In today’s noisy digital  world there are more ways than ever to reach customers, and just as many ways for businesses to benefit from that.   In order for your message to be beneficial you must be where your customer’s are – and they are everywhere!  This is why multi-channel marketing plays a vital role in a campaigns success. 

First, what is Multi-Channel Marketing? A practice of interacting with customers using a combination of indirect and direct communication channels.  Websites, direct mail, social media, catalogs, email, mobile, and retail stores are all communication channels that that can enable customers to engage or take action. Multi-channel marketing also allows for customers to choose the channel that best suits them, and by giving them choices you may actually increase your response rate. 

It's a numbers game. Multi-channel customers spend about 3 times more in front of different screens than single channel customers do. They have more control over their buying process so the more options available to them increases the chances of them buying your product or service.  Another benefit is that multi-channel marketing allows for interactive marketing to become more prevalent and creates multi-faceted, stronger filled campaigns.  This allows for communication to build brand awareness, customer loyalty and brand loyalty.

Although there are many positive attributes of multi-channel marketing there are also some challenges involved.  Not to worry though because here at DataMart Direct we have all the tools needed to make your multi-channel marketing efforts successful!! We will work with you to integrate cross media platforms and use the proper combination of:

  • Variable Digital Printing: If you collect data points on your customers, use them to provide relevancy. It you don't have them, start. 
  • Personalized Landing Pages: 
  • Emails
  • Mobile Marketing
  • Personalized Direct Mail
  • Text messaging

One of the challenges of having so many communication channels is that not only do you need to deliver your message to your customers, but you also must keep them engaged.  A great way to do this is through the use of PURLS, something we are quite experienced with here at DataMart.  A PURL is a personalized URL and it provides a powerful, interactive, online response channel for print and/or electronic communication.  By using database management you can integrate a PURL into an email or direct mail campaign and lead customers to a personalized landing page where their contact information will be auto filled in from the database.

A thank you page will be generated with customized offers and details based on each individual customer responses.  Real time lead trigger is then sent to the sales team and full reporting of campaign can be measured.  So as you can see, a PURL is very beneficial because it allows for communication within multiple channels such as mail, website and email.  Also, if your business is in retail, a PURL has the potential to drive your customers to a specific location by providing information as to what location is nearest to them.

Another challenge of multi-channel marketing is generating your customer’s willingness to act.  It is unrealistic to expect them to change their communication channel or device preference, so marketers must coordinate highly orchestrated touch points that span multiple channels fluidly in a way that customers will find meaningful.  An EDDM mailer would be an example of print marketing and is a great method for attempting to generate new customers.  Mobile marketing is another good method to use because it gives customers an interactive experience and since 80% of the nation’s population carries mobile phones why not give them an experience they will enjoy?

The main thing to focus on is establishing a multi-channel marketing platform, one that includes processes and technology to support.  Campaign management, advanced analytic's and execution and digital marketing are all components to a successful platform.  By establishing a platform, you will be able to integrate traditional and emerging channels which will simplify the creation of cross channel campaigns. DataMart is here to help you and we offer all these services in house so it doesn't have to cost you a fortune!

Another concept to focus on is consistency.  Customers will experience your brand as a whole, whether their interactions are online, in person, over the phone or a combination of all of these.  There needs to be consistent delivery of positive value throughout all channels in order to reduce risk of turning your customers against you. 

I'd love to hear how you connect with your audience, what works and what doesn't. feel free to connect.