Like many of you, I took my foundation course in Integrated Marketing Communications more than a year ago. If you?re still considering this program, IMC 610 (hi Professor Creely!) is the first course we take, and one of only two courses in this program we must take in sequence. It is a lot to absorb.

After IMC 610, we spend time in each class focusing more narrowly on the several disciplines of IMC and how to measure them. So, I?ve been surprised to find that I?m thinking about the IMC concept more in my IMC 617 Sales Promotion class than I have since my first term. I give all the credit to Dr. Lee ? he COMPELS us to relate every point we make, in discussion or in our writing assignments, to IMC. Not to marketing; not to marketing communications; but to the IMC approach. It?s disciplining us, to say the least.

For a little flavor, and a quick overview of the concepts on which we focus and re-focus, see below.

3 Truths About IMC from Dr. Lee:

• Brand, not Product: The product dies, the brand doesn’t. Remember that.

• Customer, not Consumer: All the people involved with your enterprise are customers to whom you must direct integrated marketing messages. This includes customers who buy the products (external), employee customers who create the product (internal), and retail or wholesale customers who helps sell the product (external).

• Investment, not Cost: The marcom budget is considered an investment under IMC, so the marketer must be able to forecast how much return an investment will make, measure results, and be accountable for them.

Rinse, repeat. Try to un-learn some of the concepts you might have learned at work or about the 4Ps of Marketing in business classes. I decided I needed to deepen my understanding, and I?ve bought a great book (well, I?ve only read a few chapters so far, but I am really enjoying it).

Now I?m giving it away in a fantastic blog contest! (well not the same copy, a fresh copy)

Just leave a comment and tell us something YOU have learned that is unique to IMC as opposed to marketing in general ? or ? tell us why you want to increase your understanding in IMC. I will be awarding one of you with this fascinating (if you?re an IMC geek) and totally readable book written by Don Schultz (also author of our IMC 617 text!) and Heidi Schultz (his marketing consultant wife!) called IMC the Next Generation, Five Steps for Delivering Value and Measuring Returns Using Marketing Communication. You?ll have it in time to enjoy during your Winter Break from the IMC program!

The lucky winner will be pulled at random out of my Boston Red Sox sorting cap. You?ve got a few weeks to stop by and share your thoughts about IMC ? the drawing will be held on December 14 at 11:00 pm EST. And of course, I will include the cost of shipping your new book as my gift to you, absolutely free!!

As Always:

?Ask April? (like ?Ask Todd?) is Open! Click ?reply to article? and ask any old thing that comes to your mind about IMC 617 Sales Promotion and the IMC program.

– April