Analysis of Integrated Marketing Communication Strategies Report

This report provides an in-depth analysis of integrated marketing communication (IMC). It begins by comparing and contrasting WhatsApp and email marketing, highlighting their respective strengths and weaknesses in reaching target audiences and driving business development. The report then explores the elements of the communication mix, including advertising, personal selling, sales promotion, public relations, and direct marketing, identifying their preferred industries. Furthermore, it addresses the challenges faced in implementing communication strategies, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown situations, and proposes potential solutions, such as leveraging digital marketing. The report concludes by emphasizing the evolving landscape of marketing and the importance of adapting strategies to achieve effective communication.

Integrated marketing

Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................1
Compare and contrast WhatsApp V/S Email marketing..............................................................................1
Element of Communication mix..................................................................................................................1
Challenges and solutions to the communication strategy.............................................................................2
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................................3
Reference....................................................................................................................................................3

Introduction
Marketing communication is adopted by an organization for conveying the message to customers
related to brand or products. This report includes differences between WhatsApp and email
marketing. The elements of the communication mix will be described and the most preferred
industries will be identified. The challenges and solutions to the communication strategy will be
discussed which are occurring because of the Corona Virus situation of lockdown.
Compare and contrast WhatsApp V/S Email marketing
Whatsapp is an effective digital marketing tool for targeting the audience with the help of the
application. As compared to email marketing, Whatsapp marketing is more cost-effective and
changing the digital marketing the sharing proposals, informative messages and promotions
directly to customers in real-time. For business development, email marketing offers more
opportunities. It helps in contacting a large number of potential customers. It includes more
targeted and personalized messages for sending to customers. Whatsapp is still growing for
innovation and email marketing is now a traditional way of marketing (Wu and Liu, 2018).
People are more active on WhatsApp than in checking emails. Marketing through Whatsapp
reaches to target audience in no time and email marketing includes the more chances of being
ignored. Email marketing is also a cost-effective method that helps in targeting, sharing,
measuring the promotion of the business (Todorova, 2015).
The element of the Communication mix
The elements of the communication mix are advertising, sales promotions, direct marketing,
public relations, and personal selling.
Advertising is a form of an element that is used by promoting goods and services. Advertising is
mostly preferred by manufacturing industries. It helps in reaching to a large number of customers
(David and Martina, 2011).
Personal selling

It is a form of communication in which one to one conversation takes place with the customers
for selling the product or services. It is preferred by retail outlets as it ensures to get the attention
of customers for promoting the brand.
Sales promotion
Sales promotion is an activity that helps to attract the customer immediately for purchasing the
product or service. It attracts customers by providing coupons, discounts, free samples, etc. It is
mostly preferred by the retailing sector and e-commerce (Chaffey, 2018).
Public relations
It is a communication form that includes influencing the feelings, attitudes and customers'
opinions. It is a non-paid form of communication. It is preferred by the hospitality industry.
Direct marketing
In order to promote communication, directing marketing is a form of communication that
includes direct mail to customers, online selling and telemarketing. It is mostly preferred by the
banking industry to promote the products and services and reaching to the customers (Chaffey,
2018).
Challenges and solutions to the communication strategy
In the present situation, a communication strategy is required to be adopted for achieving the
objectives. It is a challenge to reach the target audience. Marketing communication strategy can
adopt channels like television, radio, apps, social media, etc. for reaching and achieving the
objectives of communication. It is challenging to reach to the customers in a present lockdown
situation. A digital marketing strategy of communication can be adopted for meeting the online
marketing challenges. It is a tool for displaying ads and affiliating marketing (Karjaluoto, 2015).

Conclusion
To conclude the report, email marketing is a traditional form of marketing as compared to
Whatsapp marketing. The elements of the communication mix are personal selling, direct
marketing, sales promotion, advertising, and publicity. Digital marketing communication is
considered as effective for promoting the products and services

Reference
Chaffey, D. (2018). Email marketing engagement and response statistics 2018. Smart Insights.
David, S., & Martina, R. (2011). Marketing communications mix of universities-communication
with students in an increasing competitive university environment. Journal of
competitiveness, 3, 58-67.
Karjaluoto, H., Ulkuniemi, P., & Mustonen, N. (2015). The role of digital channels in industrial
marketing communications. Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing.
Todorova, G. (2015). Marketing communication mix. Trakia Journal of Sciences, 13(1), 368-
374.
Wu, J., Li, K. J., & Liu, J. S. (2018). Bayesian inference for assessing effects of email marketing
campaigns. Journal of Business & Economic Statistics, 36(2), 253-266.