When running a business, there are some instances when it’s better that you remove your “owner’s hat” and replace it with the one you wear as a consumer.  This is especially true when it comes to your business’s marketing strategy. Since the primary focus of your marketing is to increase brand awareness or market your product or service to consumers, it is a good idea that you think like one.

Every day, consumers are faced with different types of marketing tactics from various businesses. Just think about the email blast you received this morning about that blowout sale or the ad that showed on your Facebook feed. This mix of cross-marketing is just an example of the brilliance that is multichannel marketing.

What is Multichannel Marketing?

As times change and your consumers grow busier, multichannel marketing is needed to help your business grow. Multichannel marketing (or Omni-channel marketing) is often described as the practice of interacting with consumers using a combination of communication channels.

Whether the channels you choose are indirect or direct, multichannel marketing can include a mix of:

• Website
• Direct mail
• Email marketing
• Mobile marketing
• Print advertising
• Radio and TV scriptwriting
• Billboard creatives
• Content marketing
• Social media marketing

With multichannel marketing, all of the channels you choose work together to help enable your customers or potential customers to take action in buying your product or service. Simply put, multichannel marketing gives you the ability to market in several places at one time.  

Why Multichannel Marketing Is Important Today

Think back to that email you received this morning or the Facebook ad that just so happened to be on your newsfeed. If a company tries to reach you about their annual blowout sale by only using a direct mail marketing piece, chances are there will be a delay. By them sending you a marketing email, you can easily click through to their site while you’re at lunch today. If you decide not to purchase now, that’s fine because you will later receive a direct mail marketing piece that reiterates “Hey, don’t forget about the blowout sale that’s happening right now!”

Another great thing about multichannel marketing is that it is not industry-specific. So, no matter the industry, if you have a customer-base, using a mix of marketing channels is ideal. This also keeps you from putting all of your eggs (er, marketing) in one basket.

3 Tips to Make Multichannel Marketing Work for You

Most of the biggest and brightest brands like Apple, Disney and Starbucks do multichannel marketing effectively. By using a mix of all the channels we named above, these companies have cleverly dominated their industries.

If you are ready to give multichannel marketing a go, here are three great tips you should keep in mind to help your business do it successfully.

1. Know Your Audience –Don’t get too wrapped up in the hoopla that is your marketing strategy that you forget about your customers. After all, the point of multichannel marketing is to reach your current and potential customers. Don’t lose sight of that.
2. Choose the Right Marketing Channels – Marketing is not one-size-fits-all, so be strategic in the marketing mix you choose.
3. Stay Consistent – This should come without saying, but if you are delivering a message on one channel, think about ways to adapt that same message for the other channels you use. This way, you don’t confuse your customers and instead, make it to where each channel works seamlessly together.

If you get nothing else from this blog remember this – multichannel marketing is no longer a luxury. It’s a necessity to help your business grow.

Do you need help with developing the right multichannel marketing strategy for your company? We can help. Contact Belo Media Group to learn how.