In today's world, people use multiple devices and several platforms to engage with others in their personal and professional lives. Relying solely on one channel won't be a winning strategy. To effectively get your message out to other people, both digital and traditional marketing methods should be deployed.
As a marketer, it's your job to ensure that all viable avenues are explored for promoting your brand, products, and services. With omnichannel marketing, customers have a convenient and seamless user experience across several different channels like email, social media, and in-store assistance. According to Google, omnichannel strategies increase incremental store visits by 80% so it’s best to leverage the resources inherent to a hybrid marketing strategy.
Omnichannel marketing is the creation of a cohesive and consistent brand experience by integrating all the different sales and contact channels that brands use to interact with customers. This encompasses digital channels, like proprietary websites and social media, and physical channels like retail stores and direct mail.
It differs from hybrid marketing since omnichannel means that all customer touchpoints are integrated while hybrid only integrates online and offline touchpoints.
Multichannel marketing has simpler intent and deployment in that a multichannel marketing strategy aims to distribute content across different channels. These channels can be digital but also physical.
Omnichannel marketing centers the customer while hybrid marketing is often very product-centric and representative of operations: multichannel marketing only strives to engage with the channels most necessary for that product. Omnichannel is more effective because it utilizes all channels, and its chief objective is to improve and standardize the customer experience regardless of channel.
While omnichannel marketing plans pose a challenge to implement, most marketers agree that the omnichannel approach is a worthwhile investment where the benefits vastly outweigh the costs. Customers don't like the feeling that they're being sold to, and today's customer is used to an onslaught of ads every time they turn on a device or go out in public. This has made them more selective about which brands they engage with, and why.
Omnichannel marketing creates the brand cohesion necessary for raising that engagement. It also has a host of benefits, such as:
Hybrid marketing strategies utilize both offline media and digital marketing. There are several ways that both methods can reach people that the other cannot, which is what makes hybrid marketing a powerful strategy. Popular hybrid marketing methods include:
Retail giants like Amazon and Target have fully embraced the concept of hybrid marketing, reshaping the landscape of modern brand strategy. Bed, Bath, and Beyond's utilization of direct mail coupons, although effective in its time, contrasts with the multifaceted approach employed by these industry leaders.
Unlike the non-personalized coupons of yesteryears, Amazon and Target have amalgamated online and offline tactics seamlessly. Amazon, for instance, has leveraged its extensive online platform to create personalized shopping experiences, suggesting products based on browsing history and past purchases. Simultaneously, it has ventured into brick-and-mortar establishments, like Amazon Go stores, blending digital tracking with in-store shopping convenience.
Similarly, Target has ingeniously employed hybrid marketing by fusing its online presence with physical stores. Its "Order Pickup" service allows customers to buy products online and retrieve them in-store, bridging the gap between e-commerce and brick-and-mortar retail. Moreover, Target's REDcard loyalty program, functioning both online and offline, provides exclusive discounts and incentives to loyal customers, underscoring their commitment to a comprehensive marketing approach.
By integrating data analytics, personalized recommendations, and the seamless transition between digital and physical realms, Amazon and Target have crafted a modern hybrid marketing model. In their strategy, the line between online and offline blurs, offering customers a fluid shopping experience while simultaneously fortifying brand identity across multiple channels. This evolutionary approach stands in stark contrast to the singularly focused coupon-based marketing strategy employed by Bed, Bath, and Beyond, exemplifying the versatility and adaptability required for contemporary brand endurance.
Hybrid email marketing has become the latest trend in email marketing. Hybrid email marketing solutions utilize a brand's customer data and a cloud delivery system that gleans insights from that data to quickly assemble and deliver personalized marketing messages.
Hybrid email marketing provides more personalized experiences for customers and helps drive engagement. With customers relying on their phones more than other devices in the 2020s, email remains a more powerful way to cut through the digital noise the average person endures daily. Emails get a customer's undivided attention because the message isn't quickly scrolled past like a social media post and can also be easily retrieved if they would like to revisit it.
It's unsurprising that HubSpot estimates email ROI to be $36 for every $1 spent since it doesn’t have to compete for views the way traditional digital advertising and social campaigns must.
Omnichannel marketing experiences decenter the products and services and completely center the customers and how they interact with your brand. While all channels must be considered, the ultimate focus is on the experience.
A few tips to defining a successful omnichannel marketing strategy:
Planning and executing a successful hybrid marketing strategy can seem intimidating. But it’s less stressful of an undertaking when you keep the following best practices in mind:
If the goal is to meet consumers where they are, with the right message at the right time then a hybrid omnichannel approach should be your go to. It empowers brands to not only build brand awareness but also leads to improved engagement, increased ROI and sales, and enhanced customer retention and loyalty. Now saying this and doing – sorry to sound like Yoda- can be tricky, that’s when you should reach for an assist. Finding a partner like Media Now Interactive that can analyze the customer journey at every step, businesses can make more informed decisions about how and when to optimize campaigns to reduce wasted ad spend.
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