If just the words ‘multi channel marketing’ strike fear into your heart, fret not. We know it sometimes feels like you’ll be going out of business if you don’t know the jargon. Trust us, beyond the new vocab is usually some pretty sound business advice being presented in a new way as technology evolves.
Having a multi channel strategy
Multi channel marketing basically boils down to talking to your customers through different mediums. It might be with a website, in a store, email, catalogue, or through social media. Your customers are in different places, so it makes sense for your business to be present in those places too. It increases the chances of getting their attention.
The difference between multi channel and omnichannel
Another buzz word for the list is omnichannel strategy. Like multi channel it means appearing in different places, physical and digital, for clients to find you. The difference between them is how the customer experience is delivered across the different channels.
Multi channel sees each sales platform operated fairly separately. In real terms, it means that a website shopping experience and an in-store one have no overlap.
Omnichannel means that there is a fluid transition from one channel to the next. In short, order on the website, pay for the item in store. Another excellent example is the ability to use your smart phone as an in-store personal assistant.
Why multi channel and omnichannel strategy matters
With 72% of consumers saying they prefer to connect with brands through multichannel marketing, it’s not something to take lightly.
Having different contact points with your clients is great for giving you lots of options to engage their attention. Most marketing strategy relies on robust research to understand who is shopping, where, and how. When that shopping activity spans different platforms it can demand even more detailed knowledge of customer behaviour.
Top tips for successful marketing across multiple channels
Your customer is always your customer
Once you’ve identified your customer, it doesn’t matter what channel you find them on. Their behaviour might change slightly across platforms, but essentially they are the same person. So the message you use to reach out to them doesn’t really change, but it might become more enhanced.
But remember different customers use different channels
This probably sounds like a complete contradiction of the previous point. Basically, try to remember that the same customers might use different channels to interact with you. That means that the message cannot be drastically different, or you’ll dilute your brand past recognition.
But. There are also customers who will only engage with you on one platform. Their habits and trigger points are likely to be different as a result of this behaviour. So, rather than having different messages, you’re just presenting the same ideas but in different ways. And that, darling, is what marketing across different channels is all about.
Give the same customer experience on every platform
If a potential customer has a bad experience with your brand in one location, they’re a lot less likely to re-engage with you elsewhere. It means that investing all of your efforts into one channel but neglecting the others can actually do you a lot of harm. It would be better for those other channels to be unavailable, rather than have them letting the side down.
