What the F#&! is Omnichannel Marketing?

In the world of advertising and marketing, omnichannel marketing is spurring discussions.

From boardrooms to showrooms, companies are trying to get a handle on just whatominichannel marketing is and what it can do for them.

So what the F#&! is Omnichannel Marketing?

The term began being used about a year ago as a way to describe utilizing various forms of marketing into a cleaner, clearer system of customer engagement and management. While multi-channel marketing tactics certainly will help an organization’s marketing efforts, omnichannel marketing attempts to take that to the next level.

It seeks to combine data from multiple marketing sources including trends, inquiries, comments, online sales, in-store sales, mobile inquiries, SEO and traditional media. An omnichannel marketing plan takes all of the individual elements of digital and traditional sales and marketing plans, and creates a cohesive organism in hopes of propelling and even streamlining marketing efforts.

Many are struggling today, in keeping up with reports and data from social media, mobile marketing, SEO and PPC, as well as all the multitude of separate available resources. Omnichannel asks a simple question: “How does all of this “stuff” work together for the common good of the customer (and the organization)?” It creates an umbrella with a singular goal of improving ROI. It looks at various marketing efforts and focuses on how they can best work together to improve the customer experience.

Is Knowledge Power?

There is an expression “Knowledge is power” it really is the use of knowledge that creates that power. The goal of omnichannel marketing is to take volumes of available data and understand how it all can better work together. By taking the information available about how a consumer may interact with a brand, one can better predict how to take them from platform to platform.

Ominichannel marketing uses consumer tendencies to take them from brand awareness, to inquiry or research, to purchase. At the very least, omnichannel marketing forces an organization to consider the ramifications of its individual marketing efforts and enhance the way they work together.

Flexibility

One of the little discussed aspects about omnichannel marketing is its ability to react to a constantly changing industry. As new vehicles and platforms of value are created, they can be woven into the marketing plan from the proper perspective. They can be implemented into the plan using a holistic approach. This may be what ultimately makes the omnichannel marketing approach worth considering. It is the result of recognizing that even the best companies can take better advantage of the amount of consumer information available.

It Still Starts with Your Goals

Your vision and objectives should still be the foundation for any of your marketing efforts. To implement an omnichannel marketing plan it is best to work with an agency that offers a full range of marketing/branding services and one who has the competencies to implement and monitor it. It should have an actionable plan that is measurable and accountable.

So, "What the F#&! is omnichannel marketing?" It is a marketing option to gather and use the information available to better help you market in a cohesive, productive manner. Whether you are in a start-up, growing, or stagnant situation, you want to stay ahead of the curve with your marketing initiatives. Ominichannel marketing may help you be able to do just that.

Image Credit: afagen