Integrated Marketing Communication Plan for International Business Expansion

Integrated marketing communication is essential in creating brand awareness with consumers. In all aspects of communication work together to improve sales and maximize cost effectiveness. Jenna Bruce points out, “With so many of your target audience members engaging across the wide, media spectrum, it’s no longer feasible to run an entire campaign on one channel. Integrated marketing campaigns offer better reach and allow you to craft messaging for specific channels your customers prefer.” (Bruce, 2016). Technology has helped in the way we communicate and thus has changed the types of messaging companies use to advertise their products. In their book Principles of Marketing, Jeff Tanner and Mary Anne Raymond state, “Integrated marketing communications (IMC) provide an approach designed to deliver one consistent message to buyers through an organization’s promotions that may span all different types of media such as TV, radio, magazines, the Internet, mobile phones, professional selling, and social media.” (Tanner & Raymond, 2012).

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Global marketing continues to evolve and as companies develop their brand internationally. Companies should always do their research prior to entering into new international markets due to potential significant obstacles that may arise. Having a plan can serve as a guide that companies can revamp as they develop in order to refocus and move forward. With global marketing its cultural diversity is a huge factor which can impact consumers shopping behaviors; therefore, companies may need to customize products to meet the cultural “norms” of the local market.

Promotional Objectives

Pinot’s Palette wants to incorporate achievable communication methods to promote brand awareness and loyalty by rewarding customer referrals and of product services and launches to encourage sales. The goal for creating an effective integrated communication marketing strategy will be accomplished by using a combination of advertising methods. In order to reach its target-markets, Pinot’s Palette will utilize both push and pull strategies, but focus more on the pull strategy. The pull strategy will focus on obtaining new customers by using flyers, website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and promotional advertising in the local newspapers and magazines.

The push strategy will target returning customers by utilizing email newsletters for promotions and Facebook. To engage Pinot’s Palette target audience in Italy with social media Facebook will be utilized for the communication strategy. A Facebook page for Italy will be created to appeal to the country target audience allowing for a more localized experience. According to statistics.com in 2018, “30.89% of respondents stated that they use Facebook. Facebook enjoys the highest market share of any social network in Italy, claiming 87.76 percent of the market in 2016, compared with the 4.29 percent claimed by Twitter, their nearest rival.” (Statista.com, 2018).

The content and design elements of the Facebook Page will be reflective of the brand in the foreign market. The About section of the Facebook Page will explain Pinot’s Palette’s mission and values, and where consumers can purchase tickets. Perry Hewitt states, “Digital teams are responsible for developing, testing, and implementing a strategy to reach and engage target audiences through digital channels like web, mobile, and social. While other groups may draft the messaging, a digital team works hand-in-hand with marketing and product leaders to curate and create digital-first content strategy.” (Hewitt, 2013). By creating a Facebook page, this will be able to target updates by location, demographics and language. This will be helpful in that users will be receiving targeted updates in their feeds. Also, communication messages will be delivered in a language that assures that the target audience can understand it. All marketing communications will be in the primary language, which is Italian to effectively deliver their overall brand message.

Competitor Market

The paint and sip concept is fairly simple, allowing additional competitors to enter the market. It is important to understand the strengths and weaknesses of Vineyarts in order to compete. Therefore, Pinot’s Palette needs to create and implement marketing plans that determine advertising, marketing, and product mix to beat the competition. Pinot’s Palette customer base will overlap to the customers of Vineyarts. Vineyarts website is basic with minimal functionality and infrastructure. There is a limited number of paintings and classes available.Measurement and Evaluation

In order for Pinot Palette to evaluate whether their social media strategy was successful, an audit of key social media metrics can reveal what aspects of the strategy that worked. This will provide key insight into which areas in which they can improve upon or eliminate. Creating a goal checklist and set social media goals using the SMART Acronym - that’s specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely is a great start.  It is critical that Pinot’s Palette take time to work on their social media goals and always remember to make them SMART.  

Cindy Underwood points out, “Neil Patel talks about the importance of metrics when evaluating social media plans and campaigns. According to Patel, there are two kinds of social media measurement: 

• Ongoing Analytics – This involves monitoring activity over an indefinite period of time. 
• Campaign-Focused Metrics – Campaign or event analytics with a clear beginning and end. 

Both measurements are equally important. Monitoring analytics over a period of time is key to the success of your social media plan. Similarly, if you have spent money to promote a special campaign, you’ll need metrics to inform you about the event’s performance” (Underwood, 2018). 

The main objective is to increase sales and brand recognition introduction into a new market in Italy. Audits will be conducted on a quarterly basis throughout the year, where various qualitative and quantitative data will be analyzed. Survey Monkey questionnaires will be created and forwarded via Gmail, for customers to provide regular feedback for further analysis. Google Analytics will be used for tracking internet activity for all social media customer response metrics data as well as to research consumer engagement and sales. Kristen McCormick states, “Google Analytics is useful is that the data it collects is ongoing and in real time. This means that you can create reports, compare metrics, and check performance on whatever basis you want—hourly, daily, monthly, yearly, year over year, quarter over quarter.” (McCormick, 2016).

As part of the campaign, the below objectives are what Pinot’s Palette wants to accomplish throughout the campaign: 

• Increase blog subscribers & comments
• Increase followers on top 3 social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram)  
• Encourage followers and subscribers to leave comments, retweet, and share 
• Enhance awareness of Pinot Palette
• Target public class attendance averages: Months 1 – 4 is 50%, Months 5 – 8 is 70%, and Months 9– 12 is 80 – 90%.
• Book on avg. of 3 private parties a month

By learning how to interpret and understand the data gained in Google Analytics, Pinot’s Palette can incorporate data-informed decisions and improve their overall marketing strategie

Sample Marketing Communication

 Pinot’s Palette IMC plan requires marketing communication designed to reach their target audience. Examples of communications include a Facebook ad (Figure 1) and Flyer (Figure 2).

Figure 1: Sample Facebook Post

Figure 2: Sample Flyer

Paint and Sip Business Risks/ Preliminary Budget

The goal of the IMC is to ensure that Pinot Palette’s brand message is appropriately communicated in the best way. It can be a challenge to figure out the best ways to market to an international audience. Luckily there are many advantages to opening a franchise with Pinot’s Palette:

• Proprietary operating systems that would be difficult and expensive for independent business owners to replicate.
• Low start-up capital.
• A roadmap to streamline site selection, buildout and opening.
• Large amount of training, support and resources.
• Centralized marketing.

The following is a trajectory of the Pinot Palette media budget for this project:

In the paint and sip business a business owner needs to be aware of legal risks. The more prepared and knowledgeable an owner is on having the proper licenses and insurance the better he or she can protect the business. Alcohol is a product sold at the paint and sip studio which creates additional legal risks, therefore, training on I.D checking and obtaining a license should be researched.

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When companies fail to appreciate and acknowledge cultural differences, it can lead to unsuccessful attempts at expanding their business. Businesses make the decisions to expand globally every day and will certainly encounter individuals from different cultures and social backgrounds with differing values and beliefs. Companies must take the time and research how to communicate effectively in order to be successful. 

References

• Bruce, J. (2016, January 12). 6 steps to creating successful integrated marketing campaigns in 2016. Media Space Solutions. Retrieved from http://www.mediaspacesolutions.com/blog/6-steps-to-creating-successful-integrated-marketing-campaigns-in-2016  
• Hewitt, P. (2013, August 21). How to build a high-performing digital team. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2013/08/how-to-build-a-high-performing   
• Italy: social media usage 2017-2018. (2018, December 18). Retrieved from https://www.statista.com/statistics/569968/distribution-of-social-media-used-italy/
• Tanner, J., & Raymond, M. (2012). Integrated Marketing Communications and the Changing Media Landscape. In Principles of Marketing (Vol. 2.0, p. 376). Academic Internet Publish.
• Underwood, C. (2018, August 4). How to evaluate your social media plan: a checklist. Underwood Edge. Retrieved from https://underwoodedge.com/2018/08/04/how-to-evaluate-your-social-media-plan-a-checklist/