Communication is among the most crucial attributes of any business marketing; it creates relationships thereby ensuring the growth and prosperity of the organization. Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) aims at making a unified and consistent product and services experience for clients across multiple communication channels (Khattab, Abu-Rumman, & Zaldan, 2015). Traditionally, IMC depended on television, newspapers, billboards and other such media. In the recent years, digital upheavals have led to a significant evolution in marketing through the various social networks, search engines, online advertising, email marketing, etc. As a result, changes have been implemented to the strategies of the IMC so as to give it a fair competition chance, in the evolved digital world. As we discover new information sources and change from the traditional methods, so does the media and strategies implemented by businesses. Revision in marketing plans from brand-oriented marketing to service focused approach marked the changes in the IMC strategy in the process of the digital mayhem.
The most evident change to IMC strategies was characterized by the shift from traditional advertising methods such as mass media to a more interactive digital media, the social media. Marketing campaigns have therefore gradually turned to social media due to cost effectiveness. The digital media offer more advantages since, not only does it have a bigger range of audience, it also a more interactive and engaging aspect of social media. Companies venture into digital technology methods that include social media, sponsored links, e-newsletters among others.
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In the early days, communication was through mass communication channels, which were one-way. The digital mayhem resulted in revised methods where firms were forced to put into practice one-on-one communications with their clients; this strategy assisted in the creation of more personal relationships with its customers which are the key objective of any marketing plan.
As a result of the digital migration, marketing of products took a new turn as companies put more emphasis on service satisfaction rather than the produce-consume relationship, as in the pre-digitalization days. Through the real-time communication strategy, they can get instant customer feedback from the many digital platforms and customize their products in a manner likely to appeal to the desires of their consumers. Through the increased interaction between consumers and service providers in the digital platform, companies revised their strategies on waiting for customer feedback and went out of their ways to find customers through the social network clients create, where corporations could participate.
The traditional IMC methods involved the implementation of a periodic marketing plan where a corporation could advertise the services & products it offers, the prices of their commodities, promotions, and offers, and other marketing strategies, through media houses or agencies. With the advance in information technology and prevalence of the Internet, many corporations took matters into their hands by personally marketing their products through their websites or social networks or search engines like Google, Yahoo, etc. This strategic change was experienced as a result of the digital migration. This shift in the person to execute the organization’s communication eventually led to the modification of IMC’s strategy of periodic marketing planning to a real-time marketing plan, with daily and instant communication by the management. Before the digital migration, companies could only afford to communicate to their customers periodically.
The online process connects an organization and a customer as a result of the interactive two-way communication process. Consumers can make inquiries about individual commodities and receive an instant reply. In the cases of online companies, buyers are also able to purchase products instantly. By arraigning their brands on social media sites, companies gain a higher competition advantage.
The digital migration also caused an impact on the sales and production marketing strategy in the IMC. The mass production of goods was replaced by the manufacture of customized products in small scale; this is because, in the early days, corporations did not put many considerations into the needs of the consumer, they naturally produced goods and gave it to their customers. Sales marketing also changed from offline sales channel to online sales.
The digital upheavals took the communication and marketing community by storm; it was quickly embraced and integrated into the IMC strategies. The digital technology, however, did not only came with positive consequences for businesses but also with negative impacts. It offered significant competition advantages and disadvantages. Changes to the IMC strategies of companies substantially influenced the five forces of competition: buyers, suppliers, potential entrants, and substitutes.
Buyers have significantly affected the modifications in the ICM strategies. Through the instant communication offered by the digital media, companies quickly communicate with their clients thereby creating a personal relationship which eventually results in customer satisfaction, thus retention. The ability of a business to retain its customers is the first step in competition superiority. Digital technology through the online public relations has increased cases of potential entrants over the decades. The online PR serves as an electronic brochure that gives information concerning a particular organization’s services. This process makes it easier to acquire new potential entrants; this makes it hard to compete effectively.
The substitute concept of competition deals with the ability of customers to find an alternative from what individual business offers. The digital technology not only came with benefits but also provided threats to businesses. Through the various business websites, social networks, and the search engines, consumers can acquire information regarding their needs and find a way to satisfy them without involving the business. This competition offered by customers is a direct result of the digital upheaval.
References
Batra, R., & Keller, K. L. (2016). Integrating Marketing Communications: New Findings, New Lessons and New Ideas. Journal of Marketing.
Chen, G. (2014). From IMC to CCM: The Evolution of Communications. Journal of Integrated Marketing Communications, 16-20.
Khattab, S. A., Abu-Rumman, A. H., & Zaldan, G. M. (2015, August). E-Integrated Marketing Communication and Its Impact on Customers’ Attitudes. American Journal of Industrial and Business Management, 538-547.
