Omnichannel: 5 steps to an integrated customer experience
Posted: Tue Dec 10, 2024 10:20 am
Customers face many more touchpoints on their purchasing journey than ever before. Studies show that they will interact with your business an average of 10 times for each purchasing decision.
Customers increasingly dictate when and how they engage with your business— in person, through your website, by phone, on social media or using a mobile app. And they use multiple devices, including smartphones, tablets and computers.
So businesses have adopted what is called multichannel marketing. They use various methods to reach and serve customers as well as prospects: in-store, brochure, email marketing, website, telephone customer service, Facebook, LinkedIn.
Omnichannel
Uneven customer experience
However, it is difficult for many companies to ensure a consistent customer experience across all of these channels. For example, the information the customer service team provides about a product may be different than what is on the website, or in-store customers may not be offered the promotion that is available online.
How can a business manage complex “movements” from one channel to another in a way that is seamless and invisible to customers?
That’s where omnichannel marketing comes in. Omnichannel takes the customer’s perspective and orchestrates their experience so it’s seamless, integrated, and consistent across channels.
Well-executed marketing
Omnichannel takes into account that customers can move from one channel to another on their purchasing journey. In short, omnichannel is multichannel done right!
Multi-Channel
Omni-Channel
The good news? It’s easier for small businesses to implement omnichannel marketing than it is for large enterprises.
First, small businesses aren’t limited to the functional silos of large corporations. Often, corporations deploy their marketing efforts through multiple, specialized units. Typically, in a small business, one person handles all marketing.
And most importantly, small businesses know their customers well and offer personalized service that is unmatched by large companies.
5 Steps to Implementing Your Omnichannel Strategy
How can your business leverage these benefits to develop and implement an omnichannel marketing strategy?
1. Understand your customers
Small businesses typically have anecdotal and historical knowledge of their customers’ behaviors and preferences. However, additional insights can be gained through tools such as online surveys , data analytics overseas chinese in canada data programs , and social media monitoring software , which can identify sales trends, flag complaints, or reveal consumer trends. To gather feedback from existing and potential customers, we recommend using survey tools such as Google Surveys or Survey Monkey. HootSuite and SproutSocial are useful for social media monitoring. Finally, tools such as Google Analytics and GetClicky can provide information on your website traffic and search engine performance.
2. Adopt a customer-centric approach
Consumers are playing an increasingly active role in marketing campaigns because they choose when, where, and how they view messages. In your marketing efforts, you must work “backwards”—starting with your target audience and determining the communication methods and tools you will use to attract, serve, and encourage them to buy.
3. Use appropriate communication tools
Be where your customers want to find you. Knowing their behaviors and preferences will help you select the right channels and touchpoints to communicate with them. Small businesses don’t have the resources to advertise on every marketing channel or establish a presence on every social media platform. By organizing communications around their customers’ needs, they can maximize the impact of their marketing budget.
4. Speak with one voice
To build a strong, unified brand, it’s essential to coordinate your messaging across channels and media. Your marketing materials should be consistent. Your online channels should have the same tone and feel as your traditional channels ( i.e. , your store or trade show booth). Your customer service representatives and sales teams should also communicate the same messages.
5. Prioritize lasting relationships
An omnichannel marketing strategy focuses on the long term rather than the short term. You want to build lasting relationships with your customers. Building relationships encourages loyalty and repeat purchases. For example, you could set up a VIP or loyalty program for your most profitable customers. You could also show your customers that you know and care about them by offering them personalized service or products. For managing loyalty and customer interaction activities, we recommend using tools like MailPoet, Mail Chimp, and WooBox.
Here is an example that sums it all up nicely.
A local restaurant learns on Instagram that an event is coming to a nearby park. By talking to customers, the business tracks what’s being said about the event and gets a good idea of the type of people who will be attending.
The restaurant owners then decide to do some marketing to take advantage of the event. They run geographically targeted ads on the web and offer coupons on their Facebook page. On the day of the event, they place ads in local newspapers and use signs to attract the attention of attendees.
This example shows that the customer journey is no longer linear. A customer may interact with your business through multiple channels before making a purchase. That’s why it’s so important to ensure consistency in messaging, pricing, information, and service across all your touchpoints. Otherwise, you risk a poor customer experience and even losing business.
Adopting an omnichannel strategy can help your business gain customers, increase satisfaction and loyalty, and gain a competitive advantage.
Customers increasingly dictate when and how they engage with your business— in person, through your website, by phone, on social media or using a mobile app. And they use multiple devices, including smartphones, tablets and computers.
So businesses have adopted what is called multichannel marketing. They use various methods to reach and serve customers as well as prospects: in-store, brochure, email marketing, website, telephone customer service, Facebook, LinkedIn.
Omnichannel
Uneven customer experience
However, it is difficult for many companies to ensure a consistent customer experience across all of these channels. For example, the information the customer service team provides about a product may be different than what is on the website, or in-store customers may not be offered the promotion that is available online.
How can a business manage complex “movements” from one channel to another in a way that is seamless and invisible to customers?
That’s where omnichannel marketing comes in. Omnichannel takes the customer’s perspective and orchestrates their experience so it’s seamless, integrated, and consistent across channels.
Well-executed marketing
Omnichannel takes into account that customers can move from one channel to another on their purchasing journey. In short, omnichannel is multichannel done right!
Multi-Channel
Omni-Channel
The good news? It’s easier for small businesses to implement omnichannel marketing than it is for large enterprises.
First, small businesses aren’t limited to the functional silos of large corporations. Often, corporations deploy their marketing efforts through multiple, specialized units. Typically, in a small business, one person handles all marketing.
And most importantly, small businesses know their customers well and offer personalized service that is unmatched by large companies.
5 Steps to Implementing Your Omnichannel Strategy
How can your business leverage these benefits to develop and implement an omnichannel marketing strategy?
1. Understand your customers
Small businesses typically have anecdotal and historical knowledge of their customers’ behaviors and preferences. However, additional insights can be gained through tools such as online surveys , data analytics overseas chinese in canada data programs , and social media monitoring software , which can identify sales trends, flag complaints, or reveal consumer trends. To gather feedback from existing and potential customers, we recommend using survey tools such as Google Surveys or Survey Monkey. HootSuite and SproutSocial are useful for social media monitoring. Finally, tools such as Google Analytics and GetClicky can provide information on your website traffic and search engine performance.
2. Adopt a customer-centric approach
Consumers are playing an increasingly active role in marketing campaigns because they choose when, where, and how they view messages. In your marketing efforts, you must work “backwards”—starting with your target audience and determining the communication methods and tools you will use to attract, serve, and encourage them to buy.
3. Use appropriate communication tools
Be where your customers want to find you. Knowing their behaviors and preferences will help you select the right channels and touchpoints to communicate with them. Small businesses don’t have the resources to advertise on every marketing channel or establish a presence on every social media platform. By organizing communications around their customers’ needs, they can maximize the impact of their marketing budget.
4. Speak with one voice
To build a strong, unified brand, it’s essential to coordinate your messaging across channels and media. Your marketing materials should be consistent. Your online channels should have the same tone and feel as your traditional channels ( i.e. , your store or trade show booth). Your customer service representatives and sales teams should also communicate the same messages.
5. Prioritize lasting relationships
An omnichannel marketing strategy focuses on the long term rather than the short term. You want to build lasting relationships with your customers. Building relationships encourages loyalty and repeat purchases. For example, you could set up a VIP or loyalty program for your most profitable customers. You could also show your customers that you know and care about them by offering them personalized service or products. For managing loyalty and customer interaction activities, we recommend using tools like MailPoet, Mail Chimp, and WooBox.
Here is an example that sums it all up nicely.
A local restaurant learns on Instagram that an event is coming to a nearby park. By talking to customers, the business tracks what’s being said about the event and gets a good idea of the type of people who will be attending.
The restaurant owners then decide to do some marketing to take advantage of the event. They run geographically targeted ads on the web and offer coupons on their Facebook page. On the day of the event, they place ads in local newspapers and use signs to attract the attention of attendees.
This example shows that the customer journey is no longer linear. A customer may interact with your business through multiple channels before making a purchase. That’s why it’s so important to ensure consistency in messaging, pricing, information, and service across all your touchpoints. Otherwise, you risk a poor customer experience and even losing business.
Adopting an omnichannel strategy can help your business gain customers, increase satisfaction and loyalty, and gain a competitive advantage.