Every Successful Omnichannel Campaign Starts with These 3 Essential Steps

Omnichannel has become the gold standard for digital marketing, but there are nuances within an omnichannel strategy that must be examined to run the most effective campaigns. It all comes down to data, and at OMI, we know that how you use marketing data is just as important as the quality of the marketing data you start with.

Our decades of experience with marketing data have also sharpened our skills in targeting the right audiences, handpicking the best channels, and activating campaigns for optimal results. I can tell you that while the steps you take to design and implement omnichannel campaigns are consistent, the process is never exactly the same.

The truth is, every company approaches omnichannel differently, but these three essential steps – straight out of OMI’s playbook -- will empower you to optimize your outcomes every time:

 

Step 1: Identify the Right Audience

Every campaign should start with identifying the right audience. This means taking a deep look at the client company and understanding the market/industry, their offerings, customer preferences, differentiators, and the goals for the specific campaign. We use demographics, firmographics, segmenting, previous campaign results and engagement, audience analytics, and more to uncover ideal audiences for clients. With well-defined attributes in place, we begin building the audience from our massive B2BC marketing contact database, as well as our partner identity graphs.

At OMI, we also look at which strategies will deliver the best results – such as using deterministic vs. probabilistic methodologies for targeting an individual (not a company or a household). This also enables us to make data-driven decisions and adapt our audience strategies to optimize campaigns for maximum ROI.

 

Step 2: Identify the Right Channels

Next, with a full understanding of the target audience and the data to actually reach them, we analyze the best channels based on the audience and the campaign goals. More is not always better when it comes to channel selection. You need to know your audience and the channels where they prefer to engage. Additionally, some channels are more expensive than others.

It's also important to consider the customer journey and campaign goals, whether it's closing more deals, finding new customers, building awareness, or something else. We start with all channels in mind, but depending on the budget or the nature of the campaign, sometimes one or two channels are all you need.

 

Step 3: Media Activation

Lastly, it’s time for campaign implementation. Media activation is the process of executing and implementing a campaign across channels to reach your target audience effectively. It includes placing the display ads, making social media posts, running CTV, sending an email campaign, and using a programmatic platform for retargeting.

Because media activation is complex, it’s critical to turn to a trusted, experienced team member or partner to get the job done. The costs are high and so is the risk for ad fraud and ad waste, making transparency in performance measurement and reporting essential for knowing the real results of your campaigns – such as whether they are reaching or getting clicks from real people (vs. bots).

 

The bottom line is that each campaign needs a strategy, data sources must be optimized, audiences built, channels selected, and testing and modifications performed as needed. Focus on the fundamentals, sort out goals, and put together a campaign strategy to get the results you want.

 

Got questions? Please contact our team for a consultation on improving your omnichannel strategy!