Introduction
Nowadays there is an extraordinary number of ways to communicate with customers and potential customers. Given the clutter of messages aimed at customers, it is imperative for managers to develop communications strategies that integrate all the methods of contact with customers if their marketing communications are to be both effective and efficient. Developing such strategies requires an understanding of how communications works in general and how communications works in specific media as well as skill in formulating communications strategies that support the marketing strategies.

Learning Objectives
Provide managers with an understanding of how communications works to support marketing strategies and provide them with a framework for developing integrated marketing communications strategies that are effectiveand efficient in achieving business objectives.

Expected Accomplishments
Participants will:

• Explore how communications works to affect customer attitudes and behavior and the implications for developing communications strategies.
• Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of specific communications methods such as advertising, internet, promotion, personal selling, social media, and public relations.
• Examine how to make key decisions in employing various communications methods.
• Consider how to develop effective messages.
• Understand how to determine budgets for communications strategies.

• Learn how to develop and assemble a communications strategy that integrates all methods of marketing communications and supports the achievement of financial objectives.

Who can benefit

• Business managers.
• Product or service managers.
• Marketing managers.
• Brand managers.
• Marketing communications managers.
• Finance managers involved with marketing decisions.

Teaching Methodology
A variety of teaching techniques are employed, including lecture/discussions, workshop sessions, case discussions, and role-playing simulations.

• The lecture/discussions are designed to provide the participants with a framework for developing marketing strategies.
• During workshop sessions, participants work in teams to apply proprietary techniques to specific marketing and branding issues such as identifying markets or determining competitive advantage.
• Case discussions engage the participants in examination of specific marketing and branding problems.
• Role-playing simulations engage the participants in interaction with each other.
• Multi-media Illustrations. All modules are supported by an unmatched collection of thousands of video and print ads from numerous countries and for numerous products and services.