Multi channel marketing refers to the practice of interacting with customers using a combination of different communication channels. In the most simplistic terms, multi channel marketing is all about choice. Multi channel marketing is important for the simple reason that you must be where your customers are. And they are everywhere. Today there are more ways to reach customers – both in terms of number and variety of channels – than we could have ever imagined not so long ago. And as the number of channels continues to rise – and it will – the need to embrace multi channel marketing will become not only a good idea, but a critical one.

The customer experience is one of the most powerful competitive differentiators. And while the quality of the customer experience is important, consistency is equally important. That’s because your customers experience your brand as a whole, whether their interactions with you are online, in a store, over the phone, or some combination of these. What value is there in a positive online experience if a customer’s in-store experience is negative? If you treat each channel as a distinct entity, you run the risk of turning customers against you if you fail to deliver consistency.

Clearly identifying your intended or “target” audience is a critical component in having marketing success.  It becomes easier to capture someone’s attention if you know their needs and goals.  By understanding these needs and goals, you’re able to craft a message that “reaches” your intended audience.  This increases the chance of a successful marketing solution.