Integrated marketing communications is a core strategic activity used to build and sustain profitable relationships with various stakeholders. Customers are a critical target but other audiences such as buyers, designers, retailers, sales assistants, suppliers, etc…. are also important if an organisation is to achieve its sales and marketing objectives.
MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS
Marketing communications is about the promotion of a company and the product offered to the customer. This is defined by (Fill, 2002), “This strategy refers to an organisation’s preferred orientation and emphasis of its communications with its customers and stakeholders, in the light of its business and marketing strategies. A marketing communication plan is concerned with the development and a managerial process involved in the articulation of an organisation’s marketing communications strategy”.
Marketing communications is the combination of activities centred on the promotional mix, this is made up of the marketing tools such as; –
ADVERTISING
This helps to inform, remind, persuade, and change attitudes of the consumers. It can also reposition a brand and help to differentiate a product from the rivalling competitors. This is done through T.V., radio, newspapers, magazines, billboards, internet, tele-text, pint-of-purchase, packaging, exhibitions and cinemas.
SALES PROMOTIONS
This seeks to offer buyers additional value to the product or service on induction, so as to generate immediate sales. Theses inductions could be coupons, store/loyalty cards, points for pennies, cut-price offers, buy one get one free (BOGOF), spend over a certain amount and get another free/ half price. All these offers are to make consumers act now, rather than later. Therefore it is used to accelerate sales immediately and usually for a short period of time.
PUBLIC RELATIONS
This is communication of a company or brand through the use off media such as newspaper