Integrated Marketing Communications

What is marketing communications?  This is a concept of marketing communications planning that recognises the added value of a comprehensive plan (Kotler and Kelleher, 2009) The plan should be clear, consistent and maximum impact through seamless integration of messages.


It is essential that the company is aware of how the customers/consumer receieves and interprets the messages that a company sends.  It is essential to promote feedback to ensure that the consumer/customer full understands the message.


There are a number of key promotional tools that a company could use:

1. Advertising
2. Sales Promotion
3. Sponsorship
4. Public Relations
5. Personal Selling
6. Internet Marketing
7. Direct Marketing

When a company is devising a intergrated communications strategy it is essential that they address the following steps:

1. Identify the target audience
2. Determine objectives
3. Design communications
4. Select channels
5. Establish a budget
6. Decide on the media mix
7. Measure results
8. Manage integrated marketing communications