Miguel Adao has helped B2C and B2B national brands do a better job at delivering a hybrid customer experience (CX) at the local level, whether through retail stores or service-provider partners. In both cases, the challenge lies in finding creative ways to combine digital marketing and brick-and-mortar strengths.
“Hybrid model is the future,” Adao says. “On the digital side, there’s a beautiful democratization happening where smaller players can raise awareness, drive thought leadership and generate demand without breaking the bank. On the physical side, there are personal relationships and a place to congregate, like a town square.”
It’s important for local businesses to create a powerful hybrid CX to stay competitive, yet too many aren’t innovating fast enough. Local businesses tend to be risk adverse in their business model and marketing. They need a national brand’s support to act quickly and decisively.
With B2C, local retailers would do well to look beyond product sales and into in-store services, in order to better compete against pure-play e-commerce vendors. Pet stores, for instance, can offer grooming, training and veterinary services, as well as themed “play days.” These would be promoted and marketed over digital channels.
With B2B, local technology channel partners such as value-added resellers, independent software vendors, systems integrators and managed service providers have strong personal relationships and local domain expertise. But margin pressure and time constraints make it difficult to identify and reach out to new prospects.
These local businesses need access to a national brand’s digital marketing development funds. National brands can also advise them on how to raise awareness through Facebook and LinkedIn groups, Meetups, peer reviews on G2, etc. B2B customers want to know that their technology service providers can keep them ahead of disruption, such as transitioning from on-premise computing to software as a service, and digital marketing is a kind of calling card.
But digital marketing and hybrid CX require investment and a measure of risk-taking that local B2B and B2C businesses often lack.
“There has to be a co-op type of model where a national brand invests in local organizations, especially in markets, cities and towns that show promise in future revenue,” Adao says.
On the digital side, there’s a beautiful democratization happening where smaller players can raise awareness, drive thought leadership and generate demand without breaking the bank.”
Miguel Adao, SVP, Marketing, KloudGin
Access more insights in the CMO Council Report: National Brands Kickstart Local Demand
We surveyed over 140 marketing leaders and conducted in-depth interviews with executives at SHARP Home Appliances, Caterpillar, Gap, Invesco, Nationwide, BNY Mellon Wealth Management, KloudGin and MisfitsGaming to reveal best practices for your channel marketing strategy.
