Multi-Channel Marketing is Like Owning a Pet: How to Train, Care, and Watch it Grow!

[Chris-S]

*puppy snoring sounds*

Do your eyes start glazing over when you hear or read the word multi-channel marketing (MCM)? I know I react like a puppy who can’t keep its eyes open and falls asleep in a food bowl mid-bite.

But at its core, MCM is like a pet that craves constant attention to thrive. Imagine if your dog insisted on being pet, fed, and played with in five different rooms simultaneously—instilling permanent zoomies. That’s basically MCM. Except instead of fur and chew toys, you’re managing emails, social media posts, SMS messages, ads, and more. 

The goal? Keep your audience happy and engaged everywhere they hang out, or they’ll start wandering off, much like a bored cat who finds a new favorite spot (probably your neighbor’s sofa).

Bringing a new pet into your life is exciting but also a commitment. You can’t just give them food and hope for the best—they need love, training, and attention, or you’ll soon find your favorite pair of shoes destroyed, or they go to the bathroom purposefully in front of your Roomba. (Don’t ask; it’s happened, TWICE). 

Like an untrained pet, you can’t just launch a few campaigns and expect results. It takes consistent effort, care, and strategy to nurture your marketing strategy across multiple channels. But if you get it right, the rewards are just as satisfying as a loyal, happy pet.

Here’s how to make it work and why it matters.

Every Marketing Strategy Starts Small (Just Like Your New Pet) 🐾

When you first get a kitten or puppy, maybe even a bird, it's small, curious, and full of energy. You don’t expect them to be fully trained on day one—you start slow and build up their skills. 

It’s all about mastering each channel one step at a time, while making sure your audience knows what to expect. Just like raising a tortoise, if you try to take on too much too quickly, you’ll end up with chaos. After all, you don’t want a full-grown tortoise mistaking your walls for suggestions and bulldozing through them. By focusing on just one or two channels at first, you’ll give yourself the chance to learn what works best and lay a solid foundation before tackling more.

How to Choose the Right Two Channels to Start With:

When deciding where to kick off your multi-channel adventure, remember: not every channel suits every audience. It’s like picking the right toys for your cat—some felines are all about the feather wands and laser pointers, while others are content to nestle into a cozy cardboard box. You have to know what gets your audience purring!

Know Your Audience:

Click to see more

For social-media-savvy audiences, platforms like Instagram and Facebook are great for visual storytelling and engaging with followers.

If your audience prefers direct communication, email marketing is your best friend. It builds stronger relationships and feels more special, like sending a personalized postcard instead of yelling from across the street.

B2B businesses might find LinkedIn and email campaigns effective, while lifestyle brands could thrive on Instagram and SMS.

Consider Your Strengths:

Click to see more

Now, let’s talk about you! If you’re good at writing, email newsletters or blog content might suit you. But if you prefer visual media, social media channels like Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube might be better. Play to your strengths!

 

Test and Learn:

Click to see more

After choosing your channels, focus on quality content that aligns with your brand. Check your audience’s response to tweak your strategy and grow. Gain confidence and clarity, then add more channels gradually.

By focusing on a few channels, you’ll stay organized, learn what your audience likes, and build momentum. Once you see success, you can expand to other channels without creating chaos.

With more touchpoints, you have a better chance to connect with your audience at the right time and stay in their minds.

Nurturing Each Channel (Treats for Everyone!)

Pets thrive on attention and treats, just like your audience thrives on exclusive offers and reminders to keep them engaged. Whether you’re teaching your pup to sit or trying to prevent your parrot from repeating your secret passwords (thanks, little feathered hacker), those tiny moments of care build trust and loyalty.

But let’s be real: if you send the same email to everyone or post the same cookie-cutter content across all your social media platforms, your audience will be as bored as a goldfish staring at its bland tank decor. They’ll start tuning you out—just like a pet left alone for too long, suddenly barking at the neighbors and plotting their escape to find something more exciting (like that squirrel they’ve been eyeing).

So, don’t let your marketing be that boring chew toy at the bottom of the toy box. Spice it up! Give your audience a reason to wag their tails, engage, and keep coming back for more! 🐶💌

To nurture your channels, tailor your messaging for each platform. Give your audience something different on social media than what they get in their inbox. Provide exclusive offers through SMS, or run special competitions on Facebook. Each channel should feel unique, offering “treats” your audience will appreciate.

You can also check out our Getting Started With SMS page.

People engage with different content on different platforms. Tailor your message to each channel for more engagement and better overall results.

Keep Them Engaged (Or Prepare for the Chaos)

A bored pet is a destructive pet. Without activities to keep them occupied, they’ll find their own ways to entertain themselves—usually at your expense!

Use polls, contests, or exclusive content to give them a reason to interact. Provide clear calls to action—whether it’s to leave a review, join a challenge, or share your content. The more engaged they are, the more likely they are to stick around (and recommend you to others).

Just like a pet, if neglected, things will quickly go downhill. Missed opportunities, lower engagement, and lost revenue will pile up. Worse, your audience may unsubscribe or ignore your future efforts, making it harder to win them back.

Consistent engagement creates a loyal audience. It keeps your brand visible, encouraging connection and participation.

Playtime and Rewards = Happy Audience

Have you ever seen a pet’s face when you pull out a new bone or some irresistible catnip? That joy is contagious! Fun and play are just as important for your marketing. Running a business doesn’t mean every message needs to be serious. Inject some humor, create fun challenges, or celebrate milestones with your audience. When your marketing feels more like play than work, your audience will respond with excitement and loyalty.

Fun marketing gets people to share and interact. They like content that makes them happy and are more likely to connect with a brand that feels real and friendly.

The Bottom Line: MCM Is Worth the Effort

When you pamper each channel like it’s a diva demanding gourmet treats, your efforts will pay off faster than a dog running after a squirrel! Your audience will grow, engagement will soar, and your marketing will glide along smoother than a cat on a freshly waxed floor—no chewed-up shoes in sight (thankfully!).