How did your customer become your customer?
Whether they step through your door or purchased online, there is no one specific way you acquire a customer. References, research and happenstance may all play a role, but it’s up to the business to make the path a customer takes barrier-free and easily-navigable to ensure a seamless experience.
Omni-channel marketing gives your customers that seamless experience regardless of how, when and where they choose to visit you. For instance, over 90% of car shoppers begin their search online; however, according to research conducted by ForeSee, “The particular channels they [the customer] start or end with doesn’t impact satisfaction.”
Consider the following as you plan your marketing and advertising strategy.
Traditional Advertising
Advertising is proof that the message is out there. When a company runs an ad, they know the time and programming in which it is played. But for most, the ROI is hard to quantify. How many people see a commercial or billboard for a car dealership and then opt to go in and browse the showroom? Regardless, if you choose traditional advertising and marketing, make sure the message is in line with your overall marketing strategy and reflects your brand appropriately. As you interweave digital and social with traditional, it’s important that the message and branding is seamless.
Mobile
On the bus. In a meeting. Before going to bed. Having the internet in the palm of your hands means your potential customers can choose the most convenient time to interact with you. Bottom line: It is imperative that your website is mobile-friendly. Without it, you’re creating a barrier between you and your intended customer. The last thing you want them to do is jump ship because your non-mobile-friendly site is frustrating, awkward or is social proof that you’re not technology on-par with other businesses they’re researching.
Desktop/Laptop
Sometimes people search bank products or new cars while at work. Other times, they research from their laptop while watching TV at home. Throughout the journey to purchase, the customer may carve out research time at any point. Websites are critical for positive customer experiences – it’s the first spot most people will go, therefore it’s imperative that this first impression is a good one.
Social Media
49% of users will like a Facebook page of a brand they want to support. Through videos, ads and posts, a company can gain a lot of business through the power of social media. Customers will also seek out reviews and recommendations on social media where trust is extremely high. In fact, consumers are 92 percent more likely to trust their peers over advertising when it comes to purchasing decisions.
Brick-and-Mortar
If the customer visits your establishment, it needs to hold up to their expectations. House hunting is a perfect example of not meeting expectations. The staged photos make rooms look bigger and cleaner than before the interested buyer arrives. This disconnect can be deadly in the retail world – it’s critical to maintain a seamless experience regardless of where the customer is in the purchasing process.
“Consumers will — and indeed many prefer — to bounce around from channel to channel, depending on where they are in the journey. Or time of day. Or even mood.” Lisa Joyce, Senior Staff Writer for The Financial Brand, notes in Why The Customer Journey In Banking Will Never Be ‘Digital Only’.
Make sure your company is representative across all marketing channels as you never know where the customer may take their first step of the journey that leads them to you.