In today’s world customers are spoilt for choice. They have the option to shop anywhere, be it a brick-and-mortar store or a shopping app. Everyone is looking for better offers and more convenient ways to complete the transaction. They might see your targeted ads for the first time while reading their favourite fashion blog. Then they might visit multiple shopping apps to cross-check prices, delivery dates and reviews. At the end of the day, the customer might choose to complete the transaction from the site that gives them the most benefit or convenience. According to State of the Connected Customer, October 2020 edition by Salesforce, 74% of customers have used multiple channels to start and complete a transaction. This is why it is imperative for marketers today to make maximum use of all available and relevant channels in the form of omnichannel marketing to strengthen their business.
Omnichannel marketing enables businesses to present a singular, consistent and seamless experience across multiple channels. This is done with the motive to improve the overall buying journey. In addition to this, marketers who campaign on more than three channels have a higher customer retention rate than those who focus on just one or two.The customer of today has access to multiple devices and channels. At every touchpoint, they would expect consistent brand messaging and personalized experience. Having a similar experience across channels will not only help in making a positive impact but also make the customer more comfortable in reaching out on the platform they prefer. Of course, you will need behavioural data, but people are more than happy to give you that once you offer them personalized service.The important thing to keep in mind here is not to confuse omnichannel marketing with multichannel marketing. In multichannel marketing, you might be targeting your customers through various channels. However, you aren’t necessarily integrating channels to offer a seamless experience. In omnichannel marketing, you would use a campaign to drive customers to all channels that you are available on.
For example, if you walked into a streetwear store that practices omnichannel marketing, you would be offered loyalty points for downloading their app. Then, their app would again offer you discounts to subscribe to their weekly newsletter containing personalized collections of the latest and hottest stocks, and so on.
At the outset, it might look like a lot of work to get into this form of marketing. But once you get on top of it, you will realise it’s more about aligning all that you already do to create a seamless experience. These few extra steps can trigger a tremendous increase in ROI.
So, let’s look at the ways you can make this work for your brand.
Walk-in your customer’s footsteps and follow them (not literally 😉). From the moment they discover you, start learning about them, and see how they might move through the buying journey and map it. After you have helped them make an informed buying decision and closed a sale, don’t stop. Find ways to nurture the relationship. See where you can probably help them to ensure an elevated customer experience, which will lead to customer loyalty.
You don’t want to be all prepared and then turn up with disjointed messaging like an amateur on your customer’s notification panel. Tie together all forms of communication within the organization into a stream of seamless interactions. A singular and strong brand experience rules over fragmented team efforts.
Never consider audience behaviour and preference research a one-time activity. Keep updating personas based on demographics, buying behaviour, and other data. This will help you create the relevant customer segments you need to target.
No, it can’t be emphasized enough. All campaigns and customer outreach need to be sharply personalized. Make them feel like they are home when your message hits their inbox. Then, do it some more. Focus on the buying decisions as well as the interactions.
Test your copy, design, and interaction styles. See what they respond best to. And voila, your recipe for omnichannel marketing is sorted.