The Role of IMC in the Marketing Process

The role of Integrated Marketing Communication is becoming important due to privatization, liberalization and globalization of Emerging economies. The International environment is assuming greater importance than the domestic environment of most firms.

The primary function of Integrated Marketing communication is to inform, persuade, and remind the target customers about the unique benefits of products and services existing in the market.

Promotion plays an important role in an organization’s efforts to market its product, service, or ideas to its customers. The promotion model includes a marketing strategy and analysis, target marketing, program development, and the target market. The marketing process begins with a marketing strategy that is based on a detailed situation analysis and guides for target market selection and development of the firm’s marketing program.  It also helps to generate awareness regarding existing products thereby inducing trial and building long-term relationships with the present as well as potential customers. 

                        

In the planning process, the situation analysis requires that the marketing strategy be assumed. The promotional program is developed with this strategy as a guide. One of the key decisions to be made pertains to the target marketing process which includes identifying, segmenting, targeting, and positioning to target markets. There are several bases for segmenting the market and various ways to position a product.

Once the target marketing process has been completed, marketing program decisions regarding product, price, distribution, and promotions must be made. All of these must be coordinated to provide an integrated marketing communications perspective, in which the positioning strategy is supported by one voice. Thus all product strategies, pricing strategies, and distribution choices must be made with the objective of contributing to the overall image of the product or brand. Advertising and promotion decisions, in turn must be integrated with the other marketing-mix decisions to accomplish this goal.

Integrated Communication mix includes personal selling, media advertising, publicity, public relations and sales promotions. It also includes internet marketing, sponsorship marketing, direct marketing, database marketing and public relations.

Role of Digital in IMC can be found by the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C88FVlBDwHM

Target Marketing Process:

             

Integrated Marketing Communication developed during 90’s has strategies that include determining the target audience, establishing objectives and budgets, analysing social, competitive, cultural and technological issues, and finally evaluation and feedback regarding the effectiveness of promotional strategies adopted.

IMC plays a role in IT:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yCuinVtyBA