Why you should give a DAM about omnichannel marketing
Before the impact of COVID-19 was felt on our high streets, the number of online shoppers was expected to hit 2
The past year has presented huge challenges for the economy as a whole and perhaps especially shops and restaurants on our high streets, but it has also presented opportunities for the retail sector. Consumer behaviour and expectations, as well as shopping patterns, are no longer as they were in 2019. Customers expect more: creating a product at an affordable price is no longer the only factor in a purchasing decision, brands need to meet, and appeal to, customers at various touchpoints.
According to a recent study, 42% of respondents purchased their groceries online at least once a week. And with non-essential retailers being forced to close for months at a time, the ease, efficiency, and costs savings of online shopping have caused a mindset shift, with over half of shoppers committing to stay online, even after the pandemic.
However, as consumers are able to access content across different devices and channels – mobile apps, YouTube, websites, and social media, for example – this does make it harder for marketers to really stand out and cut through the noise.
It is more important than ever to put the customer at the heart of a business’s strategy. Reaching a customer with a consistent experience at different points of their purchasing journey must be done in a sophisticated way. This can look different for every organisation – but those who are doing it well, have adopted tactics, strategies, and tools that support multiple channels — or omnichannel — marketing.
Omnichannel marketing for the masses
Omnichannel marketing is a strategic, multichannel approach, which helps businesses focus on providing a unified brand experience across all customer touchpoints, both in-store and online.
By creating superior, high-quality connections with consumers, it propels them to take action and, ultimately, make a purchasing decision.
Its foundations lie in meeting customers wherever they want to shop – from YouTube to Instagram or mobile to laptop — with a consistent brand image and message. By using this approach, a business will be able to provide an exceptional customer experience leading to greater sales conversions.
Why is this important?
To keep up with trends in the retail industry, brands and retailers should engage with their audience to not only support, but inspire, their purchasing decision. In a recent study, 87% of shoppers say they want a “personalised and consistent shopping experience across all shopping channels.”
This means organisations must provide an experience which is memorable for the consumers across various touch points – from first logging into an app, to re-visiting the content on a laptop, to adding items to a basket, through to it arriving at their door. Leaving a consumer with a positive, memorable impression should be top of a retailer’s agenda.
The tools that can support omnichannel marketing
When considering the technology and tools available to support your omnichannel marketing, it is useful to consider how they can provide you with a “central source of truth.”
This concept ensures that everyone in your organisation – from marketing teams to the c-suite – has the right information, data, and assets needed to deliver a unified brand experience.
Here are some technologies that can help you with this:
- Digital asset management (DAM) software stores, shares, and organises digital assets in one central location. Using a centralised hub to store brand’s photos, images, videos etc., will allow your teams to access files on-demand.
- Product information management (PIM) solutions allow organisations to ensure a single, accurate view of data by centralising and managing product information. This is particularly important for e-commerce brands with a complex or evolving product catalogue, as it provides a single hub to collect and manage information that is critical for communicating about your products accurately.
- Customer relationship management (CRM) systems allow an organisation to store all its contacts in one place. This means, any interaction between your team and prospects/customers can be tracked and kept in a central place.
Getting set for the year ahead
In 2021, it’s important that businesses get the most out of the tools available to help their teams work faster, more efficiently, and more collaboratively.
Most businesses are now offering a multichannel experience and the challenge for the year ahead is to bring this together in a strategic way that delivers a truly seamless, omnichannel customer experience. And whilst it might seem daunting to connect the customer experience journey across all platforms, technology is available to make this transformation as simple as possible.
At challenging times, emotions and experiences are heightened and now, more than ever, it’s critical for brands to get it right with customers. Hitting the right tone and approach can build loyalty that will last well beyond 2021 and the pandemic.
By Nate Holmes, product marketing manager at Widen