Attract even more customers with a true omnichannel strategy

But first: what does omnichannel mean?

The true value of omnichannel? The removal of all barriers separating your brand's online and offline experience.

Are your online and offline campaigns two sides of the same coin? Do your online campaigns support your physical stores and vice versa? Omnichannel means that your business not only uses different channels to assist your customers, but that those channels are also closely connected to each other. The right approach aligns your communication and sales channels and thus helps you to increase your customer satisfaction.

Present at every step in the customer journey

As a consumer, you can make your purchases online and on remote devices, but you can also buy offline – in the store. It is important that you understand that your customers use all of those channels to the max during their customer journey. It is therefore important that all of your sales channels connect seamlessly – both online and offline - with each other. This is how to guide the modern consumer to your cash register.

Why do you need to consider omnichannel?

There are a few good reasons for this. Omnichannel has already become very important and that is unlikely to change anytime soon.

In 2018, 60% of offline purchases were influenced by online touchpoints. 10 years earlier this was only 10%. The impact of online habits on offline purchasing practices is therefore increasing.

In 2018, surprisingly perhaps, 80% of purchases took place offline, directly in-store. So although we browsed online, we made our purchases offline.

In 2018, we also saw how our search behaviour began to change, still focused on a visit to a store. For example, we used more and more keywords in combination with "near me", "nearby" ...

How do you optimise your omnichannel approach?

Omnichannel is based on a number of important pillars. Together they ensure that you give your customer an optimal experience throughout their customer journey, and at all important online and offline touchpoints.

1. Product details on all channels

Can your customers find all the information they need about your products, in order to make the right choice, easily? Is this information available on different channels, such as in your emails, on your website and in your store? The more accessible this information is, the easier it is for your customers to consciously choose you.

2. Store details available on all channels

What do we know about your stores? Can we find your locations on your website, including contact details and opening hours? Is this information included in the emails you send to your customers? Are your opening hours clearly visible in store? This information is vital, even for potential visitors who live close to one of your stores but prefer to shop online.

3. Personalisation on all channels

Do you display personalised content on your website based on your customer’s search behaviour? Do you send personalised emails that address your customer by name? Do these personalised emails present content that is based on their search behaviour on your website? Do you congratulate your customers when it's their birthday? Each and every one of these touchpoints are opportunities to make a personal connection and that creates a bond.

4. Easy movement between channels

Do your customers move effortlessly between your different channels? Can they collect loyalty points online and then use them offline or vice versa? Does your website work optimally on all devices? One brand, one experience.

5. Flexibility

Are you flexible when it comes to collection, picking up and returning purchases by your customers? Do you offer click & collect or pick up at a local collection point? Do you deliver your products to your customers' front door? Can your customers return products to the store or return them to you by post? And do you meet the delivery times you promise on your website? In short: the more possibilities you create for customer contact, the better.

6. In-store technology

Does technology have a special place in every store? As a visitor, can you also order online in the store? Are you already using technology that allows customers to test products on location? Your website is much more than 'just' an online story. Use the opportunities that your digital showroom opens up in your store too. Don’t hide your site, let your visitors know what they can do with it.

7. Customer service

How can customers find you if they have questions? Are you committed to providing high quality, fast support, both online and offline? This information should be available everywhere, whether your customer is in the store or on the laptop or smartphone.

8. Cross-promotions

Do you highlight your promotions through multiple channels? Don’t just push online promotions online, and don't keep your offline promotions exclusively offline. You can use advertisements to highlight your online promotions, but also to let every customer know that they can come to your store for exclusive instore promotions.

Is it growth you’re after?

From auditing to market research, brand & communication strategies and intelligent UX design, your brand’s path upwards can kick off today. High time we sparked interaction with your audience – together?

Let's get growing

What can we do to help?

By prioritising the above pillars, you can answer every one of your customer’s needs at every stage in the customer journey. This is how you can get a head start on your competitors.

Would you like to talk about the opportunities that we can see to help you to get the very most out of your sales channels? Then come, join us for coffee with our experts, or contact us. We will build your successful omnichannel strategy together.

About the author

Eli Ivens

Head of Media Services

Eli Ivens is a passionate media specialist who has earned his stripes as an advertising expert and digital strategist throughout his career. As the Head of Media at iO, he leads two teams: the advertising team that supports organizations with their advertising efforts via Google, Social, and programmatic, and the social content team that builds a brand through content, storytelling on social channels, and advertising campaigns, and influencer marketing. Under his leadership, his team ensures that companies receive the media strategies that can fulfil their ambitions. He gladly and generously shares his expertise, insights, and sharp analyses with clients and team members.