The Importance of Gaining a Multichannel Advantage

Cross-channel marketing is vital to success in the contemporary retail landscape. In fact, 87% of retailers [according to Research Live] have confirmed this belief.

However, where traditional methods of marketing would have seen a single strategy which was blind to the specific channels being used – a unidimensional approach – modern marketers understand more clearly that this does not work in a world where brands and customers have so many channels with which to engage with one another.

This is where multichannel marketing comes in. Multichannel means to consider the context under which you are engaging with a customer and having a strategy in place which acknowledges and prepares for the nuances of that channel.

With multichannel marketing, brands can make sure the message matches the medium.

Remote Working

Perhaps the greatest change to the way we work which has come out of the global COVID-19 crisis is the significant shift towards remote working models. Initially a necessity borne of lockdown restrictions, people have now recognised the benefits of this method of working when it comes to work/life balance.

What has been created from this situation is a landscape where people are now active across many different digital channels at all times of the day. We’re confident they’d never admit it to their employers, but remote workers are not constrained by the usual restrictions of office networks and are free to have social media, articles, and more open while they get on with their work.

This means multichannel marketing has become an even greater tool for markets as the opportunities for connection are now far more numerous than they would have been before when people were only able to browse for personal reasons outside of normal working life.

A Single Voice

One factor of marketing which is easy to lose sight of when engaging across multiple channels is the need for your brand to speak with a single consistent voice.

Each channel you use will likely have a different feel and vibe to it, but you need to make sure you don’t get carried away and present your brand in a manner which is incongruous with the rest of your marketing. For example, there is no point posting silly videos on TikTok, if the rest of your social media presence is serious and professional, despite the fact TikTok more easily lends itself to that kind of content.

"Keeping your branding and messaging consistent is one of the biggest challenges with multichannel marketing,” writes Forbes. "It’s important to keep everything the same on all the channels you’re using – not just your website or social media. Make sure you check the requirements of the channels you plan to use, so you can adjust the branding and messaging accordingly – comply with the requirements and keep everything consistent.”

The Plan

A solid multichannel marketing plan should include several key elements, including but certainly not limited to:

• Detailed customer profiles and relevant marketing communication channels for each
• SMART objectives for acquiring or retaining customers. Specific (simple, sensible, significant), Measurable (meaningful, motivating), Achievable (agreed, attainable), Relevant (reasonable, realistic, and resourced, results-based), Time bound (time-based, time limited, time/cost limited, timely, time-sensitive)
• Marketing tactics including content marketing with an inbound focus
• The integrated marketing communications channels to be utilized, across multiple platforms and devices, to attract and convert customers
• How multichannel results will be measured for effectiveness, influence, and exclusion

(Image source: Smart Insights)

Measurement is key as its only through rich meaningful data you can understand which elements of your multichannel plan have been the most successful. Constant assessment and improvement are a core tenet of any marketing strategy and it’s especially relevant here as there are so many moving parts to consider.

However, you should never lose sight of the customer in all this analysis as multichannel marketing is ultimately about establishing, nurturing, and maintaining relationships with them.

"Building a relationship of nurture and support with your customers can also prove to be challenging when you use several different marketing channels,” continues Forbes. "Put your customers first and provide them with adequate support, value, and products/services. To do so, it’s essential to create the best team for the job and document the guidelines for customer communication in regards to all the channels you plan to use. Map out the customer journey thoroughly, and make sure you actually listen to your customers and their experience so you can act on it.”

Final Thoughts

Multichannel marketing is the new normal as far as engaging with customers goes. Brands need an overarching plan to engage across multiple channels whilst having specific details relating to each one. This means that a consistent brand voice and brand safety remains paramount while keeping communications appropriate for the channel being used.

Multichannel marketing is sure to be part of the conversation at eTail UK 2023, being held in April, at the QEII Conference Centre, London, UK.

Download the agenda today for more information and insights.