSUMER
Understand what the consumer's wants and needs are.
• Not PRICE, but COST
Understand the consumer's cost to satisfy the want or need.
• Not PLACE, But CONVENIENCE
Think convenince of the buying experience and then relate3 that to a delivery mechanismn. (i.e., physical or virtual location, access ease, transaction service time, and hours of availability)
• Not PROMOTION, but COMMUNICATION
Communication via many mediums working together to present a unified message with a feedback mechanism to make the communication two-way.

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The PROMOTIONal (or communications) mix, with the advent of the ever-changing influence of information technology, today is comprised of OFFINE and ONLINE marketing channels.

OFFLINE vs. ONLINE Marketing Channels

In the past, promoting one's self via marketing primarily meant utilizing a variety of OFFLINE Marketing Channels or strategies: creating a brand name and promoting a product/service via traditional print (newspaper, magazine), public relations, industry relations, outdoor (billboard, metro signage), traditional radio/television, and direct mail campaigns. However, with the advent of the Internet, marketers now have the medium of "cyberspace" to ply their trade and employ strategies that not only utilize traditional promotional mix elements but integrate the use of online technologies to help organizations concentrate their resources in order to achieve their goals set forth as part of their strategic objectives.

Examples of Offline Marketing Channels:
• traditional print (newspapers, magazine)
• mail order
• public relations
• industry relations
• outdoor (billboard, metro signage)
• traditional radio/television

ONLINE Marketing Channels (see: Integrated ONLINE Marketiig Strategy) are comprised of four main components: Web » Email » Social Media » Mobile and include any e-marketing campaigns or programs, from search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click, affiliate, email, web development, mobile, banner ads, webinars, social networking, blog, micro-blogging, RSS, podcast, Internet Radio, and Internet TV.

Examples of Online Marketing Channels:
• email campaigns
• search engine optimization (SEO)
• pay-per-click
• affiliate programs
• banner advertising
• social media (i.e., Facebook, Twitter, webinar, RSS feeds, blogging, podcast, Internet radio/tv)
• Digital Media - audio/video/photos (i.e., iTunes, YouTube, Vimeo, flickr, Pinterest, etc.)

Integrated marketing is based on a master marketing plan that coordinates efforts in all promotional elements of the marketing mix (see above), and manifests itself through the implementation of an
Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) strategy.

A Marketing Plan consists of the following steps:
• Purpose and Mission
• Situation Analysis
• Marketing Strategy and Objectives
• Target Market
• Budgeting, Performance and Implementation
• Additional Considerations (i.e., Internal/External Factors, Research Limitations)

A formula to strategic success is a marketing plan that provides reverse transparency by mapping marketing strategies and initiatives/tactics that are employed to an organization's strategic goals and objectives. This reverse transparency allows organizations to successfully engage their customers, membership, stakeholders, and even competitors.
Additionally, this reverse transparency or linkage allows organizational leadership to build consensus around the marketing strategy and tactics that are implemented.

Because the Internet has changed the way business is done, marketing once seen as a one way with firms broadcasting their offerings and value proposition is now seen more as a conversation between marketers and customers. Promotion (one component of the marketing mix) aside from its traditional OFFLINE marketing channels, now includes ONLINE marketing channels and a more evolved use of data-driven (database) marketing.

SEE RELATED LINKS:
» Strategic Planning
» EA Analysis (Infratructure)
» Brand Management
» Web Services: Integrated ONLINE Marketing Strategy
» Web Development
» Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC)
» Social Media Strategy (SMS)
» Event Development (Seminar/Conference/Tradeshow)

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