Building an omni-channel marketing strategy can present challenges. Different channel experts or team members might create your blog and social media feed. A graphic designer might adhere exactly to the style guide, but not nail the tone of your business or organization as it appears on your website, which preceded the guiding document. These challenges are the same in managing any team.

But are you also seeking to coordinate activity, audiences, and outcomes across the entirety of your strategy? Here are some common challenges businesses face when implementing omni-channel marketing.

Consistency Across Channels

Maintaining a consistent brand message, tone, voice, and experience across multiple channels can be challenging. Each channel has its own requirements and limitations, making it difficult to deliver a cohesive brand experience. Consider how each channel is part of the larger message, building the assets to feel true to each channel. (What you post on Instagram won’t be the same as on your blog, though one might use the first to find the other.)

Data Integration

Integrating customer data from various channels and systems can be complex. Omni-channel marketing relies on a centralized and unified view of customer data to deliver personalized experiences. Ensuring data accuracy, security, and accessibility is crucial.  Seek to understand your CRM and what’s possible with this technology. Using it to feed your knowledge and track customer activity is critical to what you can do with your campaign in the future. If you aren’t tracking customer data, start now.

Technology and Infrastructure

Implementing the necessary technology and infrastructure to support omni-channel marketing can be a significant challenge. This may include integrating different marketing automation platforms, data management systems, and analytics tools. Google Analytics, a central posting tool for social media, and a project management webware shared by your team make a good start. Don’t grow to automations until the team is prepared. (Many of our clients think that marketing automation is a silver bullet. It still needs a human touch, and careful management.)

Channel Coordination

Coordinating marketing activities and messaging across different channels requires careful planning and collaboration. Ensuring consistent timing, content, and promotions across channels can be challenging, especially when different teams or stakeholders are involved. When every one of your social media channels serves identical content at the same time, your brand looks lazy and your audience becomes bored. Mix the media with purpose, and be thoughtful in your approach. Posting fewer times each week is better than serving identical content across every channel.

Customer Journey Mapping

Mapping the customer journey across channels can be complex, especially with the increasing number of touchpoints. Understanding how customers move between channels and adjusting marketing strategies accordingly can be a challenge.

Personalization at Scale

Delivering personalized experiences to customers across all channels requires an effective personalization strategy and the ability to scale it. Creating dynamic content, tailored messaging, and segmented campaigns can be time-consuming and resource-intensive. But once you know and understand the audience you have, sharing messages compelling to them becomes easier, and more relevant to your outcomes.

Resource Allocation

Allocating resources effectively across different channels can be challenging. Businesses must prioritize channels based on their target audience, marketing goals, and available resources. What’s the right spend in social media, versus direct advertising? How much should go to broadcast media versus streamed content? This is an area where an adviser can help.

Remember, building an effective omni-channel marketing strategy is an ongoing process. It requires continuous monitoring, evaluation, and adaptation to meet the changing needs and preferences of your customers.

If you need more specific guidance or assistance in overcoming any of these challenges, we’re here to help. Connect today!