Policy communications are usually not done clearly and quickly
enough to clarify public misunderstandings and doubts in time, impairing
implementation of the policy and its performance. This article aims to introduce
the concept and practices of integrated marketing communications
(IMC) and explore how IMC can be applied to improving the effectiveness
and performance of policy communications.
IMC involves a variety of tools, including advertising, sales promotion,
public relations, personal selling, direct marketing and word-of-mouth marketing.
Each tool has its unique characteristics and costs. Policy communicators
must blend or integrate these tools carefully into a coordinated communications
mix.
Seven steps must be taken by the communicators when developing an
effective IMC program: identifying the target audience, determining the
communications objectives, designing the communications, selecting communications
channels, setting the communications budget, deciding the
communications mix, and measuring communications campaigns.
IMC is a useful tool for improving policy communications. It is a ne-cessity for government officials in charge of policy communications to fully
understand the important role IMC plays. They must also be able to make
the best use of IMC so as to elicit the desired responses from the target audience
and to achieve policy goals and objectives.