With the hunt for the highest ROI in marketing spend and broadest reach to consumers, marketers have been embracing new technologies as the solution to influence their target markets – but is it working? According to recent research¹, the Australian consumer isn’t necessarily embracing these technologies with the same fervour. As an example, Social Media is only perceived as an effective channel by just 17% of those polled, whilst a whopping 62% still believe in Catalogues and Flyers. What does this mean to the burgeoning brand embarking on their hunt for marketing ROI?
Firstly, the chosen strategy is dependent on what point of the path to purchase the consumer is on – are they a prospective new customer, or are they an existing customer? One way to determine what works best is to perhaps ask the target audience what they perceive as valuable and effective marketing. Again, research¹ has shown examples that “new customers” perceive website advertising as being most efficient as they conduct research prior to their purchase. Whilst “existing customers” see regular email updates as a more beneficial way of sharing updates and information. The key here is not necessarily to back the latest marketing buzzword or fad, but to ask those that count – your customer.
Secondly, ensure the message is consistent right up to point of purchase. Considerable investment can be lost on fancy on line marketing or award winning above the line campaigns by poor execution at store level. Remembering the ‘last three feet’ of the sale is still relevant today as it was before online or mobile marketing. Consumers can still be persuaded to change direction at the shelf if the information provided is sufficient. Use of technology could be utilised with the placement of QR codes on point of sale directing consumers to more product information. Face-to-face engagement is still valuable and we are seeing an increase in the success of ‘high advice selling’ and use of brand ambassadors or sampling to continue the conversation directly between brands and the consumer. Even a simple merchandising campaign can still help to ensure your product is well placed, correctly priced and fully stocked on shelf.
So whilst new ways of communicating with the consumer can be a quick and relatively inexpensive method to get your message out to the masses, consideration must still be given to more traditional methods of marketing to your customer to ensure that the message is carry out right up until purchase.
By Brad Rossiter, GM Field Marketing, Retail Safari.
Read more at ¹‘Creating Connections That Matter: How Australians Want To Hear From Brands’ by Australia Post and ADMA and 9 industries, 2 surveys, 1 article: marketer and consumer views on ad channels, by industry
