Multichannel marketing. Everyone is talking about it. Yet, when all is said and done, there are often more questions than answers—especially when it comes to identifying the right mediums to use to attract the customers and revenue that companies seek.
One reason for this complexity is due the vast number of variables to consider in multichannel marketing. They include but are not limited to:
- Geography
- Industry or market segment
- Level of contact within the company
- Size and scope of the marketplace, and
- Known or unknown customer preferences.
As businesses vie for top industry leadership positions, they really need to do their homework in determining the best marketing channels to use. That means conducting formal or informal customer research, tapping into data analytics, and seeking input from sales, marketing and other key personnel.
Offline and Online Multichannel Marketing
Using the information collected and a team approach, make a list of the offline and online channels that are available. For example, offline approaches include:
- In-person events
- Direct mail
- Advertising
- Tradeshows
- Books
- Telemarketing and other traditional ways of reaching prospects and customers.
Online channels consist of:
- Company websites
- Social media
- SEO
- E-books
- Webinars and other automated platforms.
Then there are the channels that can be delivered on and off-line like videos, newsletters, press releases. Prioritize your list of channels to test, determining a budget for each initiative and a method of measuring ROI. As you begin to roll out your program, keep a close eye on results.
Multichannel Marketing Success
In the end, multichannel marketing success will come from your ability to understand your target audiences’ choices and preferences, engage and interact with them based on their needs, and make it convenient and easy for them to respond (and buy).
Remember, the most effective marketing mix will vary from company to company. Due to the ever-changing platforms and new opportunities that arise, continual evaluation and fine-tuning of your multichannel marketing strategy will always be necessary.
