September 26, 2024
Bridging online and offline communication tools — go faster and farther in customers relationship
Today’s market requires dynamic and customized brand relationships with clients. Businesses need to attract, engage their audience in order to build satisfaction and loyalty, and drive sales and revenue. Many tools, strategies, methods and marketing solutions exist that companies must utilize to demonstrate their values, offerings and exclusivity. These tools can be categorized into online and offline methods and today we will go deeper into differences between online and offline communication, reveal a set of advantages of each and also discover the benefits of bridging the gaps.
Some statistics from Adobe: 64% of respondents would like to see retailers personalizing in-store and online experiences. 56% say their digital interactions with retailers impacts their overall experience of that retailer more than in-store shopping. 65% are revisiting websites before buying. 87% say that the things they care about are playing a greater role in how and where they choose to shop.
Online and offline marketing channels and their advantages
Communication is a fundamental aspect of customers’ interaction, enabling businesses to convey their offers as well as thoughts, ideas and values. With the advancement of technology, they now have two main modes: online and offline. Each mode has its unique advantages and understanding their differences is crucial for financial success in the modern world.
Online channels are those based on digital instruments — mobile phones, computers, Internet. They are social media, text messaging, messengers, websites and email. Implementing them you will obtain convenience and accessibility, global reach, time and cost savings and comprehensive analytics. With few clicks, brands can connect with clients from different parts of the world, breaking down geographical barriers. Whether it’s through texting, email or calls, online tools allow companies to communicate anytime and anywhere, making it extremely convenient for prosperous interactions.
Offline media channels are print advertisements, outdoor, TV and radio advertising, events and conferences. The main advantages here are the possibility to consume content at a slower speed and absorb information thoughtfully, enhanced brand recognition, creating outstanding impressions and strong emotional connection through audio-visual content and face-to-face interaction. Benefits almost always are accompanied by cons. In case of offline they are: location limitations, time and cost constraints, no scalability, difficulty in documenting, data storage and analyzing.
To level out the cons and create an advanced brand messaging strategy companies combine and utilize both online and offline tools to maximize reach, attraction and engagement.
Having established a proper mix of your in-store and digital experiences you will achieve a consistent, unified messaging and integrated customers’ journey and experience — this is what your clients want, as well as improved brand reputation, enhanced monitoring of interactions performance and maximum data-based decisions — this is what your business needs for growth and development.
Main best practices for both strategies fusion
In case you understand and implement the strengths of each tool, you can create comprehensive marketing solutions and methods that will ensure constant company growth and prosperity.
Cross-channel marketing strategy
Is the practice of using multiple channels to reach and engage with customers, delivering a consistent and seamless message or experience across all platforms. These channels are a combination of digital and traditional marketing mediums such as email, social media, mobile apps, websites, television, radio, and print advertising.
Offline and online stores integration
It is using software that provides integration. This will automate processes, simplify management and analyze sales data from different channels in a single system. By integrating online and offline operations, retailers build a seamless journey including browsing, purchase, pickup and customers’ support.
Online calls-to-action on offline promotion ads
Your clients’ relationship story may start offline and continue online and vice versa. On your printed materials create reasons for your audience to visit your web page or social media to capture contact information for subsequent follow-up. For example, offer free value added content such as e-books.
Location-based targeting
Is a form of digital marketing that allows companies to target to users based on their physical location. It is a useful tool for businesses that want to increase sales and ROI by targeting specific customers in specific areas. Arranging promotional messaging makes sense to aim for the customers located nearby your offline store.
Teasers / Trailers
An event, like a training, conference, exhibition or new branch opening can be promoted on social media or by messengers, sharing short videos.
QR codes
A link between online and offline activities are QR codes — by scanning a QR code with the phone your customers can visit a website or social media profile, view offers, actions, leave a review for a good or bad product or service, transfer gratuity, etc.
The businesses (as each of us) live in a digital and physical world simultaneously. The trick is to establish a balance, using both and at the right time and in the right order. Working out your marketing strategy and considering the business communication channels, note that this is a complicated and overall procedure. And our tips and tricks will serve you not to miss any detail.
Best practices for overall communication
Taking into consideration the below tips and tricks you will be able to develop a brand strategy that is better targeted and more efficient.
1. Learn target audience and the way they prefer to interact
2. Analyze competitors’ behavior related to their communication solutions
3. Context and purpose communication to determining a proper balance between online and offline tools
4. Work out a brand identity for all your business communication channels — style, imagery, values should be one and the same across all messaging touchpoints
5. Calculate the budget and other resources necessary for methods integration
6. Evaluate both strategies and fix exact channels appropriate for your business
7. Conduct a test-run of chosen instruments to decide the most advantageous
8. Conduct regular market research to measure how your online and offline strategies perform
9. Crossshare digital contacts in store and in-store contacts via digital resources
10. Motivate and engage the audience simultaneously — one and the same actions and special offers for in-store and online consumers
ImLink is an experienced omnichannel platform that allows you to establish advanced communication with your audience in a user-friendly way. To get a comprehensive professional consultation and recommendations on what digital communication methods to implement and how to integrate them into your existing CRM and other software, complete the form on our website.