Communications and Integrated Marketing

Integrated Marketing Communications Question 1 Integrated marketing communications (IMC) is that communication strategy that makes the marketing departed interconnected, as opposed to it having contrasting functions. IMC basically integrates a company’s marketing channels and collateral into one reliable messaging system. These channels may include direct mail, social media, and PR, among others. One company that has notably used this approach is Apple Inc, which is famous for its brand iPhone. From the day of release, June 2007, iPhone has has undergone yearly modifications to better the brand.

(Ktourgelis, 2016) Apple Inc carried out one of the most successful marketing campaigns for its brand. Two major factors led to this success. Firstly, Apple’s smart phone was a new product in the market. Secondly, they concentrated on customers who could adopt the new smart phone and influence the rest of the population. The iPhone was revolutionary in itself, since it combined phone with internet and email. The company understood their target customers well enough and knew they would immediately fall for the new brand.

And when the first release came, it was superior to Nokia and Samsung, which are the major competitors. The smart phone came with a touchscreen and virtual keyboard, among other innovative features. (Ktourgelis, 2016) Advertising is meant to create customer awareness on some new or existing product in the market. Apple advertised the iPhone on its website and on computer-related magazines, including their own Apple Magazine. They used the AIDA strategy of advertisement, which stands for attention, interest, desire, attention.

It’s good to note that many people initially related Apple to computers and tablets. Thus when they expanded into the phone market, they had to advertise in such a manner that would raise consumer interest in the new product. The product was also scarce during the initial roll out stages, and this sparked a great desire among the potential customers, who then made orders for the product. It was such a great excitement among the people.

(Ktourgelis, 2016) Question 2 A global manufacturer selling high end solutions to tel-com companies will require a salesperson with strong interpersonal characteristics. I think the most important is empathy, which in this sense means the ability to identify with customers, get into their shoes and feel what they feel about the product. Empathy goes beyond understanding customers’ concerns from an objective point of view. An empathetic sales person quickly establishes a rapport with with the customers and gains their trust.

This is because such a sales person discerns the customers’ needs, shows concern and expresses his interest in solving their problem. (Canadian Professional Sales Association, 2010) The sales person should also be focused. A focused person is one who has that internal drive to accomplish goals. Focus maintains attention on on a given topic until it is covered. Someone who is focused has self motivation and exerts demand on himself to see a certain task is successfully done.

They know exactly what needs to be done, and so organize themselves for the tasks ahead. When coupled with empathy, the sales person becomes quite effective in marketing the products. (Canadian Professional Sales Association, 2010) The third important quality is a strong sense of responsibility. A sales person with this trait will mostly take the blame upon himself whenever faced with a difficult situation. Such a person takes it upon himself to get the work done.

In the case that errors and omissions occur, he does not blame the boss or co-workers for the misfortune. They never attempt to get defensive. These type of sales persons are referred to as agents, and they are the ones big companies are searching for. (Canadian Professional Sales Association, 2010) Question 3 No organization can succeed without a sales department. The sales department has a quite unique and important function. They are the link between the potential customers and the organization’s products.

We find that many potential customers already have some awareness of a company’s products, mostly as a result of the advertising campaigns by the organization. It remains the work of the sales people to persuade the customers to make a purchase by offering further information to help the customer see the need to purchase the product. The experience of salespeople with the customers puts them in the best position to tailor a given product to the right audience.

This has most times won the heart of customers, who build trust in this expert called salesperson. (Oxford College of.