For years, I’ve preached the benefits of integrated marketing, so it is time I write about it here as well. Too many companies silo their marketing approaches into narrow disciplines without creating a plan for them to support each other.
The answer is not to only hire generalists without any expertise, but in addition to these focus-area experts, senior marketing executives must be responsible for creating an integrated marketing approach.
One of the easiest ways to begin to create and implement an integrated marketing approach is with a themed approach. Take for example these four potential themes that could run in three or four month cycles over a year:
1) Cost Savings
2) Time to Market
3) New Approach to Old Problem
4) Sustainability
Messaging related to themes would then be woven into product marketing, analyst relations, demand generation programs and public relations. Like a product launch, the timing of each effort and tactic should be plotted so as to support each other. For example, the analyst relations outreach and thought leadership push would be a few months ahead of the demand generation and messaging to existing customers.
It should go without saying that although the themes and core messaging are the same, each piece must be tailored to a specific audience type. This is even true within the same marketing function. For example, your buyer could be a business unit leader, while the end user (influencer) could be at the staff level. While an attribute such as “easy to use” will resonate with the influencer, it is only a nice additional benefit to the business unit leader looking for a more strategic reason to approve the purchase.
Early stage tech companies sometimes mistake their product attributes for their brand. Others mistake public relations for a brand strategy. A good brand strategy is the perfect example of integrated marketing because it:
- requires articulating the company vision
- influences the product marketing approach and messaging
- determines if the product roadmap is legitimate
- is justified though leadership/analyst relations/public relations/social media
- is sold as a concept to prospects through demand generation/advertising/ SEM
A siloed marketing approach will never see these commonalities. At best, companies without an integrated marketing approach are wasting time and money by duplicating efforts. At worst, they are weakening their brand and confusing the marketplace.
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