Integrated marketing communication is the base of any advertisement campaign for the long term or short term. In the past, an advertisement campaign was the way to do it. Ads were run on television, radio, newspaper with similar positioning of the product for some time in hopes of getting desired benefits in the form of revenue, consumer’s mindshare.
These were very carefully monitored campaigns and were unidirectional. The consumers didn’t have channels to tell their experiences (good or bad) regarding the products to other people around the world.
As the times have changed and people have more outlets to raise their concerns or to cheer for a product, the dynamics have changed a lot. What would Henry Ford, who famously said, “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.”, think about the relationship of today’s market volatility and the consumer’s attitude?
Since products are touching consumers at various levels and formats now, it has become crucial for us to change.
People look at our products on their mobiles, tablets, computers, television, magazines, and sometimes we send them emails, messages, newsletters, and coupons. And at other times, they search for us on Google or come to our websites and physical stores.
It becomes essential for us to give them similar experience across all the channels. It conveys them we really care for them, builds their trust, and then they come back to us expecting the same experience as the previous one.
Consider the scenario a hair salon offers you five dollars discount on haircuts when you book your appointment on their website. When you reach the place, the store operator says that the promotion has expired; you either grudgingly sit on the chair and get a haircut, probably making a mental note not to come back to the establishment or would walk away from the place. It’s not that you can afford the five bucks, but it’s just not fair; that’s what you would say.
When a company meets the expectations, it satisfies or (in marketer’s fantasy) delights the customer, and when it does not, it appears as Google reviews and haunts the business for a long time.