How to Leverage Channel-Coupling to Connect with Consumers

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Many organizations define success by how a consumer is convinced to partake in a marketing offer. You see television ads that try to build brand and drive people to a store. You hear radio ads touting a low interest rate or inviting people to a clearance event. Grocers keep mailing their circulars. And the barrage of mass email continues to torment many an in-box.

Direct mail at home and at work have offers strewn all over them. And even when the consumer unwinds on their social media site there are both ads and invitations to 'special events.' The pursuit of the consumer is relentless. These approaches to engage a consumer are typical of single channel marketing programs. These are programs that are seeking a consumer but not necessarily coordinated. Marketers and businesses pursue the consumer across channels in an attempt to convince and then convert the consumer.

Many organizations are guilty of the 'single channel chase marketing approach.' A random sampling of big and small company offers shows that there is really no connection between their channel offers. Most companies don't list their other channels in marketing communiqués, a few do but there is nothing specific. A rare few give you a compelling reason to go to the other channel. And even those who do drive you to the other channel fail to test things out - the transfer was confusing, perhaps the link is broken, the ATM is no longer at that location, the store has closed, the event was held the week before, or the best one: the approached employee was absolutely clueless!

In an ideal scenario your channels should be aware of each other and this includes the employee. Additionally the employee should be empowered to find things and execute offers.

But to be reasonable, this is tougher than you think. Even if you have a single data warehouse it is still hard to coordinate marketing messages. Also, it is not just about good intent - you have to make it a practice to think about the other channels.

Here is one suggestion. Try Channel-Coupling. Take two channels and start coordinating your approach. Carry the message from one channel to the other. Have a requirement that every single communiqué you send is coordinated with at least one other channel. This means couple your email and direct mail. Connect your direct mail with social media. Send people to your Youtube channel from an ad on TV or radio.

Don't just list your channels - give people a reason to go there.