The Best Thing You Can Do For Your Brand
When FORTHGEAR started in business more than 21 years ago, we took an integrated marketing approach right from the start. Back then integrated marketing was about presenting brand consistency across traditional channels such as print and radio. Today, it’s about making sure consumers understand your brand and your message both online and offline.
In 2017, an integrated marketing approach is more important than ever, as consumers become desensitized to a constant barrage of advertisements everywhere they look. Only the most integrated brands and consistent messages stand out as memorable.
Why integrated marketing?
Consider Apple’s branding strategy. Modern simplicity is at the heart of everything they do. Crisp, clean and minimalist from product design to showroom—and they dominate their market.
Pixabay on Pexels
Integrated marketing puts the focus on ensuring that your messaging is consistent, regardless of the channel that’s used to share the message. So whether your brand is seen on Facebook and YouTube, on billboards, in PPC ads, in email blasts or in print, it’s easily identifiable by your customers. The more consistent your message, the better results you’ll have on getting potential customers to take action—which ultimately impacts your return on investment.
Firmbee-Com on Unsplash
How does integrated marketing work?
Integrated marketing goes beyond strategy to tactical delivery by combining all aspects of marketing communication, such as advertising, sales promotion, public relations, website, direct marketing and social media, so that all the parts work together as a whole. What goes on behind the scenes, such as SEO, is important too. This holistic process is designed to ensure that all messaging and communications strategies are consistent across all channels and are centered on the customer.
Is the whole really greater than the sum of its parts?
When it comes to marketing, the answer is undoubtedly yes. An integrated approach is something that 72% of consumers desire and expect. Reaching across both traditional (e.g. print) and non-traditional (e.g. social media) channels not only reaches different targeted demographics but can also strengthen the outcome by increasing the chances that a consumer will take action. This unified marketing approach helps increase brand loyalty, cultivate consumer relationships and ultimately boost profits.
Effects of technology on marketing
For many years, marketing was broken into two different segments — online and offline. Today, however, the world is more connected by technology than ever before, requiring companies to develop marketing campaigns across multiple media channels. Because consumers are constantly plugged in to their mobile devices, they expect to be able to access a brand wherever they go. So whether they see a QR code on a poster, drive past a billboard on the highway or receive an email blast, they’ll pull out their smartphone and take action—fully expecting something familiar when they get to the landing page, whether that’s a logo, an offer or a marketing message.
How an integrated marketing approach can help YOUR brand
The truth is that in today’s fast-paced world, customers are too overwhelmed to pay attention to different messaging, and by not using one clear communications strategy to amplify your brand, your message will simply be lost in the constant stream of content that all consumers are subject to every day. This is why consistent messaging across channels is so critical. Without it, your message will fail to make an impact.
Our marketing team works behind-the-scenes to devise a compelling, unified voice for each client, and transition it appropriately into every aspect of the brand’s persona, from advertising to physical presence and customer service. For more information about Integrated Marketing, contact the team of industry experts at FORTHGEAR today. We’re ready to help optimize your brand and take your marketing to the next level.
By Tara Alvey and Noelle Graf
