Communication Model
Australia’s most influential membership organisation, the Australian Medical Association or AMA represents registered medical practitioners and professionals and medical students of the country. The Association promotes and protects the interests and needs of health care professionals. The organisation works with the government to increase and sustain the medical care services. The organisation’s functions include tracking and reporting performance of various organisations and professionals in carrying out professional responsibilities, challenging governmental policies and procedures which may not be beneficial for patients, guiding health policy making, deciding and debating processes, spreading awareness about health and welfare, promoting health and healthy lifestyle habits, resolving health and health care related issues and conducting research on health and health care system. (Mohan, 2018)
Integrated Marketing Communications or IMC is a concept that implies that all forms of media and means of communications are synced together and combined to give meaningful messages to the target audience and market. The target market of the AMA consists of health services users, health care associations and professionals and experts on health and welfare. IMC integrates all tools of promotion so that messages can be passed on meaningfully and effectively. The tools of communication work well when they are synchronised with one another. There are some basic levels of integrated communications- Horizontal, Vertical, Internal. External and Data integration. Horizontal integration refers to the marketing mix and business functions, where the means of communications are carried out along with business and marketing strategies. Data integration refers to the combined work and efforts of different departments and units to collect and share information through the various media of communications. Vertical communication happens when marketing and communication objectives support corporate mission and goals. Internal integration refers to internal marketing where the staff and the management exchange information through the means of communication. External communication refers to the basic marketing functions like PR and Advertising which promotes the company or its mission or the brand or its services and products. (Blakeman, 2018) The AMA utilises one of the most crucial means of communication through the Medical Journal of Australia, an authoritative general medical journal which [provides ground breaking research to the medical community.
Communication Models or Models of Communication are conceptual models which explain the basic and crucial communication processes among humans. Integrated communication management applies several models of communication. There are several models, interpretations and theories of communications. The first was explained by Shannon, and the basic principles of effective communications were explained to be the process of sending and receiving messages and transferring information from sender or speaker to receiver or listener. Through the Linear Transmission model, communication was further explained as a process through which communication passes through several channels or media from the sender to the receiver. Later on, Schramm model explained that communication depends on variables like mode of transmission, encoding, decoding, media and sender and receiver. (Chatterjee, & Mitra, 2017)
Target Consumer
The Belch Communication Model defines effective communication as passing of information, exchange of ideas, process of establishing common thoughts and messages between the sender and the receiver. The Basic Model of Communication, as proposed by Belch, states the significance of two fundamental components or elements, the integral participants- the sender and the receiver. Two other fundamental principles also are present in form of the major communication tools, the message and the channel. The major functions and processes determine and define the scope, extent, methodology and effectiveness of the communication process- the encoding, decoding, response and feedback procedures. (Serrat, 2017)
The Model suggests that communication works in a systematic order. First the sender or the source of message, the initiator of the message, is encoded. The source can be an individual, a group, or even the main organisation, such as the AMA. The organisation’s spokesperson can also be the source. The communication gets started with the encoding of the message, where the sender selects the medium or the means of sending the message. The symbiotic form of collating information into the message to be sent is called encoding. (Barnlund, 2017)
The next step is the continuous part of the encoding g process where the message gets further developed. It contains the specific and focused information and required and relevant message to be processed and sent. The message is put through the transmittable channel, which is the next step of the Model. The channel is the method by which the communication travels, the techniques by which the message gets passed on. There are two types of channels- the personal channel occurring in interpersonal interactions and the non-personal channel occurring through the mass media like the TV and radio and the internet. The receiver receives the message and decodes it. The decoding refers to the process of transforming the message of the sender into thoughts and ideas. The way the message is decoded depends on the receiver’s perception, belief, state of mind, interpretation and thought process. The decoder frames the message through his or her own reference point and experience. The effectiveness of the message and the intended target of the sender depends on the way the receive received it, the attitude and the response or feedback. The feedback or response step denotes the way the receiver of the message reacts to the message. (Costanzo, 2018)
AMA, while applying the Model can face issues when the noise factor of the Model comes into play. Noise is the phenomenon occurring when there are barriers to the communication process. It can happen any time and anywhere during the communication process. The meaning of noise is the distortion or interference of the message during encoding, transmitting and decoding. Barriers can occur due to several reasons. (Berezan, et al 2017) If the noise happens at encoding it means that the sender is not clear or articulate enough. His or her communication skills may not be as efficient. If the noise occurs during transmission, it means the mass media or the techniques used for transmitting are not effective or are not being clear enough. During the decoding, the noise occurs if the receiver has not understood or feels the message is miscommunicated. Different communication barriers like non verbal skills of communication and the language skills also impact the communication process. It is vital for AMA to be clear and articulate and competent at all levels. (Rasmussen, 2018)
AMA can identify the consumers or the target market by applying models of communication processes. The target market can be identified, according to the Belch theory, on the basis of the response process. Effective communication programmes involve interpreting and assessing of the response system of the clients, customers, patients and users of the services as well as the professionals. Based on their behaviour and attitude, response models can be applied to understand who the target market is. (Lindlof, & Taylor, 2017)
For instance, the hierarchy of effects model shows the impact of an advertisement or information processing on clients. Depending on the response type, the organisation can understand the target market. Alternative response models show the activeness of the responders. Depending on how quickly the responders respond, the organisation can understand whether the client is interested or involved or not bothered or requires something else. The implication of identifying the target consumers is significant because based on the response system of the relevant consumers, accurate services can be provided and more specific messages can be sent for processing. It is vital for organisations like Australian Medical Association to identify the needs, responses and requirements of the market, especially the target market. (Eisenberg, 2017)
IMC or integrated marketing communications indicates a simple yet effective approach of communication which incorporates all messages of the organization in a single tone. It conducts various marketing promotions and advertisements, ensures that customers acknowledge and recognise the organization’s effort to provide service. It is necessary to mention that IMC stresses on four key objectives, generate product interest, establishment of brand awareness, increase product demand and value and increase sales in the process. Australian Medical Association needs to give importance in its IMC objectives. Development of integrated marketing communications would enable the organization to better its marketing and advertising aspects, necessary for reaching out to existing and potential customers. Conducting situational analysis is a fundamental aspect (Belch, Belch, Kerr, G. F. & Powell, 2014). For the purpose, the organization need to assess its current market potion. It is necessary to state that the company has good reputation throughout Australia. However, the organization need to strengthen its popularity.
The organization has gained trust and confidence of its target customers. it boasts of qualified and skilled doctors and health professionals. The company needs to conduct promotion to make its existence well-known to people. Creating video content, blog content along with active management of social platforms are good alternatives to generate customer interest and attention. The IMC approaches would be useful for enhancing service value and demand among target customer population. As stated by Luxton, Reid & Mavondo, (2015), creating good relationship with customers is necessary. The marketing approach is effective in influencing sales of the organization. It is important to mention that it is insufficient to focus on sales objectives. The organization need to consider long term objectives, herein lays the significance of good communication objectives. The company needs to consider improved strategy of direct marketing. Emails, promotional letters, brochures, catalogues are considered effective for the purpose. Instead of text messages and direct call, catalogues, promotions are effective to attract customers. Personal selling is considered useful in the field. There are various options of personal selling the organization can consider. Meetings and discussions are good alternatives to have direct interaction with potential customers (Moriarty et al. 2014).
Sales promotion is a strategic option for the organization. For instance, membership services for customers, attractive service packages, lucrative schemes are helpful in enhancing sales promotion. Promotion of the organization services through newspaper letters, banners, danglers would be useful to attract people. PR or public relation is regarded as one of the important factor of IMC objectives. In order to promote and retain goodwill, the organization establish and strengthen its communication with various internal and external stakeholders (Andrews & Shimp, 2017). As the Australian Medical Association deals with doctors and professionals, it can offer scholarships to students, new joiners in health professionals to acquire goodwill of people. The organization can conduct campaigns to focus its objectives of protecting health professionals in Australia. However, it is necessary to mention that AMA needs to plan an appropriate budget for fulfilling its integrated marketing objectives.
Good marketing excels in communicating with target customer population. The Australian Medical Association needs to consider appropriate creative approaches for the purpose. It is necessary to mention that the organization need to formulate suitable creative strategy, crucial to achieve its IMC objectives. For the purpose, the organization need to have proper idea about the message it wants to convey. Along with the factor, customers need to be able to find something beneficial for them. The organization would be successful to make connection only when it stresses on customers’ requirements and demands (Bruhn & Schnebelen, 2017). The creativity aspect suggest that the message should be simple, compact and quick to attract customer attention. The AMA needs to highlight the fact that it strives to protect economic and professional freedom of medical students and professionals. It should focus on validity of conducting registration with the organization. The organization need to highlight that it sustains and fosters communication, consultation with health and social care professionals. It promotes comprehensive interests of its members. Provided the fact that the organization want to increase its brand image and brand value, it can focus on factors which supports the organization’s validity and reliability in the medical field. Conducing creative approach, the company can consider video advertising in various social platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and so on. It can state the organization resolves issues of medical professionals encountered in the medical field as it works actively with governmental entities (Kuang-Jung, Mei-Liang, Chu-Mei & Chien-Jung, 2015). The organization need to stress on the fact that it gives significant importance on health users and their overall health and welfare. Public health is one of the key area in which the organization is working for further development and improvement.
It is important to mention that the organization need to focus on the creative issue, the objectives, must have insight regrading consumer requirements and demands along with a suitable strategy for the purpose. According to (Munoz-Leiva, Porcu & Barrio-García, (2015), the Australian Medical Association offers high quality medical products such surgical instruments, medical equipment, medicines, medical consumables and so on. On the other aspect, the organization fulfils academic, practical requirements of nursing, medical students, medical specialists, general practitioners and such. It can be stated that the organization need to highlight these aspects while creating marketing approaches for reaching out to various customer population. The organization should give detail information about its wide variety of products acquired from reliable Australiana and global suppliers. In other words, the organization need to stress on primary requirements and demands of its clients/customers. Marketing content should be comprehensive with lucid language. The message need to have the ability to touch the emotional aspect of target customers. Marketing should be such that it attracts consumers’ attention and interest (Lusch & Vargo, 2014).
It is necessary to mention that the organization need to have consistency. In other words, the company should actually provide quality products/services to target clients/customers as stated during the time of marketing. The organization need to demonstrate that its marketing possesses genuine intention, authentic content as per consumer expectation. It is important to state that the organization need to have emotional appeal along with informative facts. In order to conduct good communication marketing, the organization need to provide factual information to existing, new and potential consumers. Along with social platforms, well-designed brochures and catalogues, the organization can consider campaigns, posters and such. Conventional marketing tools such as television, medical and health magazines and such are effective to reach out to maximum number of target consumer population (Royle & Laing, 2014).
It is essential to state that the organization need to concentrate on four major factors. Headline gives a primary introduction of the entire marketing content. It is interesting to note that more than half of the audience continues to read beyond the headline. Hence, the headline needs to be short and informative which would give clue about the actual content.
The second factor refers to visual elements of the content. It strives to enhance the appealing facto of the content. Use of relevant pictures, word art, with attractive yet clutter free designs are some of the examples. Body of the copy contains actual message content along with a proper layout of the content (Felix, Rauschnabel, & Hinsch, 2017).
Conclusion
Conclusively speaking, it is essential for organizations to structure proper set of IMC objectives. Organizations need to consider certain factors such as good content with attractive presentation skills. Marketing should have the quality of communicating with target clients/customers. However, for the purpose, organizations should have proper strategy. Another important fact is, marketing should have genuine and authentic content and consistency is the key to ensure effective marketing. It stresses that the company provides quality products/services to people as shown in marketing, it is a core factor of successful and effective IMC. The company can employ different creative approach however considering both emotional and factual aspects, is crucial to achieve desired IMC objectives.
References
Andrews, J. C., & Shimp, T. A. (2017). Advertising, promotion, and other aspects of integrated marketing communications. Nelson Education.
Barnlund, D. C. (2017). A transactional model of communication. In Communication theory (pp. 47-57). Routledge.
Belch, G. E., Belch, M. A., Kerr, G. F., & Powell, I. (2014). Advertising: An integrated marketing communication perspective. McGraw-Hill Education.
Berezan, O., Krishen, A. S., Tanford, S., & Raab, C. (2017). Style before substance? Building loyalty through marketing communication congruity. European Journal of Marketing, 51(7/8), 1332-1352.
Blakeman, R. (2018). Integrated marketing communication: creative strategy from idea to implementation. Rowman & Littlefield.
Bruhn, M., & Schnebelen, S. (2017). Integrated marketing communication–from an instrumental to a customer-centric perspective. European Journal of Marketing, 51(3), 464-489.
Chatterjee, D., & Mitra, M. A. (2017). Communication Spectrum within the Healthcare Industry: A Gap Analysis.
Costanzo, P. J. (2018). A Course Project Designed to Aid Students’ Understanding of the Structure of Advertisements: An Application of the Who Says What to Whom over What Channel with What Effect Model. Atlantic Marketing Journal, 7(1), 5.
Eisenberg, E. M. (2017). The social construction of healthcare teams. In Improving Healthcare Team Communication (pp. 9-20). CRC Press.
Felix, R., Rauschnabel, P. A., & Hinsch, C. (2017). Elements of strategic social media marketing: A holistic framework. Journal of Business Research, 70, 118-126.
Kuang-Jung, C., Mei-Liang, C., Chu-Mei, L., & Chien-Jung, H. (2015). INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION, COLLABORATIVE MARKETING, AND GLOBAL BRAND BUILDING IN TAIWAN. International Journal of Organizational Innovation, 7(4).
Lindlof, T. R., & Taylor, B. C. (2017). Qualitative communication research methods. Sage publications.
Lusch, R. F., & Vargo, S. L. (2014). The service-dominant logic of marketing: Dialog, debate, and directions. Routledge.
Luxton, S., Reid, M., & Mavondo, F. (2015). Integrated marketing communication capability and brand performance. Journal of Advertising, 44(1), 37-46.
Mohan, R. (2018). Work experience with the AMA. Australian Medicine, 30(11), 8.
Moriarty, S., Mitchell, N. D., Wells, W. D., Crawford, R., Brennan, L., & Spence-Stone, R. (2014). Advertising: Principles and practice. Pearson Australia.
Munoz-Leiva, F., Porcu, L., & Barrio-García, S. D. (2015). Discovering prominent themes in integrated marketing communication research from 1991 to 2012: a co-word analytic approach. International Journal of Advertising, 34(4), 678-701.
Rasmussen, T. (2018). Social theory and communication technology. Routledge.
Royle, J., & Laing, A. (2014). The digital marketing skills gap: Developing a Digital Marketer Model for the communication industries. International Journal of Information Management, 34(2), 65-73.
Serrat, O. (2017). The future of social marketing. In Knowledge solutions (pp. 119-128). Springer, Singapore.
Order an Essay Now & Get These Features For Free:
Turnitin Report
Formatting
Title Page
Citation
Outline
