In an increasingly demanding and competitive business environment, communication can no longer be limited to a single channel. The way organizations relate to customers, employees and suppliers must evolve at the same pace as people’s expectations.
Multichannel communication involves using various communication channels in a coordinated manner to reach different customer segments or audiences, ensuring that the message is delivered consistently through the most appropriate channel for each profile: email, SMS, WhatsApp, or RCS for those who prefer digital channels; mail, letters, or print advertising for those who do not have access to or do not regularly use digital channels.
Multichannel communication, based on the intelligent integration of physical and digital channels, has become a strategic lever to build stronger relationships, improve the recipient’s experience and maximize the impact of each message.
Digital channels -e-mail, SMS, WhatsApp or RCS- provide immediacy, interaction and the possibility of measuring results in real time. However, focusing the strategy exclusively on digital implies ignoring a key reality: physical channels not only continue to have value, but in many cases are essential to ensure reach, trust and inclusion.
By the way, do you know the differences between omnichannel and multichannel communication, and which one is best for your business? And do you know how to integrate personalization and a multichannel approach into direct marketing campaigns?
The persistent value of physical channels
Why postal communication and direct marketing are still essential
Tangibility and differentiated attention
Printed messages offer a tangible experience that stands out in an environment saturated with notifications and emails. Physical contact with the message captures attention better, reinforces brand recall and generates a sense of closeness that is difficult to replicate from digital alone.
The success lies in using print in a strategic and premium way , as a tactical complement within an integrated communication :
- Multisensory interaction: the contact with the paper involves more senses, improving the memorability of the message.
- Permanence: unlike an ephemeral digital impact, a brochure or letter can remain visible for days or weeks.
- Legal and evidentiary value: in certain contexts, postal communication -such as the bureaufax- continues to be a legally unquestionable mechanism.
2. Trust, accessibility and generational equity
The challenge of digital ageism
Although internet use among the senior population in Spain continues to grow, significant gaps remain.
Only 60% of people aged 65 to 74 use the internet in Spain (INE, 2023). Among those over 75, fewer than 1 in 3 go online regularly. An exclusively digital communication strategy excludes this segment and can create access gaps in sectors such as banking, insurance, and utilities, where these individuals are active customers.
Source: INE — Survey on Information and Communication Technology Equipment and Use in Households, 2023.
These data show that a significant part of the population still does not habitually use digital channels, either due to technological barriers, lack of familiarity or personal preferences. Limiting communication to digital can lead to exclusion and loss of impact.
In this context, physical channels, such as postal communication or print advertising, are key to ensuring that the message reaches all audiences in a clear, accessible way and with the same quality of experience.
3. Integration with digital: phygital synergies that multiply results.
Physical channels do not compete with digital channels: they are enhanced by phygital strategies that connect paper with the digital environment in a seamless, action-oriented way.
- A printed letter can function as a phygital entry point , incorporating QR codes that lead to personalized landings, dynamic content or specific digital experiences.
- Postal mail can precede or reinforce an e-mail marketing campaign within a phygital logic , increasing open, response and conversion rates.
Strategies that integrate physical and digital channels from a phygital approach often improve both the reach and impact of communication, generating more coherent, memorable and effective experiences for the recipient.
Benefits of a well-executed multichannel strategy
A strategy that coordinates physical, digital and phygital channels brings clear and measurable benefits:
- Greater personalization and relevance, thanks to the intelligent use of data and segmentation.
- Increased effectiveness of campaigns, by impacting the recipient in the right channel and at the right time.
- Improved customer experience, with multiple, consistent and contextualized touch points.
- Optimization of costs and results through continuous analysis and dynamic adjustment of the channel mix.
The best way to reach them all is to have a multi-channel direct marketing platform that’s right for your business.
| Benefit | Description | Relevance in banking, insurance, and utilities |
|---|---|---|
| Greater personalization and relevance | Segmentation by customer’s digital/analog profile and by stage in the customer lifecycle | Senior customers without an active digital channel receive the same communications as the digital segment, via the channel they use |
| Increasing Campaign Effectiveness | Impact on the channel and the right timing for each segment | Campaigns for policy renewal or contract changes are delivered through the channel most likely to generate a response |
| Better customer experience | Consistent touchpoints across all channels, regardless of the recipient’s preferred channel | Reduces complaints about not receiving important communications (SAC Law) |
| Cost Optimization | Continuous analysis of the channel mix—digital where it’s efficient, physical where it’s necessary | Reduces the cost of unnecessary mail communications without losing reach in traditional segments |
Conclusion: more effective, inclusive and humane communication
Multichannel communication is not a passing trend: it is a strategic response to the diversity of behaviors, preferences and access barriers of different audiences.
By combining the emotional power and accessibility of physical channels, the agility and measurability of digital channels and the phygital connections that bind them together, organizations can strengthen their customer relationships, drive loyalty and build truly memorable communication experiences.
At MailComms Group we accompany organizations throughout this process: from data analysis and segmentation to the composition, production, sending and automation of multichannel and phygital campaigns that integrate e-mail, SMS, WhatsApp, personalized printing and postal communication, always with a rigorous focus on information security and regulatory compliance.
“We firmly believe that the future of business communication lies in that intelligent symbiosis of channels, where physical and digital work together to generate real value.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What is multichannel communication, and how does it differ from omnichannel communication?
Multichannel communication involves using various contact channels in a coordinated manner—email, SMS, WhatsApp, snail mail, print—to reach all customer segments. Omnichannel communication goes one step further: it integrates all these channels into a completely unified experience where the customer can switch channels without losing the thread of the interaction. In practical terms, multichannel is the first level of maturity and is sufficient for most companies; omnichannel requires greater technological integration and is the standard for companies with high volume and high customer experience expectations.
Why is the physical channel (snail mail) still necessary in the digital age?
Because a significant portion of the population does not use the internet on a regular basis. According to the INE (2023), only 60% of people aged 65 to 74 use the internet in Spain, and among those over 75, fewer than one in three go online regularly. In sectors such as banking, insurance, and utilities, these demographics represent a significant portion of the customer base. Limiting communication to digital channels leads to exclusion, potential regulatory noncompliance (Accessibility Act, SAC Act), and a loss of impact among a segment with high purchasing power.
What are phygital strategies, and how are they applied in customer communications?
Phygital strategies seamlessly connect physical media with the digital environment. For example: a printed letter with a QR code that directs the recipient to a personalized landing page, a postal brochure followed by a follow-up email, or a physical certified letter that triggers a simultaneous digital notification. The goal is to combine the emotional impact and lasting nature of the physical channel with the measurability, interactivity, and personalization of the digital channel, thereby maximizing the effectiveness of communication.
What are the benefits of a well-executed multichannel strategy for regulated industries?
In banking, insurance, and utilities, multichannel communication provides: guaranteed greater reach (including the analog segment), a reduction in incidents caused by the failure to receive important communications, compliance with accessibility and customer service obligations (SAC Law, EAA), a better customer experience with consistent messaging across all channels, and optimized cost per communication thanks to a digital/physical mix tailored to each recipient’s profile.
How can a company implement a multichannel strategy without increasing operational complexity?
Through a Customer Communications Management (CCM) platform that centralizes the management of all channels from a single point: message composition, segmentation, delivery via the appropriate channel, traceability, and archiving. Platforms such as Communicalia from MailComms Group allow you to manage email, SMS, WhatsApp, snail mail, and personalized printing from a single interface, with automated channel rules based on the recipient’s profile and regulatory requirements.
