Multi-Channel Marketing – Your Choice

You've heard from us that we are a marketing services provider. We know what that means but to you, our customers and prospects it means many things to many people. Guess what? Whatever you think it is, you’re right. Marketing is made up of many, many, many things all working together. The marketing pros use a term called multi-channel marketing to describe this. Mulit-channel marketing is talking and listening to customers and prospects using a combination of marketing tactics. Some of these are very direct, intentional, planned and executed. The ones we most often get involved in are direct marketing including direct mail, mobile marketing, email marketing, catalogs on and offline, advertising specialties, brand identity, newsletters, websites, social media marketing and more. The goal is to motivate a customer or prospect to take action. That action is to have a conversation with you, create and extend a relationship with and eventually buy your product or service or at least refer your product or service. That’s what a multi-channel marketing approach can do for you. The marketing vehicles of a multi-channel approach (or the channels) are your choice. That choice is usually determined by where your customers and prospects are. Put your message where your target market looks. Why is multi-channel marketing important and better than using just one channel? Multichannel marketing allows you to be where your customers are. Customers and prospects are all in different places. Finding them and communicating to them is the goal of your marketing. A multi-channel approach allows this to happen. Studies have shown that those touched my multiple channels spend more than those touched by just a single channel. Today, customers control the buying process. They also are now controlling the information they receive. The more channels you communicate thought, the better the chance you will reach your target market. There are more channels available to marketers, today, to reach customers and prospects; way more than in previous times. These channels will grow, new channels will be introduced and customers and prospects will learn new ways to receive information. All this means that a multi-channel approach to your marketing will not only be an option, it will become a preference and a critical component to your business success. So as you consider the different ways to market here are three considerations to take away:

1. Think and create your marketing from the view of your customer. What’s in it for them? What are their pain points? What problems do they have that your product or services are solving? What challenges can you help customers and prospects meet head on, successfully?
2. Plan your marketing. Identify the channels that work for your customers and prospects. Make your marketing consistent through these channels. Motivate customers and prospects to take action by communicating through their channel of choice.
3. Think customer experience, not just a message. This means offering opportunities for interaction and response. Make it easy for customers and prospects to not only communicate with you but make it easy to buy from you.
4. Implement what you are comfortable with; comfortable financially and emotionally. You can’t do everything. Don't try. Your customers and prospects will help you determine what needs implemented.
5. Get help if you need it. We can help you from idea, to design, to fulfillment of your message and communication to follow up. We are experts in marketing services and welcome a planning session with you.