Part 1: Integrated Marketing Communication
Producing great goods or services and having them available to customers at a correct price is one thing but will mean nothing if the customers are not aware of the availability of the product. It is at this point that promotion becomes an essential part of marketing strategies. Promotion performs the role of connecting the company with the target customers and communicate to them what the company offers.
In the world of marketing today, promotion involves integrated marketing communication (IMC). Ideally, IMG brings together a variety of communication tools to help communicate the desired message to influence the decision of the customer to their subsequent behavior and perception about a product. Marketing has become even more difficult as the traditional methods have been replaced by modern methods (Anggi Ghaisani Pertiwi, 2018). Most companies are working had to get a competitive advantage against their respective rivals. Therefore, companies are opting for the use and implementation of integrated communication strategy as a strategy to create a competitive advantage environment. To understand how IMC can link a company with target customers, this essay relates to the concept of IMC for Jeep Company to the target customers or market.
The goal of using an integrated marketing strategy is to create relationships, buzz, communicate with customers, and promote brand awareness with the aim of increasing sales. In readiness to integrate a marketing communication strategy, the company must consider the target market and the overall message the entire marketing strategy used will communicate (Ferdous, 2018). Our target customer for Jeep Wrangler is generation X aged between 35 to 45 years who are adventurous and prefer for long trip holidays. The IM brand strategy will incorporate a statement like “Your Companion to Long Trip Holidays.” The unique proposition will be “Reliable for Long-distance movement.” This marketing proposition will use challenges, comparisons to promote endorsements, and create buzz.
The objectives targeted by enhancing communication objectives are to create brand awareness, exposure to the media, recall of a strong brand, and subsequent delivery of a unique message about the product. To achieve all these objectives, Jeep Company needs to integrate a promotional mix (Garyacha et al., 2019). One of the promotional mixes can be through holding launch events all over the globe. During these events, Jeep wrangler will be launched to create and develop a strong relationship between players and other key distributional channels. This will help get feedback about the product component developers and other parts of the car. Another promotional method is through endorsement by a celebrity to create attraction, seek attention, and awareness. For instance, Jeep endorses Alex Rodriguez to use her influence to reach more customers. Lastly, Jeep can leverage the existing partnership and sponsorship. The benefit of such collaborations will enable Jeep to connect with more target customers.
Media is another strategy used by Jeep wrangler. The strategy is used to transfer content to the target consumer, who is in the new target market. The message will be the central message of conveyance. The Jeep Wrangler will be the new brand targeting people 35 to 45 years and passionate on long trip holidays. Jeeps are also commonly used by army men. Therefore, the best location to sell will be on army camps and interior regions with rough roads. Also, Jeep will have to invest in exclusive showrooms where the target can physically see the product, touch, and have a physical experience with the product (Garyacha et al., 2019). Lastly, Jeep has been in marketing for a long period. Therefore, it understands the changes in traditional mediums. Therefore, Jeep will focus on opening digital medium like a website.
Ideally, the marketing department at Jeep wrangler has identified the need to incorporate a series of communication tools and other techniques as a strategy to amass and reach new target customers and markets. The company uses IMC strategies and other communication tools to deliver its marketing message to various distribution channels. The importance of using these tools is to ensure that the targeted customers are reached. Subsequently, the company will be able to find the best tool to rely on. Therefore, integrated marketing communication aims at empowering traditional methods to match current efforts. Thus, they need to be properly integrated to affect the behavior and the decision of the players in the target market.
Part 2: B2B Marketing, Marketing Information Systems, and Measuring Marketing Activities.
In business to business (B2B) marketing, a company will sell its product to other companies to enhance their process of production or to further produce finished goods or as brokers for reselling.
B2B: The company is Jeep Wrangler. It manufactures Jeep model cars. Therefore, if it has to be involved in B2B marketing, two markets that could target the company are;
Individual and cooperate organizations: Individual users can use jeep for personal transportation or family use. The government uses the products (Jeep) for transporting the armies to war or for security purposes. Cooperate organizations and manufacturers can use Jeep accessories to incorporate into their final products.
Resellers: Big retails like Alibaba.com and Walmart can be a target for my products. Through this, I will be able to reach more customers worldwide by showcasing the products I such big retail platforms.
Segmenting B2B markets: After reading market segmentation, I find that the best segmentation that will fit my company are;
Need-based Segmentation; this will entirely depend on the need of the consumers. Customers have different preferences. To ensure that every customer is served according to his needs, the company puts much of its emphasis on producing quality products. Through this, the company ensures that the customers are satisfied (LaPlaca, 2016). A satisfied customer will return in the future and tell friends about the services. Through this, the company is able to create a competitive advantage over other car manufacturing companies.
Marketing Information System: MIS is tremendously essential in any form of B2B marketing since the target customers are aware of the subject presented and knowledgeable about the subject matter (Pedko & Hordiienko, 2019). Thus, it becomes essential to put every product in order to ensure the business process is efficient. Jeep Company can adopt three forms of marketing information system that are effective in making decisions. These systems include;
Information about the manufacturing process: the company needs to clearly define the process followed in manufacturing its vehicles. This is essential to reduce errors when proceeding with the manufacturing process.
Information about the members: this is essential as it ensures an easy flow of information across all relevant people in the company. It becomes more essential during the decision-making process to help make appropriate decisions.
Information about equipment and tools used: By providing all essential information about the tools used, the buyers will have an easy time to make decisions. This will draw more customers as some other manufacturing companies have complicated information about the tools used, which are difficult to understand or make decisions.
Marketing Metrics: In order to monitor Jeep Company’s strategic progress in marketing efforts and planning that have been identified in the marketing mix. Thus, the company needs to implement the following metrics.
Financial Metrics; The company needs to tackle the ever-changing scenarios in the market and business environment. Through this, the company will be able to determine and aggregate the impact of marketing on the overall net income (Farris & Al, 2009).
Performance metrics: to determine available key performance indicators (KPIs), the following are performance metrics that I will use;
Develop a scorecard. This will gather the information that is essential in determining the popularity of the brand’s name.
Chance close rate: This is essential in helping the company to determine the most efficient rate for business closure.
Consumer satisfaction rate: This one of the essential metrics to determine the company’s performance. Through this, the company can be able to determine the level of customer satisfaction (Farris & Al, 2009). Customer satisfaction determines the direction that the company will take in order to improve the customer’s satisfaction or improve if there are customers who are still unsatisfied.
References
Anggi Ghaisani Pertiwi, A. G. P., (2018). Integrated Marketing Communication Strategy to Increase Brand Awareness for Small Medium Enterprise (Business Coaching in Small Medium Enterprise Cake and Bakery Industry). International Journal of Sales & Marketing Management Research and Development, 8(1), 11–24. https://doi.org/10.24247/ijsmmrdfeb20182
Farris, P., & Al, E. (2009). Marketing metrics : 50+ metrics every executive should master. Wharton School Publ.
Ferdous, A. S. (2018). Integrated Internal Marketing Communication (IIMC). The Marketing Review, 8(3), 223–235. https://doi.org/10.1362/146934708×337654
Garyacha, O. L., Bilousova, V. V., & Chaplykin, S. O. (2019). New car marketing strategy in the context of target markets and target audiences. Vìsnik Berdânsʹkogo Unìversitetu Menedžmentu ì Bìznesu, 45(1), 23–27. https://doi.org/10.33783/1977-4167-2019-45-1-23-27
LaPlaca, P. J. (2016). Improving B2B marketing processes. Industrial Marketing Management, 38(3), 237–238. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2009.02.001
Pedko, I., & Hordiienko, V. (2019). Marketing Research in the Marketing Information System. Economic Herald of the Donbas, 4 (58), 138–143. https://doi.org/10.12958/1817-3772-2019-4(58)-138-143