It's not about online or offline. It's about the end-to-end customer experience

It’s Not About Online or Offline. It’s About the Journey.

Delivering the clear, connected and consistent experience your customers demand.

The question is not whether online or offline marketing is more important. Or even which one is more effective. They both are here to stay. The real question is how CMOs and CEOs will look at the strategies they deploy and investments they make differently moving forward.

It’s Not About Online or Offline. It’s About the Journey. 3

Enough already about online. And, enough about digital journeys.

For the past several years, CMOs in business-to-business companies have been consumed with digital channels and technology. They have been focused on launching, connecting and optimizing online content and touchpoints with customers. And rightly so. All of this stuff is fairly new and has truly transformed the way customers engage with companies.

With that said, in the business-to-business world, digital is only half of a winning customer experience equation. The fact is, B2B buyers spend more than half their buying journey offline. And more importantly, they value those interactions more than the digital interactions they have with your company.

For CMOs and CEOs to win in the experience economy, it’s not about online. It’s not about offline. It’s about delivering the clear, connected and consistent experience customers not only expect, but also demand.

The bottom line is, CMOs must look at online and offline differently. They must fully align the strategic intent, purpose and placement of online and offline touchpoints with customers in the context of their journey — not in the context of where they reside in the marketing department or budget.

This paper explores why a new perspective on the offline and online customer journey is required and how CMOs must change the way they manage the end-to-end customer journey.

“Marketers must put 2016

budgets to work on shifting

interactions seamlessly between

digital and physical contexts.”

– Forrester Research


Face-to-face marketing isn’t going anywhere.While the buzz in the boardroom and CMO circles is all about digital, business is still about relationships. Business gets done when people connect and have opportunities to form trusting relationships. That’s why the so-called death of tradeshows and events has been dead wrong.

Face-to-face marketing for companies with complex products, services and solutions will never go away. It is one of the most effective ways for customers to secure the confidence they need to make serious buying decisions. It’s also the only way companies can truly demonstrate subject matter expertise, establish credibility and build lasting relationships with buyers.

So as online marketing and digital journeys are making headlines, companies are still placing a lot of stock in face-to-face and event marketing initiatives. In fact, there are numerous statistics that illustrate how these offline initiatives positively impact purchasing decision and the overall customer experience. For example:

> 74 percent of event attendees say that they have a more positive opinion about the company, brand, product or service being promoted at an event.

(EMI & Mosaic)

> 87 percent of customers said they purchased the brand’s product or service after an event.

(EMI & Mosaic)

> 60 percent of marketers believe that events and conferences are important ways to improve customer experiences of their services or products. (E-Strategy Trends)

> 48 percent of event attendees find in-person interactions with brands more valuable than two years ago.

(Live Marketing)

> 51 percent of marketers surveyed believe that events strengthen existing customer relationships. (Marketing Charts)

So while a significant amount of time and energy in recent years has been spent on digital marketing and online channels, B2B marketing executives continue to spend a large portion of their budgets offline. According to a B2B marketing and advertising study, which analyzes the investments, strategies and challenges of Chief Marketing Officers across the U.S., B2B marketers will spend $26.1 billion on event-related marketing investments in 2016. In addition, the study noted a 40 percent increase in B2B brands participating in tradeshows and exhibitions. This means participation in live offline events is on the rise.

The question is not whether online or offline marketing is more important. Or even which one is more effective. They both are here to stay. The real question is how CMOs and CEOs will look at the strategies they deploy and investments they make differently moving forward.

This is the new experience economy we

work in — an economy where buying

decisions and dollars flow in the direction

of companies that deliver a superior

customer experience.


It’s not even about online or offline. It’s about the entire journey.For years, experts have predicted that digital was going to be the demise of face-to-face marketing. However, the facts we just shared tell a different story — a story that should tell CMOs that customers clearly use and value both their online and offline experiences.

The difference is, customers don’t separate the two. They are continuously engaging with your company and consuming your corporate story through a multitude of channels. To them, it is not about online and offline. It’s about the end-to-end experience one company delivers over another. Customers cast votes with their dollars. Companies that deliver a superior end-to-end customer experience win. Those that don’t lose out on the opportunity to secure, foster and maintain long-term profitable relationships.

The good news is, CMOs and CEOs are catching up with customer thinking. This is causing them to rethink how they can deliver a clear, connected, compelling experience regardless if dimensions of that experience are delivered online or offline. In fact, findings from the Gartner 2015-2016 Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Spend Survey found that the term “digital marketing” is on the wane. The survey also found that, “98 percent of CMOs no longer make a clear distinction between marketing online and offline and say the disciplines are merging.”

The key message from the Gartner report is that the “disciplines are merging.” This means the process of looking at online and offline journeys as two distinct and separate things is changing. However, this change is occurring in a slow and limited fashion. The truth is most marketing organizations are still functionally and operationally divided. There is a digital team and an events team. Worse yet, there is also a content team, lead qualification team, brand team and more. You get the point. The gap between online and offline will not be fully closed until CMOs reshape how they structure, manage and orchestrate the customer journey from a marketing operations, strategic planning and execution perspective.

When will this happen? It will happen when CMOs start aligning resources and allocating budgets differently. Today, budget allocation is defined by channel. At the highest level – you guessed it – you’ll find online budgets and offline budgets. In fact, according to a recent report from ITSMA, most B2B companies will allocate 55 percent of marketing program and campaign dollars to offline marketing, while 45 percent will focus on digital. The good news here is the balance in spending, which reflects the importance of both. However, the Holy Grail is reached when the budget is aligned to specific phases of the

“98 percent of CMOs no longer make a clear distinction between marketing online and offline and say the disciplines are merging.” – Gartner

The gap between online and offline will

not be fully closed until CMOs reshape

how they structure, manage and

orchestrate the customer journey from a

marketing operations, strategic planning

and execution perspective.


customer experience rather than channels. The gap will be closed when dollars are allocated to specific initiatives that are designed to improve customer acquisition, retention, loyalty and advocacy in the self-service, sales and post-purchase phases of the customer experience. Maybe that’s why Forrester Research said, “Marketers must put 2016 budgets to work on shifting interactions seamlessly between digital and physical contexts.”

A new perspective on the online / offline journey.Until marketing operations and budget line items fully align with the customer experience, which will take time, leading CMOs must make significant advances by changing the way they formulate and align online / offline strategies. This starts by recognizing the interdependency between online and offline channels and touchpoints in specific phases of the customer journey. By looking at the channels and touchpoints through this lens you can optimize how online and offline channels work together to connect, continue and / or extend the conversation with prospects and customers throughout their journey. This means being very intentional about the placement and purpose of each online / offline channel or touchpoint in the customer experience.

Let’s look at the critical role offline channels play in the customer journey. We will start with the buying process. Many CMOs and marketing executives assume that digital marketing is the most important dimension of the purchasing process, however offline programs are essential when it comes to engaging B2B buyers, especially buyers of complex solutions and services. In

fact, according to ITSMA research, “half the buying process takes place offline even for the most digitally savvy buyers.” This is based on ITSMA survey data from more than 400 B2B buyers across multiple industries. The data highlights the importance of offline marketing initiatives and a balanced online / offline approach throughout the entire buying process. ITSMA also discovered the most influential information sources buyers turn to early in the buying process are people-based: subject matter experts (SMEs) from solution providers, industry analysts and advisors, management consultants, and peers / colleagues.

The same survey found that human interaction dominates later stages of the buyer process as well, with custom demos, references, solution provider interaction, and in-person events topping the list. Ultimately, ITSMA research found that the most credible source of information during the purchasing process was delivered through subject matter experts; in other words, face-to-face.

Offline channels also play a role in securing new business opportunities. In fact, they produce higher quality prospects. According to the annual B2B Demand Generation Benchmark report, 77 percent of marketers said face-to-face events generated “good” or “excellent” quality leads.

The truth is, face-to-face marketing plays a role in every stage of the customer journey.

The bottom-line is, for CMOs

to be successful, they must

be more intentional about how

face-to-face marketing initiatives

connect with and extend the

customer journey.


The point is, while online marketing has received a lot of attention, offline dimensions of the customer journey are just as important. And these two dimensions of the customer experience are becoming more interdependent than ever before. And yet, most companies have disconnected digital and offline strategies. They have lead generation, conversion and branding strategies that are being deployed online and then others that are driving face-to-face marketing. This model is flawed and will not produce optimal results. To truly create a differentiated customer experience and increase the performance of online and offline marketing strategies, full alignment and integration is required.

Establishing greater connectivity and continuity in the journey.Establishing complete alignment between your online and offline customer journey can be achieved, but it does require a different approach. This approach is anchored in five strategic planning questions:

Stage – What are we trying to accomplish in this stage of the customer journey?Story – How are we adding to or extending a consistent and connected story?Experience – How does this specific channel or touchpoint enhance the customer’s overall experience?Connection – What are the intentional connections we are trying to make between online and offline channels or touchpoints? Conversion – How are we creating and converting engagement at this stage of their journey?

StageYou must look at each channel and touchpoint through the lens of your customer journey. What stage are they in? What do you want to achieve in this stage? How will your online and offline channels and touchpoints work together to move this buyer / customer throughout this phase of their journey?

StoryYou must have a clear, compelling and consistent corporate story in place. A story that is shared across online and offline channels and touchpoints. What is your story? What are the cornerstones of the story that will be omnipresent throughout the journey? How are you intentionally weaving the story together online and offline? What messaging, promises, content are you serving up to the buyer / customer across different channels and touchpoints in this stage of the journey? How does the story unfold online and offline? How are you connecting the story in a meaningful and relevant way?

ExperienceYou must clearly define and document the overall experience you want to deliver throughout the customer journey. How are you defining that experience? How does the experience you are creating for the buyer / customer in this stage of their journey connect to that definition? How does their experience in this stage add to or enhance their overall experience?

ConnectionYou have to paint a picture of the specific online and offline channels and touchpoints that are used in each stage of the customer journey. What are the strategic and intentional connection points you are trying to establish between the online and offline experience at this stage of

The point is, while online

marketing has received a lot

of attention, offline dimensions

of the customer journey are

just as important.


the customer journey? How are you leveraging online and offline channels or touchpoints to move them from this stage to the next? What threads have you put in place to ensure connectivity and continuity from one channel and touchpoint to the other? ConversionYou need to define specific conversion methods and metrics you will use to measure online and offline effectiveness within each stage of the customer journey. What connections are you trying to make with the buyer / customer online and offline in this stage? How are you moving the buyer / customer from an online or offline connection to a true conversion? Is that conversion method driven by digital content, human interaction or is it transactional? How do different connections lead to specific conversions online and offline?

The truth is, face-to-face marketing plays a role in every stage of the customer journey. The 2016 Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) study found that face-to-face marketing persists as a key brand and sales driver for B2B businesses. This national study also suggests that 80 percent of marketers believe they can build or expand brand awareness in this way. The study found that 76 percent of B2B marketers agree exhibitions support relationship management and engagement of existing customers. Sixty-three percent of executives found that exhibitions help cultivate relationships and feed the sales funnel with new potential customers.

The bottom line is, for CMOs to be successful they must be more intentional about how face-to-face marketing initiatives connect with and extend the customer journey. They must ask and answer questions that will lead to greater connectivity and continuity between the offline and online dimensions of the customer experience.

> What is the strategic intent and purpose of this event? (Education, acquisition, retention, etc.)?

> What specific stage of the buyer / customer journey does it play in? (Self-service, sales, post- purchase, etc.)

> How am I intentionally connecting the event experience with the overall experience we are delivering in the customer journey?

> How am I intentionally connecting this specific event experience with the other events that are part of the customer journey?

> How am I leveraging online dimensions of the journey to extend and add to the experience customers will have at the event?

The new competitive

battlefield is the

customer experience

– online and offline.


Conquering the last bastion of a truly integrated customer experience.Offline and online dimensions of the customer experience are not going anywhere. Maybe that’s why Justin Hersh, CEO of Group Delphi, said, “It’s no surprise that even as digital continues to take hold, brands place an even greater emphasis on the distinct value that the face-to-face experience brings in driving brand awareness, affinity and consideration.”

The truth is, online and offline dimensions of the customer experience are intrinsically connected. And both are going to continue to grow in complexity. So the only question CMOs must ask is this:

How is my company going to strategically align offline and online dimensions of my buyer and customer journey to deliver an experience that increases business growth and fosters lasting relationships?

The last bastion of a truly integrated and consistent customer experience is face-to-face marketing. It can’t continue to operate outside the lines of the customer journey. It must be brought fully into the fold. Econsultancy said it best, “For some strange reason, events have been able to escape the eye not only of integrated marketing, but also the evolution that every channel has had to go through in the last 10 years: heightened measurement and analytics. That’s the whole point of integrated marketing: to be able to look at the entire ecosystem and connect all the dots. Somehow events get set on the sidelines.”

The new competitive battlefield is the customer experience – online and offline. This is the new experience economy we work in — an economy where buying decisions and dollars flow in the direction of companies that deliver a superior customer experience. Only those CMOs who embrace this reality and establish greater alignment across every dimension of the customer experience will win.

About OnMessage Companies that succeed in maintaining completealignment between their corporate story and strategy— win. They win because their words and actions areconsistent; creating a superior experience that increasescustomer acquisition, retention, loyalty and competitivedifferentiation. OnMessage specializes in helpingexecutives align and activate their entire organizationaround a corporate strategy and story that dramaticallyimproves the customer experience. Leveraging ourdisciplined methodology — executive teams are ableto crystallize their go-to-market strategy, formulate astrategically aligned corporate messaging platform andensure every stakeholder understands how to activate thestrategy and story throughout the customer journey. Inaddition, our cloud-based intelligence console providesleaders with timely and accurate insights. Market,customer, employee, culture, competitor and partnerinsights they need to optimize their strategy, story andcustomer experience over time. We are OnMessage, thestrategy consulting firm helping executives win in thehighly competitive “experience economy” that exists today.

© Copyright OnMessage, Inc. 2016 | All rights reserved.

For more informationFor more valuable and informative resources that can help you improve your customer’s experience, go to: itsonmessage.com/resource Follow us on linkedin.com/company/onmessage

facebook.com/onmessage

twitter.com/onmessage

itsonmessage.com

James O’Gara President and Founder

James O’Gara is the president and founder of OnMessage.Under his leadership, OnMessage has developed a provenmodel for helping companies develop a clear, compellingand consistent message. With almost 25 years’ experienceworking in business and marketing leadership positions,O’Gara is known and respected for building collaborativerelationships with executive teams that result in highlyeffective go-to-market, messaging / positioning anddemand generation strategies.