If you are reading this you must be interested in making some changes to your marketing strategy. Perhaps you've already started implementing and experimenting with new ideas. With the rollercoaster of environmental, social, and psychological factors affecting the world as we know it, there are a few things to consider when looking to captivate your audience, stay relevant, and scale your business in the new norm.
The customer journey is now both in-store and most recently more-so online. Connecting both the in-store and online engagements is imperative to maintaining and scaling customer growth. There is a mountain of data online and in-store that is not being captured or leveraged appropriately.
Our recommendation would be to implement tactics that incentivize online users to convert in store for a reward or discount, and then vice versa targeting and driving your in-store customers online for rewards and discounts thus creating a virtuous cycle. With proper tracking you can now measure engagement throughout the journey.
When was the last time you clicked on a display ad??? Consumers are now doing their due diligence before, during and after purchases. So then what is it that influenced their purchasing decisions? Well most individuals are looking to see what their peers think, rather than putting trust in any “push” advertising.
Our recommendation would be to harness the power of micro influencers and organic brand ambassadors. Just think not only is it more cost effective, it is also more engaging for the end user. Word of mouth marketing is still the most power force in marketing. So build a community, not just a targeted user pool you segment, and Google owns.
Technology is a huge part of all of our lives and our dependence on it continues to grow, especially as new and innovative applications emerge. It influences our behaviors, how we perceive interactions, and experience life. So differentiating your brand or retail establishment from another is critical. The old saying “innovate or die” rings more true now, than ever before. Just think, what makes your store different from the one down the street? What magical moment will your customers remember and share with their friends? A culture of innovation is the solution to help grow and more deeply engage your audience both in-store and online. So get those creative juices flowing.
Our recommendation is to start creating engaging experiences both for your online and in-store audience. Look to technology like interactive displays in stores to boost product sales, impulse buys, and engagement. Deploy voice activated shopping experiences with your online audience by leveraging Amazon Alexa or Google Home.
Transforming your customers' experience both in-store and online is not an easy task, and there is no one size fits all solution. Brands need to be ready to accept change and think differently. We find ourselves at a pivotal point in the market with immense disruption but also significant opportunity. Retailers and brands have to embrace technology especially mar-tech and customer experience tech. The brands that make it through these trying times will be the ones who shook up the game, found ways to improve the shopper experience, increase customer loyalty and build community.
Check out what Sampoll is doing.
If you are interested in learning more about unique tactics and seeing a real experience boosting solution in action, contact me at drewp@sampoll.co.
Cheers!
Drew Pasler
Chief Operations Officer, Sampoll