What is marketing?

 Hello Next Gen Marketers 💡

Today we will be looking at what marketing actually is? what are the different types of marketing communications and what's integrated marketing communication. These will be broken down really simply to help you get a better understanding overall!

What does marketing involve?

Many people seem unclear about what marketing really involves. Is it advertising? Public relations? Analytics? In reality, marketing is an umbrella term ☂️ that includes all these elements. At its core, marketing is about promoting and selling a product or service to consumers or businesses 🛍️

Traditionally, marketing focused on direct outreach and short-term goals, primarily aimed at encouraging a one-time purchase. But with the rise of digital channels, consumers now seek more from brands; they want to understand and trust them 🤝✨ This shift requires companies to identify customer needs, deliver meaningful value, and build lasting relationships that benefit both the customer and the business. 

Today, marketing requires a complete approach that includes market research, understanding consumer preferences, and analysing competitors and industry trends to make informed business decisions. Marketing can even guide product development, helping companies create offerings that truly meet market demands 🎯 For instance, packaging decisions often come from insights into what appeals to customers.

Marketing also plays a key role in setting competitive yet profitable prices that align with customer expectations. It extends to distribution and placement strategies, determining where and how a product or service reaches the target audience.

Then there's the part of marketing most people are familiar with, promotion. This includes advertising, public relations, and various promotional activities designed to build awareness and interest among potential customers 👥

Finally, marketing includes sales and customer relationship management, which engages customers, facilitates purchases, and fosters satisfaction and loyalty. So marketing plays a pretty key role at every stage of a business and helps build long-term relationships that encourage customers to return again and again 🔄💼

What are marketing communications?

Marketing communications are all the methods and channels a company uses to inform, persuade and remind customers about their products, services or brand. This is also often referred to as the 'promotional mix' 📣!

This includes traditional advertising (paid media) such as TV, radio, print, and digital ads aimed at reaching a broad audience, usually to boost brand awareness rather than drive a specific action. Public relations support a brand’s image and its relationships with the public and stakeholders, often through media engagement and press releases, for example, securing a positive story about the company in a magazine. Sales promotions offer short-term incentives like discounts or coupons 🏷️ to stimulate sales, while direct marketing involves targeted communications, such as emails, to engage customers directly. 

Finally, digital marketing encompasses online and social media strategies 🌐, including search engine optimization, social media posts (both organic and paid), influencer collaborations, and content marketing, all tailored to reach audiences in today’s digital landscape.

Marketing communications aim to create a unified brand message across multiple platforms, encouraging customers to buy a product or stay loyal to the brand ❤️

What is an integrated marketing communication?

You probably hear about IMC a lot 📣, but maybe you're not entirely sure what it actually is 🤔 so here’s a quick breakdown!

Integrated marketing communication (IMC) is the strategic approach of coordinating all marketing communication tools and channels to deliver a clear, consistent, and compelling message about a brand across all customer touchpoints. 

The point of IMC is to ensure that every communication, from advertising and social media to customer service, conveys the same core message that aligns with the brand identity and goals 🎯

When creating an integrated marketing communication strategy it is important to keep in mind consistency; so create a unified brand voice across all channels, this will help strengthen brand recognition 🔄🔊. Efficiency is also important as it saves time and resources by aligning various departments and removing any confusion for a customer. This allows the company to improve customer experience, to provide a seamless and cohesive customer journey, enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty!

In essence, IMC aims to build a stronger, more recognisable brand by aligning all marketing efforts and delivering a synchronised message to the target audience 🎯🌟


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