Breaking Silos, Building Connections
Brands today face a fundamental challenge: In a digital world where audiences scroll, swipe and switch between platforms within seconds; how do you stay relevant, consistent and appealing across a fragmented marketing landscape?
That’s where multichannel marketing comes in, by crafting tailored campaigns that speak with one voice, across varied touchpoints.
Why is multichannel marketing so indispensable?
Multichannel marketing is the art of engaging customers across a combination of communication platforms, both digital and traditional, to create a seamless brand experience and ‘hooking’ them in their preferred location. Instead of focusing on one route (say, email or social media), brands take multiple routes to reach their audience and reinforce a consistent message.
Done well, multichannel marketing helps brands with: expanding reach and visibility; matching customer preferences and expectations by meeting people on the right channels; building meaningful interactions along the marketing funnel; and collecting more comprehensive data to refine strategy.
The golden rule? Consistency. The channels may differ, but your message, tone-of-voice and brand personality should all ‘gel’ wherever someone finds you. Whether that’s on a LinkedIn post, at a conference stand or in a video.
Best practices for multichannel success
Successful multichannel marketing doesn’t mean being on every conceivable channel. It means knowing where and how to show up. Here are some top tips to always bear in mind…
- Know your audience – Everything starts with your target. Map out your customer personas, understand their pain points and identify the platforms they actually use.
- Be consistent – Each channel should amplify the same message. Tailor the format to fit the medium, but keep the story coherent, to build trust and recognition.
- Connect your data – Use tools and platforms available to track customer interactions across channels. The more joined-up your data, the more responsive your strategy.
- Personalise the experience – Personalisation isn’t just about using first names – it’s about relevance. Apply your insights to deliver content that fits, at the right time, through the right channel(s).
- Track, analyse and continuously optimise – Always be looking to shift the needle. Start by implementing comprehensive analytics across all channels to measure campaign performance. Regularly review the metrics to understand what’s working and what isn’t. Then, make data-driven adjustments to improve results over time.
- Stay agile – As technology changes, so does audience behaviour. Regularly review your performance data and be ready to shift your strategy.
IRIS: Driving engagement online and in person
For IRIS Software Group, a leading provider of business management software, reaching a diverse yet niche business audience meant showing up in the right way – across both analogue and digital media and in person.
Our campaign helped IRIS position itself with busy leaders in UK SMEs, through the creation of a powerful brand property, which promoted IRIS across its divisions. The ‘IRIS Masters of Time’ were (and are) a gang of time-saving superheroes who promised to assist harassed CEOs and CFOs; by giving them ‘time to grow’ through business software solutions.
Initially, the appeal was broad, with above the line (ATL) media such as radio spots, bus-side banners and national out of home (OOH) activity all co-operating to raise brand awareness.
Next, highly-targeted digital advertising on Google, LinkedIn, Facebook and in the trade press, helped us to refine our client’s messaging; reinforcing their credentials and driving customer engagement at the ‘intent’ end of the sales funnel. Campaign viewers and readers were directed to a custom-built microsite for lead generation.
But the journey didn’t stop there. We created an immersive physical experience – a striking exhibition stand at a key industry event – that brought the campaign story to life, in the real world.
Each channel worked in harmony: the digital and traditional analogue channels helped build awareness and credibility; while the event presence enabled face-to-face conversations. This channel integration created a real sense of brand continuity.
The result? Year-on-Year, IRIS software saw a 97% increase in organic website traffic and a 79% increase in direct site traffic. The client was delighted with the results and the campaign won several awards.
Final thoughts: Be everywhere that matters
Multichannel marketing isn’t about trying to be ‘omnipresent’ – it’s about being strategically present. When brands unify their message across carefully chosen channels, they create marketing ecosystems that are greater than the sum of their parts.
At The Think Tank, we believe in building purposeful, strategic ecosystems. Whether it’s about engaging customers across digital spaces and live venues, or reaching niche buyers through precise targeting; the principle remains the same. Meet your audience where they are, speak with a united voice and funnel them forward.
And if you’re still unsure, why not talk to us? We’d be happy to help you find the right combination of channels for your next campaign.
