How to Plan an Effective Omni-Channel Campaign
The Latin prefix ‘omni’ means ‘all,’ so it’s not surprising that omni-channel marketing reaches out to users through all relevant channels and devices. Customers seek brands through social media, phone calls, physical or online stores, and more; in order to connect effectively, you’ll want to consider all your options when creating a robust marketing strategy.
Omni-channel campaigns are about exceeding the customer’s expectations. The goal is to create a seamless experience for the user, where each touch-point flows seamlessly into the other channels to create a wholly integrated system.
Here are my tips on implementing a successful omni-channel marketing campaign.
Find the Audience
Just like any other campaign, the first step is to define who the ideal customer is. Don’t leave any stone unturned – determine their behavior, shopping habits, values, and expectations. This will make it easier to segment your customers and narrow your target audience.
It’s easy to get carried away with planning innovative campaigns, so make sure you take a step back and consider your audience’s perspective. What features would make your customer’s journey easier? How do they expect to be able to reach your brand? Find the answers in the data about your audience, and use it to steer the direction of your campaign.
Determine the Journey
Outline your customer’s overall customer journey, from initial discovery to the end goal. Decide what touch-points will be key for the customer to learn, engage, and invest in the brand at every point in their experience. Then, customize the interaction based on the activity, device, and audience segment.
I encourage simultaneously using different touch-points to help your brand stand out. For example, geotag your app or website to add another layer to the brick-and-mortar experience. Ikea did this really well by developing mail-delivered catalogues that use augmented reality to bring their furniture to life.
Test and Learn
No one gets it right the first time, and that’s okay. “Test & learn” should be the campaign mantra, from beginning to end. Technology is most commonly tested to uncover bugs or glitches, but anything involving user experience should be considered. Secret shoppers, for example, are a great way to determine if a physical store experience is delivering what the campaign is expecting.
Testing can also discover new customization options that the marketing team did not foresee. That’s why your campaigns should monitor user behavior at every touch-point, and continue to adjust the strategy and tactics along the way.
Don’t get so bogged down by campaign details that you miss the big picture: define your audience, make the campaign all about them, and grow in a way that continues to deliver value and exceed expectations.