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

There are so many questions around omni-channel, in fact, that making sense of it has been identified by the American Marketing Association as one of its 7 Big Problems in Marketing.

This week, eRelevance CEO Bob Fabbio will discuss his perspective on omni-channel marketing at the Austin American Marketing Association (AMA) luncheon.  We think the topic is so important to the successful long-term growth of small- to medium-sized businesses that we’re featuring an in-depth exploration of omni-channel as the new business imperative here.

In an extended series of blog posts, we’ll address:

• The differences between multi-channel and omni-channel marketing

• Why today’s insatiable consumer hunger for choice makes omni-channel key to the long-term growth of businesses and brands

• How a conversational marketing channel is essential to deliver on the promise of effective omni-channel marketing

•  The challenges facing small- to medium-sized businesses in adopting omni-channel, and what it would take to make it more accessible

We’ve seen firsthand the positive effects of expertly executed integrated digital marketing on small- to medium-sized businesses who use our marketing automation service, and we’ll share some of their successes.

So stay tuned for this ongoing, in-depth look at the next frontier in marketing, and share your thoughts, perspective and related business experiences along the way.