Omni-channel marketing, as a phrase, is often used interchangeably with multichannel and integrated marketing. It refers to a strategy that identifies and considers all channels a business can use to reach customers. This includes where they can expect to see your brand, even if you’re not actively using those options yet.
Omni-channel marketing can improve your company’s ability to generate and capitalize on leads by ensuring that no matter which channels a potential client is using, you’ll be there to capture them. Here’s how to ensure you’re effective.
Consistency Across Channels
Consistency is what distinguishes omnichannel marketing from a multi-channel approach. A unified experience means that even if a customer switches from channel to channel as they move through the sales funnel, their experience stays the same.
You need to build a consistent marketing presence across marketing channels. Your website, email, social media pages, and in-store presence should all be communicating the same message. At the very least, it should present a unified brand voice that highlights the same core values and benefits.
For example, local partnerships are a common method small businesses use to build brand awareness in their communities. These partnerships may come with marketing opportunities — like local events, press releases, and special services. They may each occupy different channels and will need to be linked to all the other techniques your B2B business is using.
Similarly, if you’re using content marketing to drive traffic to your website, you’ll want to ensure your strategy aligns with your overall approach to omnichannel.
Make sure the shopping experience is the same, no matter which channel a client is using. Whether they are browsing online product listings, receiving information over the phone, or talking with a rep via email, their experience should be similar.
Omni-Channel Data Management
Your multichannel marketing data should also be linked up in the same way. A client may first encounter your brand as an anonymous visitor on your website before later reaching out via interaction or message on social media. Another may introduce themselves at an event booth before calling.
Your company is probably going to be inundated with this information. Without the right prep, it can easily become siloed off and limited to channel-specific datasets. You can build your marketing data collection and organization so you’re unifying it instead. Doing so will provide your team with a more robust dataset you can use to structure your marketing across channels.
Many marketing platforms will help you manage omnichannel data. If you want a more specialized solution, you can also look to management platforms, which are designed specifically to help brands manage information that’s flowing in from many different sources.
Effectively Managing an Omni-Channel Strategy
Omni-channel marketing can be a powerful tool for integrating your strategy across channels. Your business will need to prioritize consistency across channels to be effective and get the most out of collected data.
Lexie is a UX designer and digital nomad. She enjoys kayaking with her Goldendoodle and baking new cookie recipes. Check out her design blog, Design Roast, and connect with her on Twitter @lexieludesigner.
