Channel Surfing
Mixing the perfect cocktail
If you’ve got something to say and want to be heard, then you’ve got to channel your thoughts.
In marketing terms, a channel is a medium used to broadcast a message and a variety of mediums exist that can be utilised. From traditional formats, such TV and newspaper adverts, to innovative techniques like RAK (Random Acts of Kindness)
Each channel has different strengths and weaknesses. For example, RAK is great for brand awareness and creating personal connections. It’s about reaching an audience, it is not (by its very nature) intended to be used to sell.
So how do you achieve maximum results from each channel?
Easy – splash in a marketing plan, add a mix of channels and shake it up with what we here at Jack in the box call ‘The Customer Action Phase’.
The Customer Action Phase is process of 6 steps by which customers move through the purchase decision making cycle:
- Unaware
- Aware
- Understanding
- Convicted
- Sales Ready
- Active
As the steps above suggest, customers often start as Unaware of a brand, product and/or service. Unfortunately there is no magic pill to get customers from Unaware or Aware through to Active, which is why it’s important to understand the purpose each channel can have at helping move customers along the process.
To begin with, a great channel to generate awareness is Out Of Home (OOH).
OOH refers to outdoor media, including billboards and posters in public spaces like streetscapes or venues such as stadiums and shopping malls.
The strength of OOH is that even though it is not a targeted approach it can have a wide reach, creating awareness across a large audience (tick steps 1 and 2, Aware).
From here a plan employing various targeted channels can engage and move customers through the Action Phase process and, more importantly, keep them re-engaging and transacting by using various different channel until they become Sales Ready.
So if you want to shake up your business give us a call.