You probably already know how vital it is to have an omnichannel marketing strategy. After all, you want to reach your customers on multiple platforms and with several methods – not just depend on one to get the job done.
However, it is also a good idea to have an integrated marketing plan in your marketing mix. What do we mean by this? Well, in simple terms, this is where your campaigns for a particular special offer, holiday sale, or other event run in tandem with each other across all channels.
Ready to dive in? Here are a few of the most important components of an integrated marketing plan.
Print and Traditional Marketing
Any print marketing campaigns or so-called traditional advertising you buy should be congruent with the digital campaigns you’re running (for example, if you’re mailing out a catalog or postcards to past customers). For most eCommerce brands, this can also include packaging and any other printed materials you put with an order shipment.
You also want to include your other non-digital advertising. Depending on your retail brand’s size, you can ensure your billboard advertising, television/radio ads, and other offline marketing channels all include the same look, message, and tone.
Landing Pages
If you’re having a big sale or running a special offer, it is super important that you sweeten up your landing pages to match your other channels. Make sure the website reflects the promo and includes similar imagery, text, content, and more.
Essentially, you want to make the buyer flow from one channel to another. To put this in perspective, someone might see your billboard ad, check out your social media pages, and then finally arrive at the final landing page to make a purchase. Since this is usually the end stop in the buyer journey, it should really coordinate with what the customer has already seen up to that point.
Email Marketing
If you’ve worked with CAKE in the past, you know we have a pretty big sweet tooth for email marketing. After all, it is a really integral part of having a successful marketing mix. Shoppers expect to hear from you when you’ve got a sale or other event to promote, and email marketing is a great way to get them that information.
You can customize your message to really hit home with your target customer and also keep track of who opens these emails. Then, you can send subsequent retargeting advertising to them later as a way to really drive home that you have a special offer they can’t refuse.
Social Media
A cohesive, integrated marketing plan should also extend to your social media channels too. Make sure to announce your special offer and give followers the chance to interact with your messaging.
Another option? Pair your other offline advertising with your social media. Include links or icons to your brand’s profiles, letting your customers know where they can find and follow you for the latest news on sales, new products, and more.
Paid Advertising
When putting together an integrated marketing plan, you’ll also want to make sure your paid advertising matches the rest of your media. Include the same words, images, and even graphical elements to create a cohesive appeal. Again, the key here is to create a marketing plan that works well on various channels.
Since paid advertising often relies heavily on retargeting, this can be a great way to attract customers that have already seen other messages on different platforms. You can also use it to attract those looking for a specific product, people who are located in an area where you have offline marketing, and more.
Events and Sponsorships
In some cases, you might want to even include attendance at events or sponsorships as part of a bigger integrated marketing campaign. These offline elements are a great way to bring in more online customers while building a strong brand presence.
So, how does an eCommerce company make this work? Well, there’s been a huge increase in the number of local pop-up shops happening around the country. Small online brands essentially rent out space in local malls for a few weeks and offer a limited number of inventory products. Even Amazon has gotten in on this trend, opening up what they call their Amazon 4-star stores in major market retail centers across the country.
How CAKE Can Help You Come Up with a Recipe for Success
Not sure where to start when formulating your brand’s integrated marketing plan? That’s okay! We’ve got this.
At CAKE, we work with brands just like yours to formulate the perfect recipe for omnichannel success. Our experts can help with everything from designing that perfect product packaging insert to making your email marketing more attractive to buyers.
Best of all? We’re here to help every step of the way, from creating your plan to implementation and results tracking. Please contact us today to learn more.
