Creating Powerful IMC Strategies &

Linked TacticsBonnie Harris, B.S., M.S.

Wax Marketing, Inc.

Agenda

Key Components of IMC

Messaging

More about Strategies

More about Linked Tactics

Incorporating IMC Methods

Definition of IMC

According to the AMA (American Marketing Association) the

definition of Integrated Marketing Communications is:

“A planning process designed to assure that all

brand contacts received by a customer or

prospect for a product, service or organization

are relevant to that person and consistent over

time.”

Messaging Strategy

Strategic consistency

Begin with one voice

Core/Integrated Strategy Statements

Message translations

Why are we looking at this guy?

Results?

1.2 billion media impressions

100 million YouTube views

Sales 55% first 3 months

Sales 107% in the fourth month

Powerful Strategies

Strategies stay consistent across the period though tactics may

change

Drive toward increasing synergy between channels

Should be deployed across channels

Pay attention to buyer behavior and are specific to personas

Combine traditional and online/social media

Strategies can focus on:

Messaging – Changing perception

Timing – Seasonal

Area – Hyper-local

Word of Mouth – Viral

Product/Service offering –

Call to action

Traffic– Landing pages/conversions/promotion

Each strategy should focus on one stage of the buying cycle

Brand Strategies

Earned media

Word of mouth

Cause marketing

Thought

leadership/education

Sponsorships

Celebrity endorsements

Brand journalism

Online marketing

Brand strategies create awareness of a new brand, change

perception of an existing brand or create a brand extension.

Content Strategies

Brand journalism

Native advertising

Social media

Influencer marketing

Multimedia messaging

Education/Thought

Leadership

Contests/Quiz

Ambassadors/Celebrity

Testimonials

Content strategies are used when with a longer sales cycle, the client or

customer is sophisticated and the brand needs credibility.

Promotional Strategies

Events

Sponsorships

Contests

Rewards/loyalty programs

Cause marketing

Digital/mobile promotions

In store sales

Add-ons/lost leaders

Seasonal

Promotional strategies are used to influence the later steps in the buying

cycle, including post-purchase behavior

Geographical Strategies

Geographical strategies might be used for retail, medical practices,

franchises and other B2C businesses where the customer is not well-

known.

Hyper-local marketing

Outdoor/On the ground

Micro-events

Retail business partnerships

Choosing Channels

Carefully study audience behavior

Test iteratively for effectiveness

Shooting for synergy

Constantly updated

Powerful Linked Tactics

Strong linked tactics are often combination of traditional and newer

media

Can link two, three or even four tactics

Synchronized for best effect

Common message or tone

Simple Linked Tactics

Earned placement+ social media

Direct marketing + landing pages

Email + signage

Print + mobile

Product placement + ads

Complex Linked Tactics

Integrated product placement

Music promotion

Product launches

PSA’s

BJP Party

Campaign

• Elected Modi in 2014

• Created a landslide victory in India

• Core strategy statement around change

• Common creative

• Understanding of personas

• Linked traditional and bleeding edge technology

Ways to Incorporate IMC

Create a core strategy statement

Link tactics and measure results

Roll tactics into strategies and deploy cross channel

Review the buying behavior and try to accelerate