The new catchphrase in this always-on, mobile world is omni-channel. But how is omni-channel truly different than multi-channel? How much do we know about this new omni-channel world, and how important is it?

Find out at our next luncheon, held at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 15 at Maggiano’s Little Italy at the Domain! Bob Fabbio (founder/CEO/chairman of eRelevance Corporation) will discuss why the insatiable hunger for choice by today’s consumers makes omni-channel the new marketing imperative, and how conversation has become a “last-mile” game-changer.

We definitely hope to see you there, but until then, we caught up with Bob for a sneak preview of his upcoming talk:

In a nutshell, what’s the difference between “omni-channel” and “multi-channel?”
A multi-channel approach simply adopts more than one channel (e.g., email, social) to engage customers. It’s an essential start, but omni-channel, when done right, takes the necessary next step. It ensures seamless engagement, with a consistent message and experience, across all preferred channels and devices.

What do you think is really driving this demand for omni-channel strategies?
The driver is consumer demand for choice when engaging with a brand—choice of channel, device, message, offer. 

What unique challenges do you think small- to mid-sized businesses have when it comes to omni-channel marketing?
The significant challenge is that most SMBs don’t have the resources to access marketing automation that executes effective omni-channel campaigns from one place and integrates results across channels and devices (e.g. dashboard aggregator) for ongoing improvement and refinement.

What do you mean when you say that conversation has become a “last-mile” game-changer?
A conversational component is essential to deliver on the promise of effective omni-channel marketing because automated conversational channels provide the ability to understand preferences, then apply the data for more effective campaigns across channels and devices.

What’s one action that we could start doing right away to improve our omni-channel approach?
Determine how to adopt a conversational channel into campaigns.  Conversations build the relationships necessary for effective omni-channel campaigns, and relationships ultimately drive revenue.

Learn more Bob at the Austin AMA’s next luncheon on Sept. 15: “The Omni-Channel World: What Is It and Why Is It Important?” Register here.