Avoid Mixed Messages with a Strategic Marketing Plan

Editor’s Note: This is the first of a three-part series on understanding, designing and implementing effective integrated marketing programs. Please view the second and third installments.

There have been many successful integrated marketing programs implemented through the years at carwashes, fast lubes and c-stores. Some programs were developed and executed flawlessly and led to increases in customer awareness. Some succeeded in driving incremental revenue to their operations, while others even grew into defining symbols, creating an effective atmosphere (or even a theme) for their businesses.

Unfortunately, most did not. However, with some effort and focus, you too can create a successful integrated marketing communications program for your operation.

To get started, we first must discuss some of the theories and tasks that need to be addressed in order to create a successful integrated marketing plan for your business. In subsequent articles, we will examine designing and developing the marketing message and finish with “left brain marketing for right brain people.”

Combining the strategies outlined in these articles with a good dose of realism about how much you are prepared to put into your plan will help dictate what you draw from the information and enable you to see positive results.

Someone once said to me that doing business without marketing is like winking in the dark, you know you are doing it, but no one else does. Marketing in business has been around as long as business itself. Capturing customers’ attention and trying to educate them about products and services have long had their roots in most business ventures. Yours is no different.

There are several definitions describing the effort of integrated marketing. One of the simplest comes from William D. Perrault Jr., who says, “Integrated marketing is the intentional coordination of every communication form from a company to a target customer to convey a consistent and complete message.” There are many others, but I am sure you get the idea.

The key words there are intentional, every form, target customer, consistent and complete, not to mention that your marketing plan should also flow over to your merchandising campaign in the store itself. Integrated marketing is a management concept that is designed to make every aspect of marketing communications, such as advertising, sales promotion, public relations and direct marketing, work together as a unified force rather than permit each to work in isolation.

Imagine tying in your specialty or message with a marketing scheme that is targeted, purposeful, and on all channels of communication, resulting in driving people to your site. Nice thought, right? Now, if everything is done well, executed properly and the forces of nature cooperate, imagine that those customers arrive to see the same messaging reinforced with merchandising material that matches and mirrors your communication, suggests the sale, and strengthens your brand name. The net result is that your sales will increase and you will begin to reach your goals.

Even if your overall strategy is to change some of the offerings to match the season or time of year, your customers will see the same underlying messages with subtle changes — ones that they will be looking for each time they visit your site. Easier said than done, though.

Getting Down to It

Every medium, channel and format, from online marketing, direct mail, television and radio to print, billboards, guerilla marketing and so on, has its distinctive strengths and weaknesses. There are core messages, brand