Aligning Your Entire Team & Partners For Omnichannel Marketing

Increasing Your Omnichannel Performance

Engaging employees and partners in omnichannel marketing campaigns is crucial for several reasons, as it fosters a sense of ownership, enhances brand authenticity, and improves overall business performance.

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Importance of Employee Involvement

• Emotional Connection: employees who understand and connect with the brand's mission and values are more likely to convey that passion to customers. Internal marketing helps employees feel valued and informed, which can lead to greater loyalty and enthusiasm for the brand
• Enhanced Productivity: engaged employees tend to be more productive. Research indicates that organizations with high employee engagement can see productivity increases of up to 17%. When employees are aware of their roles in achieving company goals, they are more likely to contribute effectively
• Improved Customer Experience: employees are the face of the brand and directly influence customer interactions. A motivated workforce leads to better service, which can enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty. Studies show that customers prefer to engage with companies that treat their employees well
• Internal Advocacy: employees can act as brand ambassadors. When they are engaged and informed, they are more likely to share positive messages about the brand, both online and offline. This organic promotion can significantly extend the reach of marketing efforts without additional costs

Benefits Of Partner Involvement

• Access To New Audiences: partnering with other brands allows SaaS brands to tap into each other's customer bases, enhancing visibility and potential conversions. This collaboration can be particularly effective in reaching demographics that may be difficult to access independently
• Cost-Effective Marketing: joint marketing initiatives can reduce costs by pooling resources and expertise, allowing for more comprehensive campaigns that leverage the strengths of both partners
• Shared Goals & Enhanced Trust: working with partners who share similar values and goals can strengthen brand credibility. Customers are more likely to trust a brand associated with reputable partners, which can lead to increased sales and customer loyalty
• Innovation & Creativity: collaborating with partners can bring fresh ideas and perspectives to marketing campaigns, fostering innovation that can differentiate a brand in a competitive market

Thinking through some real-world scenarios, here are a few stories of how Chili Piper, Hershey, and other SaaS brands are unifying their employees and partners to extend their omnichannel marketing campaigns.

Encouraging Employee Engagement

When thinking through SaaS brands that get their entire teams onboard and unified to present the brand on social media, without hesitation, I thought of Chili Piper and their LinkedIn Takeovers Strategy.

Chili Piper's LinkedIn Takeover Strategy

Chili Piper's LinkedIn takeover strategy is centered around creating a "social-first culture" that emphasizes employee engagement and thought leadership on the platform. This strategy has played a crucial role in their growth and customer acquisition.

Key Elements Of The Strategy

• Employee Empowerment: Chili Piper encourages all employees to actively participate on LinkedIn by sharing insights about industry challenges and solutions. This approach not only amplifies their reach but also fosters a more personal connection compared to traditional company accounts, which tend to generate less engagement
• Event-Driven Engagement: initially, Chili Piper focused on acquiring customers through events rather than traditional marketing channels. They organized and participated in various events, creating unique experiences that allowed them to connect directly with potential clients. These events often included interactive elements, such as wine and cheese nights, which helped to build relationships in a more relaxed setting
• Content Sharing & Social Listening: the company leverages social listening to inform their sales development representatives (SDRs) about customer needs and market trends. By monitoring conversations and engaging with relevant content, they can tailor their outreach and improve their messaging.
• Innovative Product Positioning: recently, Chili Piper introduced the concept of "Demand Conversion" to differentiate themselves in a crowded market. This new product category aims to redefine how businesses approach lead management and conversion, further enhancing their presence on LinkedIn as thought leaders in the industry
• Community Engagement: Chili Piper participates in and contributes to various online communities focused on revenue operations and marketing, which helps them stay connected with industry trends and network with other professionals

Overall, Chili Piper's LinkedIn strategy is a blend of personal branding, community engagement, and innovative marketing approaches that collectively enhance their visibility and effectiveness in the B2B SaaS landscape.

Empowering Your Team To Take Action

A couple of years ago I remember hearing a story that just made sense and made me ask the question, "Why don't more brands do this?" Michele Buck, the CEO of The Hershey Company, has implemented an innovative approach to empower employees in solving customer problems by giving each employee a $50 budget. This initiative is part of her broader strategy to foster a culture of internal change agents within the company.

Empowering Employees

Buck encourages employees to take initiative by allowing them to use this $50 to address customer issues directly. This approach not only empowers employees but also helps to create a sense of ownership and responsibility toward customer satisfaction. By bypassing traditional hierarchical structures, Buck enables employees to act quickly and creatively in response to customer needs, thereby enhancing the overall customer experience.

Impact On Company Culture

This initiative aligns with Buck's vision of promoting a collaborative and inclusive workplace. Hershey has been recognized for its commitment to diversity and inclusion, and this program further exemplifies the company's dedication to fostering a supportive environment where every employee feels valued and capable of contributing to the company's success.

Overall, Buck's leadership style emphasizes the importance of listening to employees and leveraging their insights to drive innovation and improve customer relations.

Getting Your Channel Partners Involved

When writing your partner agreement, you can include that as a partner of your SaaS brand, partners must engage with you during platform launches, roadmap releases, or other marketing and sales campaigns.

Enhancing Visibility & Reach With Partnerships

Several SaaS brands effectively involve their partners in marketing strategies, leveraging collaborative efforts to enhance brand visibility and reach. Here are some notable examples:

• HubSpot: known for its inbound marketing approach, HubSpot collaborates with various partners to create content and educational resources. This partnership strategy not only boosts brand awareness but also establishes HubSpot as a thought leader in the marketing space, enhancing its credibility among potential customers
• Mailchimp: the "Clustomer" campaign by Mailchimp was designed to engage fellow marketers by visualizing common issues related to customer segmentation. This campaign involved collaboration with partners to amplify its reach, showcasing how Mailchimp's tools can address specific marketing challenges faced by users
• Userlist: during the pandemic, Userlist launched the "Help Founders" campaign, collaborating with over 15 podcast shows to provide free advertising slots for SaaS companies. This initiative not only supported fellow SaaS founders but also increased Userlist's exposure and authority in the market
• Airtable: the "This is How" campaign featured real-world use cases of Airtable's platform, emphasizing collaboration across industries. By showcasing how different teams utilize Airtable, the campaign effectively involved partners in demonstrating the product's versatility and value
• Dropbox: the SaaS brand executed a successful referral program, encouraging existing users to refer new customers. This strategy not only incentivized current users but also involved partners in promoting the service through word-of-mouth marketing

These examples illustrate how SaaS brands can successfully integrate their partners into marketing campaigns, enhancing both brand engagement and customer acquisition.

Involving employees and partners in omnichannel marketing campaigns is not just beneficial; it is essential for creating a cohesive brand experience. By fostering engagement internally and externally, SaaS brands can enhance productivity, improve customer experiences, and ultimately drive better results. This approach not only aligns the workforce with the brand's goals but also builds a robust network of advocates who can amplify the brand's message in the marketplace.

Next Chapter In The Guide

In the next chapter of this guide, let's talk about monitoring the performance of your omnichannel marketing strategy and how to optimize and iterate on it to make it even better.

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Optimizing Your Omnichannel Strategy & Iteration

A robust omnichannel measurement strategy is crucial for success. By implementing the following key techniques, marketers can optimize their entire funnel, ensure accurate data collection, and gain meaningful insights via data analysis.

Read The Next Chapter →