Integrated Marketing Communication in Higher Education (Research Paper Sample)

INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION
by Name
Course name
Instructor’s name
University name
City, State
Date of submission
Integrated Marketing Communication in Higher Education
Marketing has become a common component across the globe, and this is blamed on competition, which has intensified. Even non-profit making organizations such as institutions of education have been pushed to adopt marketing in order to stay relevant in the market. Thus, this abounds the need for integrated marketing communication, which is considered as a way of aiding brand communication. IMC incorporates different modes in order to facilitate a seamless experience for customers. It is also essential to note that IMC is aimed at maximizing the cost effectiveness related to myriad components that play a significant role in brand communication. These components include online communication, social media work, direct marketing, sales promotion, and public relations. The components under the marketing mix also play a significant role in IMC, and they include place, product, physical evidence, process, promotion, and people. Social media plays a critical role in the management of marketing communication in higher education. In order to ascertain the threats and opportunities that abound of social media to the management of marketing communication in higher education, it is essential that we establish who the target groups are and what the communication need at schools entail. Research asserts that some of the target group in higher education social media marketing communication include students, employees, and potential students. On the other hand, some of the communication needs in schools comprise of attitude, harmonization, more opening hours, new forms of communication, more personal communication, central information system, and two-way communication. Thus, this paper critically examines the theory and practice of integrated marketing communication and explores the threat and opportunities of social media to the management of marketing communication in the higher education sector.
Integrated marketing communication plays a significant role in higher education marketing. This abounds from the fact that it instils an institution with various components that are cost effective and facilitate brand communication. The first component that facilitates brand communication and it is inexpensive is social media work. Currently, various social networks abound and it is common knowledge that many people spend most of their time or at least spare some time to check on their social sites profiles. This means that social media plays a critical role in higher education advertisement because it avails a place for communication of messages intended. Another essential fact that abounds in this context is that social media abounds people for communication of the messages, which is also a component of the marketing mix that a higher education institution should incorporate in its marketing endeavours. An example in this context is when a higher education institution opens a Facebook or Twitter page for placing their advertisements. This facilitates place and people because the fans will become aware of the page and they will be able to access essential information regarding the institution whenever they want to.
Public relations abounds as another component facilitated by IMC. Effective communication between markets and institutions is essential, and this explains why institutions employ the use of catalogues and bulletins for describing their programs and institutions. This explains why higher education institutions employ controllable marketing tools, which can facilitate it getting feedback from its potential customers. The controllable marketing tools comprise of everything an institution can do for purposes of influencing the demands of its services. Another importance of public relations as a component of IMC abounds from the fact that the institutions need to influence financial support and good will from its donors and alumni, a task that cannot be achieved through depending on promotion alone. Notably, PR is done via essential channels such as social media work, newsprint, audio visual material, catalogues, and events.
Another essential component of IMC is advertising, and this involves the use of paid presentations and promotion ideas, billboards, bus card, open days, newspapers, and direct mail. The main difference that abounds between advertising and public relations is that advertising involves paid presentations while PR, the mentions in the media are free. Notably, technological advancement has improved advertising because currently, most higher education institutions employ the use of social networking sites such as my space, facebook, and twitter. The use of advertising as an IMC component is significant for higher education institutions because the number of students increases while funding is on the low. Thus, it is critical for higher education institutions to employ advertising for purposes of creating and maintaining a distinctive image in the market. The advertisements usually target funders, prospective students, and employers.
Direct marketing also plays a crucial role in IMC. Higher education institutions need to pay attention to how potential students make the decision regarding, which type of institution to join. In addition, they ought to know the media that most students employ in searching for a best institution. Thus, marketing effectiveness plays a significant role at this level because desirable plans depend on how efficient the marketing plan has been undertaken at various levels of an organization. This means that marketing communication requires an adequate allocation of resources to different marketing communication tools, products, markets, and territories. This explains the theory and application of IMC.
Personal selling is also facilitates the explication of the theory and application of IMC. From a higher education institute perspective, personal selling facilitates the creation of relationships with potential customers. Research asserts that personal selling is critical in influencing first buyers’ decisions, proceedings, and certainty. Thus, it should be noted that a key factor, which is taken into consideration in this component of IMC, is the tuition fees. This calls for all internal and external workers in higher institutes of education to pass word of mouth to other potential students. The staff and all aforementioned categories of people can also facilitate funding of an institution through passing positive word of mouth messages to the right people.
Opportunities of Social Media to the Management of Marketing Communication in Higher Education Sector
Competition is the first opportunity that abounds to the management of marketing communication in higher education sector. Competition abounds from the fact that there is rivalry in institutions of higher education. Competition abounds from the fact that newer, smaller or private institutions keep emerging; thus, the need for marketing, and with the social media facilitates people to get information faster than the other means of marketing. Thus, with social media, these institutions can compete favourably with those already in the market.
Increasing communication needs abounds as the se...