By now, you’ve probably heard the term “omnichannel marketing” but might not know what it means or why it matters.
If that’s the case, don’t worry – you’re not alone. Although omnichannel marketing is becoming increasingly important, many small business owners and entrepreneurs still don’t know how to implement it correctly.
In this blog post, we’ll break down what omnichannel marketing is, why it’s important, and how you can start using it in your business today. Stay tuned!
Omnichannel Marketing Definition
Omnichannel marketing is an approach that provides customers with a consistent and integrated user experience regardless of the channel through which they are interacting with a company.
The goal of omnichannel marketing is to develop a seamless customer experience, whether the customer is shopping online, in-store, or using a mobile app.
With omnichannel marketing, it provides a consistent brand message and personalized user experience across all channels.
In order to be successful with omnichannel marketing, businesses must have an understanding of their buyer’s journey and touchpoints.
They must also have the ability to track customer interactions across all channels and devices.
When done correctly, brands can create a truly integrated and seamless customer experience that leads to increased brand loyalty and higher conversion rates.
Benefits of Omnichannel Marketing Approach
An omnichannel marketing strategy is one that uses multiple marketing channels to reach and engage your audience.
This could include a combination of offline and online digital channels, such as print ads, TV commercials, social media posts, and so on.
The benefit of an omnichannel approach is that it allows businesses to reach a wider audience and provide a more consistent message.
It also helps to create a more seamless customer experience, as people can move between various channels without losing touch with the brand.
In today’s competitive marketplace, an omnichannel marketing strategy can be a powerful tool for driving growth and building customer loyalty.
Realize Increases in Revenue
Brand loyalty and purchases can be increased through omnichannel marketing, which promotes repeat business by encouraging brand awareness.
This helps businesses retain client loyalty by providing customized content and word-of-mouth advertising as you are able to provide additional services.
Improve Brand Recall
Omnichannel marketing can also be used to improve brand recall.
It evolves across multiple channels, such as email, social platforms, and in-person events, to reach potential and current shoppers.
By creating a consistent message and look across all channels, businesses can create a more memorable and recognizable brand.
For example, a business might use social media, email, and in-store signage to promote a new product launch.
Each channel reinforces the others, creating a more cohesive and memorable experience for consumers.
As a result, businesses that use an omnichannel approach are more likely to stay top of mind with consumers and see improved brand recall.
Boost customer loyalty
Clients buy products they trust with confidence. Omnichannel advertising provides an integrated experience on every platform and enables individual experiences for every audience member.
Loyal shoppers are more likely to continue doing business with you, even if there are cheaper or more convenient options available.
They also tend to be more forgiving when things go wrong and are more likely to recommend your business to others.
So how can you boost customer loyalty?
One of the most important things is to make sure that your clients have a positive experience every time they interact with your business.
This means providing high-quality products and services, responding quickly to customer queries and complaints, and generally going above and beyond to exceed expectations.
You should also look for ways to show your appreciation for your loyal clients, such as through exclusive offers, thank-you notes, or simple gestures of kindness.
By making your clients feel valued and appreciated, you can encourage them to stick with you for the long haul.
Why it works?
With the advent of the internet, businesses have had to adapt the way they market themselves.
No longer can they rely on traditional methods such as television and print ads; they must now find ways to reach their buyers where they are spending the majority of their time: online.
This is where omnichannel marketing comes in.
By using a variety of channels, businesses can reach a wider audience and deliver a more consistent message.
Additionally, omnichannel marketing allows businesses to track customer behavior on all channels and gather valuable information that can be used to tailor future marketing efforts.
What are the differences between Omnichannel and Multichannel?
Omnichannel and Multichannel are both terms that are used to describe the way marketers interact with their customers.
The main difference between the two is that Omnichannel takes into account the customer’s journey, while Multichannel does not.
In other words, Omnichannel is a holistic approach that considers all of the interactions that a customer has with a brand, while Multichannel only looks at each interaction in isolation.
Now let’s look at a few other differences.
Channel vs. Customer
Omnichannel marketing is not just about being present across channels. It’s about offering a consistent and integrated experience to customers regardless of the channel they use.
In multichannel marketing, companies are often executing campaigns in silos. In other words, each channel has its own budget, goals, and team.
Omnichannel marketing, on the other hand, requires coordination and collaboration on all channels. This means that you need to have a clear understanding of how each channel works together to achieve the overall goal.
Personalization vs One Approach
Another key difference is that multichannel marketing often uses a one-size-fits-all approach, while omnichannel marketing is all about personalization. In other words, the use of a multichannel approach often sends the same message to all of their buyers, regardless of who they are or what they need.
Omnichannel marketing, on the other hand, takes into account the individual needs of each customer and tailors the right message accordingly. This allows businesses to create a more personal and relevant experience for each customer, which can lead to increased sales and loyalty.
Exploring the cost differences
Finally, multichannel marketing is often less expensive to implement than omnichannel marketing.
This is because it doesn’t require a company to make changes to its existing infrastructure. However, research has shown that omnichannel marketing provides a better customer experience, which can lead to increased sales and loyalty. Because of this, many businesses are now making the switch or adding to their marketing approach.
How to Create Your Omnichannel Strategy
In today’s competitive retail landscape, it’s more important than ever to create a seamless omnichannel experience for your clients.
Here are some tips to help you get started:
1. Define your goals. What do you want to achieve with your omnichannel strategy? Do you want to increase sales, improve customer loyalty, or both? Once you know your goals, you can start to develop a plan of action.
2. Know your customer. Who is your target customer? What are their needs and desires? What motivates them to purchase? By understanding your customer, you can create an omnichannel experience that resonates with them.
3. Create a consistent brand experience. Your brand should be consistent across all platforms, from your website to your social accounts to your brick-and-mortar store. Make sure your branding is consistent in terms of voice, tone, and visual elements.
4. Make it easy for customers to purchase. Online, in-store, or through mobile devices. Provide clear instructions and provide multiple payment options. Enable buyers to purchase online and pick up in-store or vice versa.
5. Offer customer support. Omnichannel customer support is essential to keeping them happy and loyal. Make sure you have a system in place to address customer queries and complaints across all platforms.
6. Evaluate and adjust. Always evaluate your omnichannel strategy and make adjustments as needed. Track your results and analyze your data to see what’s working and what’s not. Then, make changes to improve your results.
7. Consistency is crucial. The beginning experience must be consistent across the entire journey. Continue to provide material at the same rate on all channels and throughout the network. Maintain consistent messages in any aspect of design, product packaging, or printing.
8. Be better – Make it easy for consumers. It’s hard to change what your consumers are used to. But it’s worth it because they always want more. To be able to change things, you have to be disruptive. That means making sure all the services you offer are useful to your target audience and providing the right experiences for them.
How to build an Omnichannel Marketing Campaign?
An omnichannel marketing campaign is one that uses multiple channels to reach its buyers. So, for example, you might use direct mail, email, social, and your website to reach your target market. The key to a successful omnichannel marketing campaign is coordination. Each channel should reinforce the others.
Start by creating a list of all the channels you want to use in your campaign. Then, develop a separate but coordinated message for each channel. Make sure your contact information is the same across channels. You don’t want potential customers to get confused or frustrated trying to reach you.
Then create some kind of offer or call to action that will motivate buyers to take the next step and contact you or visit your website. This could be a discount, a freebie, or simply information that they can’t find anywhere else.
Finally, measure the results of your multichannel marketing campaign so you can fine-tune it and make improvements for future campaigns. Track things like website traffic, number of sales, social engagement, and foot traffic to your brick and mortar (when possible).
Use the same message across channels but avoid using boilerplate content
When promoting your brand or product, it’s important as we’ve mentioned, to maintain a consistent message across all marketing channels.
However, that doesn’t mean using the same content verbatim on every platform. In order to truly engage your audience, you need to tailor your message to each individual channel.
For example, if you’re promoting a new product on social, you might share a video clip on Instagram, whereas you would focus on the product’s specifications on Twitter.
The key is to find the right balance between channel-specific content and boilerplate content.
By understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each channel, you can create content that increases engagement that ultimately leads to more conversions.
Create an app if needed
If your product sells or offers a SaaS solution or you might need an alternative product to provide the product make an app (dependent on your industry needs).
This app would be designed to provide a seamless experience for your buyers, no matter how they choose to interact with your brand.
The app would need to be able to integrate with all of your other channels, such as your website, social, and email marketing.
It would need to be able to track customer behavior and preferences in order to provide personalized recommendations.
Creating an app may seem like a huge undertaking, but it is essential if you want to provide a truly omnichannel experience for your customers.
With the help of a skilled developer or the off the shelf solutions available today, you can create an app that will help you take your marketing efforts to the next level.
Your website and social channels are the two most important tools in your omnichannel marketing strategy.
They are the foundation upon which you will build all of your other multichannel marketing efforts. That’s why it’s so important to get these two channels right.
Your website should be designed to be user-friendly and easy to navigate. It should also be mobile-friendly, as more and more people are using their smartphones to access the internet.
As for your social channels, you should choose the ones that are most relevant to your target audience.
Once you have these basics in place, you can start to plan how you will use other channels, such as email, paid advertising, and events, to reach your target customers. But first, focus on getting these two right.
Give customers a device and platform appropriate CTA
As the world of marketing continues to evolve, so too do the strategies marketers must use to reach their target audiences.
One of the most important aspects of any campaign is the call-to-action (CTA), which tells potential customers what they should do next.
In the past, brands would typically craft a single CTA that would be used across all marketing campaigns.
However, in today’s omnichannel marketing world, it’s important to tailor your CTA to each individual platform and device. For example, a CTA on a desktop website might tell visitors to “click here to learn more,” while a CTA on a mobile app might instruct them to “tap here to download.”
By giving customers a device- and platform-appropriate CTA, you can ensure that your campaigns are as effective as possible.
Seek to solve for the customer every step of the way
The goal of any campaign is to reach potential customers with a message that resonates.
In the age of the internet, this means creating a comprehensive omnichannel marketing strategy that takes into account the many ways that potential customers interact with brands.
This can be a challenge, but it’s one that’s well worth taking on. By seeking to solve for the customer every step of the way, you can ensure that your message will provide your customer success.
Start by understanding your customer’s journey.
What are the interactions where they’re most likely to engage with your brand?
What concerns do they have at each stage?
Once you have a good grasp of this, you can start to craft a marketing strategy that meets them where they are.
Target each touchpoint with a message that meets the specific needs of the customer at that stage. It’s also important to consider how you can use technology to reach potential customers on their terms.
After all, they’re the ones in control.
Using Omnichannel Marketing Automation
If you’re just getting started with omnichannel marketing, the whole concept can seem daunting. Luckily, there are plenty of tools out there to help you get the most out of your campaigns.
Marketing automation is one of the most powerful tools at your disposal. With marketing automation, you can track customer behavior across all channels and interactions.
This information can then be used to create targeted, personalized messages that will resonate with your customers.
Additionally, marketing automation can help you automate tasks like email marketing, social media campaigns, and lead generation.
This way, you can focus on other aspects of the job while still staying on top of your omnichannel marketing efforts.
Tell me the best way to build an omnichannel marketing strategy when using offline and online tactics
An omnichannel marketing strategy combines both offline and online tactics to reach and engage customers. In order to build an effective omnichannel strategy, companies need to consider a few key factors.
Get your whole team on board
The benefits of an omnichannel approach are clear. Customers are more likely to stay engaged with your content, and they are also more likely to purchase from you.
But how do you make sure that your whole team is on board with this approach? The key is communication and training.
Each member of your marketing team should be aware of the customer journey and how their role fits into the bigger picture.
For example, if a customer calls your company with a question, your customer service representative should be able to quickly pull up that customer’s purchase history and browsing habits in order to provide the best possible service.
Think consumer first
The initial step in success involves examining the customer journey. Check the touchpoints the buyers encounter before becoming their customers.
Does the touchpoint provide consistent customer interaction? If it doesn’t, then the appropriate department needs to make the changes.
All departments need to have a customer-centric approach that helps customers provide an effective experience.
Once these changes have been made, businesses will be able to better serve their customers and provide them with a more positive experience overall.
Properly target your messages
In order to effectively communicate with your audience, it is important to tailor your message to fit the specific situation.
This process starts with understanding who your audience is and what they need or want to hear from you. Once you have a good understanding of your audience, you can begin crafting a message that is relevant to them.
It is also important to consider the delivery method for your message. Depending on your audience, certain delivery methods may be more effective than others.
For example, if you are trying to reach a large group of people, a mass media campaign may be the best option. However, if you are trying to target a specific group of people, a more targeted approach may be necessary.
Whatever delivery method you choose, make sure that it is appropriate for your audience and that it will help you achieve your communication goals.
Optimize for mobile devices
We all use phones. Mobile optimization should therefore be mandatory for every company in the world. Mobile e-commerce revenues are expected to grow from 2.1 billion to 3.6 billion by 2030.
They’ve also been forecast for an additional rise by 2025. To increase mobile relevance, almost one in four consumers use mobile phones when they shop on the Internet.
In this way, it’s important to ensure omnichannel advertising campaigns are 100% mobile-optimized. By optimizing for mobile devices, companies can make sure that their ads are seen by more people and are more likely to result in purchases.
Additionally, you can take advantage of location-based targeting and other features that are only available on mobile devices. With so much potential for growth, there is no excuse not to optimize for mobile devices.
Use the Right MarTech
It’s no secret that the right MarTech (Marketing Tech) can make all the difference for a business. After all, MarTech is designed to help businesses streamline their marketing efforts and improve their bottom line.
But with so many different MarTech solutions on the market, how does a business know which one is right for them?
The answer, of course, depends on a number of factors, including the size of the business, the nature of its customer base, and its marketing goals.
However, there are a few general guidelines that businesses can follow when choosing a MarTech solution.
First and foremost, businesses should choose a solution that offers features that are relevant to their specific needs. There’s no point in paying for a comprehensive MarTech suite if all you really need is an email marketing tool.
Second, businesses should make sure that the chosen solution is compatible with their existing systems and processes. After all, there’s no use in investing in a new MarTech solution if it can’t be seamlessly integrated into your existing infrastructure.
Finally, businesses should always keep an eye on the future when choosing a MarTech solution. Choosing a solution that is scalable and flexible will ensure that it can grow with your business as your needs change over time.
Test, measure, and test again
In order to perfect your omnichannel marketing strategy, you need to continually test, measure, and test again.
A powerful marketing platform will allow you to get insights into your sales data through a detailed sales analytics dashboard.
You should be actively testing various components such as different messages, headers, or topics.
Test your systems regularly in order to identify segments that best respond to specific message types.
Take measurements regularly in order to fine-tune your solution.
Analyze your customer data
Analyzing the data is crucial for delivering an optimal customer experience.
Knowing who your customers are, what they want, and how they behave, you can tailor your operations to better meet their needs.
This information can come from a variety of sources, including activity, surveys, and customer service interactions.
When analyzing this data, it is important to look for patterns and trends that will help you better understand your customers. This information can then be used to improve the customer experience by making changes to your website, products, or services.
How to implement an omni channel marketing approach?
All nine steps in the Omnichannel Marketing Strategy need consideration. This reflects a common thread in using the information to create a true customer focus.
Step 1 – Train all employees across every level
A business’s success often depends on the seamless execution of its processes.
From preparing products for delivery to in-store sales, every aspect of the business must run smoothly in order to keep customers satisfied.
This means that all employees, from the lowest level to the highest, must be properly trained in all aspects of their job.
Only then can they be confident that they are able to perform their duties to the best of their ability.
Furthermore, employees must be kept up-to-date on any changes to procedures or new products.
Only by constantly keeping all employees informed and trained can a business hope to maintain its high standards and ensure customer satisfaction.
Step 2 – Offer help at the right time in the right way
It can be difficult to know when and how to offer help. Marketers sometimes use automated customer support processes, like popups, which can be intrusive and unwanted. It’s important to consider the context before offering assistance.
For example, imagine you are scrolling through a gym’s class schedule online.
If you are already considering signing up for a membership, a popup asking if you need help completing a 1-week trial membership might be welcome.
However, if you are just trying to view the class times, the popup could be unwelcome and intrusive.
It’s important to offer help at the right time in the right way so that your customers don’t feel overwhelmed or pressured.
Timing is everything when it comes to providing assistance – too early and you come across as pushy, too late and you risk appearing unhelpful. Strike the perfect balance by offering help when it’s most needed and most welcome.
Step 3 – Take a data-driven approach
In order to be successful in omnichannel marketing, it is essential to take a data-driven approach. This means gathering data on your customers from multiple sources and using it to anticipate their needs.
One way to do this is to look up all of your customer data on a specific website. This data can include user profiles, search habits, and on-the-internet activity.
Another way to collect customer data is through CRM software, which stands for customer relationship management. CRM software is a database that stores and updates customer information.
By using the data you collect from your customers, you will be able to decrease churn and better anticipate their needs.
Step 4 – Make the payment process seamless
In today’s world, customers expect a seamless shopping experience, whether they purchase on your website or at your physical store.
One common issue that can disrupt this experience is a lack of communication between the online and in-store components of a company’s omnichannel strategy.
This can often lead to customers being unable to pick up their online purchases in-store, or vice versa.
In order to avoid this issue, it is essential that companies ensure that their online shopping and in-store systems are properly integrated.
By doing so, companies can provide their customers with the hassle-free shopping experience that they demand.
Step 5 – Segment your audience then map the customer journey
When it comes to digital marketing, one of the most important things you can do is segment your audience.
This involves grouping your customers according to certain criteria, such as age, location, or interests. Once you’ve segmented your audience, you can then map out the customer journey.
This means figuring out how your customers interact with your brand, from initial awareness all the way through to making a purchase.
For example, a brand might segment its customers into repeat visitors and first-time visitors, and then create separate marketing campaigns for each group.
Step 6 – Tell me the meaning of pixels?
A pixel is a small code that is placed on a website. This code collects information regarding how visitors browse the site.
This data helps website owners understand which products or services are of interest to their visitors.
Pixels are sometimes known as “tags.” By tracking the tags, website owners can get an idea of which products or services are most popular with their customers.
Using this data, you can then determine what content your ad is displaying. You’re likely having experience with retargeting.
Step 7 – Prioritize accurate inventory
Inventory is important for any company, but especially for those that sell physical products.
Accurate inventory means having the right products in stock and being able to fulfill customer orders quickly and efficiently.
Having too much inventory can tie up valuable resources and lead to storage and shipping costs while having too little inventory can result in lost sales and disappointed customers.
Prioritizing accurate inventory management will help ensure that your company runs smoothly and effectively.
Step 8 – Personalize the process
Any brand looking to implement an omnichannel approach needs to prioritize personalization.
Customers today expect a seamless, personalized experience regardless of how they interact with a brand. Whether they’re shopping online, in-store, or through a mobile app, they want the same level of service and individualized attention.
This means that companies need to have a deep understanding of their customers’ needs and preferences in order to provide the best possible experience.
Step 9 – Put customer experience first
It’s important for companies to always put the customer experience first
This may seem like an obvious statement, but too often companies get bogged down in their own processes and objectives and forget that at the end of the day, it’s the customer who is paying the bill.
A company that puts the customer experience first will always find ways to improve it, whether it’s through new technology or simply by training employees to be more friendly and helpful.
This could mean investing in chatbots, providing multiple channels for customer service, and personalizing the content and offers you provide.
Omnichannel Marketing Examples
Now let’s take a look at a few examples of brands that are doing omnichannel marketing right.
1. Glossier
Glossier is a beauty brand that’s built its success on social media and online word-of-mouth. The brand has expertly used Instagram to generate buzz and drive traffic to its website.
Glossier has also created a strong loyalty program, rewarding customers for referring friends and sharing content on social.
2. Bonobos
Bonobos is a men’s clothing brand that offers a great omnichannel experience. Customers can shop online or in one of Bonobos’ physical stores, called Guideshops.
In either case, they have access to the same inventory and can return items to any location. Bonobos also offers in-store customer service via video chat, so customers can get help even when there’s no sales associate available.
3. Warby Parker
Warby Parker is an eyewear brand that’s known for its home try-on program. Customers can order up to five pairs of glasses to try on at home for free. They then have five days to decide which pair they want to keep.
Warby Parker makes it easy for customers to shop online or in-store, and they offer free shipping and returns regardless of how customers choose to shop.
4. Macy’s
Macy’s is a department store that offers a great omnichannel experience. Customers can shop online or in-store, and they can purchase online and pick up in-store or vice versa.
Macy’s also offers a loyalty program, called Star Rewards, which gives customers additional savings and perks based on their spending.
5. Amazon
Amazon is the king of omnichannel commerce. The company offers a huge selection of products, fast and reliable shipping, and great customer service. They offer both an online and offline experience.
Amazon also has physical stores, called Amazon Books, and a grocery delivery service, called Amazon Fresh. And, of course, there’s the Amazon Prime loyalty program, which gives members free two-day shipping and access to exclusive deals and perks.
Conclusion
Brands that want to succeed in today’s competitive market need to focus on delivering a seamless omnichannel experience.
This means using multiple channels to reach customers where they are and creating a cohesive experience that leads them down the sales funnel.
It can be complex, but it’s worth it to invest the time and resources into getting it right. When done correctly, omnichannel marketing can help you increase brand awareness, build customer loyalty, and boost sales.
Are you using Omnichannel marketing in your company? If so, we’d love to hear how it’s going for you.
Drop us a line and let us know what channels are working best for you and how you’ve been able to create a cohesive customer experience that drives sales. Omnichannel marketing can be tricky, but when done well it can really pay off.
