Customer outreach and marketing is the backbone to the success of any business. The fact that there are several businesses in a variety of sectors competing for the same customers makes it even more challenging. Enterprises are, therefore, forced to come up with unique ways to enforce proactive customer outreach while at the same time competing with other businesses. For this reason, companies are leaning more towards multi-channel messaging.
What is Multi-Channel Messaging?
Multi-channel messaging is the use of several channels and modes of consumer outreach all at once by businesses. The role of multi-channel messaging is to increase the engagement of customers with a product or a service, as well as the service or product providers. Examples of such channels that can be used by businesses include:
Email messaging
Email is one of the most common modes of messaging around the globe currently. They are an ideal way of reaching out to a wide range of consumers. Emails are also the perfect mode for sending great content, including product descriptions. Businesses use emails that list their products and services to select customers. The emails mostly contain links that the consumers can click to either make a purchase or get more information on the product or service. For a better experience, organizations also customize their emails to include the most relevant content to each customer. This move is aimed at increasing customer engagement as generic emails tend to be ignored by consumers. Email messaging should be tailored to fit your email marketing methods.
The regular SMS text messaging
Messages sent through SMS, often known as business text messaging, are ideal since they are received almost immediately. They do not require an internet connection. Business SMS messages are used to convey critical and urgent information. SMS messages are also harder to ignore, hence a compelling mode of communication. Companies use business SMS channels as opposed to traditional SMSs. These business text messaging channels work in such a way that the customers have to subscribe to the channel to get the content sent via SMS messages. Failure to obtain the permission of clients to send the messages may cause legal problems to businesses. This channel should become an integral part of your marketing strategies.
Push Notifications
Businesses opt for mobile push notifications because they are an ideal mode of sending time-sensitive information to their clients. The notifications can be used to alert customers of things that are happening, including new product launches or upgrades. Push notifications work in such a way that clients have to download a business application through which the notifications are sent to the phone. This means that businesses have to market and get their consumers to download the app and allow notifications from the application. While very convenient, it may cease being effective if customers receive too much irrelevant content. This may bring clients to disable the notifications or completely delete the application. Business text messaging is not only applicable to clients but can foster communication between business partners and employees as well.
In-App Messaging
In-app messages are almost similar to mobile push notifications since both modes of messaging involve applications. The main difference between the two is the fact that in-app messages can only be seen by the customers when they open the app. This mode of communication is, therefore, not ideal for urgent messages. It can be used by companies to spread awareness about new features, products, and product upgrades. Like in a push notification, too many irrelevant in-app messages may cause clients to delete the application altogether.
Benefits of Multi-Channel Messaging
Below are some benefits that businesses enjoy from this mode of customer outreach:
• The use of a variety of channels allows businesses to reach a broader range and quantity of consumers who prefer different channels.
• It also takes away the work of businesses having to choose the most preferred channels for different clients.
• Different contents work better on various channels. For instance, SMS Messages and push notifications are ideal for short messages, while emails are ideal for longer and more descriptive messages.
• The wide range of variety is more effective as it reaches more customers. The different channels complement each other.
• The clients also get to enjoy more information and interaction with their service providers on different channels.
The Difference Between Omni Channel and Multichannel
The term omnichannel is often mistaken and compared with multichannel messaging. However, omnichannel refers to a cross-channel content strategy used by businesses to improve the experience of their clients and consumer relations. It involves the integration of channels for more efficiency. The difference between the two is the fact that omnichannel requires the integration of the channels, while multichannel is a non-integration approach to customer interaction. While using several channels is the right approach, it is even better when the channels are integrated, hence vanishing the boundaries between the different channels.
SMS Marketing
SMS marketing is a model that uses permission-based messaging as a way of spreading promotional messages. Businesses have to encourage customers to opt in to an automated system, usually initiated by texting a shortcode. By doing so, the client’s information is stored in the SMS marketing software, which will then issue the texts featuring informational and updated contents. Clients also have the freedom to opt-out to these messages at any time by unsubscribing.
Companies use this mode of marketing to encourage a loyal client base by building a database of subscribers. In addition to spreading awareness of products or services, the messages help businesses to inform clients of upcoming deals, events, and engaging clients by polling their opinions. According to Forbes, this is the most preferred mode of communication between clients and businesses. It is much better than email marketing and Push notification messaging.
Text Local for Businesses
Text Local is a service provider that helps businesses and organizations adopt a messaging and marketing channel to promote customer interaction. It provides scalable SMS solutions for businesses across the globe. The brand encourages the use of bulk SMSs to raise awareness, enhance communications, and enhance the customer experience, hence driving more business. It is, therefore, the United Kingdom’s most reliable and adequately supported platform. The high volume API gateway is one of the main reasons for its success. Text Local provides cutting edge digital communication channels the likes of:
• WhatsApp Business – This mode allows companies to deliver customer service through intelligent messaging solutions. It also helps businesses connect with more than a billion customers from several countries across the globe in a relaxed and cost-efficient manner.
• Apple Business Chat – This is a channel specifically designed for clients with iPhones and other Apple products like iPad, iMac, and Apple Watch. It is a seamless mode of interaction between businesses and their customers.
• RCS – This channel combines the convenience and effectiveness of traditional and universal SMSs with the advantages of multimedia messaging. It is all aimed at providing customers with a superior customer communication experience.
Sending SMSs with TextLocal
The pay-as-you-go platform is designed in such a way that enterprises can send and receive SMSs online within a short time. All you have to do to make this happen is signup for a free account. However, businesses can opt for the managed service. This is a service that allows enterprises to outsource mobile messaging services. The platform also provides a customizable SMS API that can be integrated with several other platforms of different kinds. Another solution by this platform is the email-to-SMS solution that transforms emails to SMSs and vice versa.
Final Word
Multi-channel messaging is a step towards enhancing multichannel marketing. This phenomenon is a huge step for businesses and a technique that most enterprises have adopted to promote their businesses and customer interaction.
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