Multi-channel marketing refers to the practice by which companies interact with consumers via multiple channels (direct and indirect) to sell products & services. If you are also eager to incorporate this approach in your company, then this guide to master the art of multi-channel marketing is just for you!
Companies use direct channels so that they can reach consumers proactively, i.e., through physical stores, direct mail, catalogs, etc. In addition, indirect channels like publishing content on the website or social media are also included in multi-channel marketing.
Moreover, other means of reaching consumers via multi-channel marketing include mobile devices, text messaging, email, social media, search engine optimization, GPS, etc., to track consumers’ proximity to products and services.
Interestingly, multi-channel marketing also combines inbound and outbound marketing practices to reach consumers via different channels.
If you have read till here, we assume you wish to know more about it! So, here is a guide to mastering the art of multi-channel marketing. Make sure you go through it all if you want to incorporate it into your workplace!
Significance Of Multi-Channel Marketing
Multi-channel marketing is essential for the simple reason that you must be where your consumers are. However, if you need another reason, consider this: multi-channel consumers spend 3-4 times more than single-channel consumers.
There’s no doubt that consumers today have much control over what they are purchasing, thanks to the proliferation of available channels that help consumers get information about each and every product and service the company offers.
Today, there are several ways to reach consumers – both in terms of numbers and the variety of channels that we could have ever imagined. With an ever-increasing number of broadcasting outlets, the need to embrace the art of multi-channel marketing will not only become a good idea but a critical one!
Benefits Of Multi-Channel Marketing
In order to inculcate the art of multi-channel marketing, one must also be aware of its benefits.
Marketers have lauded multi-channel marketing for decades. However, many studies show that multi-channel consumers spend 2-5 times more than single-channel consumers.
Here are the benefits of multi-channel marketing. Take a look!
- Expanded Reach
The first and foremost benefit of learning the art of multi-channel marketing is expanded reach.
Marketers may reach a wider audience by spreading their messages across multiple platforms. However, there are a large number of clients who only communicate via a few methods. Thus, extending the campaigns to encompass more channels will help the company find potential consumers with untapped purchasing potential.
- Increased Engagement
An increased number of channels often results in a higher number of consumers. This doesn’t only provide consumers more opportunities to engage with the brands but also opens new channels of communication between the consumer and the company.
Also read: Employee Engagement
- Reach Consumers On Preferred Channels
Consumers interact with numerous sources of media on a daily basis. Thus, instead of waiting for consumers to find a suitable brand, marketers need to uncover which channels consumers would prefer and how they can meet them.
So, a customer interested in goods and services might wish to receive expository advertisements on television. In contrast, a consumer ready to purchase might want to read detailed reviews of the brand online.
- Combined Channels = Effectiveness
When marketers create a strategy that ties multimedia campaigns together, it creates an opportunity for more impactful messages that are mindful of a consumer’s journey. Interestingly, it is possible to mix and match a variety of messages and channels in multi-channel marketing.
Here is an example that might be effective for a company’s multi-channel campaigns!
- Radio & Television
Radio adverts help consumers remember the advertisements they saw on television. When these two channels are combined, the brand name is said to improve. Many speculations have been made that this positive effect on the brand occurs because it is cost-effective and can help them solidify their image through impactful and engaging television commercials!
Also Read: An All-Inclusive Guide On Content Marketing
Challenges In Multi-Channel Marketing
Along with the benefits, one also faces some challenges in multi-channel marketing. Here they are!
- Targeted Messaging
Customers have so many options that targeting them with the right message is not enough. Moreover, not only is it vital for customers to receive messages, but they must also be attentive, receptive, and willing to act, irrespective of the channel. Thus, targeted messaging might seem difficult to manage sometimes.
- Highly Choreographed Campaigns
Expecting consumers to change channels or device preferences is a bit unrealistic. As a result, marketers must constantly develop & coordinate highly orchestrated touch points & micro-campaigns that span multiple channels swiftly, which the consumers find trustworthy and meaningful.
- Marketing Response Attribution
It is incredibly challenging to know which channel or campaign contributed to qualified conversations & sales. However, once you know what triggered each response, it will enable marketers to assess if their marketing efforts were getting results or not!
- Keeping Up With The Innovations
A decade ago, marketers began learning how to optimize ad placements on Facebook. Then, in a few years, they needed to expand their marketing efforts to Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, Linked In, etc.
See, it is difficult to master a new social media platform every year, & this challenge is compounded when marketers need to stay updated and keep pace with new innovations.
To maintain a leading position in the competition, marketers must consistently research the upcoming channels and devise strategies to maximize the value of messaging on those channels.
How To Create A Successful Multi-Channel Marketing Campaign
The art of multi-channel includes long-term plans that help establish brand awareness and maintain relationships with prospective and existing consumers.
Here are steps for creating an excellent multi-channel marketing strategy.
- Develop Analytics
Organizations must use consumer data platforms to collect consumer data from numerous sources and analyze it. The analysis enables companies to observe consumer behaviors and demographic information to determine which consumer gets which marketing messages.
Thus, creating a personalized marketing strategy increases the likelihood of consumer engagement and excellent consumer experience!
- Understand Channel Preferences
The best approach to building a multi-channel strategy is first to understand which channel consumers prefer more. Companies can then tailor their content to reach their ideal customers.
- Be Consistent Across Channels
Companies should devise new marketing campaigns that expand to multiple channels. But, of course, expecting consumers to adapt as per the company’s preferences is a bit far-fetched and unrealistic.
Instead, companies should coordinate the online and offline channels they use. For instance, keyword testing from online marketing can inform the effectiveness of numerous campaigns before they are made to print ads or other advertisements. Coordinating in-store experience with digital channels is also a good approach.
- Measure Attribution
Once a multi-channel campaign is completed, a company must evaluate performance. This will help the companies know which channels are successful and can influence other channels.
Moreover, companies can also choose from various marketing attribution models to do this. Knowing which campaigns lead to the most sales on which channels will help determine their efforts’ effectiveness and the respective channels’ return on investment.
- Choose The Right Platform
The last point of creating the right strategy while learning the art of multi-channel marketing is to choose the right platform. The platform that a company chooses helps achieve all the points discussed in this section.
In addition, the platform to be selected must have campaign management abilities and be able to do predictive analysis & attribution analysis. So make sure to find such a platform!
Create Consumer Experiences Across All Channels!
Consumer experiences are one of the most powerful competitive differentiators. While the quality of consumer experience is vital, consistency is equally important! This is because the consumer experiences the brand as a whole, i.e., one can purchase things online, in-store, via smartphone, etc.
But think about this:
If a customer has a good experience online but a bad one in-store, the former doesn’t really matter.
So, if you treat each channel as a distinct entity, you risk turning consumers against you if you fail to deliver consistently.
Thus, to offer optimum goods and services to consumers, learning and incorporating the art of multi-channel marketing is extremely crucial!
Also Read: Multimedia Marketing
