Integrated Marketing Communications

Marketing Communications Plan

What is Marketing communications plan?

Document that summarises
the main issues and details of marketing communication activities, including relevant background information and marketing communications decisions.

(Pickton and Broderick, 2005)

Marketing Communications Planning System

No single approach
Only essential elements that are common in any good mc plan SOSTAC + 3Ms

SOSTAC way of marketing communications

planning system is widely used.

Works for both consumer and B2B products

SOSTAC Model
Developed in the 1990s by PR Smith.

Systematically goes through the steps to

build a marketing plan, ensuring all relevant factors are considered, without going into excessive and expensive detail.

Also looks at the practical issues of

putting the plan into practice.

SOSTAC Model
S- Situation (where are we now?) O- Objectives (where do we want to go?) S- Strategy (how do we get there?)

T- Tactics (the details of the strategy)

A- Actions (putting the plans to work)

C- Control (measurement and monitoring)

SOSTAC Model + 3M 3Ms

Men (human resources) Money (budgets) Minutes (time)
(PR Smith and Taylor, 2004)

Stage 1 Situation Analysis Where are we now?

SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) PESTLE (Political, Economical, Social,

Technological, Legal, Environmental

Factors) USP (Unique Selling Point)

Stage 1 Situation Analysis Where are we now?

How are we performing?

What are our distinctive competitive (marketing) advantages?

How effective is our Marketing Mix?

Are we focusing on the best segments with the right type of customer?
Are we using the most appropriate channels for communication and distribution? What uncontrollable event(s) or trend(s) can impact my business?

Stage 2 Objectives Where do we want to go?

Short, medium and long-term objectives Marketing Objectives - Business

Development?
Marketing Communication Objectives?

Stage 2 Objectives (Contd)

Marketing Objectives

What do we want to achieve in terms of sales, market share, penetration etc.? Communication Objectives
How will communication help us achieve the marketing objectives in terms of awareness, attitudes, interest, trials?

Examples of Marketing Objectives

Increase market share by X% in the next 12 months Generate 5000 footfalls in the next 4 weeks

Increase distribution penetration by X% in 6 months

Examples of Communication Objectives

Increase brand awareness from 35% to 50%

within 12 months
To maintain brand X as the preferred brand (or number one brand) of photocopiers among 50% of current UK buyers in companies with 1000+ employees. Reposition the brand from being old & unfashionable to young & trendy among all 2535 year old female target segments.

Stage 2 Objectives Where do we want to go?

The SMART Test for Objectives: objectives should be practical and measurable and fit the following criteria: Specific (with numbers) Measurable (to monitor progress and confirm achievement)

Actionable (can we do it?)

Reasonable (realistically attainable) Timed (incorporate deadlines)

Stage 3 Strategy How do we get there?

How the objectives will be achieved through STP (Segmentation, Targeting, Positioning) Segmentation - How do we want to divide up the market(s)? Targeting - Which segments of the market do we wish to focus upon? Positioning - How do we want to be perceived in each different target segment?

Stage 4 Tactics What are the details of the strategy?

the detailed activities/planning the how, where and when of all the planned marketing actions: Which Communication Tools are we going to use? How are we going to use them? What message(s) do we wish to communicate? Are we being consistent across different tools and messages? Do we have the necessary resources/budgets?

Stage 4 Tactics Tactical timing of different communications tools

Stage 5 Action How do we implement the strategy?

what are the specific actions?

Action plan: who, what, when?

Who is going to do what? When are they going to do it?

What is the resource allocation for the

action? What are the key performance

measurements?
How is performance going to be recorded?

An action plan for one communication tool a mailshot

Stage 5 Action A

Stage 6 Control How do we measure and monitor?

measurement criteria for assessment

Do action performance measurements

relate to objectives? Responsibility for measurement? Frequency of measurement? Resources for measurement? Review of measurements? Actions on variance?

Stage 6 ControlControl System

The 3Ms
Men who is responsible? are there enough internally? do we hire agencies? Money what will it cost? Is it affordable?

Minutes
timescales and deadlines for each stage