For years, we have said good marketing is the combination of the right message reaching the right people at the right time to inspire the right actions. There’s another piece of that puzzle that turns good marketing into great marketing – “okay” results into stellar results.
The right number of touches.
What is the right number? Three. Three is the magic number when it comes to marketing touchpoints.
We’ve seen it play out repeatedly over the years, regardless of the marketing vehicle. As long as there is consistency in the branding and messaging, when a prospect or potential customer encounters the third touchpoint, the likelihood of them making a purchase or setting an appointment goes up exponentially.
This happens regardless of industry or price point and is supported by analytical data. That doesn’t mean sending three emails wins people over, of course. You still need the right mix of messages and vehicles, and those vary depending on the challenges you need to overcome (education about a new product, building trust for an unfamiliar brand, etc.). That’s part of the R2R secret sauce – creating the right combination of touchpoints.
In general, we find a mix of email marketing, social media messaging, and digital advertising creates touchpoints that are trackable and have a measurable impact and ROI. Other touchpoints might include press coverage, events, paid media (print and broadcast), social media influencers, bus wraps, endorsements, billboards… you get the idea.
The key is to vary the way you reach your target audience. Simply airing television commercials will create touches, but that alone won’t give you the combination of the right message and the right time. The importance of three touchpoints is found in the variety and overlap. For example, a visitor to a home show sees your booth, later sees a digital ad, and finally encounters a yard sign in their neighborhood.
That’s overly simplified, but you get the idea. Take a look at your marketing strategy and tactics. Are you creating three touchpoints? If not, let’s talk.
