How to Create Fully Integrated Communications for your Brand

Lately, for whatever the reasons, I’ve been in contact with a lot of entrepreneurs. There are some great ideas out there, with a lot of potentials. For a lot of startups, money is tight. Every dollar is wisely spent and accounted for. The anticipation of getting financial investors is looming on the horizon…. All efforts are focused on the finalization of the products or services. Branding and communications are somewhere in the distant (or maybe not so distant) future. If you’re launching a new business or have the potential to grow your existing enterprise (without having invested the time or dollars in branding), take a moment and focus. This information is for you.

 What is an Integrated Marketing Strategy?

An Integrated Strategy is planned carefully to deliver a unified and consistent experience for customers who interact with the brand. These experiences are called consumer touchpoints. Consumers are those that will be using (or consuming) your products or services. Consumers can be businesses or individuals. It depends on whom you’re targeting. 

Your brand or your company needs to have a consistent look, personality, and message. If you think of consumer touchpoints, that can include television, digital research, email, social media, signage, trucks, and so on. Your business card needs to connect with your LinkedIn page. Your LinkedIn page needs to connect with your Instagram account. The story you tell during each touchpoint must be “integrated” by every single communication. Everyone in your organization should be speaking the same brand language.

 What is an Integrated Marketing Campaign?

An Integrated Campaign is a cross-channel marketing strategy that involves creating consistent campaigns across different platforms. Imagine if you saw an ad on Facebook for a new skincare product. If you clicked on the ad and landed on a website that looked or sounded differently, you would think it was a mistake. Why? Because it doesn’t connect. We’re creatures of habit. We’re already accustomed to integrated marketing, and we don’t even know it. We expect things to connect. If they don’t, we just leave. That is no way to grow a business. 

 Why Build an Integrated Campaign?

The answer is simple. It’s the most effective way to build brand recognition, brand loyalty, boost revenue, and it’s much easier to execute along the way. In the long run, it’s a lot more cost-effective. If you have a brand and communications guideline, you have basically mapped your future growth. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Plan well and stay the course. 

If you’re interested in creating an integrated plan and would like a free consultation, click here.

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