Why Digital Marketing is a Critical IMC Effort in the Customer Journey
IMC, integrated marketing communication, is bringing significant changes to the marketplace with the introduction of digital marketing. Whereas IMC maps a customer journey, research has shown that this is a powerful platform for a business when unified with digital marketing.
Baby Boomer entrepreneurs need to understand the customer journey, as it relates to digital and IMC, as this can tremendously add value to their brands. In today’s world, the experience of the customer journey requires more genteel communication approaches. IMC is a complex process, but synchronization with digital marketing helps to solidifies the process.
Throughout this article, IMC will be used interchangeably with integrated marketing communication. It will lead you to understand why digital marketing is a vital consumer journey IMC effort.
What is Digital Marketing?
Digital marketing is leveraging online channels to promote your products and services. According to Wikipedia, “digital marketing is the component of marketing that utilizes the internet and online-based digital technologies such as desktop computers, mobile phones and other digital media and platforms to promote products and services.”
What Is Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC)?
The BusinessDictionary defines IMC as “an approach to achieving the objectives of a marketing campaign, through a well-coordinated use of different promotional methods that are intended to reinforce each other.” This sends a clear message regardless of which platform is being used.
“Integrated marketing communications is a way of looking at the whole marketing process from the viewpoint of the customer.” – Philip Kotler
Understanding the Customer Journey
A customer journey is related to the way the customer interacts with a business. It operates at various touchpoints throughout the process and helps the brand raise awareness of the product or service. The customer makes an inquiry, evaluates the product or service, and determines whether to make a purchase. The brand will then integrate customer engagement strategies to grow and sustain brand loyalty.
Ultimately, the customer journey helps the business to remain focused on its customers and make every phase of the shopping process easier for consumers.
The Basics of How Digital Marketing is a Critical IMC effort in the Customer Journey
IMC allows customers to connect with a company through a range of strategies and platforms that work together to deliver a cohesive and consistent message to the customer; based on their pain points being addressed. Digital marketing brings this insight into the consumer experience, from the awareness phase to the decision process, across different online channels. That aims to get consumers to purchase the products or services and become brand champions.
As we can see in this case, research has revealed that Levi Strauss & Co have implemented an IMC campaign with a focus on digital marketing that relates to the customer journey. “Documentaries about rebuilding efforts in a rundown steel town across multiple media sources made this campaign an integrated marketing gem.”
Due to the complexities of the IMC process, a business should employ a strategic approach when weaving into the customer journey experience. Business decisions should include segmentation; targeting the right audience with the right information that resonates with the consumers and solve their pain points at the right time.
A digital IMC campaign can be time-consuming and expensive to execute, however, it allows for broader reach and offers you the ability to promote the brand with one single message on different platforms. Conducting marketing research is important to ensure an efficient and cost-effective campaign. Once executed, analyze and evaluate your strategy
Conclusion
Now that you understand why digital marketing in the customer journey is a vital IMC endeavor, are you prepared to create a better customer experience?
Aligning your message with a more holistic approach that integrates with your customer journey is critical for your business success. That will help you to distinguish your brand from the competition. Although IMC provides complexities, digital marketing is crucial in making the connection through-out the various stages of the customer journey on multiple platforms, thus empowering brands to target different segments.
Learn more about Integrated Marketing Communications in The Digital Age.
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