Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, search, video, newsletters, websites, press and events: the list keeps growing. The useful question is where we can help the right person take their next step.
With a limited team and budget, maintaining all those channels can become a burden. A useful recommendation also says what can wait, so the channels you choose receive the attention they need.
Presence in an environment can bring value when we know what role it plays. It can build awareness, explain the product, respond to a search or continue the relationship with an existing customer.
We start from the way people choose
Someone actively searching for a solution is in a different situation from someone who discovers a product by chance. A simple purchase calls for different information from a bespoke project involving advice and several decision-makers.
We ask where people discover the offer, what they compare, where they look for reassurance and where they can act. Offline interactions matter too: a visit, a sample, a conversation or a brochure received in store.
We do not automatically assign a channel to an industry. We check the audience, buying behavior and business resources.
Two businesses, different priorities
The comparison is fictional and shows possible roles, not a universal plan.
Every channel needs a role.
Illustrative example. The conditions are explained in the article.
Search
Respond to an expressed need.
Social media
Show the product and its context.
Website
Explain the offer and make the next step possible.
Direct communication
Continue a relevant relationship.
| Contact point | Local showroom with made-to-order products | Online store with products in stock |
|---|---|---|
| Search | Information for a need within the service area | Products and categories people search for |
| Social media | Materials, craftsmanship and completed spaces | Use, selection and presentation of products |
| Website | Process, examples, terms and appointment booking | Availability, details and order |
| Direct communication | Confirming and preparing the visit | Information relevant to customers, under the applicable conditions |
| Physical experience | Displays, advice and a quote | Packaging, delivery and any own locations |
For each channel, ask what information it adds and what action it makes possible. Disconnected activity can generate interest that the business never turns into a useful conversation or sale.
What an extra channel costs
In addition to distribution, there is production, adaptation, approval, publication, response and measurement. A video may require filming, editing and different versions. A new page must be kept correct. A message received needs an answer.
Time and budget are finite. Adding a channel means deciding what resources it receives and which other activities will receive less attention. Make that trade-off clear in the plan.
Common materials can reduce work when they match. Adaptation is justified by context and by how the audience meets the message.
Prepare for the way the channel works
A new channel can change what needs producing. A social post might use copy within an image; a platform-assembled ad may need a clean image and separate text. A demonstration video needs framing, pace and a clear explanation.
Choose the channels before finalizing the export list. Communication strategy keeps the argument consistent; the promotion plan defines its use. Reuse an asset only after checking that it suits its new destination.
How to choose the order
We start with the objective, the information about the audience and the points where the offer can be explained and accessed. We check whether the destination works and whether the necessary materials exist.
Add a channel when there is a clear hypothesis about its role and a way to assess progress. Awareness work should be evaluated against awareness goals; sales activity also needs commercial results. Not every channel can demonstrate the same contribution over the same period.
A coherent campaign may use only a few channels. Another may need more because customers need more interactions and information. The scale should follow the need.
We explore the connection between these touchpoints and campaign structure in Why one campaign may not be enough.
How we work at NOT MORE.
We connect the audience, message, channel and next step. For each activity, we explain its proposed role, what it takes to deliver and which evidence will guide adjustments.
We can recommend extending, strengthening or eliminating an activity, depending on the project’s needs. The choice must also be understood by people who do not work with the tools every day.
Three questions before adding a channel
- What new or insufficiently covered role will it play?
- Can we produce, maintain and evaluate that presence?
- What happens next for someone who discovers us there?
Where is it worth concentrating the available resources?
Tell us what you sell, to whom, and what your team can support. We’ll discuss the role of each touchpoint and the order in which they are worth building or improving.
Multiple channels need a shared plan
The marketing mix includes the offer, price and distribution as well as promotion. The channel mix describes where and how those choices are supported. Multichannel means being present across several channels; integration requires compatible roles, messages and next steps. CIM: the elements of the marketing mix.
At NOT MORE., we choose components in relation to the objective and resources, then deliver the agreed content, campaigns, pages and measurement. We also establish who publishes, responds, operates and evaluates. Sometimes progress requires another channel. Sometimes it requires better execution in the channels already being used.