Let’s face it, Social Media has really changed the way we Market ourselves over the past 10 years. For many businesses, budgets have been reduced due to Social Media providing a cost-effective alternative.
Focusing on just one Marketing tool can prove a risky exercise. Are you prepared if Social Media crashed tomorrow?. But when you have the assistance of a cohesive multi-channel strategy this ensures that your eggs aren’t all in one basket. That you are using Social Media as the marketing tool it is and not for your entire Marketing or Business strategy.
And whilst Social Media is a great marketing tool to use, it’s important to remember, it isn’t the only tool to use when it comes to promoting your business.
A Multi-channel strategy is exactly what it says it is. It’s a number of different channels which all work to relay your business's message through a number of different tools or channels. Think of it as your multi-channel strategy is the Justice League – whereby 6 superheroes work together to help convey your message of good.
1. SUPERMAN IS YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA. He is the one that fights for promotion, justice and the Silicon Valley way. He is the main hero, the one that everyone dotes on to save the day. But if he’s struck down with kryptonite (that is the shutting down of a platform or a glitch in the system), it could spell disaster for your Business.
Your Social Media should work with the other heroes to reach your target audience where they like to hang out and should be directing your audience to other tools that will help your business further. In this case, let’s look at the digital elements to your multichannel strategy.
2. CYBORG IS YOUR WEBSITE & EMAIL MARKETING Created by technology, he goes on the offensive when it comes to promoting your business. Your website does the same thing, in that it showcases your business’ message whilst describing and highlighting your services or products. The website should give potential customers the opportunity to join your mailing list, allowing you to build a database away from Social Media. Whilst this can be used with Social Media (for advertising purposes), it’s important to build a database separately so that you can continue to relay your message to your now interested and loyal followers.
3. AQUAMAN IS YOUR SEO. To ensure that your website is seen, a good SEO or Google ranking is important. This brings us to our next hero, Aquaman. Just like Aquaman and Cyborg didn’t get along at first, a website without strong SEO or a decent Google ranking will also have a rough relationship. The worldwide web is a “sea” of marketing messages and websites, so it’s important that your SEO strategy works to boost your website so it can be easily found and seen by your ideal customers.
4. BATMAN IS OFFLINE MARKETING. Whilst Cyborg and Aquaman (along with Superman) can work cohesively, the loner of the group is none other than Batman. Batman is your offline marketing that works nicely on its own, sharing your message through traditional forms of media such as TV, Radio, Magazines, Newspapers, Posters and so on. For those that might not pay too much attention to online, or choose to leave the online at work, this is a great way to capture your market in high volumes but just like Batman, it’s got a bit of money behind it.
5. THE FLASH IS EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING. Another type of marketing tool to consider for your business that can work well is Experiential Marketing. This is The Flash – it’s the one-off event-based campaign that helps to build awareness and revenue, targeting a specific market at a specific location. Think along the lines of a beverage tent at Coachella, a pop up showcasing a limited edition product or even a launch. It’s here one week to build the brand awareness but in a flash of a lightning bolt, it’s gone the next.
6. WONDER WOMAN IS WORD OF MOUTH. And finally, Wonder Woman is the hardest, yet most effective form of marketing tool. She is the trusted source by many, she is your Word of Mouth. Whilst this multi-channel is one that can prove a little difficult to use in your Strategy at first, it can also be one of the most powerful. People are looking for businesses they can trust and what better way to be trusted than by great reviews and recommendations from the customers and followers that can rope (pun intended) in new customers to build a relationship with.
All of these heroes (tools) work well on their own (with the exception in this case of Aquaman) but they each have their own strengths and weaknesses. So when they are “all in” just think of the strong and cohesive marketing strategy that is working together for the good of your business – battling the millions of messages in the world in an effort to ensure you are seen and heard by your dream audience.
Without a doubt, Social Media is still one of the most powerful tools. Isn’t it time you summoned the league to truly make the most of your business promotion?