In this course, we look at the development of integrated marketing communications plans.

After completing this course, you should be able to:

• understand the importance, meaning, and complexities of planning integrated marketing communications
• identify the key elements of planning integrated marketing communications
• understand and explain the key inputs to this planning process
• assess how marketing communications strategies can be developed for different target audiences
• develop integrated marketing communications plans.

Introduction

Objectives

Integrated Marketing Communications
 

What does an Integrated Approach Mean?
 

Advantages of Integration
 

Problems in Achieving an Integrated Approach
 

Achieving Integration
 

Marketing Communications Planning Framework
 

Applying the Framework
 

A Concluding Note

Summary 

Further Reading

Tutor-marked Question Paper

On completion of your course, you will receive two qualifications:

Qualification 1: Planning Marketing Communications (Byte Size) Certificate

Planning Marketing Communications (Byte Size) Certificate issued by Stonebridge Associated Colleges, entitling you to use the letters SAC Cert after your name.

Qualification 2: Level 1 Planning Marketing Communications (Byte Size) Award

At the end of this course successful learners will also receive a level 1 NCFE Award certificate of achievement. That means that it is independently accredited at a level of learning equivalent to level 1 on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) for England, Wales and Northern Ireland (in which case GCSE's are at levels 1 and 2 and A Levels are at level 3).

This award has been designed by Stonebridge Associated Colleges to meet specific learners' or employers' requirements. Accreditation by NCFE is a guarantee of quality. It means that this learning programme has been scrutinised and approved by an independent panel of experienced educational professionals and is quality audited biannually by NCFE.

In order to offer our students the most convenient and flexible distance learning courses, Stonebridge Associated College offers you the option to study for your course via two methods:

• 1. Via the traditional paper-based method.
• 2. Through the online method via ElearnUK.

When you study through ElearnUK you can quickly access your course material online and submit all of your question papers to your tutor online, using your unique student account. You have access to all of your course material immediately, and when you submit question papers, your tutor sends you an email containing your results and feedback.

At the end of the course you will receive an award issued by Stonebridge Associated College, and also gain full awarding body accreditation for the course.

With this course you will have unlimited access to your own personal tutor who specialises in their field of study. It is your personal tutor's role to ensure that you receive constructive feedback and to deal with any queries you may have. You are more than welcome to telephone, fax or email your personal tutor.

You will also have access to a dedicated and friendly team of administrators and course advisors who offer sound and professional guidance and advice when you need it. This ensures that you will never feel neglected and that you will always succeed!

There is no experience or previous qualifications required for enrolment on this course. It is available to all students, of all academic backgrounds.

This is only an approximate figure and is dependant upon how much time you can dedicate to your studies and how well you grasp the learning concepts in the course material. Furthermore, at the end of each lesson there is a question paper that needs to be completed and returned to your tutor. You should allow at least 1 - 2 hours of study to complete each question paper.

The approximate amount of time required to complete the course is: 20 hrs.

Assessment Method

After each lesson there will be a question paper, which needs to be completed and submitted to your personal tutor for marking. This method of continual assessment ensures that your personal tutor can consistently monitor your progress and provide you with assistance throughout the duration of the course.

Textbook

You will need to read the following chapters from the textbook:

Marketing Communications: Contexts, Contents and Strategies, Chris Fill (1999) second edition, Hemel Hempstead: Prentice Hall Europe.  This textbook is not included with the course and should be purchased or borrowed separately.

Chapter 29: Integrated Marketing Communications

Chapter 30: Developing Marketing Communications Plans

Chapter 8: The Environmental Context

Chapter 10: Intentions and Targets

Chapter 24: Promotional Objectives and Positioning

Chapters 25-27: Communication Strategies to Reach: Consumers; Intermediaries; Stakeholders

Chapter 12: Financial resources

What's Included

• All study materials
• Study Guide
• Full Tutor and Admin support
• The course fee includes the awarding body registration and certification fee (valued at up to £30.00).

What is NCFE

NCFE is the UK's longest established awarding body, recognised as a highly professional and responsive organisation, committed to maintaining excellent customer service and a friendly approach.

NCFE is recognised as an awarding body by the qualification regulators ('regulators') for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The regulators are the Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator (Ofqual) in England, the Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills (DCELLS) in Wales and the Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) in Northern Ireland.

Accreditation by NCFE is a guarantee of quality. It means that the college has been inspected and approved by an independent and experienced education professional and is quality audited biannually by NCFE. The centre delivering the programmes has been licensed by NCFE on the basis of its own quality systems. At the end of an accredited course, successful learners will also receive an NCFE Award certificate of achievement.

For more information on this award, click here

Below you will find a list of courses that previous students have taken to complement their course. We hope that this list will give you some idea of the types of progression courses we offer, or alternative course options that may be of interest to you.

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