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Multi-Channel China Marketing Part 1 – See the wood through the trees.

How can an international brand take advantage of a multi-channel marketing strategy in China and set itself up for success?

Multi-channel marketing means the same thing for China as it does everywhere else in the world. It’s not a particularly new concept. But like all things China marketing, China’s retail environment, digital ecosystem, consumer/customer behavior, and not least the rules and regulations that cover data, messaging, and channel restrictions, all combine to make this place a truly unique business environment for international brands, be they B2B or B2C.

Multi-channel marketing simply means marketers taking advantage of all the channels they have available to interact with potential buyers, both direct and indirect, digital, and traditional, online and offline. Jack Ma took the concept a step further when he famously presented his idea for “new retail” in 2016, which led to marketing strategists coining the phrase “omni-channel”. This is essentially the same concept. Omni-channel simply suggests an online/offline consumer experience that is seamlessly integrated via digital technology. Think of the Hema Fresh retail concept. Shoppers can browse in store and purchase online, or vice versa should they wish. You can even have your items cooked in store and dine there and then or take it to go.

It is absolutely true that international brands have access to a broad set of marketing channels at their disposal when it comes to China marketing. However, just because you have them doesn’t mean you have to use them.


 


China is not cheap. A successful campaign requires commitment. A commitment in terms of both resources and time, and the most successful brands can identify which will be the most effective channels to prioritize and into which they should invest those resources. Unless you are Apple, Nike, Alibaba, or the like, your brand is unlikely to be able to maximize the impact, and therefore the opportunity, of every single one.

 

This then goes back to the importance of China market insight research. A vital step in any successful marketing strategy yet one that so many international brands, of all shapes and sizes, neglect to take, and then wonder why their marketing campaigns aren’t hitting as expected and their China growth has stalled.

 

We’ve broken down what a successful China market insight research project looks like in recent videos and blogs, and whichever channel you are looking at, you can see the value that it brings.

 

If your strategy is based on China social media channels, how do you know you are reaching your target audience via the right platform, in the right way, at the right time? If you can’t answer these questions, why plow all your money and time into a Douyin or Weibo activation if all your consumers’ purchasing decisions are based on WeChat content?

 

If you are setting your stall out behind a KOL-centric strategy, which can be an expensive enterprise, are you sure that you are choosing the right KOLs to work with? Big isn’t always better when it comes to profile and total audience reach for your return on investment.

 

Multi-channel marketing is an extremely powerful set of tools for international marketers looking to make their brand successful in China, but you have to know which is the best tool and when it’s the right time to use it.

 

In future blogs and videos, we will be continuing to look at multi-channel marketing in China and will pick apart each aspect of it in more detail. For now, though, the key takeaway here is to put your brand in a position to identify which are the right channels for your business before you start investing time and money in costly China marketing activities that aren’t necessarily the best route to success.


Andy Smith

Andy Smith - StrategiQ

By Steven Proud • 11 Apr, 2024
In this episode... Andy chats about his background in retail and sales and the corporate grounding he developed during his early career. His introduction to marketing and advertising sales came from the 12 years he spent at Yellow Pages, the majority of which was working face-to-face with businesses of all sizes. He talks about maintaining a passion for business challenges, a belief in robust business planning and developing marketing strategies and tactics that are directly aligned with the business plan. We discuss leadership in an agency environment and how Andy interprets his role as CEO. We also look at the career progression of his team and the importance of providing opportunities for growth and leadership. Andy highlights the importance of achieving a balance between brand, technology, and customer experience, and how this has influenced how StrategiQ positions itself as a business. Resources mentioned in this episode: Andy Smith on LinkedIn StrategiQ website StrategiQ on LinkedIn Brand igo Chin a Steven Proud on LinkedIn AMIN Worldwide online AMIN Worldwide on LinkedIn Sponsor for this episode... This episode is brought to you by Brandigo China . We are an independent marketing and communications agency based in Shanghai, China with 20 years of on-the-ground experience in China. At Brandigo China , we work with multinational clients to support their marketing and business growth efforts in China. We are experts in insight strategy, content marketing, marketing-led business growth campaigns and all things China-based marketing. Go to www.brandigochina.com to learn more and contact us with questions at hellochina@brandigo.com .
Sean O'Brien

Sean O'Brien - B2B Leader

By Michael Golden • 20 Mar, 2024
Marketing podcast with B2B marketing leader Sean O'Brien

Do you need specific marketing personas for China?

By Steven Proud • 15 Mar, 2024
Developing marketing personas specific to your China target audiences should be the foundation of your China marketing strategy and insight research, and here are 6 reasons why.
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