Multi-Channel Marketing

What is multi-channel marketing?

Multichannel marketing refers to the practice by which companies engage with their audience via multiple channels, both direct and indirect, to promote their products and services. Companies can use direct channels, ones in which the company proactively reaches the customer — such as physical stores, catalogues and direct mail — or indirect ones, in which they push content via websites or social media, also known as inbound marketing.

In today’s marketing landscape there are lots of channels a business could choose to reach potential customers – and it can be a bit of a minefield knowing which ones are right for you.

Having a structured plan for the channels you are considering using to market your company’s products or services to its potential customers, is key to getting your marketing strategy right

We can help navigate that landscape and choose the right channels for you. Whether you simply need a sounding board to bounce ideas, some ad hoc support to deliver your latest campaign, or the skills of our teams to create a full marketing strategy, along with end-to-end campaign management, we have the people and the expertise to make it all happen.

Why use multiple marketing channels?

Multi-channel marketing is effective because we know users tend to frequent many different channels throughout the course of an average day/week. Using a single channel for your brand or campaign is unlikely to be robust enough to give the return on investment needed or for that campaign to achieve its objectives.

It is important to understand each channel has its own strengths and weaknesses, costs, and limits. And therefore, an integrated marketing campaign needs to be carefully planned and mapped against the overall strategy and objectives of the business and what results it needs to drive.

A good place to start is with your objectives. Ensure they are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timebound) From there, you can ensure you have the right channel mix – matching the channel to the objective. This in turn will help you identify what creative formats you may need. From that you can understand the segmentation and targeting which can be applied and the messaging most likely to invoke the response you require.

Not forgetting of course, to apply the value in production of any assets required for the marketing channel you choose, and the media cost itself.

Let’s look at some of the channels available, both on and offline:

• Print
• Direct Mail
• Website
• Email
• Digital (eg PPC, SEO, social media, video)
• Physical location (eg a shop/store)
• Outdoor/Out Of Home
• Mobile
• TV & Radio

+ more!

The ultimate goal of a multi-channel marketing plan is to ensure that potential prospects are continually being engaged and nurtured, with a consistent approach not matter what channels are used. With the overall aim to convert that prospect to a sale or lead over-time.

Where to start?

Here are some pointers on what to include in your multi-channel marketing plan.

1. Information about your intended target audience. This might be a customer profile or a persona. If you do not have a range of personas for your business, it would be a good exercise to map them out using your data to help inform future campaigns and targeting. We can help with that!
2. Define your objectives for the campaign and make them SMART objectives. (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timebound)
3. Choose which marketing tactics you will deploy – which will include content and messaging.
4. Decide which integrated marketing channels to be utilised
5. How results will be measured and reported on.

What elements are fundamental to the success of a multi-channel marketing strategy?

Brand Reach – The goal of a multi-channel marketing is to increase brand awareness by expanding your reach. You’ll want to choose the channels that will accomplish this goal, unless of course the campaign is pure acquisition.

Message – Your message has to resonate with your ‘buyer’, therefore, your content needs to be on brand.

Consistency – One of the most important aspects to multi-channel marketing is being consistent with your messaging across all channels and formats.

Engagement – Not all channels are solely for content distribution. Pay attention to channels like social media, where there will naturally be an element of engagement with your audiences. This will help you sustain long-term success.

Experience – Intrinsically linked to consistency – ensure the user experience at all touchpoints is a good one for potential buyers / customers.

If you’re unsure where to start or which channels could work for you, then meet our Team. We’d love to help get you on the road to multi-channel marketing success.