CMOs should be taking advantage of the benefits a multi-channel marketing campaign brings.
Multi-channel marketing has a lot of benefits for companies and customers. When a customer is exposed to a choreographed campaign across all channels, they are more likely to act and trust the company more.
The average adult uses more than four connected devices to access the internet today. It is necessary for companies to understand this fundamental aspect of the user experience and tailor their marketing strategies accordingly.
Benefits of Multi-Channel Marketing
Channel Preference
Different people enjoy communicating through different channels. When a company takes the time to determine which channels are preferred by which customer personas, they can use this information to vastly improve the response rates of their campaigns.
Channel Medium
Different types of messages work better through different channels. When it comes to communicating with customers over social media, it is important for companies to understand the different types of platforms and what content is best for each one. For example, when it comes to just photos, Instagram and Pinterest are better platforms to use and when it comes to social communications, Facebook is better.
Multi-Channel Variety
The human brain can discard lots of information it is exposed to daily. It is easy for people to discard most marketing messages, so companies having the ability to multi-channel advertise allows them to ensure that customers are seeing their content on at least one platform. When it comes to companies repeating their message, using different channels is much more effective than using just one channel.
Multi-Channel Synergy
A good multi-channel marketing strategy is to use multiple channels in a way that allows them to complement and support each other. When companies use multiple channels to support a single campaign, the campaign generates better results.
Challenges of Multi-Channel Marketing
Targeted Messaging
Delivering the message isn’t enough for companies to do, they need to tailor the message to the audience’s preferences and take demographics, behavioral and transactional history, preferred channel and current location into consideration. When companies engage with their customers in this way, they ensure the customer not only receives the message but are also receptive to the message and willing to act.
Choreographed Campaigns
Companies should always aim to be where their customers are and customers are everywhere. Customers have a lot of control over the buying process today and because of this, marketers need to constantly develop and coordinate touch points and micro-campaigns that span multiple channels fluidly. This brings meaning and trustworthiness to campaigns spanning across multiple channels.
Marketing Response Attribution
Marketers need to know what triggered each response from their customers to assess whether their marketing efforts are getting the desired results. It is becoming increasingly difficult for marketers to know which channels, campaigns or touch points contributed to qualified conversions and sales.
Multi-Channel Marketing Example
When it comes to executing a well done multi-channel marketing campaign, it is beneficial for companies to study what other companies are doing and learn from their triumphs and mistakes. Apple’s strategy of multi-channel marketing unifies the customer experience across all channels and platforms to create a complete end-to-end journey for every purchase. Apple even includes product packaging that helps achieve their overall style of familiarity. Apple makes the whole process of buying music, entertainment and other merchandise easier, faster and simpler.
There are many benefits to multi-channel marketing and all CMOs should be taking advantage of this type of marketing. Our society is constantly plugged in, so a company that is using this to their advantage will come out ahead of their competition. The best way for a marketer to create a successful multi-channel marketing campaign is to see what other companies are doing, or not doing, and use this information to their advantage.
