What are the different marketing communication channels your company should use?
In order to transform your prospects into customers, marketing communication can be deployed over different channels, in order to reach numerous people at the same time, without the need of over-expending.
Marketing communication channels have revolutionised the way companies approach their clients. Nowadays, it is not enough to make a poster and expect your potential customers to approach your service. You have to be more strategic than that and need to work on multiple factors for a successful campaign.
There are multiple communication channels: e-mail, telephone, SMS, or mail. So, Which ones should you choose and in what way for a marketing campaign?
What is a marketing communication channel?
Definition
Marketing communication channel is the way companies deliver their offer and value to the audience. Furthermore, it is one of the initial steps for a successful marketing campaign.
Through this function, companies build and establish their brand image while forming a bond with the audience, making the company feel part of their lives.
Types of marketing communication channels
Media campaigns have transitioned from physical media into a more mobile-friendly platform.
This is why there are 2 types of communication channels:
Traditional channels
- Billboards,
- Postal Service
- Events
- Television
- Radio
Digital marketing channels
- Social Media
- Podcasts
- Websites
Importance of marketing communication channels
Marketing communication is one of the most important parts of customer service. It allows users to feel more engaged with the company, thus becoming more loyal by being offered a complete experience that goes beyond a simple purchase, adding value to the company's proposition.
Even though there are different types of marketing communication channels, all of them have the same objective; to build brand awareness and generate leads. In the end, it will bring in more customers and transform the brand into a leader in its sector.
Types of marketing communication strategies
Paid Media
As the name speaks for itself, paid media is the type of channel you pay for in order to have a presence.
This is the most expensive type of media because you don't own the platform that will be communicated by. Furthermore, companies must do analysis before implementing it due to its heavy price.
Example: ads that appear on TV, websites, and social media platforms.
Owned media
Communication made through your own media channel. This is the fastest type of channel to display information, seeing as all content is published by the company and does not need approval from a third party.
Example: advertising through your own social media page or website.
Earned media
This is the most trustworthy, cheap, and hard to get media of all. Earned media is all given recommendations, conversation,s or mentions of a company's product without the incentive from the company. It is a totally organic approach that, if positive, can bring incredible opportunities for a company's growth and expansion.
Example: Word of Mouth (WOM) marketing is the most reliable channel of communication, According to Nielsen:
92% of consumers believe recommendations from friends and family over all forms of advertising
This is why all companies mostly aspire to reach an effective earned media, this enables for an organic entry for profits, without the need for costs incurring in maintaining customers.
How to choose the best communication channel?
There are many things to consider when using a communication channel. However, you don't have to choose only one: the best companies balance all three types of advertising strategies with both channels.
It all depends on the company's strategy, their target audience, what objectives they want to achieve, and the most important, their budget.
Budget
Small companies don't have enough budget for an over the top advertisement to be displayed on a major channel with traffic, like on TV during the Superbowl night. Every company should do a cost/opportunity analysis before spending an enormous amount of money on advertising that won't lead to any conversions.
Target Audience
The type of channel may vary depending on the target market the company has. Young people use social media and digital-based accounts to find new products or services, however, even though a lot of adults are well versed in digital accounts, they still prefer traditional methods like TV, newspaper, or physical promotion.
💡 Tip: segment your audience by different criteria (age, country, etc.). This will allow you to understand the type of prospective customer you have, while also opening a space for innovation and better customer experience.
Company's strategy
A company's strategy will determine what type of channel will the company be focused on. Whether the company's strategy is leaning towards a more traditional, modern, or a combination of both, as well as the budget destined for all campaigns.
It is important to align all types of marketing channel communication for an omni strategy. This will allow companies to have visibility over the progress of their objective, enabling a clear view of their opportunities and what to modify.
In the end, what channel to use?
What is the right channel? It appears that you should have a balanced use of all different types of channels. This is what we call a marketing communication mix.
Depending on your needs, marketing strategy, budget, and target audience, your message will be deployed in each platform to get the most of each channel. It's up to you to identify your priorities and constraints in terms of time, cost, personalisation, but also approach and tone, to identify the right channels.
The different channels of a marketing campaign each have their own advantages. It is a question of combining them strategically to get the best out of it. Dedicated software helps you not only with technical, but also with strategic aspects for more successful campaigns, due to their automation and analytical qualities, these are tools that will transform the way marketing communication channels are processed.