Focusing your attention and efforts on one channel is rarely sufficient anymore. That’s why multichannel marketing is the way to go. It enables you to reach your audience across multiple touchpoints, tailor messaging for each channel, and increase conversion rates.
In this article, we’ll explore multichannel marketing, how to build an effective campaign, and some tools that will help support this strategy within the context of account-based marketing (ABM).
What is Multichannel Marketing?
At its simplest, multichannel marketing means using more than one channel to communicate with prospects and customers. That channel could be email, a website, social media, SMS, a mobile app, print, events, or even direct mail.
It enables you to publish your message across multiple channels, maximizing reach and connecting with people where they are. The goal is to maintain a consistent presence across various channels with relevant messaging.
According to market data:
- Multichannel marketing is expected to grow from about $6.96B in 2023 to $28.6B by 2030.
- Some firms report that brands using three or more channels in any campaign achieved a 287% higher purchase rate than those using a single channel in their campaign.
- 86% of marketers agree that multichannel marketing is increasing in effectiveness.
Multichannel Marketing vs. Omnichannel Marketing
You’ll often see the terms “multichannel” and “omnichannel” used interchangeably, but they’re different.
- In multichannel marketing, the brand utilizes multiple channels (email, web, social, etc.), but each channel typically operates independently. The channels might be disconnected or unaware of what others are doing.
- In omnichannel marketing, the experience is integrated and unified across all channels. The channels work together; data flows across them, allowing the customer to move seamlessly between them, and the brand delivers a cohesive journey.
Put differently, multichannel means being everywhere, while omnichannel means being everywhere and unified/connected.
A Multichannel Marketing Example to Learn From
To put things into perspective, consider the following example of how a software vendor might implement multichannel marketing as part of a B2B/ABM campaign.
They could use:
- Sponsored LinkedIn display ads targeting company employees
- Personalized email from the account rep linking to a dedicated microsite created for that account (highlighting their industry pain points)
- Follow-up SMS or in-app message (if existing customer) promoting a webinar
- Post-event email with case study download
- Retargeting display ads on industry websites
Because the same campaign appears across channels, the account is exposed to your brand repeatedly in different contexts, thereby boosting awareness and credibility.
What Are the Benefits of Multichannel Marketing Campaigns?
When executed effectively, a strong multichannel strategy offers numerous advantages. Below are five benefits you may see as a result of implementation.
1. Increased Reach and Visibility
By diversifying channels, you broaden the number of ways prospects can discover and engage with your brand. Consumers will interact with a brand over multiple channels on any given day. The more channels you optimize, the more opportunities you have to be seen.
2. Higher Engagement and Conversion Potential
More touchpoints increase the chance a prospect sees your message at the right moment. Brands that use three or more channels reported significantly higher purchase rates. Additionally, 78% of businesses implementing a multi-channel strategy reported an improved customer experience.
3. Better Data and Insights
With a multichannel approach, you can accumulate data across channels and identify which ones perform best. Data can help refine targeting, messaging, and channel mix.
4. Faster Paths to Conversion
Because prospects can encounter your brand in multiple places, the number of interactions required to make a purchase may decrease. Research shows that those engaging across numerous channels spend 30% more. Firms using multichannel approaches saw a 9.5% year-on-year revenue increase and a 7.5% decrease in cost per contact.
5. Resilience and Flexibility
If one channel underperforms or becomes expensive, your campaign doesn’t collapse because you aren’t reliant on a single channel. You can rebalance across channels as needed.
How to Create an Effective Multichannel Marketing Campaign
Building a multichannel marketing campaign requires discipline and coordination. Below is a structured approach that can be implemented effectively.
1. Define Your Objectives and Target Audience
Start with the business goal (e.g., generate X qualified leads for target accounts). Identify the target audience or accounts (especially for ABM). Understand their preferred channels and buying habits.
Source: Passive Secrets
2. Determine Your Channel Mix
52% of marketers use three to four marketing channels. Select the options that make sense for your audience and budget (e.g., email, social media ads, microsite, or SMS/push notifications). Ensure you have the necessary resources and data flows in place for each.
3. Develop Consistent Messaging and Assets
Craft a consistent core message (value proposition, offering) across channels. Then, tailor each channel’s format, tone, and call-to-action (CTA). For example, social media may be brief and visual, email may be more detailed, and microsites may offer a deeper dive.
4. Map the Campaign Journey and Frequency
Determine how prospects will move from one channel to the next, such as from a social ad to a landing page. Schedule and sequence accordingly (timing matters). Track the number of times your audience sees you and across how many channels.
5. Ensure Data and Analytics Are in Place
Define key metrics, such as impressions by channel, click-through rates, conversions by channel, cost per lead, and cross-channel attribution. Many firms struggle because of data silos. Ensure you can tie activity back to accounts and measure conversions.
6. Align the Teams and Workflows
Since multiple channels are involved, ensure clear ownership (creative, media, automation, analytics). Break down silos so channel leads share the strategy and assets rather than operating independently.
7. Use Personalization and Relevance
Even in a multichannel framework, you can tailor content to suit various audiences, including industry case studies, job role messages, and company challenges. A dedicated microsite or tailored landing page raises relevance dramatically, particularly for ABM.
8. Test, Optimize, and Iterate
Run A/B tests by channel, test different sequences, adjust timing, messaging, and channel weights to optimize performance. Use insights to refine the mix and enhance performance over time.
9. Manage Attribution and Reporting
Since prospects may see you on one channel and convert on another, you’ll need a robust attribution model (multi-touch is ideal).
10. Scale and Repeat
Once your initial campaign proves successful, you can scale the model by adding more channels, targeting additional segments/accounts, or amplifying high-performing sequences.
Five Multichannel Marketing Platforms That Support ABM
A successful multichannel marketing strategy requires a well-rounded tech stack. Here are five essential categories of platforms that help build multichannel campaigns and support account-based marketing:
- Marketing Automation and Campaign-Building Tools: These platforms enable you to plan, launch, and manage campaigns across various channels. They handle segmentation, scheduling, and behavioral triggers to ensure your message reaches each contact at the right time.
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Platforms: Your CRM is the central hub for audience and account data. Integrating with a customer data platform enables more precise targeting and personalization.
- Analytics Tools: These tools measure the contribution of each channel to engagement and conversions, allowing you to identify where prospects are dropping off.
- Content Management and Microsite Platforms: Multichannel campaigns come together in your content hub. Microsites and landing page builders allow you to create personalized experiences for target accounts, an essential piece of ABM.
- AI and Personalization Engines: AI-driven platforms enable the scaling of personalization across multiple channels. They can automatically recommend content, predict engagement, or adjust messaging based on real-time behavior.
Let Hushly Boost Your Multichannel Marketing
By defining your objectives, selecting the proper channels, tailoring messaging, and measuring performance, you can build and scale effective multichannel campaigns. If you layer in tools designed for account-based marketing (using microsites, personalized email campaigns, and retargeting ads), you’ll be positioned to engage high-value accounts with purpose and precision.
Curious how Hushly can help? Book a demo today to experience it firsthand.
