All the pieces have to work together to create relevant campaigns
Building a successful multichannel marketing campaign is a bit like making a cake. For the recipe to be a success, you need to add all the right ingredients. Let’s take a look at some dos and don’ts for executing multichannel campaigns that will keep your clients and their customers happy.
Do: Know your audience
It sounds simple, but knowing your target customers and where you’ll find them is key to implementing a successful multichannel campaign. Does the campaign speak to those of a certain age, for example? Rigorous market research and planning is a best practice that will ensure your campaigns are targeted and relevant.
Do: Use robust testing and market research to understand your audience
Don’t: Roll out campaigns that lack a specific target and focus
Don’t: Miss your chance
The flashiest multichannel campaign won’t provide good value to your customers if it doesn’t include a specific, defined call to action. Knowing what action you want customers to take is vital to crafting a multichannel campaign.
Automobile manufacturer Buick rolled out an impressive QR code campaign that linked consumers to a video about its latest model. Unfortunately, the video was shouting in a vacuum – there was no call to action, no purchase link, and no clear path for the consumer to follow next.
Do: Ensure that every part of every campaign has a defined purpose and outcome
Don’t: Include cross-channel media just because you can, with no defined aim
Do: Know how you’ll measure your results
It’s vital that you use the results of a campaign to plan the next stage. A multichannel campaign can quickly get messy in terms of results, thanks to the need to track statistics across multiple channels. Knowing how you are going to gather and analyze results is a vital practice for any campaign.
Do: Plan what data you are going to collect, and how you’re going to collect it across all channels
Don’t: Rely solely on conversion rates or Facebook likes. You need all the statistics for an overall picture
Don’t: Neglect planning
It’s good best practice to look at each element of your multichannel campaign and make sure all the resources are in place to carry it out. Attention to detail is vital, whether that means training all staff on how to use the campaign voice when tweeting or making sure every link does what it should.
Don’t let a lack of planning create a PR nightmare for your clients. When Timothy’s Coffee decided to use social media to offer a free taste sample, lack of planning meant demand far exceeded supply, leading to many disgruntled customers.
Do: Go over all the details of your plan and make sure every element of your campaign works
Don’t: Skip over anything. One little mistake can reflect badly on your client’s brand
Do: Keep an eye on new technology
Keeping an eye on the latest technology can make a world of difference to sales and visibility. The world of marketing is fast-paced and ever changing, and as a print provider it’s vital that you keep up and find appropriate ways to integrate print with other technologies.
Do: Make keeping on top of emerging technology and evaluating its usefulness for each client part of your best practice
Don’t: Dismiss new technologies in favour of sticking rigidly to old methods
Planning, executing and measuring a multichannel campaign takes dedication and forethought. Formulating and sticking to your own best practices will increase the chances of success for both you and your clients.