Integrated marketing means coordinating the impact of all company departments on the customer. The individual departments of a company must learn to “think customer-centric.” In integrated marketing, we focus on the customer and their satisfaction.
The central goal is to harmonize all activities (i.e., all marketing instruments), because only in this way can synergy effects with a corresponding pull effect be created.
The size of the company is irrelevant, and even retail, which some say is undergoing constant change, is not exempt from this. Today, it’s not enough to simply attack customers with buzzwords; real answers are needed.
Customer orientation in focus
Integrated marketing means that all company departments work together to engage with customers and focus on customer satisfaction. It goes beyond simply coordinating marketing activities—it requires a deep understanding of the target audience’s needs.
Regardless of the size of the company and even in industries that are considered to be subject to constant change, customer orientation is an indispensable factor for success.
Know your target group
Only those who know their customers can practice integrated marketing. The following data is important to know:
- Demographics (age, gender, place of residence, income group, etc.)
- Environment variables (browser, operating system, desktop or mobile preferred, etc.)
- Behavior (search preferences, purchase preferences, needs, problems, etc.)
To a large extent, these points can be determined through analysis, such as our new customer analysis, but in some cases, historical data and customer questions must also be used.
Target your target groups
If the target audience is known, they can be addressed according to business psychology. If you run an online shop for tuning parts, a verbose, personal approach is rather out of place. Likewise, beauty products aren’t sold with facts, formal language, and a lack of storytelling.
This shows how important it is to know the target audience, because otherwise, customers are lost when they first enter the website, resulting in a high bounce rate.
So it’s not just about content, but above all about its usefulness. While content and relevance are important for Google rankings, usability for the target audience must not be overlooked. What good is the best content if it’s irrelevant to the company’s typical users?
Problem-solving as a principle of success
Integrated marketing goes beyond simply selling products. Anyone who knows and addresses their target audience must also present themselves as a problem-solver. The website and online store should serve as a point of contact for customer needs. Only then can products and services sell themselves.
Design as an interface to the target group
Design plays a central role in integrated marketing. Both the visual language and the copy must appeal to the target audience, solve their problems, and encourage action. Appropriate visual appeal is clearly part of this.
Of course, the site’s design must not only be aesthetically pleasing, but also functional. This means the navigation must be logically structured, and the technical requirements must be met. Furthermore, the website’s usability should be tailored to the target audience.
Storytelling on new channels
How does the target group navigate the web, and which applications do they use?
Many companies use traditional newsletters or Facebook pages to communicate with customers. But is that exactly what customers use?
When we talk about storytelling in newsletters in the area of integrated marketing, that doesn’t mean that the weekly newsletter promotes the same, soon-to-be-boring products. For example, anyone who buys glasses from Brille24 is bombarded with offers for new glasses week after week. But does anyone immediately buy new glasses after investing in them? Storytelling here means offering additional offers, such as contact lenses, cleaning products, and other add-ons.
The better you analyze your target group and the more precisely you know about their purchases, the more targeted you can build a customer relationship.
The challenges of social channels
This also affects the use of social media channels, and if in doubt, it makes more sense to close down your Facebook presence if you’re no longer reaching your customers. Most young people use WhatsApp or Snapchat for communication, and Instagram for photos, etc. Young people don’t use a platform that their own parents are now using. So, anyone who wants to reach young people would be wise not to use Facebook as their primary tool.
Likewise, a centrally-based retailer can sell its surplus stock through AdWords or Google Shopping campaigns. They can list their products on Amazon to sell beyond their physical store, and above all, they can do one thing: be found.
Let’s face it: Retailers today have to do more than just offer their customers a seat and a glass of water. They have to know their target audience and offer appropriate offers.
- If your target group is mobile, then free parking is top-notch
- If the target audience is very technology-oriented, a special portfolio is needed. And such a portfolio only makes sense if the retailer can also sell beyond the outskirts of town.
- If the target group is interested in health, such as proper mattresses, because their back hurts, then specialist advice and special products are required.
And this added value only pays off if it’s better presented. So, it’s not enough to be found on Google when your target audience is on an Apple phone and using its navigation. The company should also be found there, with its precise address, phone number, and opening hours.
This is where investing in Local SEO from SEYBOLD is worthwhile, so that the company can be found via the most important directories and apps used by the target group.
Conclusion
In the world of integrated marketing, analytics, alignment, added value, and presence are key concepts. Successful online and offline marketing can only be achieved through a deep understanding of the target audience, the integration of various marketing channels, and the provision of real solutions. Our task is to understand these principles and apply them strategically to shape our brand’s success story.