Integrated marketing communications campaign development and execution

IMC Campaign (Direct & Internet)

Direct Marketing Campaign

The direct marketing portion of the campaign will provide personalized communications to customers. It will include direct sales, catalogs, email list purchases, direct mail, and telemarketing. The most traditional form of this is direct sales. Face-to-face sales will be key to engaging customers directly in stores through friendly and competent sales personnel. This will allow customers to have tangible interactions with the product and also associate the brand with a high level of customer service. It also provides an opportunity for customers to ask questions directly and receive a more intimate consultation in product selection.

Catalogs will be used to provide a more "portable" and adequate overview of all product offerings. Catalogs are also useful tools for tailoring product lines in direct accordance with customer preferences. Specific audiences who have shown a propensity to order via catalog will be the primary target of this strategy. CD-ROM editions of the catalog, not just print, will also be utilized to show the company's commitment to environmental responsibility and "green" operations. These will be very polished, innovative and interactive catalog options, designed to stand apart from the competition.

Email campaigns will be initiated through reputable email list brokers to purchase prospective customer contact information. List selection will follow the key demographics of the target audience and their personal tastes and preferences. All email campaigns will adhere to CAN-SPAM regulations and include links for opt-outs. This tactic will be used to help promote special sales and promotions and encourage the use of printable coupons. It will also be a means to boost newsletter sign-ups (for on-going dialogue between the company and the customer) and to increase traffic to the main website.

Direct mail will be incorporated, but not heavily. Direct mail is favored because it allows for highly-targeted market selectivity, personalization, flexibility, and testing and response measurements (as compared to print ads, for example). Direct mail response rates have tapered off in recent years; still, postcards will be used as a complement to the overall IMC campaign. Personalized postcards will be used sparingly to present new offerings and announce special events such as end-of-season sales. These will only be used at select times throughout the year.

Telemarketing will also be a direct marketing tactic. Success will depend on a strong calling list of loyal customers who have opted-in to receiving such communications. Past buying behavior and product preferences will be analyzed to create an effective script. Well-trained phone staff will be used and financially incented based on the number of personal sales they close. Telemarketing will be used in the hopes of developing a closer relationship with loyal buyers and increasing market share.

Internet Marketing Campaign

The Internet is a wonderful source of information and a shopping avenue with no geographic limitations. It is included as a part of the overall IMC campaign due to its ease of use, accessibility for customers, affordability, and profit potential.

Online advertisements will be rotated through a variety of targeted sites to generate traffic to the main website. Because of this, site enhancements and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for the main website is required. This will be an important first step to ensuring high search engine rankings and also to ensure secure and simple shopping experiences for visitors.

Success will depend heavily on research and a solid knowledge of the online behavior of the target audience. Marketing consultants may be hired to aid in this research. This will guide online ad placements and also ad messaging. The internet marketing campaign will entail a coordinated effort across several sites commonly frequented by identified customers. This will deliver a broad reach and high visibility. It also creates repetition, which allows for greater brand recognition reinforcement of marketing messages.