The average American owns four digital devices – that’s four different ways to reach the same customer. Whether it’s wearable gear or a smartphone, expect people to use more devices in the coming year.
With the rise in people using various devices, marketing that focuses on people buying products across channels and devices is more important than ever. If you haven’t jumped onboard this practice yet (called omni-channel marketing), it’s time. When 2017 comes, greet it with a new, cutting-edge marketing strategy that incorporates all the devices the average American could use.
Data collection is a huge benefit of omni-channel marketing. When you’re visible across devices and channels, more customers know who you are and are likely to investigate your products. The more customers see you, the more insights you gain about them – which helps you customize individual experiences.
To take advantage of customization, create an omni-channel location data plan. Start with your current location and work with IT, accounting, and other teams to expand your reach. Find out where the most members of your target audience are, and tailor your data plan to serve them.
While constructing your data plan, remember that omni-channels are not the same as multi-channels. Omni-channels connect from front to back, making it easy for business owners and employees to access customers’ previous purchases or interactions – no matter where those interactions came from. Unlike multi-channels, omni-channels make it possible for web chat to transition to face-to-face time or from emailing to a phone call in record time. Ensure your data plan is capable of handling different devices and making smooth transitions.
In a world of Targets and Kohls, consumers are hungry for a personal touch. Customization creates that, and omni-channeling marketing can perfectly complement customization. Custom omni-channeling helps you build rapport. Customers hate waiting and become frustrated when a shopping website freezes, their mobile code doesn’t work, or voice search doesn’t recognize their requests. These mishaps are often blamed on you, the business owner, and customers don’t return. Omni-channeling gives customers more options, and when you provide more options, customers sense your willingness to meet many different needs.
Internet searches and transactions are made up of micro-moments (or “next moments”). This is when someone reflexively uses their smartphone or device for a need – to research, find an answer to a question, or buy a product. It’s in these moments that people’s preferences are shaped and when they make decisions – sometimes slowly over time and across many moments.
It’s in the build-up of micro-moments where you can win new customers and re-attract old ones. For instance, a customer looking to buy a Truly Me American Girl doll may have hundreds of digital interactions before clicking the final purchase button. She’ll need to design the doll and compare similar designs to each other. She may want to double-check the safety of the Truly Me site, which offers games and activities for young girls. She might compare prices on other doll brands. She may research to find out if the matching pajamas for the child are flame-resistant.
The purchaser may do these searches at various places – if she searched on her tablet for pajamas, omni-channeling marketing can showcase examples of matching pajamas on her smart phone later.
Omni-channeling makes it simple to catch consumers’ attention in a “next moment.” Build your data collection, increase customization, and construct your micro-moments for a more effective marking strategy. Omni-channeling marketing makes each step easy. Contact ZGM to build your campaign around more devices, and you’ll likely wind up with more traffic too.