What are the Different Marketing Communication Channels Your Company Should Use?

To transform your prospects into customers, marketing communication can be deployed over different channels, to reach numerous people at the same time, without the need of over-expending.

Marketing communication channels have revolutionised the way companies approach their clients. Nowadays, it is not enough to make a poster and expect your potential customers to approach your service. You have to be more strategic than that and need to work on multiple factors for a successful campaign.

There are multiple communication channels: e-mail, telephone, SMS, or mail. So, Which ones should you choose and in what way for a marketing campaign?

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What is a Marketing Communication Channel?

Definition of Marketing Communication Channel

Marketing communication channel is the way companies deliver their offer and value to the audience. Furthermore, it is one of the initial steps for a successful marketing campaign.

Through this function, companies build and establish their brand image while forming a bond with the audience, making the company feel part of their lives. 🤝

What are the Different Types of Marketing Communication Channels?

Media campaigns have transitioned from physical media into a more mobile-friendly platform.

This is why there are 2 types of communication channels:

• Traditional Channels:
  • billboards,
  • postal Service,
  • events,
  • television,
  • or radio.
• Digital marketing channels:
  • social Media,
  • email,
  • podcasts,
  • or websites.

What re the 5 Integrated Marketing Communication Channels?

Integrated Marketing Communication, or IMC involves coordinating various promotional tools and channels to provide a clear, consistent, and compelling message about a company and its products.

👉 Effective IMC requires these channels to work together seamlessly, reinforcing each other to create a unified brand message. For example, an advertising campaign might drive customers to a promotion supported by direct marketing efforts and bolstered by PR activities.

By strategically utilising these five IMC channels, businesses can enhance their marketing efforts, reach a broader audience and more online visibility, and achieve their marketing goals more effectively.

1. Advertising

Advertising is a paid non-personal communication about an organisation and its products or services. It is transmitted through various media channels, including:

• Television: Broad reach and visual impact.
• Radio: Targeted by demographics and geography.
• Print: Newspapers, magazines for detailed information.
• Online Ads: Display ads, social media, pay-per-click.

2. Sales Promotion

Sales promotion involves short-term incentives to encourage purchasing or selling a product or service.

Examples include:

• Discounts and Coupons: Attracting price-sensitive customers.
• Contests and Sweepstakes: Engaging customers with rewards.
• Loyalty Programs: Encouraging repeat purchases.
• Samples: Allowing customers to try before they buy.

3. Public Relations (PR)

PR focuses on building and maintaining a positive image of the company and managing communication with the public, which often includes a community manager.

It includes:

• Press Releases: Announcements about company news.
• Events: Sponsorships, conferences, and community activities.
• Crisis Management: Addressing and mitigating negative publicity.
• Media Relations: Building relationships with journalists.

4. Direct Marketing

Direct marketing involves communicating directly with target customers to generate a response or transaction.

Channels include:

• Email Marketing: Personalized messages and offers.
• Telemarketing: Direct phone calls to potential customers.
• Direct Mail: Physical mail such as catalogues and brochures.
• SMS Marketing: Text messages with promotions and updates.

5. Personal Selling

Personal selling is a direct, face-to-face interaction between a sales representative and a prospective buyer.

It is highly effective for:

• Complex Products: Providing detailed explanations and demonstrations.
• Building Relationships: Establishing trust and rapport with customers.
• Custom Solutions: Tailoring offers to meet individual customer needs.
• Closing Sales: Persuading customers to make a purchase decision.

Why are Marketing Communication Channels Important?

Marketing communication is one of the most important parts of customer service.

It allows users to feel more engaged with the company, thus becoming more loyal by being offered a complete experience that goes beyond a simple purchase, adding value to the company's proposition. ☝️

Even though there are different types of marketing communication channels, all of them have the same objective: to build brand awareness and generate leads.

In the end, it will bring in more customers and transform the brand into a leader in its sector.

Types of Marketing Communication Strategies

Paid Media

As the name speaks for itself, paid media is the type of channel you pay for to have a presence.

This is the most expensive type of media because you don't own the platform that will be communicated by.

Furthermore, companies must do an analysis before implementing it due to its heavy price.

Paid media includes:

• ads that appear on TV,
• websites,
• and social media platforms.

Owned Media

Owned media defines communications made through your own media channel. This is the fastest type of channel to display information, seeing as the company publishes all content and does not need approval from a third party.

Own media includes:

• own social media page,
• website.

Earned Media

This is the most trustworthy, cheap, and hard-to-get media of all.

Earned media is all given recommendations, conversations, or mentions of a company's product without the incentive from the company. It is an organic approach that, if positive, can bring incredible opportunities for a company's growth and expansion.

Earned media includes Word of Mouth (WOM) marketing, the most reliable channel of communication According to Nielsen:

92% of consumers believe recommendations from friends and family over all forms of advertising

This is why all companies mostly aspire to reach an effective earned media, this enables an organic entry for profits, without the need for costs incurred in maintaining customers.

An Example of Marketing Communication

Let’s put the theory into practice! What about Apple launching a new watch? 🤔

☝️ First, the company will have to advertise the said product:

• Television Commercials: Apple ran TV ads showcasing the Apple Watch’s features. These ads were aired during prime time and popular shows to reach a broad audience.
• Online Ads: Apple used display ads on popular websites, social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, and video ads on YouTube. These ads targeted tech enthusiasts, fitness buffs, and Apple’s existing customer base.

✌️Secondly, the company should focus on public relations:

• Press Release: Apple issued press releases highlighting the innovative features of the Apple Watch, its integration with other Apple products, and the anticipated impact on health and lifestyle.
• Influencer Partnerships: Apple collaborated with tech reviewers and lifestyle influencers who unboxed the Apple Watch, reviewed its features, and shared their experiences on platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter. Influencers in the fitness industry also demonstrated how the Apple Watch could be used to track workouts and improve health.

By using these two channels, Apple effectively generated excitement and interest in the Apple Watch, reaching a wide audience through multiple touchpoints and creating a cohesive, compelling brand message.

How to Choose the Best Communication Channel?

There are many things to consider when using a communication channel. However, you can choose more than one: the best companies balance all three types of advertising strategies with both channels.

It all depends on the company's:

• strategy,
• target audience,
• objectives it wants to complete,
• budget.

Budget

Small companies don't have enough budget for an over-the-top advertisement to be displayed on a major channel with traffic, like on TV during Super Bowl night. 😮‍💨

Every company should do a cost/opportunity analysis before spending an enormous amount of money on advertising that won't lead to any conversions.

Target Audience

The type of channel may vary depending on the target market the company has. ☝️

Young people use social media and digital-based accounts to find new products or services, however, even though a lot of adults are well-versed in digital accounts, they still prefer traditional methods like TV, newspaper, or physical promotion.

💡 Tip: segment your audience by different criteria, such as:

• age,
• country,
• interests, etc.

This allows you to understand the type of prospective customer you have, while also opening a space for innovation and better customer experience.

Company's Strategy

A company's strategy will determine what type of channel will the company be focused on, whether the company's strategy is leaning towards a more traditional, modern, or a combination of both.

It is important to align all types of marketing channel communication for an omni strategy. This allows companies to have visibility over the progress of their objective, enabling a clear view of their opportunities and what to modify.

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In the End, What Channel to Use?

What is the right channel? It appears that you should have a balanced use of all different types of channels. This is what we call a marketing communication mix.

Depending on your needs, marketing strategy, budget, and target audience, your message will be deployed in each platform to get the most out of each channel. It's up to you to identify your priorities and constraints in terms of time, cost, and personalisation, but also approach and tone, to identify the right channels.

The different channels of a marketing campaign each have their advantages. It is a question of combining them strategically to get the best out of it.

Dedicated software helps you not only with technical, but also with strategic aspects for more successful campaigns, due to their automation and analytical qualities, these are tools that will transform the way marketing communication channels are processed.