How to Set Up a Multichannel Distribution System
One study found that companies with an effective multi-channel marketing strategy are able to keep 89% of their customers.
But let’s face it, running these types of campaigns is incredibly difficult for most companies.
Lack of investment, know-how, time, staff and executive support are just some of the reasons so many campaigns fail. How can you set-up a winning multichannel distribution system?
Follow these fail proof steps to setting-up a multichannel distribution system.
Step 1: Choose the Distribution Channels That Make Sense for Your Business
Not every distribution channel makes sense for every type of business. For example, if your product is SAAS software, the distribution channels that make the most sense for your business will be different than a lifestyle brand or food service.
Some examples of distribution channels include:
- A landing page or website
- Social media profiles and blogs
- Public relations, media outreach, and press releases
- Email marketing and newsletters
- Push notifications and text messages
- Native and display advertising
- Print advertising
- Broadcast television
- Direct mail
- Retail stores
Conduct market research of your audience and your competitors before selecting the distribution channels that will be the most impactful for your business. Be sure to not fall into the trap of assuming who your audience and competitors are, and not conducting an actual competitor analysis or creating actual buyer personas.
Step 2: Make a Realistic Stock of Your Staff, Time and Budget to Create Your Multichannel Distribution System
The saying “Rome wasn’t built in a day” is so important for founders and executives to consider when laying out a multi-channel marketing distribution plan. It can be completely consuming and overwhelming to think about all of the things your business should be doing right now.
But, especially for new businesses, it’s important to focus on one thing at a time and executing it flawlessly, then trying to do everything before you’re really ready, and sending the wrong messaging and creating a bad experience for your customers.
Order the distribution channels you want to use from the absolute, number one channel of importance, and go down the line. Meet with many, actual professionals to understand how much time it would take to set-up the channel. Then, figure out the cost, your budget and the amount of manpower you have.
Step 3: Establish a Five-Year Plan for Introducing Each Distribution Channel
Map out your multi-channel distribution plan into a five-year growth plan. Take the multichannel distribution system you created in step two and stretch it out into milestones that are trackable and measurable. Use these annual milestones to structure the strategies and needs of your business.
Set quarterly goal-setting meetings, where the team gets together and reflects on the annual goals, to establish what projects need to be accomplished each quarter to move the business forward.
