Take a minute to think about something that everybody loves. Is it chocolate? As weird as it might sound, not everybody likes it. Maybe you are thinking about vacations? Studies have shown that some people stress out when they travel.
It’s hard to think of something that defines everybody, isn’t it? People are different, and their choices are motivated by different factors.
The same goes for how they research and purchase products – some buy an item immediately after they see it while others spend a lot of time researching before making a final decision. That is why it is crucial to know your audience when you’re structuring your multi-channel marketing. Understanding how they make decisions and being able to personalize your offers can make the difference between success and failure.
Understand the “Why” Behind the Buy
You might think you know your customers. But, what you see on the surface is rarely the complete picture. The truth is the path to purchase isn’t always direct. Consumers face several different options along their journey, and each one forces them to make a decision before they move forward.
Your audience is more educated, motivated, and engaged than ever before. Understanding their motivations is paramount in designing an effective multi-channel marketing strategy. More than that, by identifying the channels prospects are more likely to react to, you can feed them with the exact information they need to convert.
Studies show that businesses that understand their audience’s intent get more traffic and revenue than those who stumble in the dark.
By understanding your prospects’ intent, you can identify the best channels for reaching out to them and deliver more targeted messages. For instance, if a potential customer just landed on your website for the first time, they have different needs than someone who is familiar with your brand and has purchased from you before. Moreover, someone who is visiting your social media page expects to see different content than in your email marketing.
Small businesses that are just getting the gist of the online world can work with a digital marketing agency to examine their audience thoroughly and adapt their multi-channel marketing accordingly.
Buyer Intent Beats Buyer Identity
Most small business owners use demographics to reach customers. But, according to one study, companies that rely solely on demographics risk missing on more than 70% of potential consumers.
Why?
That’s because understanding customer intent is a better more powerful way to target the right people than demographics alone.
Studies show that brands that understand and respond to intent are better positioned and are considered more useful. That is because brands that focus on intent are better prepared at understanding their prospects’ needs and delivering targeted and personalized experiences.
More than that, by recognizing your visitors’ intent, you can use this information to align your retargeting campaigns with their intentions. That way, you can create more connections tied to their intent and use that knowledge to grow your revenue.
Create Personalized Experiences across all Channels
Small businesses need to personalize their online experiences across every marketing channel they use if they want to get their audience hooked. You need to tailor products, services, and content based on your prospects’ needs and experiences. For instance, email prospects if a product they’ve shown interested in has a discount. Make sure you interact with customers in a friendly way across all channels and make the entire experience personal and helpful.
If you want to align your marketing and sales goals, then you should focus on developing online multichannel marketing campaigns that add value, build loyalty, and deepen customer relationships. Companies that meet their audience’s expectations and deliver consistent experiences across all channels will be more successful.
There are countless tools you can use to understand the intent of your audience or of those who click the buy link on your product page. Once you’ve identified these intentions, you can use the data to create targeted multi-channel campaigns that generate more revenue.
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