Omnichannel marketing isn’t a new strategy in the market! Your brand might be applying it already, but you don’t know how.
So, are you a coach, consultant, or small business owner who is curious to know more about this marketing strategy? Then I got you.
This essay discusses Omnichannel marketing, compares it to multichannel marketing, discusses its benefits, and provides examples of brands that are successfully employing it. Let’s dive in.
What’s omnichannel marketing
Just imagine you’re looking for an outfit for your friend’s event. You identify one on Instagram and follow a link to the website where you can buy and even track the delivery. Easy right?! That’s Omnichannel marketing for you.
This marketing strategy aims to seamlessly connect your marketing efforts in different channels to offer a unique user experience and a more efficient system. You can also tailor your message to an articulate audience through Omnichannel marketing. Such an experience is made possible through the meaningful use of customer data once they interact with your brand.
Difference between omnichannel marketing and multichannel marketing
I know what you might be thinking, aren’t these the same thing?! Shock on you. These strategies are very different. Although they both target your customers in different channels, Omnichannel marketing is system and customer-centric, aiming for a unique experience through this channel.
On the other hand, multichannel focuses more on the service/product, and the customer experience is different in each channel.
7 benefits of omnichannel marketing
Before you decide if Omnichannel marketing suits your business, you need to know what returns you’re getting from this strategy. Below are some of the benefits you might gain:
- Seamless user experience: With the marketing welcoming the GenZs and ever-present millennials, brand interaction is more valued now than ever. A seamless user experience encourages potential customers to purchase and creates loyal customers.
- Increased ROI: Offering a tailored personal experience for different groups of individuals, you increase your conversion rate and sales
- Personalisation: Data collected during this marketing strategy enables you to customise each message and offer to your customers’ needs/preferences. This data is collected through tools, marketing channel insights, CRM systems, and customer data platforms.
- Competitor advantage: Offering a seamless customer experience sets you apart from competitors, fosters loyalty, and attracts more customers.
- Broad audience: This strategy ensures you reach a wider audience simultaneously in different channels.
- Consistent branding: Omnichannel marketing ensures consistency in your branding message and efforts across all channels. That gives you clarity.
- Enhances convenience: This marketing strategy enables customers to interact with your brand on their preferred platforms. This possibility ensures your customers can access their desired information/service easily.
How B2B businesses can integrate omnichannel marketing
Now you know what Omnichannel marketing is and its benefits. It’s time to find out how to start setting up this marketing strategy for your business. Use this step-by-step process below to get started.
- Identify and understand your audience: Who is your target audience? What channel do they spend the most of their time in? What are their pain points? This information helps you create a seamless customer experience system that addresses them and caters to their needs.
- Identify the best channels: Every channel requires a different approach, favours a specific audience, and has a unique algorithm. Prioritise the platforms that your audience prefers and aim to create a seamless user experience.
- Integrate technology: Invest in technology that helps generate customer data (customer interaction insights across all channels) seamlessly. Your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software is a great tool to facilitate data integration.
- Personalise your message: Ensure your message is consistently tailored to your customer’s preferences. This strategy ensures that customers recognise your message when interacting with different channels.
- Ensure your departments work seamlessly: Get your departments working together to offer a unique user experience. You may achieve these interactions by scheduling meetings and educating each of your team members on the roles and how they can enhance customer satisfaction.
- Track, measure, and optimise: Consistently monitor your Omnichannel marketing campaign results. Some tools you can use for this process include your CRM platforms, social media post analytics, and free Google tools (for example, Google Analytics).
Examples of brands using this strategy
Spotify
If you’re a Spotify user, you can access music/podcasts through your desktop app, website, or even the mobile app. Such an experience even allows you to sync your music if all these channels are open.
This streaming platform also advertises itself on other streaming channels like Hulu, taking an omnichannel marketing approach. And if you didn’t receive your Spotify wrap last year, you’re missing out. People end up sharing their wraps on social media, a strategy that markets Spotify. Haha…
Starbucks
Starbucks delivers a seamless customer interaction through the app, website, stores, and social media. Their loyalty program rewards purchases and offers personalised drink suggestions instantly. New members get a free drink, attracting millions of digital users.
Orders and payments sync in real time across all digital and physical channels. Users can reload cards by phone, app, website, or in-store. The result is a seamless, personalised, consistent experience at every customer touchpoint.
Amazon
If you’ve ever shopped on Amazon, we can all agree that it’s easy to switch between the app, website, and physical stores like Amazon Go. Also, they’ve carts that sync across devices to make purchases smooth and user-friendly every time.
Alexa adds voice shopping, and programs like “I Have Space” extend their reach through local retail partners. From browsing online to picking up in-store, it’s all one connected journey.
Apple
Apple ensures you can easily start shopping online, reserve products, and finish in-store with personalised help. Continuity features like Handoff and Universal Clipboard enhance the unified experience. Every touchpoint from device to store feels connected, intuitive, and built around you.
Nike
Some of Nike’s features, like NikeFit, the Nike mobile app, and online store, are an omnichannel marketing strategy that offers a seamless shopping experience. The Nike app offers tailored suggestions and smooth online-to-store shopping transitions. Its loyalty program and retail partnerships ensure a unified and rewarding omnichannel experience.
Take advantage of omnichannel marketing
As marketing keeps evolving, so should your digital marketing efforts, and that’s what this strategy allows you to do. Now that you understand why omnichannel marketing is important, how to do it, and the big brands that embrace it, it’s time to take advantage of it.
Start transforming your customer experience and watch your business grow and become more enjoyable.
