Omnichannel Marketing Is All About You

Those shoes are so cool! You saw them on your tablet – thanks to Zappos targeted marketing on your Facebook feed – then found them on the Zappos app. You drooled a bit, then placed the shoes in your Zappos digital shopping cart. But before you could finish your transaction, you had to jam out the door to work.

Here’s where omnichannel marketing takes over

You get to the office, log on to your laptop, and go straight to the Zappos site – work can wait, this will only take a second. And there they are, right where you left them on your tablet, in the shopping cart. But then you’re interrupted. The boss needs you in a meeting. Then that meeting stretches through lunch, and you spend the afternoon slogging through a mountain of reports.

That night, it’s dinner with friends, followed by a movie. By the next day, those shoes are just a leather-upper, padded-footbed memory. You head out to the dog park where you randomly check your email on your phone, and what’s waiting for you? A message from Zappos telling you that inventory is running low on those awesome shoes, so if you still want them, don’t dillydally.

And then omnichannel marketing gets even better

You click on the link, which takes you to the site, and you move through to checkout, but you’re blanking on the password! Oh, the sadness … wait, what’s that? Because Zappos is so deliciously fantastic, they have a backup plan for password forgetters? And it doesn’t require assistance from customer service? Right there, next to the Zappos login, is the word “Or.” And next to that beautiful “Or” is an option to log in and place your order through your Amazon account. The same shoes, still from Zappos, but through Amazon. Oh, the joy!

Omnichannel marketing has become a key component of any brand’s success. In this example, Zappos improved its already stellar reputation by providing a seamless user experience across all channels. It views the retail experience through the eyes of the customer, orchestrating the experience so it’s smooth, integrated, and consistent. Omnichannel marketing anticipates that customers may start in one channel and move to another as they progress to a resolution.

So how can you be more like Zappos?

Use omnichannel marketing to give your customers seamless personalized service. Make it about them. The same way Zappos sends targeted marketing ads featuring shoes you might like based on previous purchases, you need to make your clients feel like your business revolves around them and making their lives easier.

Then offer products or services for purchase directly from your website. Have an IT firm design an app for your business. Be on every social media network and engage with customers. You need to be available on every screen they have at their fingertips so they can be happy to the tips of their toes – which would look great in those new shoes!