The idea of great customer experience is evolving for marketers every day. It is mission-critical for them to successfully navigate the current climate and remain flexible in their strategies and approach to marketing in order to authentically engage with customers, shares, Bridgette Darling product marketing manager, Adobe Campaign.
Today’s consumers have more choices than ever before for not only the products and services they want to buy but how they buy them. A shopper looking for a new TV, for example, can research the product on a laptop, order it through a mobile app, and then pick up the TV curbside at an electronics store. At each of these touchpoints, consumers expect connected and personalized experiences every time.
Before the pandemic, savvy brands were already adopting seamless omnichannel strategies to create exceptional customer experiences. For example, retailers were implementing the ability to order online, and pick-up in-store and sports teams were serving up real-time mobile notifications throughout an in-stadium experience.
And due to the pandemic, the need for brands to adopt a digital or omnichannel approach has only accelerated. In certain industries, brands have had to shift their focus from in-person experiences to digital options, and marketers have been at the forefront of helping brands navigate this new normal with cross channel marketing efforts. Marketers had to pivot away from carefully planned campaigns to launch new sites for business updates, new channels like mobile apps for online ordering, and even virtual events in light of canceled in-person experiences.
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While hopefully only temporary, COVID-19 has undoubtedly changed the way we interact with our customers. Brands will need to find new ways to stay connected and informed while still delivering exceptional experiences, both online and off. And marketers can lead the charge to make it happen. As you help your organization navigate rapidly changing circumstances and the increasingly higher customer expectations, here are some things to consider:
Content Is More Important Than Ever
Brands should focus on engaging content that creates a conversation no matter the channel. Ensure the content you are sharing is still personal, useful, and compelling. And that your tone matches the communication purpose. For example, the gym I belong to (a national chain) sends the best emails— they’re funny, relevant, and informative, keeping me engaged, even if I don’t have access to their facilities right now.
Be authentic in your communications and understand what will resonate with your audience for the message or offer you want to send. Your customers may be looking for more helpful or educational content right now instead of offers. Providing content your customers crave can keep them engaged and potentially even convert them into an advocate. Another great example of this is Vitamix. As people started cooking more from home, Vitamix shifted their campaigns to help people discover new ways to cook, eat healthily, and still have a good time. They started sharing cooking demos from home, and even tips and tricks to help people make the most of limited grocery hauls.
Make Important Info Easily Accessible Across All Channels
Ensure that essential business updates are easy to find across multiple channels. Are your emails providing the same updates to your customers as your mobile app, social media, website, and even inbound channels like customer service? Customers were already engaging with their favorite brands on multiple channels before the pandemic. Now, they’re likely to check numerous places like email, your site, or social media channels to make sure they have the latest information on safety procedures and business updates. Make sure you’re tracking metrics like deliverability and engagement to tailor the content and experience to ensure that customers are getting the updates they need. Let customers take the lead with these communications. Your metrics will show you where your customers are engaging with you, so meet them where they are.
Let the Content Dictate the Channel
Important business updates should be shared on multiple channels, but numerous channels may not be appropriate for every communication. Consider the context of the communication as well as the content. For example, travel brands should use cross-channel campaigns to set expectations for the experience before the departure date. Trip confirmations make the most sense via email, where travelers can easily reference trip details at their convenience. However, mobile conversations through push notifications or SMS might be more useful to help guide the customer through trip milestones, send reminders, or even to add a more conversational tone. Regardless if you’re in travel or another industry, context and real-time communications are important to help customers stay informed on business practices and set expectations to ensure seamless experiences.
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Experiment and Test to Drive Engagement
Use this time as an opportunity to experiment. It may not be the best time to roll out new campaigns or channels; however, there’s likely an opportunity to innovate with the channels you already can. For example, with Google’s AMP for Email, marketers can create interactive, app-like experience directly in the inbox. Eye fatigue is also front of mind for customers that have been on their devices more than ever. Consider how your emails might be rendering in dark mode to ensure the content is still being received in the way you intended, so engagement doesn’t suffer. This and other accessibility focused considerations can help create a better experience for customers.
Finally, don’t forget about the basics. Marketing best practices are still crucial to the customer experience, even during times of uncertainty. Remember permission and acquisition best practices, monitor engagement rates, especially when it comes to email deliverabilityOpens a new window , and review every campaign for tone, context, and relevance.
This pandemic has undoubtedly changed the world, but one thing remains unchanged, the need for brands to deliver meaningful experiences for their customers. Marketers are often at the forefront of innovating to meet changing consumer behavior, and this new world is no different. Now is the time to lead your organization in navigating the new landscape and delivering exceptional customer experience.