Marketing has a lot of fancy buzzwords that go along with it that don’t really provide a whole lot of value.
So much of the business is a numbers game, finding strategies that will consistently bring in a larger volume of eyes or feet to look at a product and potentially buy it. Consumers aren’t starved for choice either, so good marketing helps establish the brand independent of the rest of the market.
There are a variety of ways, traditional and non-traditional, that seek to accomplish this. That said, what you sell and to whom can impact which method is most effective for you.
1. In-Store Displays
The biggest pro to in-store cardboard displays is that they offer a spectacle. In the case of retail, especially in the grocery store, these extra end caps can create space that was not previously available. Inexpensive to both print and ship, these displays carry another important advantage: they are a cost effective method of branding.
Displays often contribute to a larger in-store experience. You want your customers to have a memorable experience within your shop, whether online or offline, because they have so many ways to get what they want.
2. Store Layout
Consumer psychology is really an ongoing pursuit for any business owner, because it focuses on the practice of appealing to people. Grocery stores pioneered this concept, but nearly every retail business can benefit from it.
How you lay out shelves and where you place products makes a difference. Consider the consumer’s eye level. This gives you that direct line into the customer and a higher probability to sell to them. The ideal space has become so competitive that some retailers will actually attempt to sell it for a profit, akin to renting out shelf space.
3. Big Data
How customers interact with brands, both on and offline, is changing at a rapid pace. A potential customer could be at home right now using search engines to locate your store. That same customer may dismiss your store for a variety of reasons, and honing in on what those might be can be very profitable.
Today, we have a variety of analytics generated by all sorts of devices. We can see how much traffic a website receives, and how much of that traffic comes from mobile devices. We can install devices in our stores that offer a glimpse into how customers physically move through a retail space.
This data helps us better understand what makes a store appealing, and how to better serve the customer by selling what they want in a more efficient way.
4. Digital Ads
Digital advertising has struggled with click fraud, but retailers have utilized affiliate marketing to help drive down costs. Excellent network marketing can be a major windfall, but involves promotion of its own. The idea is to get affiliates to do the groundwork of advertising while you pay out and reap the rewards of their work.
The costs have risen steadily over time, but better safeguards are in place that ensure your ads are reaching real people. Previously, so-called “bots” might fraudulently click on an ad of yours and drive up your costs. Today, there are more checks and balances in place to be sure your content is being viewed by a real person.
Final Thoughts
The new way of thinking about marketing involves a lean strategy focused on growth using the most effective means. First, figure out your ideal customer and then focus on messaging.