Who is this article for? Retailers looking to explore multiple marketing channels and how to leverage them to grow their business.
⏲ Reading Time: 10 minutes
Our Director Steve Irvine was recently invited to discuss Omnichannel marketing at the CMJ Autumn Trade event. Hosted by Jen Marsden the Digital Development Manager of the CMJ. Steve shared the panel discussion with Jack Allum Director of Allum & Sidaway, and Pradip Sarda, Co Founder of Watcho. Multi Channel marketing highlights the fusion of luxury brand experiences across platforms while emphasising the importance of cohesive, personalised engagement.
"Luxury brands thrive on curated experiences, and omnichannel marketing turns that vision into reality. It’s the art of uniting digital elegance with physical exclusivity, creating a journey where every touchpoint feels seamless, sophisticated, and deeply personal."
Steve Irvine - CEO Lionsorbet
Some fantastic insights were provided by the panel and we have summarised some of the responses below to help understand this process a little more and the most out of modern day cross platform marketing and sales.
What is Omnichannel Marketing and why is it effective?
Omni means a combining form, meaning ‘ALL’. Therefore the term ‘Omnichannel marketing’ ensures that your customers have a seamless and consistent experience across all platforms, whether they’re shopping online, mobile, in-store, or engaging with your brand on social media. It’s effective because it puts the customer at the center, meeting them wherever they are and making their journey smoother, which leads to higher engagement, better brand loyalty, and increased sales. Customers expect a connected experience, and brands that deliver it will stand out.
How do you measure the effectiveness of an omnichannel strategy?
To understand if your omnichannel strategy is working, focus on these key areas:
Customer Experience: Are customers having a smooth, consistent experience across all platforms (in-store, online, mobile and social media)? Ask for feedback, use surveys, and monitor reviews. If customers are complaining about disjointed experiences, it’s a sign to improve.
Sales Growth: Track if your overall sales are increasing across all channels. Look at whether customers are buying more because they can shop both online and in-store easily.
Customer Retention: Are your customers coming back? Measure repeat purchases and loyalty program engagement. An effective omnichannel strategy keeps people returning because it makes their shopping journey easier and more enjoyable.
Engagement: Monitor how your audience interacts with your brand on different platforms (website visits, social media, emails). High engagement shows customers are connecting with your brand across multiple touchpoints.
Actionable Steps:
Improve Communication: Make sure your brand message is consistent across all channels.
Streamline Processes: Ensure that inventory, offers, and customer data are synced across platforms for a smoother experience, this includes using eCommerce, Google Shopping and Instagram Shopping effectively.
Analyse Data: Regularly review your sales and customer feedback to spot areas where your strategy can improve.
“The modern consumer expects a unified experience no matter where they encounter a brand. An omni channel strategy which blends the physical and digital world is essential for independent retailers to remain competitive, strengthen brand awareness and increase consumer engagement.”
Jen Marsden - Digital Development Manager / CMJ
Maintaining a Consistent Customer Experience
What are the most common challenges you will face when trying to maintain a consistent customer experience?
Maintaining a consistent customer experience across all touch points is key to building trust and loyalty, especially for luxury brands. However, there are common challenges that can disrupt this consistency, making it crucial to identify and address them early.
Fragmented Communication: If your online and in-store teams aren’t aligned, customers may get mixed messages. To fix this, ensure all channels share the same product info, promotions, and brand voice.
Lack of Personalisation: Customers expect tailored experiences. If your data isn’t being used effectively, your messaging can feel generic. Use customer insights to offer personalised recommendations and services.
Technology Gaps: Inconsistent platforms can lead to disjointed experiences. Make sure your systems, from inventory to customer service, are integrated and working together.
Slow Response Times: If customers don’t get quick responses, they lose trust. Train your team to be responsive across all channels, whether through email, social media, or live chat.
Know your limits: If you cannot effectively manage and maintain all of the platforms and touch points, take the pressure off and remove or delete them until you can. Alternatively make sure that the information on each platform is up to date and covers your main business areas e.g contact info, services, reviews and case studies.
Actionable Steps:
Align communication across teams: Ensure your in-store, online, and social media teams are aligned. Set clear guidelines for product descriptions, promotions, and messaging to avoid mixed information. Regularly update all platforms for consistency.
Leverage customer data for personalised experiences: Use data like past purchases and browsing behaviour to personalise product recommendations and marketing, making your brand feel tailored to individual preferences.
Invest in integrated technology systems: Connect your inventory, eCommerce, and customer service platforms to prevent issues like listing unavailable products, ensuring a seamless experience across all channels.
Leverage Automation: Use modern technology such as Shopify Automations or Klavio to automatically send out messages to customer segments or purchase groups with promotions, win back offers, new updates and news and sales.
Prioritise fast, consistent customer support: Train your team to respond quickly and consistently across all platforms. Equip them with the right data to provide accurate and informed responses.
“Don’t spread yourself too thin. Become a master of one or two sales channels and expand from there, doing every channel you can think of straight away wont bring you the ROI you set out to achieve”
Jack Allum - Director/ Allum & Sidaway
Understanding Customer Behaviour Across Channels
What are the key differences in customer behaviours across various channels and how do you tailor your approach for each?
Understanding how customer behaviour varies across different channels is essential for tailoring your approach effectively. Each channel offers unique opportunities and challenges, and adapting your strategy accordingly can enhance customer satisfaction and drive better results. Jack Allum advises to “Use all your channels as an extra shop window. Luxury jewellery is a tactile industry, your customers want to see and feel before buying, the better you can display that the more chance you have of making the sale or bringing the customer in store”
In-Store: Customers value personal service and the ability to see and touch products. Offer attentive, knowledgeable staff and create a luxurious shopping environment to enhance their experience.
Online: Shoppers expect convenience and detailed information. Provide easy navigation, high-quality images, and comprehensive product details. Ensure a smooth checkout process and responsive customer service.
Mobile Shopping: Mobile users seek a quick and intuitive experience. Ensure your website is mobile-friendly with a responsive design that adjusts to different screen sizes. Simplify navigation and checkout for easy use on smaller screens. Speed is crucial, optimise loading times to prevent frustration.
Social Media: Users look for engaging content and interaction. Share visually appealing posts, respond quickly to comments, and create content that reflects your brand’s personality and values.
Email: Customers expect personalised offers and updates. Use data to send targeted promotions and updates based on their interests and previous interactions.
SMS: Customers appreciate timely, direct communication. Use SMS for essential updates like order confirmations, shipping notifications, and exclusive offers. Keep messages concise and relevant to avoid overwhelming your customers.
Actionable Steps:
Train in-store staff to deliver personalised, high-touch service.
Optimise your website with clear product info and a seamless buying process.
Ensure your site is mobile-friendly with quick loading times and easy navigation.
Engage with customers on social media through compelling content and active interaction.
Send relevant SMS updates and exclusive offers to keep customers informed.
Use personalised email campaigns based on customer preferences and behaviors.
Personalising Customer Interactions Across Channels
How do you personalise customer interactions across various channels while maintaining a consistent brand voice?
Personalising customer interactions while keeping a consistent brand voice is essential for creating a memorable and cohesive experience. Here’s how to achieve this balance across various channels without compromising your brand’s identity.
Understand Your Customers: Gather insights from each interaction, such as purchase history and preferences, to tailor your messages. Use this information to address customers by name and offer relevant recommendations. Consider collecting personal information such as Birthdate, Wedding or Engagement Date and even children’s names. A well timed email, hand delivered anniversary card or a special birthday offer with noting required in return can make the world of difference.
Maintain a Consistent Brand Voice: Regardless of the channel, ensure your messaging reflects your brand’s tone and values. Whether you’re interacting through email, social media, or in-store, your communications should align with your brand’s identity and style.
Coordinate Across Teams: Ensure all customer-facing teams have access to the same information and guidelines for personalisation. This helps maintain consistency and avoids mixed messages.
Actionable Steps:
Collect and analyse customer data to personalise interactions effectively. Don’t forget birthdays and anniversary dates.
Develop a clear brand voice and create guidelines to ensure all channels follow them.
Provide access to up-to-date customer information for your team to deliver personalised, consistent experiences.
How Omnichannel Strategies Will Evolve with Changing Consumer Behaviour
In what ways will omni channel strategies evolve in response to changes in consumer behaviour?
As consumer behaviour evolves, so will omnichannel strategies to meet new expectations and preferences. Here’s how to adapt:
Greater Integration: As customers use multiple touchpoints, integrating your online, in-store, and mobile platforms will become even more crucial. Ensure a seamless experience across all channels, so customers can move effortlessly from one to another.
Increased Personalisation: Shoppers expect more tailored experiences. Use data and AI to offer personalised recommendations and targeted promotions based on their behavior and preferences.
Enhanced Convenience: With a growing focus on convenience, provide features like click-and-collect, easy returns, and fast delivery options. Make it simple for customers to shop and receive their products in the way that best suits them.
Actionable Steps:
Integrate your various platforms to create a seamless customer experience.
Use data to personalise offers and communications.
Offer convenient shopping options to meet evolving customer needs
Will the advancement and integration of AI and SearchGPT make an impact here?
Yes, the advancement and integration of AI and tools like SearchGPT will significantly impact omnichannel strategies. Here’s how:
Enhanced Personalisation: AI can analyse customer data to deliver even more tailored recommendations and experiences. SearchGPT, for instance, can provide personalised search results and suggestions based on user queries, making interactions more relevant. With machine learning and smart mobile integration, AI will learn more about customer preferences and requirements to enhance and benefit one’s professional and personal life.
Improved Customer Insights: AI tools can track and analyse customer behaviour across all channels, offering deeper insights into preferences and trends. This helps brands refine their strategies and better meet customer expectations.
Streamlined Operations: AI can automate and streamline various aspects of omnichannel operations, such as inventory management and customer service. SearchGPT can handle customer inquiries and provide consistent responses across multiple touch points, enhancing efficiency.
Actionable Steps:
Leverage AI to personalise customer interactions more precisely.
Use AI tools to gain deeper insights into customer behaviour and preferences.
Implement AI-driven solutions to streamline operations and improve efficiency.
Preparing Your Omnichannel Strategy for Peak Season
How should you be prepare your omnichannel strategy for peak season?
To make the most of peak season, go beyond the basics and get creative with your strategy. Here’s how:
Leverage Data for Forecasting: Use historical sales data and current trends to predict peak season demand. Implement dynamic inventory management that adjusts in real-time based on these insights to avoid stock outs and overstock situations.
Enhance Your Customer Journey Mapping: Analyse customer touch points and streamline their journey from discovery to purchase. Create targeted campaigns for peak season, and ensure that each step, whether online or in-store, offers a seamless and luxurious experience.
Implement Special Features and Services: Introduce exclusive peak season services like personalised shopping experiences, virtual consultations, or special packaging. These value-added features can enhance customer satisfaction and set your brand apart.
Boost Cross-Channel Promotions: Drive traffic across all your channels with synchronised promotions. For example, offer special discounts that are redeemable both online and in-store, and use social media to tease these offers to generate excitement.
Strengthen Your Logistics and Fulfilment: Partner with reliable logistics providers and explore innovative fulfilment options like same-day delivery or luxury packaging for expedited orders. This ensures your peak season orders are handled efficiently and elegantly.
Actionable Steps:
Use data-driven insights for accurate inventory forecasting and management.
Optimise the customer journey with targeted peak season campaigns and streamlined touch points.
Introduce unique services and features that enhance the luxury experience.
Create cross-channel promotions that drive engagement and excitement.
Enhance logistics with innovative fulfilment options to meet peak season demand efficiently.
Are there any quick wins you can share for retailers ahead of peak season?
Before diving into these innovative strategies, it's essential to ensure that the basics of your marketing, such as inventory management, customer service, consistent branding and high quality digital assets such as photography and video, are solid. Without a strong foundation, even the most exciting tactics can fall flat and fail to drive sales. Once you have the fundamentals in place, these creative quick wins can significantly elevate your luxury brand during peak season.
If you are confident that your basic marketing efforts are good, here are some novel and exciting quick wins for luxury retailers to stand out during peak season:
Virtual Reality (VR) Try-Ons: Implement VR experiences on your website or in-store where customers can virtually try on products. For luxury items like jewelry or high-end fashion, this creates a unique and engaging way to experience products from the comfort of their home.
Exclusive Pop-Up Experiences: Host limited-time pop-up shops or virtual events that offer exclusive products or experiences. This could be a high-end fashion show streamed live or a curated collection available only during peak season, creating a buzz and sense of urgency.
AI-Powered Personal Shoppers: Use AI to create virtual personal shopping assistants that offer tailored recommendations based on browsing history and preferences. These assistants can engage with customers via chatbots or live video, providing a personalised touch.
Luxury Subscription Boxes: Launch a limited-edition subscription box featuring curated luxury items. These can include exclusive products or seasonal favorites, delivering a surprise element that delights customers and drives repeat purchases.
Augmented Reality (AR) Shopping Experiences: Use AR to let customers visualise products in their own space. For example, they can see how a piece of art looks in their home or how a luxury handbag matches their outfit.
Interactive Social Media Campaigns: Run a high-engagement social media campaign with interactive elements like live Q&A sessions with designers, virtual tours of your boutique, or behind-the-scenes looks at the creation of luxury items.
Personalised Luxury Gift Wrapping: Offer customised gift-wrapping options where customers can choose unique wrapping styles, add personal messages, or select exclusive ribbons. This adds a special touch that enhances the luxury experience.
Flash Sales with VIP Access: Create exclusive flash sales for VIP customers or loyalty program members with early access to limited-edition products or special discounts. This generates excitement and rewards your most loyal patrons.
Collaborations with Influencers and Celebrities: Partner with high-profile influencers or celebrities for exclusive product launches or events. Their endorsement can drive significant buzz and attract new customers to your brand.
Personalised Holiday Cards: Send handwritten or beautifully designed digital holiday cards to your top customers, including personalised messages and exclusive offers. This adds a personal touch that enhances customer loyalty and engagement.
Actionable Steps:
Implement VR or AR features to enhance the shopping experience.
Create exclusive pop-up events or limited-edition products.
Use AI for personalised shopping assistance.
Launch a luxury subscription box with curated items.
Engage customers with interactive social media campaigns.
Offer customised gift wrapping and personalised holiday cards.
Partner with influencers or celebrities to boost brand visibility.
These creative strategies can elevate your brand’s appeal and create memorable experiences that set you apart during the peak season.
Key Takeaways for getting the most out of your Omnichannel marketing
Definition and Importance
Omni-channel marketing involves creating a seamless customer experience across all channels—both online and offline.
For luxury brands, this approach enhances brand prestige and ensures a cohesive customer journey.
Customer Experience
Emphasise the importance of delivering a consistent and personalised experience across all touch points.
Integration of data from various channels helps in understanding customer preferences and behaviours.
Integration of Channels
Merge digital and physical channels to offer a unified brand experience.
Use of technology like CRM systems to track and analyse customer interactions.
Luxury Brand Considerations
Focus on maintaining exclusivity while enhancing accessibility.
Tailor marketing strategies to reflect the luxury brand’s unique identity and values.
Technology and Innovation
Leverage advanced technologies (e.g., AR, AI) to enhance the customer experience.
Implement innovative solutions like virtual try-ons or personalised online consultations.
Content and Communication
Consistent messaging across all platforms ensures brand coherence.
High-quality, engaging content tailored to the brand's luxury image is crucial.
Challenges and Solutions
Address potential challenges such as maintaining brand consistency and integrating disparate systems.
Invest in robust digital infrastructure and adopting best practices for cross-channel integration.
Measurement and Analytics
Regularly monitor and analyse performance metrics to gauge the effectiveness of the omni-channel strategy.
Use data insights such as Google Console, Google Analytics or SEO Analytics such as SEMrush to refine strategies and improve the overall customer experience.
These points provide a solid foundation for managing your omni-channel marketing strategies and optimising your marketing to increase customer satisfaction and conversions.
