What is Integrated Marketing and Why Should I Do It?

What Is Integrative Marketing?

Integrative marketing is a method that combines a detailed understanding of consumers with large scale data analysis to create content and communications that develops a consistent identity throughout all mediums and messages. It is a holistic method, utilizing the multitude of approaches, channels, and skill sets that are now necessary to be competitive in today’s digital age.

Why Is Integrative Marketing a Necessary Tool for Businesses?

Advances in technology, as well as the explosion of internet usage around the world, have led to a need for a major shift in marketing techniques. While in the past, consumers accessed information mainly through print, they now primarily access information through digital media. Furthermore, not only has internet usage become more widespread, there have also been dramatic changes to the way the digital information is accessed. Instead of utilizing primarily one device (i.e. the laptop or desktop), most individuals now use connected devices (i.e. appliances, cars, smartphones, and tablets). Moreover, social media has also become a necessary marketing tool as well.

To keep up with these changes, businesses must adapt their marketing strategies as well in order to create a consistent identity through all mediums and messages. Not only is integrated marketing necessary due to the plethora of media and purchasing options for consumers, integrated marketing also helps a business obtain – and maintain – a competitive advantage. Benefits of utilizing integrated marketing include: (1) an increased return on investment, (2) more efficient marketing, and (3) the prevention of duplicate messages.

When it comes to marketing, an understanding of the consumer is vital. With integrative marketing, businesses attract, engage, and retain consumers across a variety of digital, social media, and print platforms.

Millennials are Not Giving Up on Print

Millennials, or those people 30 and under, are tech savvy, with the ability to handle all the latest gadgetry and social media with ease. This has led to the idea that they are turning their backs on print media such as newspapers and books. When you see so many using social media, it’s easy to think this might be the case, but recent research is showing a very different picture. While they may be using paper or print less, they are far from pushing it all the way aside.

Newspapers

Many think newspapers are a dying breed because of the Internet, and the experts said the same when radio and television were invented at the time. An info graphic published by the <a href=”http://www.naa.org/millennials”>Newspaper Association of America</a> shows that 56 percent of people between the ages of 18 and 34 read newspapers, either online or in print, in any given week. People in this age group see their local newspaper as a reliable source of local information, and that affects them personally. They may not care whether it is in print or online, but they do appear to care about local information. The same study showed 10 percent of people in this age group are actual subscribers to the paper product, and an even higher number get a paper copy about once a week. About 70 percent react to ads in a paper newspaper as well.

Books

There is something about holding a book in one’s hand, and even millennials think this way. A<a href=”https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/why-digital-natives-prefer-reading-in-print-yes-you-read-that-right/2015/02/22/8596ca86-b871-11e4-9423-f3d0a1ec335c_story.html”> Washington Post </a>story cited a study that showed a fourth of college students bought print textbooks even when they were given an electronic copy free. Overall, when given the option, the same study showed people in this age group relied on e-books only nine percent of the time.

Developing a Multi-Channel Marketing Strategy

Marketing means being creative, which you need to be because of the amount of competition. Your business has to not only meet the needs of your consumers now, but also try to anticipate what they may want tomorrow. The more avenues or channels you can take to branch out and reach more customers, the more likely you will become a success.

New Perspectives

The moment someone tells you to think outside the box, they’ve lost credibility. It’s an overused phrase that means nothing anymore. To really see something in a new way, you have to be willing to come up with practically unlimited ideas. Most of those ideas will in and of themselves go nowhere, but they may lead you to you winning strategy. Where are you customers? What are they doing? Are they on their phones? Are they mostly in the office? Do they watch television? Internet advertising, email lists, commercials, billboards and social media are all potential channels you can use to create an effective marketing campaign. The key here is to use the limited resources (time, advertising dollars) available to you so you can impress and retain your customers.

Working Smarter

Your customers probably have at least a few things in common, and that’s what you really need to focus on when it comes to marketing: what ties them together. If you work for a hardware store, and the common thread is the love of finishing a chore well. The campaign needs to focus on this from every angle. Maybe you run a photo contest on social media for ‘Best DIY Project’ while your newspaper ads show the pride on someone’s face because they didn’t have to call a so-called professional for help. Use different channels to promote the same message.

Incorporating Videos Into Your Everyday Marketing (benefits)

One of the lesser utilized methods of marketing, including video into your everyday marketing, can drastically improve your interactions while also helping to boost and drive sales. No matter what industry you’re involved in, there is an array of ways in which you can incorporate videos into your marketing in order to boost your overall profitability. With that said, the following is an overview of the benefits of incorporating video into your marketing methodology.

Potentially Viral Marketing Tools

The first, and most important way in which including videos into your marketing can help your company is by potentially going viral. This is due to the fact that people tend to watch and share videos more than other forms of media. This makes it possible for a video or caption advertising your company or services, to become viral as well. What’s more, there is no need to create these videos yourself. You can simply share a funny or informative video on a subject closely related to your brand, and add in some copy about your company in the caption area. That way, everyone who watches and shares your video will also view information about your company and/or services.

Improve Overall Interaction with Customers

In keeping with that notion, using videos also helps to boost conversation amongst your customers as well as interaction with your company as a whole. By posting videos, this leaves room for your clients to express their opinions in the comments. The more comments you receive, the more likely a post is to go viral and spark increased interest within your customer base.

Overall, incorporating video is a great way to boost traffic and drive sales. Just be sure to select/ create videos that are pertinent to your industry and always leave your information on each post.

Printing Trends For 2016

As with everything else, time changes the way we live and evolve and that goes for the print industry as well.  The way we used print 20 years ago is significantly different than the way we use it today and the way we will use it in the future.  The key is to watch for emerging trends and to get on board early in the game so you are the first one doing something different as that’s what will get your customers’ attention.    So let’s take a look at some of the emerging print trends for the upcoming year.

Use A Multimedia Approach

With everything going digital these days, you need to make sure your print marketing includes a multimedia approach.  Your print and digital ads should work together and complement each other.  If your ads are appealing enough, you will be able to prompt your audience to engage with you by requesting more information, clicking on your social media links or your QR codes to give them immediate access to what they want, which in turn could result in more revenue.

Packaging Print Advertising Is Gaining Popularity

Think about how many sets of eyes see a product’s packaging from order or purchase to final delivery.  So why not make your packaging more intelligent by showing the world what you have to offer and why you are their best option.  Catchy slogans, coupons, special offers and prizes etc. are all great ways to expand your reach, especially when it comes to how easy it is when using custom packaging.

Go Green

Traditionally, the print industry is seen as being not so environmentally friendly.  However, times have changed and consumers should be made aware of how often paper products are recycled and how reforestation has turned the tables on deforestation.  By implementing green initiatives, you will give your company a more favorable reputation while building your brand.

Other Trends To Watch

  • Digital infrastructure
  • Digital print technology via increased print speeds
  • The growth of digital color production
  • Variable data printing
  • Printed QR codes with links
  • 3D printing
  • Barcode label printing
  • Receipt printing
  • Web-to-print

The Bottom Line

Print is not dead, never was, never will be.  That means if you are not jumping on emerging print trends as they happen, you will be left behind with your competition picking up the slack.

How Do I Track Direct Marketing

When starting a marketing campaign for your business or company, the first thing you want to establish is a way to track the success of your campaigns. This will help you figure out what is working for your company and what’s not working. By establishing clear cut ways to track your marketing efforts, you can determine where your ideal audience is viewing your marketing efforts and if they are responding to it.

Traceable Codes

There are 2 main ways you can use traceable codes in your marketing campaign as a way to measure their success. If you are sending out mailers that indicate a special sale or promotion that you are having, use a specific code on the mailers that the users have to enter in order to access the discount. When the promotion or sale is over, you will be able to determine if customers found the sale via the mailers and unique code you used and how effective the mailers were. The other way traceable codes can be used is by adding them to your coupons that you offer. You may choose to offer coupons to your newsletter subscribers and a lesser coupon to all of your other potential costumers. With 2 unique coupon codes, you will be able to trace which coupons were the most effective.

Sales Campaigns with Unique URL

When sending out mailers or a newsletter to your customers, you can include a specific, special URL that the potential customer has to type in or click on in order to get to the offer or discount. This way, you will be able to track how many people accessed the discount via the specific URL.

Offer a Gift with Specific Purchase

A great way to track a marketing campaign is to offer a small, free gift with the purchase of an item. You can offer this free gift when the item is purchased with a specific code, through a specific URL, or during a short time frame. You will then be able to check how many customers redeemed the free gift offer.

Can YouTube Actually Attract Attention to Your Business?

One of the most important things for any print shop owner to focus on is their marketing strategy.  It’s critical to keep costs low while attracting attention of a variety of people.  For this reason, many small business owners have started posting videos on YouTube.

 

While posting on Your Tube is free, it can be difficult actually getting potential customers to click on a video.  With millions of available videos, it’s important to make your print shop’s video stand out.  Simply posting a thirty second commercial about your services will probably get a few views from loyal customers, but it won’t do much to attract new business.  Fortunately, there are two strategies that are proven methods of attracting a lot of views.

 

Funny and unusual videos are among the most popular things that people look on YouTube for.  Make a person laugh, and they’ll probably share the video with their friends and family.  Since most print shops don’t employ a team of comedy writers, however, a funny, scripted mini-movie is typically out of the question.  Instead, consider posting funny outtakes from the shop, brief jokes, or collections of the funniest customer orders.  Of course, make sure you have those customers’ permission first.

 

A more useful type of video on YouTube is the how-to video.  While these rarely go viral and post large numbers of page views in a short amount of time, the best ones will generate a steady number of views everyday for years.  These videos help potential customers utilize your services.  For example, a video explaining what kind of drawings will look best on a t-shirt will be viewed by people who are working to put together artwork for a print shop.  Odds are, they’ll be looking for advice on which print shop to use, too.

9 Ways to Keep Leads and Prospects Engaged

Sometimes the usual phone call or email is just the complete wrong way to follow-up with leads.  While tempting, keep in mind that you may catch prospects at a bad time, lead them to feeling like they’re “being sold,” or have them ask you to stop attempting altogether.  How can you spark action and interest into that lead without a hard sell?  Simple!  Here are 9 types of information you can send to your leads to keep their attention:

Recorded Webinars
Webinars are a convenient way of educating a large audience with minimal costs associated.  What is also great about them is that they can be recorded!  If you’re going to deliver a great presentation that highlights your expertise, make the most of it by saving the recording and using it as a sales tool for future leads and inquiries.

Recorded Sales Demonstrations
In sales, you may come across a situation where you have to deliver multiple demos for the same company before you can close the deal.  While every point of contact is an opportunity to get closer to the lead, make sure they don’t forget you (and can show you off to colleagues) by sending them a recorded demo.  That way, they can refer back to it at their convenience and never forget the greatest parts of your company.

Digital Company Brochures
If you have a fantastic printed brochure, turn the original PDF file of it into an electronic sales tool!  It’s a great way to sum up all of your company’s benefits and services into one well-designed package, and your leads can then save it on their desktop.  Be sure to share this via a software that handles electronic fulfullment so that you have a history record of sending it.

eBooks
Educate your audience with an enticing eBook that includes interesting facts about your audience’s pain points, and the solutions to those problems.  You can subtly promote your services and products within them, but have this eBook act as a reminder to all that you’re the answer to their problems.

Videos
Position yourself as the expert by giving tips, best practices, and a summary of services in 1-2 minute video clips.  Send this along to your prospects as a conversation starter, and let them get to know you through creative videos.

Podcasts
If you have team members who are fantastic speakers, podcasts may be the best approach to take when trying to capture their knowledge.  You can get away with longer podcast sessions as opposed to videos because the listener can listen in the car, at their desk over lunch, or on their morning run. Invite educational guests and keep folks coming back monthly for more knowledge!

Infographics
If you have a great graphic design team, and some captivating statistics, highlight both of these resources in an infographic.  They’re interesting, fun to look at, and share-worthy.  You can share information about the industries your target audiences are in, how you have increased success for clients, or how you’re keeping up with new technologies.

Service and Product Sell Sheets
Perhaps your leads don’t need the entire brochure, all they may want is a one-pager that goes over key benefits of one service or product they may be interested in.  Think real estate; they’ve mastered the 1-page sell. What’s great about having electronic sales sheets of your various offerings is that you can send a mixture of them depending on what your lead needs, and not clutter up their mind with too many ancillary services that don’t suit them.

Surveys
This sales tool is beneficial for two big reasons.  If you deliver a survey with weighted questions, you can customize the end results of what the survey would say based on the lead’s answers.  It also helps you qualify the lead in finding out what type of offerings would best fit their needs.

The bottom line?
The sales process doesn’t always have to be direct.  Take more of an inbound marketing approach and let them come to you. Sometimes the best way to keep the conversation going is to send educational and informative materials that will captivate your leads and get them excited about what you have to say so when they are ready, they come to the expert first (pssst…that’ll be you!)

The Solution to Retail Mobile Marketing

In today’s society we are all practically glued to our smartphones; in fact, I bet the majority of you are reading this blog post from a 4.5” by 2.3” screen. It is no secret that small and large businesses have been trying to crack the mobile marketing secrets for years. From failed text messaging advertisements to recent QR codes, mobile marketing has been a necessity that has yet to deliver the desired results – until now. Apple has once again stepped to the forefront with a mobile marketing tactic that is affordably available to big and small retail players.

Have you ever heard of the iBeacon? The iBeacon uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to create a transmitting beacon around regions, which alerts your store’s app when a user enters into the beacon’s space. Imagine that you are approaching a Macy’s store. As you enter into the Macy’s iBeacon region your phone will transmit customized coupons and even walking directions to the specific aisle where a discounted item is located. iBeacon can go so far as to prompt customers with special promotions or a personalized recommendation based on past shopping history.

A recent Bloomberg article examined the mobile marketing implications of the iBeacon. According to Bloomberg analyst Bill Carmody, at just $99 for three 50-meter transmitting beacons, “It’s as if you just added Google Analytics to your physical store – the real-life equivalent of being able to analyze page views and click throughs.” iBeacon allows retail store owners and manufactures to analyze retail traffic patterns, specific hover zones, and purchase patterns.

The possibilities for targeted mobile marketing are now endless. As we enter the busy holiday shopping season we will soon discover if iBeacon proves to be the mobile marketing breakthrough that it currently seems to be.

Building a Keyword Strategy

Is it more important to post content frequently or to post content about the right topics?  Creating content with targeted keywords and phrases is vital for companies.  Below are two important steps to ensure that you can do that successfully.

Identifying the Right Keywords
The first step in identifying the right keywords involves answering the question, “What should I create content about?”

Oftentimes, we look internally for those answers.  What do I want to write about?  What am I passionate about?  While those questions are important, we need to always consider the overall goal.  Typically, that is to build an audience and to drive traffic to our website.

Thus, we must ensure that the topics that we want to create content about also match up to the interests and passions of our target audience.

At that point, we should find a way to build a list of the words and phrases that are associated to those topics.  These items do not need to be stored in a fancy, complex system — you could simply keep them in a document or spreadsheet!  But the bottom line is, make the list!  Do not rely on yourself to try to remember the words and phrases that you should use when creating content.

Promoting and Sharing the Words and Strategy
The list of keywords must certainly have a big presence within the walls of a marketing department (whether those walls are physical or virtual).  But they also should be shared among employees from all departments.  Why?

Well, more and more, people from all walks of life and backgrounds are creating profiles on social networks. Perhaps they primarily use their accounts to talk about personal topics.  But if they occasionally interact with a customer or prospect on those channels, or if they link to your company’s website, or simply list its name in their bio, they are representing your brand.

By sharing the list, you will be creating opportunities for all employees to build awareness of your company’s products and services.

Oftentimes, there may be an employee that wants to contribute to the online conversation about your business, but they are just not sure what to say. Sharing the list can be the spark that ignites more conversations about the topics that are vital to you and your audience.