The path to purchasing isn’t as straightforward as it used to be. With endless options and information at our fingertips, it’s more important than ever for businesses to stay on top of mind with their audience. But the real question is, how do we do that? And that is where the multitouch strategy comes in.
Today I’m going to show you why it’s critical to your success and how you can use it to win more customers.
The Messy Middle: How Consumer Behavior Has Changed
Let’s start with a concept that Think with Google calls the “messy middle.”
This is the space between the moment customers first realize they need or want something and when they decide to purchase. In this space, people loop between exploring and evaluating options. They will:
- Search for the best prices
- Check reviews
- Compare features
- Return to search for more alternatives
As a business owner or marketer, it’s crucial to understand that people don’t decide on a product right away. Studies show that customers often revisit the decision-making process multiple times before making a choice.
One Touchpoint Isn’t Enough
Hitting your audience with just one ad, one email, or one social post is not enough. Customers need several interactions with your brand before considering you as an option.
A multi-touch strategy is crucial because it:
- Keeps your brand front and center as customers navigate the messy middle
- Builds trust with every touchpoint
- Shares valuable information to move customers closer to a purchase
Key Elements of a Multi-Touch Strategy
How do we create a multi-touch strategy? There are several essential elements every business should focus on:
1. Awareness: Show up Early
You need to show up early. People need to see you when they start their search. This can include:
- Ads on Google, Facebook, or YouTube
- Informational blog content
- Broadcasting on social channels to reach new audiences
During the awareness phase, the goal is to be visible as a brand early in the exploration process.
2. Leverage Natural Biases
You need to be aware of natural biases and leverage them. Let’s look at six specific biases.
First, category heuristics are decision-making shortcuts, like when someone is buying a new smartphone. Instead of diving into the technical specifications, they focus on things like megapixels, zoom, or storage. By highlighting these easy-to-understand features, you make the decision easier for your customers.
Next, we have social proof. Humans are hardwired to follow the crowd. That’s why customer reviews, testimonials, and star ratings are so important. When people see others having a good experience, they are more likely to trust the product and follow the same path.
We also can’t forget about the power of now. We live in a world where people want instant gratification. Fast delivery and a quick, easy buying process often improve engagement and create additional touchpoints.
Then there’s scarcity bias. Ever notice how a product with a limited-time offer, or maybe only a few left in stock, suddenly becomes more attractive? That’s because people are triggered by scarcity. They don’t want to miss out, and using this bias can push customers to act faster.
Next, the power of free is a simple yet effective tool. Offering something at no cost or adding a small bonus with a purchase can increase the perceived value and get people off the fence.
Finally, we have authority bias. When people trust the source of information—whether it’s an expert review, an award, or a well-known brand—they are more likely to believe in the product. This is why expert endorsements or showcasing certifications can elevate your brand’s credibility.
3. Minimize the Gap Between the Trigger and the Purchase
A key part of a multi-touch strategy is minimizing the gap between the trigger and the purchase. You can do this by lowering the cognitive burden, making it easier and faster for the customer to act. This reduces the chances that they’ll return to the messy middle and restart the exploration and evaluation process.
The simpler you make it, the more likely they will stay with you. Common barriers faced by consumers include:
- Poor site speed, especially on mobile
- Inconsistent messaging between ads and landing pages
- Inadequate product information, like missing important details
Think about category heuristics and user experience issues, such as unclear navigation or limited payment options. The impact of these errors can be massive. One study showed that 95% of users return to a site they believe is fast, but only 62% said they’d come back when a site is slow.
Improving mobile speed by just 0.1 seconds can boost conversion rates by over 8% for retail sites and over 10% for travel sites.
4. Personalize Your Messaging
Personalization is key in a multi-touch strategy. Each touchpoint should align with where the customer is in their journey. If they’re exploring, focus on educating them. If they’re evaluating, give them reasons to trust you. Show testimonials, offer discounts, and explain what sets you apart.
At the top of the funnel, people are just looking and learning. As they move through the process, they create different types of content to engage them at each stage.
5. Track and Optimize
You need to track and optimize constantly. Evaluate which touchpoints are most effective in moving the customer further in their journey. Use tools like Google Analytics or Facebook Insights to identify where customers engage with your brand the most and double down on the strategies that are working.
Multi-Touch Strategy: Key Takeaways
We’ve covered several key elements of a multi-touch strategy and why it’s crucial for moving customers through their buyer’s journey in the digital world. It’s not just a nice-to-have for big brands; everyone must pay attention to multi-touch strategies and incorporate them into their efforts today.
You need to:
- Show up early and make yourself visible to clients.
- Build trust with them.
- Leverage the internal biases we all have.
- Optimize for the user experience.
- Track and adjust as you go along.
A multi-touch strategy is essential to win in today’s digital economy and set yourself apart from competitors. We can no longer sit in our silos and hope everything will work out right.
This is key for guiding your customers through their journey from exploration to purchase. If you need a partner to strategize and implement a multi-touch strategy with your business, contact us. Until next time, happy marketing!