Interesting and useful articles about marketing, our product and online communications

Tips for Digital Marketing & Sales in Altcraft Blog

We’ll send you a guide 

with 26 strategies for
automating marketing via email.

Our experts will guide you in maximizing the effectiveness of Altcraft Platform for achieving your goals.

Elevate Your Business 
to a New Level

By continuing to use our site, you consent to the processing of cookies that ensure the proper functioning of the site.

Download documentation

Thank you!

Feel free to ask us any questions. Our experts are


Ask our expert 

ready to answer them during business hours.

Anti-Spam policy

Blog

Contacts

Support

Partners

Pricing

Privacy Policy

Why Altcraft

Page not found

Help Center: Guides on How to Use Altcraft Platform

Personal data policy

Privacy Policy
and personal data policy

Request a demo | Fill Out the Form | Altcraft Platform

Get Started With Altcraft's Software

Why business chooses Altcraft

processing of personal data

You can ask us your questions. Our experts are ready to answer them within the working day.

What else 
would you like to know?

How to set up a tracking pixel

What is a loyalty program

How to create a customer database

How to manually import customer data

You may be interested

<Video
url="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4yx-qf6h0uY?si=GY1xnRBiOzdIj6XO" 
/>

As technology advances, the number of channels for promoting products and services increases. Brands are actively expanding their offline and online presence, choosing suitable strategies to achieve results. Among these strategies, multichannel and omnichannel marketing stand out.

These terms may seem like the same thing, referring to promoting a brand on several platforms. However, despite their similarities, they are different approaches with unique features, advantages, and disadvantages.

In this article, we’ll explore what omnichannel and multichannel marketing are, so you won't confuse them anymore. We’ll also look at the pros and cons of each strategy and help you understand which one to choose to achieve your business goals.

## Omnichannel marketing

An **omnichannel strategy** refers to marketing communications with customers through different but interconnected channels. The user can easily switch between online platforms and even offline locations, with information about their actions being retained, so there is no need to restart the interaction. In other words, the principle of omnichannel marketing is a seamless transition between digital channels for the user.

*For example, a customer places an order on an online store but doesn't complete the purchase. After some time, they receive an email about the abandoned cart, using the email address provided during registration.*

*Or, a person visits a physical store, scans a QR code to learn more about a product, and later adds it to their cart in the mobile app. They then receive a notification about the purchase via push notifications.*


<Img
img="/uploads/dunkin_donuts_push_e6504540cb.png"
alt="Dynamic content use case: delivery app notifications"
src="Image Source: Sendbird.com"
/>

Omnichannel marketing works by collecting data on the customer: their activities, orders, characteristics, and even the devices they use. Information from websites, social media, email, marketplaces, and other resources is gathered on a unified platform. This could be a CDP, where customer profiles with full data sets are created. From there, businesses can send email campaigns, SMS, push notifications, and other forms of user engagement.

<Note>
For more details on omnichannel marketing, see our article "[**Omnichannel, Its Benefits for Businesses & Implementation**](https://altcraft.com/glossary/omnichannel-its-benefits-for-businesses-and-implementation)."
</Note>

## Multichannel marketing 

**Multichannel marketing** is the communication with an audience through multiple channels at once: email, push notifications, SMS, social media, traditional media, and others. The key feature of this strategy is that the messages received by the customer on different platforms may not overlap and convey unrelated information.

*For example, a user might see an ad on social media about a discount on home goods in an online store. Meanwhile, an email marketing campaign announces the start of a brand contest, and an SMS informs them of a new store opening nearby.*

Multichannel marketing is used to reach a broad audience, and this strategy is not focused on an individualized approach but works with specific audience segments.

## Omnichannel vs multichannel marketing: the difference

<Img
img="/uploads/omnichannel_and_multichannel_marketing_e2a545dd03.jpg"
alt="Omnichannel and Multichannel Marketing: Pros & Cons, Difference"
src="Image Source: CCBill.com"
/>

The goal of both strategies is to lead the customer to a purchase or another action. However, omnichannel and multichannel marketing differ in several key aspects.
<Table>
|   | Omnichannel marketing | Multichannel marketing |
| ------ | ------ | ------ |
| **Personalization** | High level. Historical data about customers is collected, and individual offers are made through the channels most convenient for the user. Marketing tools are tailored to the buyer. | Absent or minimal. Campaigns often work on the "everything to everyone" principle with minimal segmentation. The focus is on reaching a broad audience rather than personalizing for each customer. |
| **Focus** | Omnichannel communication sells to the customer — it adapts to the specific needs, preferences, and behaviors of the individual. | Multichannel strategy primarily sells the product or service, emphasizing benefits and advantages. |
| **Channel consistency** | Omnichannel is designed for long-term relationship building with the customer and increasing loyalty. | Multichannel marketing is launched quickly (compared to omnichannel) and focuses on immediate sales and audience reactions. |
| **Time to implement** | Omnichannel is designed for long-term relationship building with the customer and increasing loyalty. | Multichannel marketing is launched quickly (compared to omnichannel) and focuses on immediate sales and audience reactions. |
| **Costs** | For channel consistency, a data collection system (platform) is required, which needs to be set up and maintained. Therefore, implementation is more expensive due to the use of IT tools and the services of highly qualified specialists. | Since there’s no need for extensive data processing, the cost of this approach won’t be as high as with omnichannel. The main expenses will be for the platforms used for sending messages and paying the marketer’s salary. |
</Table>

## Omnichannel and multichannel: pros and cons


There is no perfect approach between the two. Each has its strengths and weaknesses that must be considered when working and choosing a strategy.

### Multichannel marketing

**Advantages:**

- **High audience reach in a short period.** The idea of multichannel marketing is to be everywhere — engaging as many channels as possible. Content is posted on various platforms, increasing the chances of reaching the target audience. <p>
</p>
- **Increased brand recognition.** When a brand is present everywhere, it becomes noticeable to the audience. On a larger scale, it can even become a household name, as happened with Xerox and Pampers. Multichannel marketing, paired with the right strategy, can elevate a brand to this level. <p>
</p>
- **Simplicity of implementation.** Many communication services are intuitive and don’t require special knowledge. Therefore, a small team or even a single marketer (depending on the scale) can launch and maintain the process.

**Disadvantages:**

- **Lack of** [**personalization.**](https://altcraft.com/glossary/personalization-what-it-is-and-why-personalized-marketing-matters) This means the brand is essentially guessing whether it will meet the client's needs or not. There's a risk that all promotional efforts will be in vain. Additionally, inconsistency between channels can sometimes frustrate customers, complicating communication. <p>
</p>
- **Unpredictable results.** Without personalization, it's unclear if the [**offer**](https://altcraft.com/glossary/offer-what-it-is-what-for-it-is-used-and-how-to-come-up-with-it) will appeal to the client. The company then operates on guesswork, trying to find the right communication approach, which costs time and money.

### Omnichannel marketing

**Advantages:**

- **Trust and high loyalty.** This type of marketing is customer-focused and takes into account their needs for products/services. Users respond better when they feel cared for, and they trust the brand more. Trust is also reinforced by the consistency of visual and communication styles across different channels. Users recognize and remember them, helping the brand maintain its reputation. <p>
</p>
- **Improved customer experience.** Seamless communication and the preservation of customer activity history make purchasing and interaction with the company easier. This creates a positive experience and encourages customers to return again and again. <p>
</p>
- **Increased sales.** Personalization combined with convenient communication simplifies the conversion process. The customer is more likely to make repeat purchases and become a loyal client, resulting in stable revenue for the company.

**Disadvantages:**

- **Implementation complexity.** To make omnichannel marketing work, multiple communication channels must be coordinated, large amounts of data collected, and content adapted for each platform. This requires highly skilled professionals and enough time to set up and maintain the strategy.
While omnichannel marketing demands more effort, the results justify the time and financial investment. Convenient CDP systems, such as [**Altcraft Platform**](https://altcraft.com/en), help simplify omnichannel marketing by gathering customer data from various sources into a unified profile. Based on this information, communication across multiple channels can be personalized. With Altcraft Platform, omnichannel marketing becomes easier. <p>
</p>
- **Cost.** Implementing omnichannel marketing requires more tools and possibly hiring a team of employees, significantly increasing the budget for marketing and technical specialists who ensure the system's stability.

## Omnichannel and multichannel marketing: which to choose

When analyzing the pros and cons of both approaches, it may seem like omnichannel is always the better choice, but that’s not necessarily true. Depending on business goals and budgets, different options can be suitable.

Multichannel marketing is ideal for companies with limited resources and is beneficial at the start of a business or a new product/service launch. In such cases, customer data is either lacking or very minimal. To achieve quick results, a strategy of fast messaging across all marketing platforms is chosen.

Multichannel marketing is also used for specific advertising campaigns and testing hypotheses about the effectiveness of different channels and content.

Omnichannel marketing is the path for customer-centric brands that prioritize user needs and build their strategies around them. This approach is also useful for companies ready to grow and develop, while wanting to control and predict that growth through data collection, integration, and analysis.

Omnichannel marketing benefits brands that need to connect offline and online sales points into a single, transparent system. This allows them to see the entire customer journey and improve their experience at each stage.

## Summary

Multichannel and omnichannel marketing are similar concepts that are often confused. In both cases, communication happens across multiple channels, but there are differences. Multichannel marketing involves the uncoordinated use of platforms for promotion. Messages do not consider the customer’s previous experience, and this strategy is aimed at quick sales. In omnichannel marketing, all channels are aligned, the transition between them is seamless, and personalization is present. However, this approach requires more investment and effort.

Multichannel marketing is suitable for businesses with limited budgets and those in the early stages. Omnichannel marketing is chosen by customer-focused companies that want to improve their service and connect all channels into a unified profile. Both strategies are versatile and can help boost business performance.


Multichannel uses multiple uncoordinated channels for quick sales, while omnichannel aligns all channels for seamless, personalized customer experience.

omnichannel-blog.png

About what these strategies mean, what are the pros and cons, and which one to choose to achieve your business goals.

Omnichannel and Multichannel Marketing: Pros & Cons, Difference

Omnichannel and Multichannel Marketing: What's the Difference

<Img
img="/uploads/Omnichannel_vs_Multichannel_854eb0a5f6.jpg"
alt="Omnichannel vs Multichannel"
/> 

Marketing communications in the digital age evolve by the day. Getting and retaining customers is all about providing a great customer experience from first interaction throughout the buyer's journey. Today, consumers wield all the power, and with just a quick skip, swipe, or scroll, they determine whether a brand stays relevant or not.

As marketers explore strategies to drive the right kind of engagement online, one critical discussion that always comes up is whether they should opt for multichannel or omnichannel marketing. But, there's one thing everyone can agree on: consumers expect a quick and seamless experience across all digital marketing touchpoints.

That said, let’s discuss multichannel vs. omnichannel marketing to determine which of the two can provide a better customer experience. After all, great customer experience yields a competitive advantage.

## Omnichannel vs. Multichannel – What is the Difference?

«Multi» suggests «many» while «omni» suggests «all». However, the fundamental difference between multichannel and omnichannel marketing has little to do with whether you’re engaging customers in several [**touchpoints**](marketing-attribution-models) or all touchpoints as they move down the sales funnel. Rather, it has to do with integration.

In multichannel marketing, the goal is to guide a consumer towards a particular goal. It focuses on getting them from one stage of the [**buyer's journey**](stroim-customer-journey-map) to another by sending a standard message through individual channels. Let's say you're issuing a promo discount code for new users; multichannel marketing involves you advertising the same promo code on several channels like your blog, social media pages, and email newsletter.

Multichannel marketing segments direct and indirect customer interactions. Direct communications are where the company proactively reaches out to the customer through direct mail or message. Indirect interactions include content pushed through blogs, websites, or social media.

Even though the marketing channels belong to the same entity, they’re inherently isolated from one another. Each channel works in a silo, with its own strategy and goals. As a result, brands that rely on multichannel marketing tend to run into miscommunication and style inconsistencies between channels.

For customers, multichannel marketing can create a confusing, impersonal experience that leaves them feeling frustrated.

Now, unlike multichannel marketing, omnichannel marketing has the customer at the center. It involves the seamless integration of branding and messaging across all touchpoints to create a more impactful customer experience. An omnichannel communication platform allows customers to determine how they’ll interact with your brand by offering:

- A consistent, identifiable brand voice
- [**Personalized messaging**](/features/personalization)
- Content that is informed by past interactions with the brand

In other words, marketers take a step back and let users define the journey for themselves – but the trip is tailored to their likes and preferences. For example, a user might get an email announcing a new product that goes perfectly with another they'd previously bought. Instead of relaying the same message through other channels, your strategy might involve offering them a [**promo code**](/features/loyalty-programs) for that exact product on Twitter and having them see a video of someone using the product on Facebook.

In both cases, the goal is to get customers to take a desired action (using a promo code). The difference is in the journey options you provide.

<Table>
| **Multichannel marketing** | **Omnichannel marketing** |
| ------ | ------ |
| Reach a user through a maximum number of channels | Gives users a seamless experience across every channel | 
| Brand is on every channel, but each channel may have different messaging | No matter which channel is used, the message is consistent |
| Doesn’t use the advantages of using multiple channels in tandem | Must be used with analytics to individualize experience to each user’s needs |
| Fragmented, inconsistent experience | Seamless, consistent experience |
</Table>

## So, Which Is The Better Option?

Brands that choose multichannel marketing do so for one reason; it's pretty straightforward. All you need is one main message and a call to action. However, this can be alienating to customers as it doesn't take their needs, preferences, or stage in the sales funnel into consideration.

An omnichannel customer experience could be the brand differentiator you need. An [**omnichannel marketing platform**](/features/omni-channel-marketing) nurtures leads and user engagement by offering audiences a diverse set of messages, incentives, or buying options, bringing the following benefits:

- **A better user experience** – Omnichannel communication focuses on the individual customer experience instead of the channel. It allows for a cohesive customer experience no matter how or where a customer reaches out.
- **Increased revenue** – Focusing on omnichannel customer engagement ensures a seamless experience for shoppers, making them more likely to buy from you.
- **Creates a consistent brand image** – Integration means you can create a cohesive brand strategy and identity across all channels, which leads to increased loyalty as customers will trust your brand more.
- **Better attribution data** – With omnichannel marketing automation, you'll be able to identify which channels work best for your brand and when customers are more likely to engage with you on their journey. Such data can be used to improve brand strategy and build more targeted campaigns.

<Img
img="/uploads/omnichannel_marketing_facts_6f9ee5c0d6.jpg"
alt="Omnichannel marketing facts"
/>

## Support Customer Engagement Across Every Channel That Matters

Customer experience is an asset to your brand – make it work for you. As mentioned, many brands opt for multichannel marketing because it's easier to execute. But, if you're looking to captivate and engage your customers on all channels, you have to leverage insights and create messages tailored to their interests and where they are on their journey.

The [**Altcraft**](/en) omnichannel marketing automation platform allows you to do this and more. You can create more targeted, effective campaigns and put your customers' needs front and center. Use data insights to drive campaigns and aid in journey planning, all while executing effective omnichannel communications from one place.

Altcraft also provides game-changing marketing automation workflows enabling you to take a more targeted approach towards marketing. You can implement various marketing processes like working with customer loyalty, cart abandonment reminders, and welcome emails. This way, you can easily create consistent yet personalized marketing messages across all channels.

Let’s discuss multichannel vs. omnichannel marketing to determine which of the two can provide a better customer experience.

Omnichannel vs Multichannel.jpg

As marketers explore strategies to drive the right kind of engagement online, one critical discussion that always comes up is whether they should opt for multichannel or omnichannel marketing.

‎Omnichannel vs Multichannel: Which Is The Better Option?

Omnichannel vs Multichannel: Which One Should You Choose?

![ak-multichannel-in-banking.png](/uploads/ak_multichannel_in_banking_84306b62b6.png)

Today we are going to dwell upon the peculiarities of omnichannel marketing and consider the main tasks it can solve in banking sphere. For a start here are some facts. Multi-channel marketing can be characterized as a mode of interaction with your audience by means of several communications channels (web site, email and SMS marketing, push etc.). This kind of marketing gives us an opportunity to build strong relations with  customers thanks to deep needs and preferences analysis. in this respect CRM passed into the background. we by no means ask you to turn your back on CRM, it’s irreplaceable. But all the same a CRM system doesn’t meet the requirements of customers in the banking field  to the full extent. There’s a need to use a platform or a service that can unite several communication channels.  Besides, CRM can’t track  delivery and handling of customers’ complaint. It leads to worse deliverability and you can be added to spam. You also need to store  information about deliver, message statuses etc. SMS sending requires several sms-gateways integration. These cumbersome systems don’t do much good. There is no CRM system that has the same segmentation and analytics capabilities as a multi-channel marketing platform, which technically substitutes dozens of integrations.

CRM stores a lot of confidential information. When interacting with external systems there’s a high leakage risk. Dealing with multi-channel platform Altcraft there is only one point of interaction with external systems and it is located behind the bank’s firewall. That helps to control personal data safety and  reduce a risk of mistakes that can be made by a bank employee.

![ak-multichannel-features.png](/uploads/ak_multichannel_features_ca45c42519.png)

## 1. Marketing processes automation

Automation of certain marketing processes enables you to systematize  Email, SMS, Push more easily. At this point the integration is performed between bank and partners’ websites on the one hand and multi-channel platform on the other, CRM integration, senders and sms-gateway settings and other product that are used by a bank.

![ak-multichan-workflow (1).png](/uploads/ak_multichan_workflow_1_4f3693eb6f.png)

## 2. Understanding and analysing your clients’ interests and preferences

Customer base is the most valuable asset for any company. Creation of a digital profile and accumulation of information about customers’ preferences  becomes a strategic goal for any bank. If you plan communication with a customer thoroughly it’s easy to keep their interest in your product. We’ve marked out the main types of customer data that can help to segment and plan your future marketing strategy:

<Table>
| Demografic | Geografic | Psychographic | Behavioural | Consumer-oriented |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Gender, age, marriage status, family size, education, occupation, income level | Place of residence: country, region, city/town, nationality | Personal 	attributes, values, opinions, interests | Attitude to the product, demanded services, ignored services, the importance of price changing, the importance of quality |Loans, saving and check accounts, bank card services, trust services, person or company |
</Table>

Analysis of the gathered data helps to identify:

- how your bank is treated by customers;
- what kind of services they are looking for;
- what trends are important for customers;
- and whether they have unsatisfied needs.

Based on received data one can plan marketing strategy. Without drawing customers into a real conversation there would be no interest or wish to continue communication. Three main tools which help to be in touch with your customers are Email, Push and SMS.

![ak-multichan-segment (1).png](/uploads/ak_multichan_segment_1_fccee4fdc9.png)

## 3. Prompt notifications 

Prompt notifications prove your care for customers and indicates your service quality. Inform them about  coming obligatory payments, their financial flows, in and out payments, credit card expiration and its re-issuing. Send them emails with credit card account statements.


## 4. Demand and sales promotion

Audience analysis made by the bank let customers receive:

- relevant bank services advertising,
- information about new products, 
- information about discounts and campaigns,
- Individual offers and useful recommendations.

As a result a customer learns in time about new bank services, special offers, credits and deposits.


## 5. Retain old customers and win back lapsed customers

- National and  personal holidays greetings, special offers (for example, for customers who haven’t used bank services for 6 months). 
- Reminder-letters about bank products and services. 

![ak-multichan-message (1).png](/uploads/ak_multichan_message_1_3440038397.png)

Besides it is necessary to handle feedback. It gives an opportunity to respond in real time to customers’ opt- out  and change your communication line with them. It also helps to close a possible gap in service.

### To conclude

Banks should take care of their clients. It’s an easy thing with a multi-channel platform. 

Altcraft Marketing Platform is just the one that is simple and handy.



Let's talk about multichannel marketing in banking: Altcraft Marketing platform automates your marketing processes.

ak-multichannel-in-banking.png

Multi-channel marketing kind of marketing gives us an opportunity to build strong relations with customers thanks to deep needs and preferences analysis.

How Banks Can Use Multichannel Marketing to Promote Their Services

Multi-Channel Marketing for Banking

uzum-case.png

Reduced push notification opt-out rates, increased OR, saved working hours

bnb-bank-kejs-v-menyu.png

The open rate for automatic Viber messages is around 60%, and MAU growth for the year is +19%

All user information is systematically collected in a unified customer data platform

Distributing messages across various communication channels: email, SMS, push notifications, messengers

Promo codes, bonuses, and points for building long-term customer relationships

You can create and edit any HTML template, as well as save your own custom blocks

Personalized distribution of messages to clients through communication channels

Conducting experiments and optimizing marketing strategies

Tracking the effectiveness of marketing campaigns to make informed decisions

Connecting external systems to the platform and synchronizing data with company databases

Creating questionnaires, surveys, and feedback forms of any level of complexity

The ability to communicate with your clients anytime and anywhere

Increasing user awareness of your company's offers

Customer Data Platform

Omnichannel Marketing

Loyalty programs

HTML Email Builder

Personalized mailings

A/B/n Testing

Real-time analytics

Integration and WebHooks

Forms and Surveys

Messenger Communication

Pop-Up Windows

Interesting and useful articles about marketing, our product and online communications

Don't forget to subscribe to our Blog