What Makes a Good Omnichannel Experience?

In the past, having a brick-and-mortar shop was an important milestone in the lifetime of a business. Not so much anymore. Globally, it is predicted that online retail will account for $6.51 trillion in sales this year (2023). And according to a survey of 46,000 shoppers by Harvard Business Review, 73% of respondents used multiple channels to shop for products. Ignoring the need for omnichannel marketing experiences can potentially deter almost ¾ of your customer base! 

The rise of eCommerce, social media, and online research means that brands will have to work hard to make their consumer journey cohesive and delightful at every turn. Here are some tips to make sure your omnichannel marketing is on par with customer expectations.

How to deliver top-tier omnichannel marketing experiences:

Be consumer-centric.

In order to achieve stellar omnichannel marketing experiences, the first step is to understand how consumers use different marketing channels. Whether it’s social media, a newsletter, your website, or a customer-facing app, the use of every marketing channel comes with its own unique intent. From research and education, to keeping up with promotions and company news, to making that final purchase, consumer behavior data will illuminate how you can make each stage of your omnichannel marketing the best it can be.

You also want to understand the intent-rich moments of the purchasing process: what are the key points of decision making for the consumer? How can you anticipate their questions and make the answers readily available? The worst thing that can happen is a customer giving up on your brand because the omnichannel experience is too disjointed or not intentional enough.

When asking yourself whether your omnichannel marketing is consumer-centric, another question to consider is what sources of data are you relying on? First-party data, or data that is collected directly from the consumer, is the most accurate and reliable for telling the story of your customer. From this data, you can define consumer needs and values and ensure that your channels are meeting those needs in as seamless a way as possible.

Deliver the right communication at the right time.

Nearly 88% of online shopping carts are abandoned before the customer completes a sale. However, recent data from Klaviyo shows that when brands follow-up with these shoppers, they earn back 3-14% of sales with an average revenue of $5.81 per recipient. Improve your omnichannel marketing by deploying optimized communication that personalizes the experience and ensures your brand isn’t easily forgotten.

If your business has an app for users to shop on and interact with, have you delved into the data of when to deliver notifications? According to data from CleverTap, tailored send times improves reaction rates by 40%. Delivering smart notifications that reach users at the right time can do wonders for your engagement and ultimately impact your bottom line.

Deliver the right recommendations at the right time.

In addition to testing when to deliver notifications, you should also consider what recommended actions are going to your audience. According to CleverTap, advanced targeting based on contextual and historical consumer data improves reaction rates by 300%. One user might be compelled by a coupon for the items in their abandoned cart, while another might appreciate a flash sale on a category of recommended products curated just for them. Data can help you identify the subtle but powerful differences between your consumers and deliver the best course of action imaginable for each one.

Having a recommended course of action for each customer is no small feat, but people like to feel like a promotion was created just for them. How do you recreate this feeling at scale? AI tools can help you process data at record rates and act on insights that might be imperceptible to the human eye. Artificial intelligence and data science have revolutionized marketing and made personalization a huge part of what consumers look for in a brand. Enlist in an AI tool to help you keep up with the times and deliver outstanding omnichannel experiences that play to the strengths of each channel and meet the needs of your customers.

Businesses with a strong omnichannel marketing strategy retain 89% of their customers and increase their annual revenue by 9.5% (IMRG). Stand out from the crowd by being more intentional with your omnichannel strategy and ensuring that consumer needs are being met.