Chapter 1

Choose the right channels to drive engagement

Background

Understanding and leveraging consumers' preferred communication channels is crucial for building strong, trust-based relationships. It’s a key component of personalization that can not only enhance the customer experience but also deepen engagement by making interactions more relevant and meaningful.

While engaging through customers’ favored channels offers significant benefits, neglecting them can also lead to notable drawbacks. Here are some key considerations to keep in mind when rethinking your channel strategy:

Consumers on how often businesses use their preferred communications channels 

The pros:

Using consumers' preferred communication channels can impact their behavior and lead to significant business benefits, including:  

  • Increased revenue: Consumers are willing to spend 32% more on brands that engage with them through their preferred channels. This percentage climbs even higher in certain regions, reaching 34% in North America and 45% in Latin America.
  • Greater customer retention: A solid 40% of consumers say they are more likely to make repeat purchases when brands use their preferred channels.
  • Improved customer acquisition: When brands use preferred channels, 30% of consumers are more likely to make a first-time purchase.

Actions consumers take when brands use their preferred channels

Consumers on how often they get frustrated because brands use the wrong communication channels

24% of consumers switch businesses if a brand doesn't use their preferred channel.

The cons:

Ignoring consumer preferences, on the other hand, can be detrimental to your business. Ineffective communications not only drain resources but can also lead to lost sales and customers. Almost one in four consumers purchased from a different brand in the past year because a business didn’t use their preferred communication channels. 

While some consumers may tolerate these missteps, they can still be negatively impacted by poorly targeted messages. In fact, 57% of consumers report being sometimes, often, or always frustrated when brands use the wrong channels to communicate with them. 

Of course, the real challenge lies in identifying which channels to prioritize for your various use cases. What a customer prefers for an urgent alert is likely not what they prefer for a marketing promotion. 

In Chapter 2, we'll explore strategies for choosing the most effective channels and offer insights to help you make informed decisions that match your customers' preferences.

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