Image courtesy of marketing-diary.com
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. This is one idiom (the first of many in this post) that should be followed when it comes to communications. Advertising, public relations, market research, social media, etc. – they’re all great methods to help you promote your brand. Sure, these tactics can stand-alone, but they do not bring you as much success as when implemented together.
The latest approach encourages brands to use both traditional and modern marketing channels and a variety of tactics to promote and reinforce consistent messages. This method is often referred to as integrated marketing communications (IMC); it is also sometimes called simply convergence. No matter what you want to name it, just know it’s a strategy that works!
It seems like a simple concept, right? It truly is. But there are still a lot of brands that have not yet jumped on this bandwagon. Large companies who have been around awhile stick with tried and true methods like advertising and market research to reach their customers. Smaller businesses and entrepreneurs choose to use newer tools like websites and social media to connect with their audiences.
To those brands that stick with what they know, we urge you to think outside of the box and try something new. We know it’s difficult to step outside of your comfort zone, but you’ll be happy if you do, because the IMC or convergence approach offers you the best of both worlds – traditional and digital. Here are just a few ways to start using more marketing channels and tactics to spread your messages:
- If you prefer to promote your product or service through traditional print advertisements or direct mail, don’t forget to provide your company website or a contact e-mail within the ad. This call to action should encourage customers to learn more or connect with your brand online.
- If you do a majority of your communications through social media, place social media buttons on any promotional materials so customers know to like or follow your brand accounts..
- If you host promotional events regularly, create promotional materials that encourage people to post photos, use hashtags or tag your brand on social media channels during the event.
- If you garner publicity through third party media coverage, share a link to the story on you social media channels or within your “online newsroom” on your company website.
These are just some simple, easy-to-implement strategies, but the sky is the limit when you begin to employ an IMC or convergence approach. So do yourself a favor and don’t miss the boat on this one. Identify the right combination of both traditional and modern strategies, offline and online channels, for your brand so you can connect with your audiences more often and in more ways than one.