The New Formula: R + M = IR2

The focus in this area is often eye-opening and can set the stage for organization executives to come together on a common agreement of making sure the brand story is the best it can be and driving great metrics — be they financial, volunteer-based, mission-based, etc.

• Integrated planning

Integration is one of the scariest words today. Why? Because some marketers relish in total autonomy, believe their marketing programs should be the primary program and they don't need to be viewed along the same lines of any other communication or program. To these people, integration can mean the loss of power. It can mean the inclusion of other opinions at the table, and it can mean making decisions based on what the constituents want rather than just what the financial reports show works. But while integration is primarily about how staff works together and makes decisions together, it is also about data and bringing all of the transactions together to drive the best marketing strategies. And of course, integration between constituent transactions and constituent attitudes data is critical. It's about creating a way of grouping your constituents that creates a common language (segmentation) across key departments. It's about making decisions across programs and channels relative to segmentation over and above every program's individual RFM approach. And it is about channels and messaging — how an organization is working together to make sure that brand story mentioned above is told the best way across the various channels. Organizations of all sizes can become integrated planners and marketers with the right road map, solid commitment from staff and executives, and the vision that it will make the organization better.