Engaging customers is most important in achieving continued sales. It is considered easier to get repeat business from existing customers than it is to get new business from new customers. The company must integrate communications channels continuously throughout the customer lifecycle to establish a relationship. The company must focus on an always-on marketing strategy of integrated communications across traditional and digital media channels. We have all had an experience at some point where after searching for an item or visiting a website, we all of a sudden start receiving back to back targeted ads for the brand. Recently, I stumbled upon the new 2020 Toyota Venza through a television ad (Awareness Stage). Awestruck, I went to the Toyota website to view the vehicle’s specifications and indicated my interest in receiving a quote (Engagement Stage). I was so excited; I watched YouTube videos to see the reviews of others who owned the car (Evaluation Stage). I knew I was not in a place to purchase a new car right now, and so I gave up my search and moved on. As an existing Toyota customer, I suddenly began receiving targeted email marketing messages to nurture our relationship and win me back into buying the Venza. It didn’t stop at email marketing; all of a sudden, all my story and feed sponsored Instagram ads were of the Toyota Venza, recommending current offers that would encourage me to purchase. Furthermore, I received text messages and a call from Toyota to discuss my interest in the vehicle (Remarketing Stage). This strategy is referred to as Customer cycle marketing, defined as “Creating a managed communications or contact strategy to prioritize and integrate the full range of marketing communications channels and experiences to support prospects and customers on their path-to-purchase using techniques such as persuasive personalized messaging and re-targeting.”
The company must select the preferred media channel based on their objectives and their audience. It is unlikely that most audiences are consuming only one type of media. It is usually a cross-media and multi-platform enterprise that entails digital marketing communications enhanced by traditional media or traditional media being shared and supported on digital platforms. Traditional communications existed before the rise of the internet. It included magazines, television, direct mail, newspapers, magazines, radio, and billboards. Digital communications include all that is seen online, search engines, video streaming, websites, online advertising, geofencing, digital billboards, and social media. The main difference between the two is simply the medium through which the audience receives the marketing message. Differences in terms of communication are, traditional communications are impactful and easy to understand. These billboards or commercials on television strike audiences and are often more entertaining and easily digested. Traditional ads are also more permanent and more memorable. Seeing an ad in real life or print will more likely to be remembered and stick around permanently than an ad on Instagram on your phone. Digital communications are less permanent because they are often fleeting and can be ignored easily. They also constantly evolve to get the best bang for your buck and are sometimes deemed annoying. However, traditional communications has its downfalls: it is more challenging to measure campaigns’ success, and marketers do not get as much depth of knowledge as they do with digital communications. Digital communications are easy to measure and can make it easier to guide future marketing efforts. Traditional communications are often expensive, which is unfortunate because you also do not benefit from a two-way flow of communication with the audience. Digital communications allow consumers to interact with the brand, and the brand can gauge the responses to their marketing efforts.
Toyota utilized a cross-media and multi-platform strategy to target me after inferring my interest in the 2020 Toyota Venza. Based on my demographic and their objective, one can assume that they interpreted the best strategy would be to target me through digital communications (social media to be specific) and solidify their presence through traditional communications (text and call). They would have gotten away with it too if it wasn’t for my meddling wallet…
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