Integrated Marketing?

What the Heck is Integrated Marketing Anyway?

Integrated Marketing is not only online. It specifically targets, captures and grows engagement through consistent marketing messaging strategies, streamlined through multiple channels: in-person experience, branding, visuals, signage, website, social media, multi-media advertising, SEO (Google), relationships, email marketing, video, blogging, promos, print material..

Really, it’s all about building relationships with everything you do, say and put ‘out there’ …. yes, IT’S EVERYTHING, everywhere!

Let’s talk about Integrated Marketing Messaging to increase sales, profile and awareness.

What really works is transparent ‘Real People Speak’ answering the question, ‘What’s in it for me?’, ‘How will I feel?’, ‘Will it make my life better?’ and the sharing of information. It’s fine and dandy to get discovered and we work hard on getting our client’s found on the likes of Google, with excellent results too.

But… let’s face it. You’ve got 3 SECONDS to capture people once they’ve found you. You’ve got competition and you’ve got to be unique.

Tweak My Speak!
What are you saying? Do you have a strategy?

Sometimes it’s hard to see the forest through the trees. Need another set of eyes for ideas and content? Let us Tweak Your Speak. Drop us a line or give us a call 613.771.0090

Cheers,

The Engine Team

Tourism Rack Cards and Brochures

New tourism rack cards and brochures for Quinte Conservation!

With so many options at Tourist rack card displays, we wanted to stand out above the crowd!

With so many options at Tourist rack card displays, we wanted to stand out above the crowd!

We spend a lot of time on marketing strategy, design concepts to increase awareness and profiles. Our goal was to present the information in an engaging, unique fashion to entice tourists and the local community.

It all starts with a discovery session with our client, proceeds to research and brainstorming.  When it comes to print pieces, the initial concept often is a series of sketches and folding papers every-which-way! We can look after everything from the marketing strategy, design, copywriting, paper selection and even getting the printing done (once it’s approved by you, of course). See example of our process, before and after pics here >

Meet, Greet, Communicate & Inform

With unique indoor and outdoor communication material — trade shows, POP, conferences, events, interior/exterior decor or feature products and services! Our experienced marketing team will not only provide brilliant promotional design, they will help you choose the right product for your promotional needs. Supercharge your space with easy, portable solutions!

Signage Solutions

See more here »

Holiday Marketing Tips for You

Wow, time is flying by quickly this year, don’t you think?

We know you’re super busy at this time of the year. Sometimes it’s hard to find the time to take a breath to remember marketing, so we’ve gathered a marketing check list, starting with Gift Cards for you to consider and review.

Your Holiday Gift Cards Marketing Check List

SEO (search engine optimization)

Make sure you refer to the words “gift cards” and “gift certificates” when posting online. Is there a title and description hidden in the secret code of your website? Are images of your gift cards/certificates named? These few tips can help you get found on Google!

Design & Presentation – DO your gift cards.

Read On >

Time to GO MOBILE

Mobile web will be bigger than desktop Internet use by 2015.

Engine Communications does MOBILE. See the latest stats here.

Chat with Laura about getting your website mobile.

Tourism Marketing Project Launches

Exciting Destination, Local Economic Development & Tourism Initiative

We’re very excited to launch this new project with the Eastern Ontario Trails Alliance. Major marketing initiatives have been created to promote The Trails increase business and Economic Development in our communities while promoting Tourism as well.

New Interactive Website just launched. Marketing strategies include:

  • ZIGZAG brochures featuring Fun Package Deals, Your Vacation Is Here and Discover your Outdoor Playground
  • New interactive website launched. Feature business, package deals, what to do, where to stay, eat, have fun, shop and more including FaceBook promotions and online marketing with new interactive map to follow
  • Signage off of the 401 leading to Trails Entrances
  • Gateway Signage for Businesses. First Gateway begins at Belleville at Corbyville. Approximately 15 major signs throughout the Trails Region.
  • Rustic Wood-look Arrow Signs on the Trails pointing kms/direction to your business
  • Handy Pocket Map Guide featuring businesses
  • Multiple Community Partnerships
  • Business Marketing Opportunities
  • Featured at multiple Tourism & Recreational Trade Shows throughout the Province
  • Research, Strategic Planning, Graphic Design, Copywriting, Online Marketing, Web Design and Development, Social Media, Print, Project Management and Marketing Consulting

More to follow! Check out the new Interactive Website at:

www.thetrail.ca

Engine Communications Knows Schools

It’s a numbers game these days. Let us help you get your numbers up with fresh, new and exciting marketing tools to help your school get noticed!

See our newsletter for schools.

Listening to Your Competition

Do you ever feel like everywhere you look, competitors are saying the exact same things in their advertising? There are merits to knowing what your competition is doing, in any industry it is crucial to know what is out there and make sure that you are offering a competitive product or service at competitive rates. What most people do not realize is that focusing too much on your competition can actually cripple your businesses and accomplish the opposite of what you are trying to do.

What happens all too often, especially in smaller cities, is that people have a tendency to copy. I’m not saying that they go out there with the intention of mimicking, but they become so focused on what others are doing that they forget to innovate.

I was reminded of this concept when I went to the store to compare tablets, the iPad 2, Blackberry Playbook and others. What became apparent the more I looked and researched was that Apple was focused on their business, on being the best they could be. While it seems everyone else is simply try to keep up with competition.

Makes me wonder, what could we accomplish if everyone stopped trying to be like everyone else, and just focused on being the best they could be. Now that gives you something to market!

April showers bring PR Disasters?

Spring is a time of birth, renewal and PR crises it seems. Sony, Facebook, and a NHL player, agents and broadcaster are in the midst of protecting their image.

First up: Sony Debacle (here too)
Sony has been dealing with hackers stealing their users’ information. Sony has terribly managed the situation. It took them a week to notify their customers of a breach (7 days too late) and two weeks for the CEO to apologize (13 days too late).

Second:
Aside from debacles, a great article on how to use social media within your corporation: Implementing Social Media in Business

Thirdly:
Sean Avery, his agent, and an NHL sportscaster (now fired) get embroiled in the same-sex marriage debate. Twitter can cause controversy quickly, and lose you your job. Always think before you Tweet!

And to round things up:
Facebook pays a PR company to send bad news and reports about Google to bloggers. Too bad the agencies forgot to tell the bloggers that they were working for Google… oops!

Great Campaigns Produce Great Results

As a fan of the Song of Ice and Fire series of books by George R. R. Martin, I have been watching the development and promotion of the new TV series: Game of Thrones, with a keen eye.

HBO’s promotional campaign is great example of a successful integrated marketing campaign. From seizing the throne, to free bicycle throne rides events and then integrating it with a Facebook, blog and Twitter campaign, HBO had a great promotional campaign.

 

They placed giant throne replicas around major cities like New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Then, people got their picture taken which were then posted on Facebook and Twitter as “seizing the throne.”

This strategy is great for many reasons. First, giant thrones in a major public area will create attention and buzz from traditional media and word-of-mouth. Second, posting the pictures on Facebook gets people to spread the word to family and friends which further promotes the new TV show. Third, people will then post and talk about these events occurring (such as this blog!)

These promotions were highly successful judging by the 4.2 million viewers who tuned into the first episode.

Although HBO had a large budget, they used it efficiently. By showing these events across all possible mediums, they used their dollars wisely. Make sure you do the same when planning and promoting your events.