Multi-channel sales engagement refers to interacting with customers through more than one touchpoint before, during, and after a sale. This type of engagement allows for a more seamless customer experience and can result in increased sales and better customer retention rates.
According to Wharton, 66 percent of online shoppers rely on more than one channel for purchases. Hence, brands need to create a consistent, positive experience across all channels – from the initial research to post-purchase support.
This article will discuss multi-channel sales engagement, how you can boost it, and some benefits you can expect.
What is multi-channel sales engagement?
Sales engagement is engaging potential customers through multiple channels to increase the likelihood of a sale. It can be done through many means, such as email, social media, phone calls, and in-person meetings.
Multi-channel sales engagement is simply the act of using more than one channel to reach and engage potential customers. It could mean using email and social media or utilizing all four channels above.
Sales engagement aims to provide potential customers with a seamless experience that increases the chances of making a sale. By engaging potential customers through multiple channels, businesses can create a more holistic view of their target market and better understand their needs.
How to boost your multi-channel sales engagement?
There are some key things you can do to boost your multi-channel sales engagement:
1) Segmentation
The first step is to segment your leads and customers into groups. It will allow you to send targeted content that resonates with each group. You can segment your leads and customers by:
-Demographic information (age, gender, location, etc.)
-Job title or function
-Company size
-Industry vertical
-Engagement level (active, inactive, etc.)
-Sales stage (prospect, customer, etc.)
Once you’ve segmented your leads and customers, you can start creating targeted content for each group. Some ideas for targeted content include:
-Lead magnets (e.g., eBooks, webinars, etc.)
-Educational content (e.g., blog posts, infographics, guides, etc.)
-Promotional offers (e.g., coupons, discounts, free shipping, etc.)
-Personalized emails
-Birthday or holiday greetings
2) Timing
The timing of the content is just as important as the content itself. For example, if you’re sending an email campaign, you’ll want to ensure it lands in your leads’ and customers’ inboxes when they’re likely to check their email.
You can use Google Analytics and social media analytics to determine when your leads and customers are active online. Once you know when they’re active, you can schedule your content accordingly. If you’re automating your sales engagement, you can set up rules to send content at the right time.
You can set a rule to send an email 24 hours after a lead subscribes to your email list. Also, set rules for social media engagement. For example, you can post on LinkedIn every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at noon.
You’ll be more likely to engage your leads and customers by timing your content correctly.
3) Channels
The proper channels will depend on your target market, product, and business. A few factors to consider when determining the best sales engagement channels for your team include:
-Your buyer’s journey stage
-Your product complexity
-The needs of your target market
Once you know who you’re selling to and what they need, you can identify which channels will work best for your team. Some of the most common sales engagement channels include:
-Phone calls
-Webinars
-In-person meetings
-Social media outreach
Benefits of a multi-channel sales engagement strategy
Several benefits come with using a multi-channel sales engagement strategy, such as:
1) Increased reach
When you use multiple channels to engage with your audience, you have a greater chance of reaching more people. It is especially beneficial if you’re trying to get a large or global audience.
Reaching a larger audience can lead to:
-More sales
-Increased brand awareness
-Greater customer loyalty
2) Greater engagement
When you use multiple channels, you create more opportunities for engagement with your audience. Each channel provides a different way for customers to engage with your brand.
Some examples of customer engagement include:
-Asking questions
-Answering surveys
-Leaving comments
-Sharing content
-Purchasing products
By providing multiple channels, you give customers more chances to engage with your brand.
3) Better customer service
Another benefit of multi-channel sales engagement is better customer service.
When you have multiple channels, customers can reach out to you in the most convenient way.
Some customers prefer to call, while others would instead send an email. Multi-channel engagement allows customers to reach out to you with questions, comments, and concerns through any convenient medium.
Conclusion
Increasing sales and profits is the goal of any business, and the key to achieving this is customer engagement. To engage customers successfully, businesses need to understand their target market and what channels they use.
