Reach your target markets right!

Nearly nine billion people now inhabit the planet. And each day, many of them move from rural areas to cities in search of greener pastures and a better way of life. They have different lifestyles, needs and wants, which dictate the supply and demand in various businesses.

To cope with the ever-increasing number of new residents, many cities across the world have begun transitioning to create the so-called “smart cities” where people live in verticals or high-rise condominium buildings with commonly used space and facilities.

These cities are non-traditional in so many ways. They are embedded with smart technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI) and so on. Needless to say, the people who live there are also into all things digital, and somehow, the rest of us are also trying to keep up with the times.

High-tech metropolises are already being built from the ground up in many cities in Asia like Singapore, Seoul, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tokyo, etc., and some parts of the Middle East like the UAE’s Dubai and capital Abu Dhabi.

So, how can companies reach out to this ging segment of the changing urban areas to create business opportunities for their products or services? Go digital.

This means using the Omnichannel-smart messaging option. Omni, as it’s more popularly known, simply means delivering seamless, continuing conversations across all messaging platforms. For instance, a prospect receives an SMS message about an offer and responds. He/she then sends a new enquiry via Facebook or WhatsApp, to which your company can respond, continuing the conversation process.

Another example would be engaging your customers with a state-of-the-art digital signage with real-time information and the right content for advertisement, entertainment and brand building.

Do keep in mind, though, that consumers do check your website and social media channels, thus, consistency and accurate information about your company should be there for all to see. And remember to reply where they put the enquiries. Say, if it was done on SMS, reply there. If on a social media platform, do reply there.

In the UAE, tapping Omnichannel-smart messaging is easy with Etisalat UAE’s bespoke solutions. e& (formerly called as Etisalat Group) which operates across 16 other nations in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, offers different Omnichannel options for companies.

These include SMS (targeted or bulk); email; in-app notification; chatbots; social media management; RCS (Rich Communication Services), or; location-based communication.

Omnichannel-smart messaging’s application also varies—One-time, recurring and scheduled campaigns; API-based email and SMS trigger; geofence near real-time targeting; marketing activities based on demographics and behavioural actions; analytics reports by channel and campaigns; analytics on targeted customer behaviour.

Etisalat UAE’s portals and APIs empower you to use SMS for mobile advertising and interactive two-way campaigns and business transaction and email alerts. Its next generation mobile messaging solution integrates with your ERP solutions, ensuring the seamless transmission of your messages.

Etisalat UAE is at the forefront of technological innovations, including adapting the 5G network. This exciting transition will allow government entities and private companies in different industries to seamlessly utilise Smart Messaging systems through fast, secure and easy messaging solutions.

We have entered the 4th Industrial Revolution where all technological things are changing for the better, where digitalisation is becoming a must in every company and every industry, where the lines between reality and what we do online are blurring.

Omnichannel involves marketing, selling and serving customers on all channels to create an integrated customer experience in whatever platform you’ve used to reach them out.

Analysts believe Omnichannel is the more effective approach in today’s more tech-savvy and dynamic markets because it offers access to your products or services on different devices or platforms which they can easily access. This is actually critical to survive in today’s digital world.

And do keep this in mind. Each time you engage a customer on a certain channel—whether it’s a private message, a phone call, an email, an organic post, or an ad—end it with a call to action (CTA) with a positive note.

By having a unified and cohesive message across different platforms, companies also deliver a more effective brand message, creating more opportunities and possibilities for better business. And that matters a lot!