Email Applied: A (Big) Piece of the Puzzle

There's a lot of talk about omnichannel and multichannel marketing these days. I read an interesting distinction drawn between the two by John Bowden, senior vice president of customer care, Time Warner Cable. He said multichannel is more internally focused and operational in nature, since the marketer is defining and using channels to reach the customer. Omnichannel looks at the experience through the eyes of the customer. It expects customers may start in one channel and move to another, and the marketer's challenge is to make the journey as seamless, consistent and integrated as possible for that individual.

That's a lofty prelude to addressing how email and other channels can work in tandem. You've learned that 1 + 1 = 2, but that's not really the case when you effectively reach out to customers during their journey with you. When done right, 1 + 1 will equal much more than two. It makes ultimate sense to leverage email and other channels to drive business. Let's look at some ways you can do this.

Use Social Media to Collect Opt-In Email Addresses
Those who follow your brand on social media are certainly involved with your company. They may even be more avid than your site visitors. Therefore, promote your email program to them. Consider some of the following examples:

• Chico's, the women's apparel and accessories retailer, gives 10 percent off the next purchase for those who sign up for its email program on Facebook. It also runs contests and promotions on Facebook and Twitter. To enter, one must provide an email address and give opt-in permission. Chico's website also promotes the sign-up offer both with a pop-up ad that appears when one first visits the site and again on the homepage.
• Papa John's Pizza promotes its rewards program on Facebook. The registration page collects name and address information, opts registrants into the company's email program and also collects mobile information to send automated calls and text messages. The rewards program is also promoted on a navigation tab on Papa John's website.
• Bed Bath & Beyond provides a 20 percent discount on one purchase. The registration form collects full name and address information, and provides several options. Interested individuals can opt into email news and promotional offers, circulars and postcards via direct mail. The form also provides instructions and a short code so that individuals can sign up for mobile text alerts. The retailer's website has a similar page accessed from the top navigation toolbar.

Furthermore, some retailers have in-store kiosks or tablets that allow shoppers to sign up for their email programs. The usual enticement is a discount offer.