There was a time, not so long ago, when an email address and a website was all a business needed to establish its presence online. Today, however, the fast-evolving digital landscape has segmented into countless communities, ecosystems, platforms and channels, says Comien Grobler, marketing specialist at Business Partners Limited.
Rather than enhancing visibility, this growing complexity can make it easier for business owners and customers to lose sight of each other in the thicket. It’s no surprise then that the concept of omnichannel marketing has gained increasing attention – that encapsulates the best approach a business can take to find, serve and retain customers in an increasingly fragmented digital world.
An omnichannel marketing approach grapples with the modern reality that customers find businesses in many different ways, ranging from walking past a storefront, to searching on Facebook or Google, clicking a link in a social media post, or simply spotting your signage on a company vehicle.
A single customer is likely interact with your business across multiple channels. They may start with a visit to your website, then follow up with a WhatsApp message, an email a phone call and eventually an in-person visit to your shop.
The main principle behind omnichannel marketing is for your business to maintain consistency of messaging across all these different channels, so customers feel confident knowing that they are dealing with the same, reliable company.
Consistency refers not only to the same offers and pricing across all your marketing channels, but also includes maintaining a unified tone, visual identity and overall brand experience. This alignment is crucial for a business to build trust with customers online, says Comien. For example, if a special offer on your Facebook page contradicts one on your website, you can easily lose credibility.
Consistency also underpins a second core idea behind omnichannel marketing: integrating the different channels so that the customer’s experience of moving from a business’s social media post to its website, and from there to book an appointment or asking for more information should be a seamless process.
Comien emphasis that omnichannel marketing is not an attempt for a business to establish a presence on every possible platform or channel available. Instead, businesses should first focus on a few of the biggest and mostly used platforms in South Africa. Build a strong presence on each and ensure that they integrate seamlessly with your website or customer relationship management system.
The most commonly used channels and platforms in South Africa include Google, Facebook, email, WhatsApp, Instagram and TikTok.
Posting and advertising on these platforms has become relatively affordable nowadays, says Comien. The real cost lies in the form of time and attention required from business owners to build, manage and maintain a presence on each platform, and to work on integrating them effectively. It is important to ensure your omnichannel marketing budget, both in terms of time and money, matches the size, capacity and needs of your business.
A good place to start is to understand your existing customers and what platforms they are most active and comfortable using. Once you have a solid presence on those platforms, you can explore other smaller or emerging channels as capacity allows.
One of the great advantages of digital interaction with your clients is the valuable data that it generates. By analysing the data, you can quickly identify which channels and messages are delivering the greatest impact.
A major factor shaping the future of omnichannel marketing is the artificial intelligence boom, says Comien. Many businesses are hoping to cut costs by using AI to generate and distribute marketing content across multiple platforms. However, she cautions that there seems to be growing resistance to the perceived lack of inauthenticity of AI generated content. Many customers buy into the people behind a product or service rather than the brand itself. For owner-managed business in particular, it is highly effective to place real people at the centre of marketing efforts, showcasing the individuals behind the brand.
Comien also highlights the importance of integrating traditional, or analog channels into your omnichannel marketing efforts. Many customers still prefer speaking to a knowledgeable and helpful representative, whether on the phone or in person. Make sure the friendly and efficient vibes promised in your online posts are reflected in your business and are available in person when your clients need it.
About the Author: BPL Admin
