Tick Yes

The explosion in the number and variety of media channels has affected just about every aspect of marketing.

Integrated marketing is the only way to approach a mass market that continues to fragment into a multitude of mini-markets; each requiring its own approach.

With the growing sophistication of consumers, integrated marketing is vital to capture consumers at key influencing points. The marketing toolkit available for integrated programs now includes highly engaging interactive tools including; online promotions, email marketing, SMS (short messaging service) loyalty programs and direct marketing.

Integrated marketing communications forces a company to think about every way the customer comes in contact with the company. The digital revolution has placed a whole new set of capabilities in the hands of consumers and businesses. They now can choose the medium they prefer and when to access communication.

Gap.com draws more than one million visitors per month. The site mirrors the clean, functional image of Gap stores and works seamlessly with the stores. Online purchases can be returned to any store, and Gap stores mention Gap.com on signage, receipts, and even shopping bags. Gap.com provides email alerts of upcoming in-store sales and offers incentive-based promotions such as $30 coupons redeemable in their stores.

Along with in-store promotions, a frequent shoppers loyalty card, web alerts, coupons and sales Gap also integrates a series of creative images on their website with the use of streaming videos. Gap posts some of their fashion range on their website at the start of every new season. Every summer, winter and spring a fashion parade is posted on the site featuring the latest in fashion, trends and styles before their in-store release.

By adding interactive to the marketing mix, the capacity for getting to know your customers is higher. You are now able to know who your customers are, with products and services that are best suited to meet their needs. With the ability of delivering a highly personalised service that gains maximum value with each and every one of your customers.

For example I recently received an email alert from a bookstore that was relevant and specifically targeted to meet my needs; ‘We’ve noticed that you recently bought two marketing books on branding and thought you might be interested in another book by the same author – ‘The 22 Immutable laws of Branding’ by Al & Laura Ries.

Based on this personalised service I have now become a loyal customer also taking advantage of their in-store loyalty card that gives me a 15% discount on all purchases. Having opted-in to their regular emails I also receive the latest book releases based on my favourite categories. I am also part of their Reminder & Gift suggestion program which sends me reminders and birthday suggestions for my family, friends and colleagues – based on the specific information I have supplied.

Like every other technique for building repeat business, incentives only work when the customers find them valuable.

To gain such valuable market research on your customers the quickest way is to send an email. Try emailing 20 or more of the people on your database and ask them for their quick opinion on a question. Result? Instant survey!

With all the mediums available, the goal is to develop a customer dataset that enables a company to determine the best way to serve each customer. This can be achieved by tracking how different customers respond to various forms of communication and tailoring their approaches to individual customer response patterns.

You can test different communication sequences to help you develop the optimal contact approach for each customer. When developing marketing programs that span mail, email and phone, be sure to integrate all your databases. A customer who responds to a campaign online should not later receive the same offer by mail.

You will also find that the response rate for communication mediums differs for different generations. Yahoo and Carat Interactive commissioned a study last year ‘Born to be Wired’ the report showed the ‘millennial generation’ – youths aged between 13 and 24 – spend on average 16.7 hours a week on the web – just above radio and TV.

According to the RedSheriff eGeneration Report 91% of families with kids have internet access at home.

It was also found that teens find it easy to consume multiple media at once. Australian teen publications Girlfriend and Dolly understand this interactive generation and have been quick to use technology as a powerful extension to their magazine.

The Girlfriend magazine website includes VIP club, chat rooms, quizzes, mobile ring tone downloads, competitions, polls, games and other downloadable items. It also has the Girlfriend.com.au newsletter.

The success of an interactive program is not only limited to a teenage market.

Air New Zealand has also had success with its forays into the interactive world which targets a broad audience. They recently ran a three-week online campaign promoting subscription to the airline’s special offers database. It grew membership 78% and prompted sales worth more than A$338,000.

One of our financial services clients targeted older investors with their integrated campaign and reduced their seminar sign-up investment by 54% and increased expected attendees by 80%.

Even with such glittering success stories, some marketers are yet to be convinced of the financial worth of integrated marketing. Change always attracts doubters. Consider this: the world has changed forever; why not marketing?

The key to integrated marketing is to understand how consumers respond and tailoring your communication accordingly. With the mass uptake of the internet and mobile technology – phone, PDAs, the net - this is more possible than ever before.

While integrated marketing is simple, it’s not easy. Those who understand how to combine the most relevant ‘traditional’ marketing methods with the new will enjoy the greatest rewards.