Google Uses Multichannel Marketing. Do You?

Inbox Ideas | Email Marketing Tips by AWeber

Posted by Marc Kline

If you’ve been reading the news, you know that Google has been acquiring companies left and right in a flurry of spending activity.

Now, it wouldn’t be smart to do what giant corporations do just because. And if you’re like me, you don’t have $1.65 billion to spend on an online video service.

But there is something we can take away from Google’s strategy that gives us cause to think about our own businesses: the importance of multichannel marketing.

From Search To …

Take a look at some of the companies Google has more recently purchased or made offers for, along with the industries the companies operate in:

Company	Industry
dMarc Broadcasting	Radio Advertising
YouTube	Online Video Sharing
Adscape	Video Game Advertising
Feedburner	RSS Feeds
Double Click	Online Advertising

You’ll notice that there’s a variety of different types of media industries in the list.

Google first earned its revenue exclusively through marketing with search ads. Now, it’s expanding into an ever-growing number of mediums, both online and offline.

I’m no insider, but it seems evident that they feel that, as a company that has been wildly successful with search marketing, success should also translate to other advertising mediums.

By spending so much money and assuming more responsibility, no doubt it’s a bit of a risk. But even if it fails, it will be only be as a result of Google overextending it’s operations or overvaluing these particular companies, and not because marketing through multiple channels is not a very smart thing to do.

The Same Principle, For Much Less

Fortunately, we don’t need to spend a boatload of money to get our messages out through more than one marketing medium.

We don’t need to spend a boatload of money to get our messages out through more than one medium.

At an affordable price, we can run websites, blogs, and email campaigns at very least.

And in fact, based on Google’s advances, we can also run video, radio, and web advertisements at a high ROI.

Then there’s always the traditional in-store promotions, direct mailing, and of course the telephone call.

Don’t Put All of Your Eggs in One Basket

Remember that these marketing methods are the means (to more sales and better customer retention) and not the ends.

Use each to its potential — no more, no less — and make sure they’re integrated with one another wherever possible (e.g. print materials give website address, website has email newsletter sign up, email campaign sends provides coupon for your online/offline store).

What Do You Think?

I’m certain that there are successful marketers reading our blog who could lend their expertise to this discussion. How are you maximizing your different channels of marketing? Please share!

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15 Responses

Martin Lee
August 9th, 2007 at 2:41 pm

On top of emails which I send out fairly regularly, one other thing that I use is real physical greeting cards. I use them to show appreciation to my customers by sending them non-promotional stuff like "thank you" and "happy birthday" cards.

Amist all the marketing stuff that they get every day, this helps to set me apart from most of the other marketers and build customer loyalty.
Chris
August 9th, 2007 at 3:06 pm

I like this post a lot. I’ve been watching Google buy out places left and right and I guess that can with all the money that make. I love Google and they have helped me a make loads of money online (along with your great auto responder :))

Although sometimes I think they might be going to fast for their own good, but I guess only time will tell and from the looks of it they wont have any problems.
Andrea Marie
August 9th, 2007 at 5:33 pm

Multi - level marketing is the key ingredients for your business growth and success. We should definitely mirror google marketing strategies to boost our profits.

It’s about thinking differently! A lot of business only tend to do one or two types of marketing. If you are serious about growing your business you need to turn you business into a multi level marketing machine.
Test Direct mail, Internet marketing, email marketing, advertising, telephone marketing, you tube, up-selling, joining networks, referrals and pr.

Keep testing and trying different forms to see what work for you.

Happy Marketing
Jay Wilson Jr.
August 9th, 2007 at 10:55 pm

I enjoyed this post. This is something that I’ve been thinking about for a while now. I currently use e-mail and blogs to market to my members.

Martin I love the idea of sending a physical card. Thanks for the idea!

I’ve been thinking about using the phone to connect with my subscribers in addition to the above messages. I recently purchased a product from a marketer. Shortly after filling out the order form, my phone rang with a pre-recorded message from that marketer thanking me for my order and telling my how I was going to enjoy it when it arrived.

The use of the phone is powerful, but not many marketers have taped into it’s power… yet.

After writing this post, I’m going to integrate the use of phone messages into my marketing mix.
Matt LaClear
August 10th, 2007 at 10:12 am

Great article! We’re doing pretty well utilizing several different sources of media as well.

First of which we use http://www.talkshoe.com to post daily podcasts over a variety of subjects. Then we submit the our feeds to every single feed directory we can get our hands on.

Then we convert the podcast to video using Camtasia and Powerpoint slide shows. We then submit the videos to every single video feed we can find as well.
Paul Petulengro
August 10th, 2007 at 12:04 pm

Although I’m prettey new to marketing on the web, I have for 25 years run my business via direct marketing (postal) and for me this still gives me the best results. For instance:
An up-front freebie via my web site or email results in a conversion to sale ratio of between 7 - 11%
The up-frony freebie via normal post, although more expensive converts a healthly 27 -31% these converts are then milked 4 times a year with a mailshot offering various related products together with a personal Birthday Card + mailshot offering a FREE birthday gift when they order and the B/Card produces 12 - 14% sales. Althought tempted because of ease and low cost I’m glad I did not forsake my mailing for the the Web only.
Luca
August 10th, 2007 at 11:07 pm

I completely agree with marketing from all sides, search does not always bring the targeted customers we would all like to see.
TOFUmonkey
August 11th, 2007 at 11:21 pm

One thing I’m intriqued about YouTube is that we can use it not just for entertainment purposes. When we create a new video and when we put in our signature, it generates some attention to my website.

The internet certainly has evolved into more than just simple marketing. I’ll definately keep a look out in this blog for more ideas.
Diana Fontanez
August 14th, 2007 at 11:06 am

My 2 cents…

I wrote a great spanish article about an experience I had with a company who successfully used multichannel marketing to get me to buy from its physical store to the website.

I went to the store in the mall to purchase some earrings. On checkout the clerk gave me the receipt, collected my email address and told me that if I return to the store within the next 30 days i will receive $25 off from my next $50 purchase.

14 days later I returned with the coupon and purchased. Once again the clerk gave me another coupon, for $25 off from my next $50 purchase if I visit the website.

I didn’t purchase again but gave the coupon to my friend who purchased over $200 on the website.

It was a great strategy!
Marc Kline
August 14th, 2007 at 12:12 pm

Thanks for all of the great feedback so far. Comments are always a great channel for readers to share their perspective and add great value to what starts with just a few brief ideas from us.

I think we agree that each step in the process (pre- and post- sales) should lead to another step. If you leave people hanging at any point, they might just fall off the wagon.

Marketing should not just something you do when your sales need a boost. If you are always providing additional avenues that provide value (an important piece) to your customers, you’ll find that they do keep coming back to you.

And if you don’t, you probably won’t!
Bill
August 16th, 2007 at 2:02 am

thanks for the pointers, I just signed up with aweber, so this is all so new to me. I do have experience in marketing and agree that multi channels of advertising is key. I monitor my channels and the ones that do more poorly, I just do much less advertising, but…I still use the channel.

If i wanted to hire someone to do this stuff for me and master aweber as best as one could and use it well, what would that title be for that individual?
Clinton Walker III
August 31st, 2007 at 12:57 am

I am currently in the process of trying different ways to advertise. My next step is passing out flyers and collecting email addresses.
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