What is the Full Form of IMC

IMC: Integrated Marketing Communication

IMC stands for Integrated Marketing Communication. Integrated Marketing Communication is the unified system of all marketing tools and methods like press releases, digital marketing, direct selling, etc., to ease access to marketing information and integrate all marketing operations.

IMC is the system of integration and coordination of all channels of communication to deliver a unified message through different modes. IMC businesses ensure that the correct information is disseminated to customers at the right time. It is done through various tools, but all the tools' objectives are the same, i.e., to deliver the right message consistently.

Different Tools of IMC

IMC is done to create awareness about the product of the company through the following tools:

• Advertising

Advertising is a major tool of IMC, which involves impersonal marketing and covers large areas to deliver information about respective products. It is mainly done on TVs, radio, sign boards, etc. In this, businesses get the opportunity to advertise their product on a larger scale and reach a larger audience with comparatively less cost.

• Sales Promotion

Sales promotion means promoting the product to increase its sales through various offers, discounts, etc. The idea behind this technique is that the high sales create hype and raise awareness of the product in public. It aims to instigate the public to purchase the product.

• Personal Selling

It is the tool in which the product is sold personally with face-to-face interaction. During this personal selling, the seller communicates about his product; thus, it becomes a communication channel for the product through which the company is sharing its product with the customer. The benefit of this tool is that the way of communication with the customer can be customised as per the customer to make it more promising.

• Public Relations

It is the tool for channelling the product's information to the public through press release campaigns, interviews, conferences, etc., to establish a relationship with the customers. Businesses can communicate about its product and brand through Public Relations. It generally reaches customers faster and presents information about the company and brand in a more easy way.

• Direct Marketing

Direct Marketing is the product marketing tool in which communicating to the customers is directly done through phone calls, SMS, etc. The companies using this tool usually have massive data regarding interest, seasonal choices, numbers, etc., which they use to market the product directly by sending personal calls and SMS per the customer's preference so that the correct information reaches the right customer.

• Events

Companies use this tool when they have essential and encouraging information to communicate to the customers. They organise workshops, conferences, events, etc., and share their idea. This creates personal touch with the brand and the company when customers are invited to certain circumstances by the company, leading to increased customer loyalty for the product. It is a comprehensive way of communicating information to the customer about the product.

• Social Media Marketing

It is a modern way of communication used by companies. It is the tool through which businesses channel information using social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. It is the cheapest and most widely used channel of information communication. It covers a larger audience than other tools in today's world. Influencers' advertisement and brand promotion on these social media platforms are all part of social media marketing.

Importance of Integrated Marketing Communication

• It improves sales revenue.
• It establishes a brand image.
• It channelises customer preferences.
• It helps in communicating with the customers clearly and consistently.

Trends in IMC

• Social media marketing is the most trending form for channelising information by companies.
• Another form is YouTube videos and Influencers, in which companies promote their products through social media influencers and videos, where customers get detailed explanations about the products.
• Live chat is another form of channelising communication, where companies provide information through live chat. Here customers can get the required information personally from anywhere, and on satisfaction, the customers even place purchase orders.
• Addressable advertising is another trend which uses an algorithm to deliver information. Under this, based on google searches and customers' preferences, with the help of an algorithm, companies communicate to the customers as per their interests.