The buying experience for customers is more different today than it has ever been. A study conducted by Google found that the majority of Americans switch between devices going from mobile devices to desktops to tablets when they're shopping online.
Unfortunately, this isn't limited to retail, as B2B buyers are often looking across multiple channels to make the best buying decisions. Prospects are present on every device, platform, and channel; and as salespeople, we have to meet clients where they are. The key to strong prospect engagement requires a holistic approach that connects multiple channels and drives consistent outreach — omnichannel outreach.
What is the Omnichannel Experience?
Omnichannel outreach is the process of using multiple channels to reach and engage potential customers. This might include social media, email, phone, and other methods. The goal is to create an integrated omnichannel experience for the customer across all touchpoints.
By leveraging a strategy that focuses on connecting individual outreach channels together on a single, easy-to-follow process, it's easier to create a strong relationship with your target audience. Now, let's understand what sets omnichannel outreach apart from other sales approaches.
The Customer Experience: Omnichannel vs. Multichannel Outreach
Since the pandemic and the normalization of remote working, salespeople can no longer rely on a single communication channel to reach their prospects. This has made room for multichannel and omnichannel outreach strategies. Though the two sound similar, omnichannel outreach is the process of using different channels to reach, connect, and engage prospects in a way that is integrated and coordinated. Meanwhile, in a multichannel approach, there are multiple touchpoints, but they stand alone and there is little to no integration. This means that salespeople can easily track progress on each channel and see how each channel contributes to the overall success of the outreach campaign.
Omnichannel outreach is about creating a cohesive and often tailored experience across all the channels used to communicate. The key to successful omnichannel outreach is integrating all the channels onto one dashboard, so you can continue the conversation based on the prospect's behavior. The more your omnichannel model pays attention to the customer needs, the better results you'll see. To go even further into this discussion, let's look at two aspects that further differentiate the two approaches.
Channel-focused vs. prospect-focused
The multichannel approach involves targeting potential customers through as many channels as possible. The thinking is to cast as wide a net as possible to reach the largest number of people. In contrast, the omnichannel approach connects those channels in one place to create a more seamless and effective experience for prospects at every touchpoint. This makes the process easier for the sales team as well. SDR/BDRs have one dashboard to track all the different outreach points being used. With omnichannel, outreach is a more unified and intuitive process that engages prospects on whichever channel they are present on.
Inconsistent outreach vs. consistent engagement
Inconsistency is can kill the best of deals, and because multichannel separate outreach on each channel, you run the risk of creating an inconsistent and impersonal experience for the prospect. This is where omnichannel can really stand out as a sales strategy. By consolidating all touch points on one dashboard, there's more control to create the same experience across every channel. When done well, seamless omnichannel outreach creates the consistent experience clients deserve. I'll add, this isn't just useful for sales. An omnichannel system is a great marketing approach to creating a consistent brand for your business.
Does using Omnichannel Outreach Improve the Customer Journey?
When we think about the customer journey, it's about delivering the right messages to the right prospects in the right place at the right time. This is the nurturing process and it's essential to achieving omnichannel excellence.
One of the first hurdles selling across all channels is knowing which ones your ideal clients are using most often. And because we don't know which channel that is when we start, an omnichannel approach is key to discovering it. Here's what that discovery process looks like:
- Send your message across multiple touchpoints
- Use a centralized dashboard to understand which channel each client responds to most
- Use analytics to systemize the process
- Adjust and improve your outbound campaigns
Doing this consistently over time is guaranteed to improve your funnel and customer journey.
Implementing Omnichannel Outreach for B2B Sales
Establish a Great Brand Experience and find the Right B2B Clients
The key to any great sales strategy is marketing. Having an omnichannel marketing approach that creates a strong brand experience will transform your sales process. It’s also important to have a sales strategy that is flexible and can adapt to the changing needs of your customers.
The best sales strategies are the ones that create an experience with your brand and are customer-centric. Focus on providing a great customer experience by understanding your customer’s needs and wants. This leads to a sales strategy that will be successful.
Knowing how to use your Channels & Sales Tools to Create a Personalized Experience
The right tools can be transformative in your omnichannel outreach strategy and they should create a seamless integration between channels. Poseidon is the only place where you can find an omnichannel environment that integrates email, calls, and social touches in one place.
When you add in our ability to personalize automation and you have the most powerful platform for outreach across channels. Remember, automated omnichannel outreach needs personalization. By using personalized and automated messages throughout the buyer journey, you are creating human-like responses while ensuring consistent outreach. Automating manual tasks makes the lives of your sales team easier, and allows them to focus on the buyer experience more.
A Seamless Experience: It's Why a Strong Omnichannel Approach Works
Lazy sales teams don't rely on outbound and it gets them burned. When you make outbound sales a staple to your business processes your team is in the strongest position to succeed. Using different sales channels is how you can meet your prospects where they are. Omnichannel isn't a luxury, it’s the future of sales.
