With any cross-channel marketing strategy the key is having, well, channels. Each channel your brand uses to communicate with customers should serve specific purposes. Not only that, the channels should support one another to create a cohesive customer experience. Think of an individual customer as the center of a wheel. Each channel is a spoke that connects to the customer, and the rim—your brand—is what holds everything together.
One channel that has always been a marketing rockstar is email. With its strong ROI (return on investment)—$44 returned for every dollar spent—it’s no wonder marketers’ minds go to email first when thinking about communication channels.
Email isn’t the end-all-be-all, however. There is a world of other marketing channels—including mobile channels—and recognizing these options is crucial in building a diverse marketing repertoire. We’re talking push notifications, SMS (short message service), mobile inbox, and in-app messages. All of these mobile channels can serve different purposes for each individual customer, creating a seamless cross-channel experience. Let’s get into it.
1. Push Notifications
Push notifications are an essential addition to any modern marketing strategy because of their unmatched ability to engage and retain customers. These concise messages—delivered directly to users' devices—offer real-time updates, promotions, and personalized content. By using push notifications effectively, your brand can create instant connections with your target audience, fostering brand loyalty and increasing customer retention rates.
Push notifications yield high conversion rates because they reach users instantly, bypassing email clutter and social media algorithms. Their direct and personalized nature fosters a sense of urgency, driving immediate responses and boosting overall marketing campaign effectiveness. In fact, 40% of people interact with an app within an hour of getting a notification.
Integrating push notifications empowers businesses to establish stronger connections with their audience, driving growth and maximizing customer lifetime value.
2. SMS Messages
SMS is a powerful and effective channel to include in your marketing strategy for several reasons. Firstly, SMS boasts an incredibly high open and read rate. Over 90% of messages are read within minutes of receipt, showing that SMS messages reach their target audiences both promptly and effectively.
Additionally, SMS is a cost-effective marketing channel, as it requires minimal resources compared to traditional marketing methods. It enables businesses to reach a large audience without breaking the bank, making it ideal for enterprises of any size.
Moreover, SMS enables quick and easy call-to-action implementation and drives immediate responses—whether it's clicking a link, making a purchase, or participating in a promotion. This real-time interaction enhances engagement and conversion rates, boosting the overall success of marketing campaigns.
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3. In-App and Mobile Inbox
In-app messaging occurs within a mobile application or software. It enables brands to facilitate real-time interactions and engagement within the app environment.
In-app messages can be used for:
- Alerts or Notifications: These messages pop up on the user's screen, notifying them about important updates, promotions, or events related to the app.
- In-App Chat: Some apps include a chat feature that enables users to communicate with customer support or other users within the app.
- User Onboarding: In-app messages can guide new users through app features and functionalities to improve the onboarding process.
- Promotional Offers: Businesses can send personalized offers and discounts based on user behavior and preferences, encouraging increased engagement and conversions.
- Announcements and Updates: Developers can inform users about app updates, new features, or changes through in-app messaging.
Mobile inbox is an extension of in-app messaging, but with slight differences. Mobile inbox is the message center that users can access specifically within the app. So while in-app messages pop up while a user is in the app, mobile inboxes are treated more like a traditional email inbox that lives solely within the app.
As mentioned in an Iterable blog post, “A message in the app boosts overall engagement by 3x and conversions by 4x. The goal of mobile marketing is reaching customers where they are, so why not use an app session as a way to engage fully with your users.”
Cross-Channel Communication
Adding these mobile channels to your marketing arsenal is one thing, but having them communicate with each other is another. Cross-channel communication will elevate your customer experience and make each individual feel like they are having a unique, seamless experience when interacting with your brand.
For example, if a customer interacts with your brand via email, but didn’t take advantage of the featured promo code, email may not work for this particular offer. Instead, you can use your marketing communication platform to follow up with an SMS that has the same promo code.
Of course, you’d want to call out in this follow-up message that they didn't use the code from their email. You could say something like, “We noticed you didn’t use the code we emailed. Use the code today for a last chance to save!” It’s a win-win: the customer feels like this is a custom message made just for them while encouraging them to shop.
Mobile channels are an essential part of an effective cross-channel marketing strategy. If you’re curious about an all-in-one platform that can help you design a world-class cross-channel strategy, schedule an Iterable demo today.
Iterable is the AI-powered cross-channel communication platform that helps organizations like Redfin, DoorDash, Calm, and Box to activate customers with joyful interactions at scale. With Iterable, organizations drive high growth with individualized, harmonized and dynamic communications that engage customers throughout the entire lifecycle at the right time.
