While consumption via digital channels is increasing, it is becoming more and more necessary for brands to be represented as effectively as possible across all of their consumer touchpoint channels.
After all, hybrid shoppers act according to their individual life situations, sometimes as online shoppers and then again as offline shoppers who seek direct contact.
For this reason, it is now even more important that ever to ensure that both the physical retail environments work together with online channels so that both serve potential customers in a complementary manner.
It is the best way to maximise customer potential, because the shopper who only ever buys online or offline will never exist even in the future.
So it is no big surprise that in an increasingly e-commerce based world, we can also observe an increase in offline activities. Brands are paying more attention towards meeting customer needs and desires for a 360 shopping experience.
This presents an important focus on shopper marketing agencies who are able to identify and create opportunities at the point of sale, as well as the competition for shelf space.
As shopper marketing agencies operating throughout Europe, we know that the promotional staff member acting on behalf of the brand plays a central role in the direct approach at the POS. It requires intensive and targeted training to enable staff to convey the brand’s message in busy retail environments and implement on site what has been thought out and planned down to the last detail.
In order to make this work, the brand ambassador must be supported by a back-office team that has the necessary know-how. These back-office teams use information and data collected at the POS in order to optimise the ongoing processes and results. It is important that campaigns are designed to generate a sustainable buying interest at the point of sale.
It is also recommended that both before and after the first phase of a direct customer activation, an analysis of the competitive situation, a review of the own positioning, the range and the sales of the advertised products is carried out by the brand ambassador in order to generate even higher efficiency.
Let’s face it, we are all in a state of a radical transition. Consumers today can obtain comparative offers via a very quick internet search in a very short amount of time. Significantly more sources of information are available to support the purchase decisions of these consumers.
Agencies should therefore proactively support their clients by presenting them with opportunities that gets their brand directly in front of potential consumers in order to build brand loyalty and to stand out from the crowd.
After all, consumers who feel emotionally tied to a brand could develop into a repeat purchaser.
Exciting times!
Our clients can be confident that the agencies of the International Shopper Marketing Group have a special focus on developing suitable tailored concepts to connect brands with consumers at the POS.