Have you ever watched television and during the commercials, whipped out your smartphone to pass the time? Have you ever heard a radio commercial and then used your phone to check out the company in more detail? At the very least, you have probably interacted with multiple types of media channels at the same time in the past day.
In the last 15 years as a specialist in the digital marketing field, I have learned that you must plan your marketing strategy efficiently to ensure a return on investment. Since the world consists of numerous types of media and channels, attribution of sales is difficult. Therefore, planning your investments isn't simple. You will need to think contextually about each type of media and channel and your customer's intent in regards to each of these. Let me get into the details of what I explain to my clients every day.
Attribution is almost impossible to determine.
I love to measure results; I want to know what works, with whom it works, when it works, where it works and quantify it all. You can track how many people saw your online posts, how many people visited and purchased on your website, and how long a sales resource has spoken on the phone with a potential client. These numbers are very important. They will help dictate how to invest your money wisely.
That said, there is one thing that is hard to establish: attribution of sales. If a client buys online, this does not mean he didn't receive a newsletter, hear a radio ad, see a television ad or maybe receive a telemarketing call. With all the different types of media available, it's hard to know what really motivated a sale or a conversion. Was the promotion you sent in your newsletter the only factor in closing a sale or was the customer service of your live chat the main motivator? These are elements that are very hard to calculate. In fact, when determining attribution, don't try to determine it for your conversion as a whole.
Try to establish your customer's intent.
It is easier to determine your customer's intent on each potential channel (social media, online ads, radio, TV, websites, etc.) than it is to determine it for the conversion as a whole. You will be able to determine your customer's intent by establishing clearly what path your user will go through before purchase.
Take, for example, a divorce lawyer. Some of his client base will probably look for relationship advice before going directly with the final solution. If the lawyer took the time to create ads in relationship advice websites with a less aggressive tone, he could create some interested qualified clientele. "See what it implies to leave your partner" is less aggressive than "get a divorce now," but will generate interest with the right client. It might not create the sale right away, but that specific lawyer will be top of mind when the client does make the call.
Create a message for every intent.
Take the time to use different types of media and deliver the right message in regards to your users' intent. When a person is watching television or browsing Facebook, they most likely want to be entertained. Entertain them. Then, help them transition to another channel so you can calculate efficiency.
The mistake that companies often make with their different types of digital marketing is pushing the message they want the potential client to hear. This is completely backward. Your responsibility as a company is to push the message the consumer wants to hear in regards to the channel they are on. One thing is important, though: This message must be true and you have to deliver on it.
Think about the transition between channels.
The beauty of digital marketing is that it's measurable. Other types of media, such as TV, radio and magazines, are less precise in their measurement. It is your duty to help measure their efficiency. Have a TV/radio or magazine campaign? Create a special phone number for each of these. Drive people to a specific web address that is different for each campaign. This will allow you to know which one is working and is helping the potential clients convert to sales.
Think of the transition between each channel and find a way to measure it. This will help you establish the intent of the user at each step of the way. Do your users receive newsletters for promotions and sales or to know your new product line? Calculate it with a different link associated with your newsletter campaign.
Remember, digital marketing is easy.
Thinking critically based on data you have collected from different platforms will allow you to establish the right message to deliver at the right moment to the right person. That's basically the secret recipe. If every message you push to a potential client is tailored to their specific intent on the right channel at the right time, you will drive sales. It doesn't matter if your clients are consumers or businesses. If you establish the path they go through before they do business with you and the channels they use, you will know what to tell them and help bring forth your value proposition adequately every step of the way in a decision-making process.
It could be a short path or a long path. What is important is to be there to answer the needs and information they are looking for at each phase of that path.
