You Don't Have to Be Perfect for the Integrated Marketing Awards
	Posted by Chris McKinley at May 24, 2012 07:02 AM CDT

To say you’re integrated can be like stating you’re perfect. Integration is such a buzz word today. Not striving to be more integrated seems misguided, while claiming to be truly integrated seems to lack a sense of humility. However, many successful integrated campaigns are being pioneered today, and there are some excellent candidates out there for the new Integrated Marketing Awards.

The Integrated Marketing Advisory Board (IMAB) announced recently that it will be recognizing integrated campaigns at the Bridge Conference in August.  While it is hard for me to think of the perfectly integrated campaign, it’s not difficult to come up with many examples of campaigns that are “more” integrated or had integrated outcomes. The IMAB feels it is important to share and showcase such examples, as they’re invaluable to help the nonprofits and the industry grow beyond our traditional marketing activities.

Traditional marketing activities hold value by themselves; however, as our culture becomes more fragmented with increased distractions, changing donor preferences require organizations to offer giving channels that are also accessible and convenient. The mix of marketing messages necessary to gain donor attention, and the additional options for giving, require integrated fundraising.  Examples of integrated campaign innovations, successes or failures, are invaluable.

Please consider sharing and submitting your nominations for an integrated campaign that we all can learn from, and shed some light on answering questions many of us have, such as:

• How do we quantify whether marketing efforts are working together?
• What are the proper metrics and results? 
• How do we know if we’ve created, engaged, developed and maintained at an optimal level?

These awards will recognize results in each of three pillars of integrated marketing:

• The Donor – Show us how the integrated marketing campaign or program had an impact on donor satisfaction and the donor experience.
• The Organization – Describe how an effort across the organization – that demonstrates alignment of strategy, structure, culture or skills – had an impact on ability to integrate marketing efforts.
• The Practice – Share a real world case study that highlights best practices in the field of integrated marketing.

Any person may nominate an unlimited number of nonprofit organizations in each award category.  So, consider which organizations you would like to nominate, and be sure to submit your nomination by June 30.