[Subscription strategy] Cross-channel for companies with subscription offers: the ultimate strategy for CMOs in 2024

Subscription companies know that capturing customers’ attention isn’t enough.

The key challenge is to create a fluid, coherent and immersive experience across a multitude of channels.

Cross-channel is the secret weapon of visionary CMOs in 2024.

Far from being a simple juxtaposition of contact points, this strategy optimizes every interaction and strengthens customer loyalty.

We take a closer look in this article !

Cross-channel: definition

In a world where every person is exposed to nearly 1,200 advertising messages a day (source: Think With Google), grabbing attention is no longer enough.

Companies need to go beyond simple contact: they need to offer a smooth, fluid and consistent experience, across all available communication channels.

This is where cross-channel strategy comes in.

It aims to harmoniously orchestrate acquisition, conversion and sales channels, to create a frictionless user journey.

Every interaction becomes an opportunity to strengthen engagement and optimize sales performance.

A Harvard Business Review study reveals that 73% of consumers pass through several channels before finalizing a purchase.

For brands, it is therefore vital to unify these contact points to offer a fluid, immersive experience at every stage of the customer journey.

The differences between Multichannel, Cross-Channel and Omnichannel

Understanding the nuances between multi-channel, cross-channel and omnichannel approaches is essential to choosing the right strategy for your business.

The image below illustrates these different approaches:

Multichannel strategy

Multi-channel strategy is the art of multiplying contact points with subscribers on several fronts.

For companies offering subscriptions, this means being visible on a variety of platforms (website, social networks, e-mails, mobile applications, etc.).

However, in this model, each channel acts autonomously, with no direct connection to the others.

For example, a subscriber can manage his or her account via an app, but will need to visit the website to access certain offers or promotions.

This approach can segment subscriber interactions, with channels running the risk of operating in silos, limiting the fluidity of the experience and the coherence of the customer journey.

Each channel can then appear isolated, sometimes creating friction that impacts subscriber satisfaction and engagement.

Cross-channel strategy

Cross-channel transforms this dynamic by fully integrating every point of contact.

Subscription-based companies benefit from a much smoother experience for their subscribers: here, channels interact with each other to facilitate every step of the customer journey.

A subscriber starts their search on their smartphone, sees an advert on Instagram, adds a product to their basket on another device, then finalizes the purchase after receiving a notification on their app.

This strategy makes the experience more consistent and strengthens loyalty, while reducing friction points.

It’s an approach where each channel works hand in hand to maximize subscriber satisfaction and increase conversions.

Omnichannel strategy

For companies with a subscription business model, omnichannel is the apotheosis of the customer experience.

All channels, whether digital or physical, merge to create a unified environment.

In-store, customers can use their smartphones to obtain additional information via a QR Code, or interact with interactive kiosks.

Channels merge into each other, offering a seamless, immersive experience.

Omnichannel doesn’t just connect channels, it merges them to offer a seamless, captivating experience.

Where multichannel divides and cross-channel integrates, omnichannel erases boundaries to create a seamless journey, designed to maximize subscriber engagement and satisfaction at every turn.

The benefits of a cross-channel strategy

1. Improved customer experience

According to PWC’s Customer experience is everything study, 42% of consumers are willing to spend more for a superior customer experience.

Integrating different channels enables companies not only to meet their customers’ growing expectations, but also to maximize their revenues.

By streamlining every interaction, they transform a simple exchange into a moment of satisfaction, thereby consolidating their relationship with the customer.

2. A leap in conversion rates

Companies that adopt a cross-channel strategy often see a significant increase in their conversion rates.

By eliminating friction points and offering a seamless experience across channels, they can more easily turn prospects into customers.

For example, Bamboo‘s cross-channel strategy has led to spectacular growth: the conversion rate has jumped from 15% in 2022 to over 30% in 2023, illustrating the direct impact of such an approach.

3. Optimizing profitability

According to a Google study, customers who interact across multiple channels spend 30% more than those who use a single channel.

By aligning marketing strategies and centralizing efforts across multiple channels, companies optimize costs and deliver a consistent message.

As a result, a cross-channel strategy increases customer lifetime value (LTV) while reducing acquisition costs (CAC), significantly improving overall profitability (LTV/CAC).

Combining the right channels for each stage of the customer journey

The customer journey is a succession of key stages, each one an opportunity for brands to refine their approach and make themselves indispensable.

Let’s take the example of a consumer about to take out a video streaming subscription.

It all starts with awareness. At this stage, the consumer realizes that they want access to specific content, perhaps triggered by an advert for a new hit series or a recommendation from a friend who raves about the films available on a platform.

This is where the streaming brand needs to capture their attention, arousing interest and planting the first seeds of curiosity.

Then comes the consideration phase. The customer becomes more attentive and begins a meticulous exploration of the various options.

He compares the available streaming platforms, consults online reviews, learns about film and series catalogs, and evaluates the advantages on offer (such as the ability to watch in HD or use multiple screens).

At this precise moment, the brand needs to be omnipresent, with clear and engaging information on its website, apps, and via well-targeted advertising on social networks.

Finally, at the decision stage, consumers choose the subscription that best meets their needs: the platform with the exclusive content that interests them, at the right price, and with a quality customer service offering.

It’s at this stage that details like free trials, discounts or easy cancellation options can influence the decision.

A smooth, barrier-free customer experience becomes crucial to converting this interest into a subscription.

In a cross-channel strategy, each phase of the customer journey requires careful orchestration of channels.

Whether it’s via notifications, social network advertising or follow-up emails, the message, medium and timing need to be perfectly matched.

Adapting communication at every stage can transform a simple interaction into a successful conversion and, ultimately, into a lasting relationship with the customer.

Cross-channel challenges for subscription-based businesses

While cross-channel strategy promises impressive results, it is not without its obstacles, particularly for players with subscription-based offerings.

Cross-channel, while promising, demands total commitment from teams and heightened vigilance.

But for companies building their success on subscriber loyalty, overcoming these challenges can strengthen customer relationships and optimize long-term marketing performance.

Best practices for a successful cross-channel strategy

Data centralization: the backbone of personalization

Imagine a symphony in which each instrument plays its own score. The magic happens when everything comes together in perfect harmony.

In the same way, customer data – whether from an online store, a mobile application or a physical store – must be orchestrated in a single tool.

Without this centralization, it’s impossible to compose a coherent, relevant user experience. Each interaction becomes an isolated note.

By pooling this information, you give your teams the full score, enabling them to fine-tune their campaigns and capture customers’ attention at every touchpoint.

Personalization: the art of speaking to each individual

In marketing, personalization is not a luxury; it’s a necessary art. Imagine every customer being offered a tailor-made speech, like a couture suit fitted to their expectations.

Thanks to centralized data, you have the power to orchestrate this magic. Your marketing automation tools then become the brushes that draw the perfect message at every stage of the customer journey.

But personalization goes far beyond adding a first name to an email.

It involves understanding preferences, anticipating needs and offering recommendations that almost seem to read minds.

Marketing automation tools are ideally suited to these particular needs.

Team synchronization: strength in numbers

A harmonious customer journey relies not only on high-performance technologies, but also on team synergy.

Marketing, sales and customer service don’t just have to work together; they have to think as one.

Each of these teams holds a key to unlocking the ideal customer experience.

When they work together seamlessly, they transform every interaction into an opportunity, every request into an appropriate response, and every channel into a link in an unbroken chain.

In this ecosystem, isolation has no place, and coordination becomes the key to success.

Continuous analysis and adjustment: the science of improvement

No customer journey is set in stone, and every interaction carries with it lessons to be learned. Cross-channel strategy requires constant reassessment.

Which campaigns hit the mark? Which channels have captured attention, and where are the friction points?

To fine-tune your efforts, you need to measure, analyze and, above all, act. Conversion rate, customer acquisition cost (CAC), ROI and customer lifetime value (LTV) become the compasses that guide your choices.

As in any art, perfection is never achieved on the first try. It’s built on the precision of adjustments, the finesse of corrections, until everything works in unison.

How do you implement an effective cross-channel strategy?

Here are a few essential solutions to help you orchestrate your cross-channel strategy brilliantly:

The Growth Machine: the brain behind your campaigns, this tool centralizes and optimizes the management of your channels. It allows you to coordinate messages, track results in real time and adjust each lever to achieve operational excellence.

• Lemlist: More than just an emailing tool, Lemlist is a maestro of personalization. It lets you compose ultra-targeted campaigns and send messages that resonate with each of your prospects, across all channels.

• Waalaxy: When engagement becomes a science, Waalaxy comes into its own. This platform helps create seamless sequences of interactions between LinkedIn, email and other channels, ensuring that every touchpoint is used to its full potential.

• We Connect: Connecting the right prospects at the right time is the art of We Connect. Thanks to an intuitive interface and advanced automation, this tool simplifies prospecting while ensuring a smooth cross-channel experience.

• MeetAlfred: A true Swiss army knife of marketing automation, MeetAlfred enables you to orchestrate omnichannel campaigns, while automating interactions on LinkedIn and by email. From initial contact to closing, nothing is left to chance.

• Super Send: Accelerate your campaigns with Super Send, a tool designed to automate the sending of messages across multiple channels simultaneously. Whether for emailing or social campaigns, it lets you engage your targets wherever they are, without losing fluidity.

• Leonar.app: For subtle, elegant orchestration of your cross-channel campaigns, Leonar.app is the ideal partner. With it, every action becomes a piece of a perfectly assembled puzzle, guaranteeing a unique and captivating customer experience.

These tools aren’t just facilitators. They embody the heart of your cross-channel strategy, ensuring perfect coordination between your different points of contact.

Nike: an exemplary cross-channel strategy

Nike deployed a remarkable cross-channel strategy with the launch of its Nike Training Club mobile application and the integration of its various digital and physical channels.

This initiative has harmoniously linked the online and in-store experience.

First, Nike captured the attention of its customers via targeted social network and email campaigns, promoting the app as an indispensable tool for sports enthusiasts.

Next, the app itself offered exclusive features, such as personalized workouts, product recommendations and special offers based on user behavior.

At the same time, Nike integrated physical stores into the experience: app users could reserve products online, then come and try them on or pick them up in store.

They could also use the app to scan items in-store for additional information or access to special promotions.

With this integrated approach, Nike not only enriched the customer experience, but also strengthened engagement and loyalty.

The company has succeeded in connecting all points of contact with its customers, whether via the app, social networks or physical stores, while significantly increasing sales and brand awareness.

Cross-channel: the visionary CMO orchestra at the service of subscription-based companies

Gone are the days when CMOs of subscription-based companies could content themselves with compartmentalized strategies.

Today, cross-channel is more than an option: it’s a necessity. Every interaction, every click, every connection must be perfectly orchestrated to deliver a seamless, coherent experience.

In an environment saturated with contact points and connected devices, the challenge is no longer simply to be visible, but to become indispensable.

For companies based on a subscription model, true success lies in the ability to weave invisible connections between channels, to transform every interaction into an opportunity to strengthen the customer relationship, and to make loyalty a natural part of their strategy.

Cross-channel FAQs

What is cross-channel?

Cross-channel is a marketing strategy that interconnects several communication channels (digital and physical) to deliver a fluid, seamless customer experience.

It differs from multi-channel, where each channel operates independently.

What’s the difference between multichannel, cross-channel and omnichannel?

Multichannel uses several channels separately, cross-channel connects them to streamline the experience, and omnichannel goes a step further by merging channels to create a totally unified experience.

Which companies can benefit from cross-channel?

Companies offering recurring services, such as those based on a subscription model (streaming, SaaS, fitness, etc.), benefit particularly from cross-channel.

By integrating different communication and sales channels, they can offer a smoother customer experience, improve subscriber retention, and maximize conversions at every touchpoint.

How does cross-channel improve customer satisfaction?

Cross-channel enhances customer satisfaction by providing a frictionless experience between different touchpoints.

Whether on a website, a mobile application or in-store, customers find consistency in their interactions with the brand.

This fluidity reinforces the sense of trust and enables the customer to navigate easily between channels, reducing frustration and improving long-term engagement.