What Is Multimedia Marketing Automation?

“Multimedia Marketing automation refers to software platforms and technologies designed for marketing departments and organizations to more effectively market on multiple channels online (such as email, social media, websites, etc.) and automate repetitive tasks.”

(Wikipedia)

As per the definition above, multimedia marketing automation encompasses a wide variety of channels.

But 90 per cent of businesses rely solely on email to communicate with prospects and customers.

Big mistake!

Using email is certainly a valuable tool for business owners, but you’re taking a massive risk if you overlook the huge opportunities offered by other marketing channels when communicating with customers…

Email: not the be-all and end-all of marketing

The problem is ….email delivery and open rates are in steady decline.

And, if your emails are not being delivered or opened, they’re 100 per cent useless!

According to a recent study by Smart Insights, industry average email open rates range from 15-25 per cent and click-through rates (of opened emails) range from 6-9 per cent.

So what does that mean for your business?

Even if you’re lucky, less than a quarter of the customers on your list are reading your emails. The other three quarters aren’t even opening them.

Maybe you’re “OK” with that success rate but the majority of business owners I work with certainly aren’t.

Imagine the difference it would make to your bottom line if 50 per cent more people actually read the messages you put out there…

Multimedia Marketing Automation…Why should I be Interested?

The purpose of marketing automation is to encompass “multiple channels online” without greatly impacting on your time.

Over the last five years, I’ve helped many Infusionsoft-based business owners harness the full power of marketing automation doing just this.

Nobody is saying that you should stop using email or that email is ineffective. It’s just that relying solely on email means you’re missing huge opportunities.

In addition to email, the channels that my clients now include in their marketing strategies include:

• SMS
• Direct mail
• Dynamic Facebook retargeting
• Video
• Webinars
• Live events
• Messenger bots
• Voice broadcasts
• The phone

Let’s take a quick look at what each channel can and can’t do for your business…

SMS

Did you think that the advent of online chat messaging meant the death of SMS? Think again.

SMS has reinvented itself as a valuable business tool, offering great open rates for both marketing and secure communication purposes.

Pros

• 98%+ open rates within the first 15 minutes of delivery
• People increasingly carry, consume content and communicate on mobile devices
• “Live” or “automated” conversations are possible

Cons

• Cost: anywhere from 2c to 10c per message sent
• Each person’s mobile number is required (there may be some resistance to this)

Direct mail

Just when you thought that the Internet had replaced the post office, direct mail makes a comeback.

In fact, it never really went away. With so much communication online these days, your target audience may actually appreciate receiving direct mail and it can be a great way for your business to stand out.

Pros

• 95%+ open rates
• Provides tangible reading matter
• Little or no competition from other businesses
• Good penetration of target audience, if the content is relevant
• Multiple formats can be used: letters, postcards, etc.
• Great for creative campaigns (“lumpy mail”) that stand out

Cons

• Cost: anywhere from 60c to $1 per letter
• A physical mailing address is required

Dynamic Facebook retargeting

This is where we synchronize Facebook ads to display (or stop displaying) to a user, based upon their previous behavior.

These campaigns can mirror email campaigns and follow up with customers who expressed an interest but didn’t follow through with an enquiry or sale. They can help turn “lost” opportunities into revenue.

Pros

• Gets your message across on Facebook in addition to traditional marketing channels
• Your audience is most definitely on Facebook
• You can trigger different ads to display or shut down at certain points in the funnel

Cons

• There is a cost associated with this
• An audience of at least 30 people is required for ads to display

Video

They say a picture paints a thousand words so I guess video paints a million.

It’s not just teenagers and high-schoolers who are watching more video; almost everyone is, including your customers. It can be a very easy-to-consume and effective way to get your message across.

Pros

• Over the years, people have been conditioned to click on and watch videos
• You can get more across in less time than with the written word
• Video can be quick and easy to produce
• Content can be repurposed into many formats (blog articles, email campaigns, etc.)
• It doesn’t have to be “Hollywood” quality
• Most smartphones are good enough to record video on
• You don’t necessarily have to be in front of a camera – screen share videos work well too

Cons

• There’s a small technical learning curve to negotiate

Webinars

This is one of my favorite channels for both educating your audience and directly increasing sales.

Webinars are a great way to reach out to large volumes of your potential customers without it impacting greatly on your time. Many of my clients have had huge successes with this channel.

Pros

• High engagement rates with participants
• Providing valuable content helps position you as an authority
• Helps to pre-qualify potential customers
• Provides leverage to use in further marketing
• No geographical restrictions

Cons

• Technical setup to navigate
• Presentation skills are required for effective webinars

Live in-person events

This is another of my favorite channels recommended to clients.

Live events can help you educate potential customers and generate leads. They provide a great platform to demonstrate your expertise.

Pros

• Highest level of engagement of all
• Providing valuable content helps position you as an authority
• Helps to pre-qualify potential customers
• Provides leverage to use in further marketing
• Attendance provides a level of commitment from potential customers

Cons

• Can be difficult to organize
• Costs must often be paid upfront
• Riskier than webinars due to costs
• Strong presentation skills are required
• Geographical restrictions

Messenger bots

Ever visited a website and been asked if you’ve got a question for the bot?

This is a relatively new marketing channel that is proving extremely effective for some of my clients.

In particular, messenger bots help you answer the most common questions from your target audience, helping to put their mind at rest that you’re looking after them.

Pros

• High engagement levels (90%+ open rates and 30-40%+ CTR)
• Can be delivered through the Facebook platform
• Relatively new and effective in most cases

Cons

• Technical setup
• Restricted messaging capability (according to the Facebook Terms & Conditions)

Ringless voice broadcasts

This is a relatively underused channel but it can be very effective.

You can reach your target customers by delivering pre-recorded messages to their voicemail, so that you’re not disturbing them while they’re doing something. These can be personalized for extra effect.

Pros

• High engagement rates (95%+ will listen to the delivered message)
• Not widely used in many industries so it’s easy to stand out
• Provides a personal message while still using automation

Cons

• Technical setup
• Restricted messaging capability (Facebook Terms & Conditions)
• Cost: 5c-15c per audio min

The phone

The phone is still one of the best sales and marketing tools around. However, in many industries, it’s become an underused channel.

It should be a powerful tool for you to turn to as required…

Pros

• Excellent way to communicate that almost everyone is familiar with
• Not widely used in many industries so you can stand out from the competition
• No geographic limitations
• Simple to deploy (no technical skills required)

Cons

• Time, money and resources
• You may need a trained team to use it for marketing

Are you going to continue relying solely on email?

Or does multimedia marketing automation sound like it will help you reach more potential customers, uncover more opportunities, and grow your business?