10 steps to integrated marketing communication

In the digital era, it is critical to have an integrated marketing communication programme so that the right message reaches the right audience. With the explosion of social media, various channels of communication must be in sync and optimised for an effective brand marketing strategy.

Here are 10 steps that can help in integrating marketing communication:

1 Determine the role of brand in your business 

By doing integrated marketing, you get a comprehensive process for leveraging brands to sustain and grow the business. 

The starting point is to understand the role brand plays in facilitating the business model today and explore how the brand can enhance the model in the future. 

This involves challenging long-held assumptions such as "price is our only added value", "ours is simply a commodity business" and "we can't alienate our distribution partners” and so on.

2 Evaluate your brand 

By using integrated marketing, one can calculate the return on investment (ROI) of marketing communication investment. This process provides the tools needed to judge brand investment performance relative to other asset investments. 

Brand valuation leverages discount cash flow/net present valuation methods to derive an objective measurement of brand value. Individual cash flows are then examined and all brand-derived flows isolated. 

The discount rate is a function of brand strength. From this, a discounted net present value for the brand is calculated. The value of "valuation" here is not necessarily a raw number. It is the relative change in value from one assessment period to another that provides an objective quantification of the return on funds invested to build and promote the brand.

Step 3 Understand your audience

In this process, it is necessary to distinguish between targets that drive the success of the business and targets that simply contribute to its success. 

This distinction helps in prioritising the brand-building effort. If you successfully influence your driving audiences, business performance will be strong enough to motivate your contributing audiences to take notice and respond. 

The primary challenge is to design a brand strategy that connects with your driving audiences and a communications plan to connect with your contributing audiences.

4 Frame the big idea 

A differentiated value proposition is the key to your brand strategy. Communicating meaningful distinctiveness is a catalyst for growth. Big ideas stem from a clear understanding of needs, market dynamics and business strategies. Big ideas match your unique skill set with the needs of your driving audiences.

5 Understand perception barriers 

The next challenge is to understand how much you need to change the way your audiences think to get them to respond to your big idea. 

The audience goes through a process of progressive involvement with a brand as they develop a loyal relationship. In that process, perceptions may develop that may hinder their ability to respond to your distinctive promise. These "perception barriers" must be surmounted to convey your big idea.

6 Build the messages to shift perceptions

Getting people to change the way they think about you is not easy. To make them take notice, you must deliver precise and targeted messages that compel them to alter their assumptions. 

Often, marketers believe that communications success is simply a function of media budgets that generate exposure. A compelling message that delivers a powerful big idea can generate success even with a modest budget. Before you spend, make sure you have the message right. It will help optimise the return on the money invested.

7 Understand the role of each medium 

Once the message is done, pick the media best suited for communication. As a rule of thumb, each progressive stage of involvement requires more individualised communications to fulfil the needs of your audiences. 

Broad exposure media such as advertising and PR are powerful awareness-building tools. High-touch media such as collateral, direct and interactive media are more useful in confirming relevance and instilling a clear sense of differential value.

8 Determine the optimum media allocation 

The ultimate execution challenge is determining the optimal media mix to propel target audiences toward developing an intense loyalty to your brand. The trick is to optimise the power of your message within the limited means of your budget. This will help generate a compelling ROI and secure increased funding in the future.

9 Measure output

Making a case for investment in marketing communication can only be done with a clear sense of the facts. Convincing financial management to view communication as an investment rather than an expense requires that you demonstrate a return on that investment that can be judged relative to all competing investments.

Brand valuation provides a quantitative tool for determining ROI. By valuing the brand in the second step of the process, you've established an initial benchmark. Revaluing the brand will indicate the success of the programme. The change in value marks the return on investment.

10 Return to Step 5 

Repeat the process again and again. Integrated communication is an organic process, one that can be fed, nurtured and made stronger through active involvement. Once you have measured your initial results, return to the programme’s foundations and examine opportunities for enhancement. Return to your message and explore opportunities to make it more compelling. 

Return to your media assumptions and determine if you are reaching your target audience. 

Finally, return to your assessment tools and determine whether they are generating the insight you need to grow and manage your programme.