Re-Marketing & Tech Hacks To Help Bridge The Gap Between Online And Offline Shopping Experience – 3 Simple communication strategies for retailers
Imagine writing a shopping list, going to the grocery store, having your list available to you on your shopping cart and then having the cart ping you as you walk down the aisle, or even having your phone remind you to pick up new toothpaste as you walk past the aisle only thinking about what you need for dinner?
It’s 2017 and that technology has been available for years.
Our shopping habits have changed and we’re in an exciting time in the evolution of retail around the globe. Retailers are pushing the boundaries of communication to deliver more holistic and integrated experience for customers.
In this blog, I’m going to talk about 3 very simple ways with relatively cheap technology that can help to close the gap from online to offline experience and keep you heightened with their brand experience. Delivering loyalty, social engagement (on and offline), and overall increased engagement with your brand.
Oi over here!
Facebook, App’s & Email can all be used to contact a particular person in a local area or proximity. Now I know you’re probably thinking how on earth can email be used on local area? Have you heard on Custom Facebook audiences? If you have a list of people who have purchased in a local store, or have signed up via an online channel. Lock FB ads down to a store location and wait for that person to return to your local area where you can remind of the in-store experience when they are close to one of your stores. McDonalds did an exception job of this with their “create your taste” campaign. In fact when Facebook custom audiences were coupled together with direct email marketing, they saw a 22% increase in conversions.
For retailers with apps go 1 step beyond. If a customer has displayed behaviour on a particular item, take advantage of the opportunity to present them with a compelling offer to continue their conversion journey with a personal in-store experience.
Did you forget something?
Abandoned Cart has been around for some time now. It still surprises me that this is still a project to do in time in some retailers eyes. It’s quick to implement and one of the most effective marketing tools to use for highly qualified quick sales.
There is a preserved breakdown in the effective use of abandoned cart communications what about when someone is in store but say they’ll think about it… Back in the day there was little opportunity to get that sale back other than hope… And we know that’s not a strategy. Provided we have that customers email address to hold it against, retailers can now re-target that lost in store sale and produce a highly targeted offer to the individual across multiple channels. Including search. Instore lost sales are now a thing of the past.
Try it on, for real!
If you only play online, it’s a challenge to put a product on a customer or in their hand. In fact, it’s impossible to physically do it. But with the use of the readily available camera in our hands retailers can dive into offering prospective buyers an augmented experience, allowing shoppers to see the product on themselves. Solutions like fits.me are an easy solution and can make a virtual model of yourself with your exact measurements allowing shoppers to virtually experience “trying” on clothes.
L’Oreal took on augmented reality in a big way. They wanted to offer a premium consultant experience without having to put a trained expensive consultant at every stand in every store around the world. Their solution was “Make-up Genius” an app that allows users to take moving images of themselves in real time and try on make-up styles (with their moving face!) and then quickly connecting you to an online or in store experience to buy the products for the look. L’Oreal hit over 1,000,000 downloads of the Make-Up genius app and has created a real buzz on social media with users sharing their looks with friends. I must say it’s pretty fun!!
It’s nice to see retailers thinking beyond channel & purchase. Driver your customers an experience they’ll thank you for.
Now it’s your turn. Take some time with your team, top customers, coupled with some data and have a brainstorm about where you offline online experience breaks down (hot tip: Building an app does not solved this challenge) you need to think with innovation and the customer experience in mind guiding you to your solution. It can be something as simple as allowing a customer to email themselves a product for their own reminder so they can pick up where they finished off.