The need for eCom clients to have a multi channel marketing strategy and the benefits to the business model.
The landscape of eCommerce is ever changing. The way a customer interacts with your brand has developed simply from them visiting your physical location and spending a set amount to a multi faceted approach which is developing continuously. With the mix of the digital revolution and the rise of mobile technology the need for a multi channel marketing strategy is essential to drive your eCommerce business forward. Here at AsOne, we place great value on a multi channel marketing strategy as it can offer a long term sustainable business while maximising your reach to potential customers.
Firstly, what is multi channel marketing? To put this simply Multi Channel Marketing is using multiple channels to reach customers. With this as a clear basis for a marketing strategy, we are able to segment target customer groups and target them at the most applicable point of their buying journey. The key point of multi channel marketing is choice, you are allowing your customers to buy your products or services on a platform that suits them.
Multi Channel marketing is very important for the main reason of you need to be where your customers are, due to the digital revolution they are now everywhere. Due to the expanse of channels available there are more ways to reach customers than ever before and as the number of channels rise the need to develop a multi channel marketing strategy become more apparent.
With the need for multi channel marketing in the world of eCommerce, below are listed some of the tools that are at your disposal which can enable you to target customers.
- Website
- Social Media
- eCommerce Platform (Amazon, eBay, Etzy)
- Paid search
As we can isolate the channels we wish to target from customer data, we can then execute a multi channel marketing strategy. Multi channel does stereotypically have a higher cost associated with it, however the return on investment is significantly higher. On average, a multi channel marketing strategy customer will spend 4 times the amount of a single channel marketing customer.
A clear advantage of Multi Channel Marketing is the breadth of opportunity you can achieve. In this digital age, with the rise of social media, apps and mobile technology having a multi faceted approach will provide you with new areas of revenue. For example, within the fast paced clothing retail sector, we see large retailers utlising many aspects of the digital arena to reach out to customers. Selfridges, a world leading department store is a prime example of a multi channel marketing strategy where they capitalise on many aspects of the digital world. The use of strategy in this instance is to showcase both the in store and online offering. This was achieved in numerous ways, firstly an investment of £40m into the multichannel digital strategy with a main focus on mobile shoppers. The way customers interact with a website and the platform they choose to browse it on have changed drastically. Redeveloping the website, ensuring that it is mobile compatible allowed Selfridges to capitalise on customers using mobile devices. The added channel of mobile accounts for over half of the traffic that visit Selfridges weekly, which on average is around 600k unique visits per month. Here at Asone we understand the value of having a fully operational mobile site and the value this offers to an eCommerce function. Segmenting resources for mobile customers will allow you to capitalise on mobile spending which is increasing year on year.
The digital multi channel strategy has a key role in store conversions. Allowing customers to see products and services from within a physical retail location allows Selfridges to increase transactional value of each customer. The use of the showrooms within the london store for premium jewelry highlight this. You are not able to order such products online and have them delivered to you. The service is designed to bring you into the actual store to enable to you convert in a different department or allow you to spend further with the aid of a sales associate. This enables Selfridges to increase the value of each customer which is a KPI for most retail companies. The multi channel strategy also works in reverse, as digital media is freely available in store. Within the personal shopping area of the store, associates are equipped with digital devices to freely showcase products and service to a high end customer. Within the context of your Multi Channel strategy the use of digital media, we are able to convert clients to a higher transactional value. A key area Asone specialise in is understanding business, which in turn means understanding your customers. Having a key digital partner that is fully immersed in your strategy process, while being able to offer clear advice on key areas of your business is an invaluable asset.
The use of the social media channels to convert clients into brand ambassadors has been a clear strategy of Selfridges for many years. The segmentation of social media as not just a tool to aid conversion but also a way to engage your audience. The buying process surrounding luxury items is different from the other types of products, allowing customers to interact with a brand creates a connection which enables a customer to convert more effectively. An effective use of social media includes products placement, interaction, brand news, information and exclusives. AsOne always suggest a mixed approached to social media and a full understanding of your business position. We offer tailored social media packages to clients based on what will offer the most value to them. Each business is different, your approach to social media should also highlight this. When speaking with AsOne, we want to really understand you, your business and your customers to really develop a strategy that works.
The use of a multi channel strategy is widely accepted as a best practice for eCommerce clients. Here at AsOne Creative Digital Marketing, we place a high value on multi channel, with a range of options to suit our clients needs. We examine each client’s requirements when formulating a strategy to offer the best return on investment.
If you have a multi channel marketing requirement, contact us now for a proposal by calling 0161 368 9100 or emailing here@asone.co.uk.
