Integrated Marketing
Integrated Marketing Definition
Integrated marketing. Sounds intimidating? It’s not. The core concept of ‘Integrated Marketing” is the idea that multiple sales and marketing channels are sharing data. Furthermore, there has to be a primary, centralized repository for that data. One of the tools is the owner of the data, or the “master” and all other channels are “slaves” to that master for their data. Of course, all the slaves are required to pass any new data they gather on to the master. So there’s your definition of ”Integrated Marketing” on the data level.
Application
On the marketing level, integrated marketing is all about identifying what you already have in your customer base. From there, new markets can be identified, new marketing messages and campaigns developed, then let the “reaching out” begin. Again, all of the data utilized resides in the central repository mentioned above, and any new data gathered during campaigns is passed along and stored in the central database. If you need help with your data-base please see our Data Services page.
Marketing is all about identifying and reaching out to new prospects, as well as existing accounts. But marketing is only the first half of the equation; sales is the second half. Like analogies? Marketing flushes the bird out of the brush and sales comes in to “knock the bird down”, as the pheasant hunters would say. It’s a team effort utilizing various channel tools at each team’s disposal with all of the data gathered in the process by the slave channels funneled directly to the master database.
It’s All About The Database
Beginning to understand the concept of Integrated Marketing? It’s all about the database. The sales and marketing tools and channels used are secondary. Now that you understand the centralized database concept let’s take a quick look at some of the tools employed in integrated marketing to accomplish the various marketing and sales objectives.
Marketing and Sales Tools (Channels)
Data can be gathered from each of these channels in some form, and returned directly, or indirectly, to the master database. That these tools are interconnected in their ability to gather and share data through the master database is what makes them “integrated”.
Email Marketing-mass email distributions usually include a response mechanism. That data goes into a db.
QR Codes- those square boxes that look like a rat maze on crack. Yes, Virginia, they disseminate data and are capable of being programmed to gather it.
PURLS/GURLS- if you’ve ever received a direct mail-piece, or an email, with a web-link/url with your name in it then you’ve seen a PURL. It takes you to a landing page that’s already populated with your data (from the master database!). From there, you’re asked questions which you may answer and that data will be added to the master db.
A GURL is simply a “general” url, one that’s not assigned to a specific person but will take you to a specified landing page for a particular campaign. Since the GURL doesn’t know who you are, the info gathered will have to ask you your name, etc. This data will also be added to the master db.
SMS (Text) Message Marketing- texting is more than just two teenage girls keeping track of the cutest boys. Texting is a two-way information highway. You can request coupons via text. The information you volunteered, and your interest in a certain product (remember the coupon) is passed on to the master db. You can request to be placed on a mailing list via text. You can donate money to the disaster of the month via text and it will show up on your phone bill. You can watch movie trailers on your smart phone by requesting them via text, and the list goes on limited only by your marketing department’s creativity.
Telemarketing-think what you will about telemarketing but that it’s still around is testimony to the fact that it works. Whether the objective is to sell you something or simply gather information, all of the resulting data gathered makes its way to the master db.
Landing Pages- a landing page is a 1-3 page micro-website built specifically for use with a specified campaign. There are quite a number of ways to get to one (see above) but once you’re there the objective is to gather more information about you and/or to sell you something. Must I remind you where that newly gathered information will end up?
Web Forms- web forms are like alligators. They just lie in the weeds and wait for an opportunity to come along. Forms are placed in strategic locations on web pages where a visitor is likely to want more information. For that information the visitor is asked to trade some information about himself via the form. Bang! More data about you is captured and added to the db.
Dominant Local Search- it is possible to capture data about potential prospects via the world of local search and the sites that that term encompasses.
Social Media Networking- LinkedIn, FaceBook, Twitter and a couple hundred of their closest friends are capable of gathering endless data about the people you wish to know about. Some info can be gathered electronically, some the old-fashioned way but it should all make its way back into your master db.
Your Call To Action
That’s just a quick look at some of the tools available to you, the small business owner, for use in your integrated marketing efforts. The major corporations are using them and there’s no reason you couldn’t do the same. We have access to all of these tools and staff that knows how to use them and track their results.
Give us a call right now, 972-788-4266, and let’s talk about how we can help you grow your business using an integrated marketing approach.
Sir Speedy Addison is proud to be one of the Dallas areas leading marketing services firms. Jim Quinn has been the sole proprietor of the establishment since December of 1990 and has overseen the expansion of the business from printing services to a full line of marketing services targeting the small business market.
Proudly serving Addison, E. Carrollton, W. Plano, western portions of Farmers Branch, and all points in-between!