Core Concepts of Marketing

DESIGNINGANIMeSTRATEGY 195

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Determineobjectives

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Determinepromotional

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opportunities

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Selectaudiences I I

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system

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Selectmessage(s)

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Determinebudget I I

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Allocatefunds I I

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Measureresults I I

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Organizing I I

FIGURE8.3 TheIMeStrategy

notthemarketingprogramsshouldrelyheavilyonitscommunicationingredienttoper-
fonnsuchtasksdependsuponthenatureandextentoftheopportunity.Thereareseveral
conditionswhich,iftheyexist,indicatea favorableopportunitytocommunicate:forexam-
ple,it is alwayseasiertocommunicateeffectivelywhenmovingwiththecurrentconsumer
demandratherthanagainstit.CompaniessuchasIBMhavebeenactivelypromotingtheir
businesscomputers,whichareincreasinginpopularity,ratherthanhomecomputers,which
arenotdoingaswell.
ThethirdconsiderationisselectingthetargetaudiencefortheIMC.Thisisundoubt-
edlythemostimportantfactorintheIMCstrategy,yetitisprobablytheissuethatmany
companiesslightoroverlookentirely.Marketingmessagesmustbedirectedat thespecific
targetforwhichthe overallmarketingprogramisbeingdesigned.However,veryseldom
is therea singlegroupofconsumersatwhichtodirectpromotion.Manyindividualsaffect
thebuyingprocess,andtheIMCprogrammustbedesignedtoreachallofthem.Inaddi-
tiontotheprimarypurchasersandusersoftheproduct,individualswhoinfluencethepur-
chasedecisionmustalsobeconsidered.Forexample,consumersusuallyrelyheavilyupon
theassistanceandadviceofothersinpurchasingsuchproductsasautomobiles,interiordec-
orating,majorappliances,andphysicians,tonamebutafew.Similarly,industrialbuyers
considertheadviceofengineers,technicians,andevencompetitors.Thusit isextremely
importantinresolvingthecommunicationissuetoidentifyaccuratelynotonlythosewho
consumeandbuytheproductbutalsothosewhoinfluenceitspurchase.
Detenniningexactlywhattosaytotherelevantaudienceisthefourthconsideration.
TheheartofIMCis thetransmissionofideasofmarketingsignificancetotheseller.Whether
theseideasarereceivedandperceivedasintendeddependsinlargepartontheskillused
indevelopingthecommunicationappeal.Italsodependsuponthevehicleusedtodeliver