Today’s retailers have realized that they need to really step up their marketing game if they want to acquire and keep new customers. Brick-and-mortar stores are slowly starting to lose their appeal as shopping by internet becomes faster and more cost efficient. For this reason, retail companies need to reclaim their territory by using innovative marketing trends to their advantage and initiate more foot traffic. Here are some noteworthy retail marketing trends predicted for 2017:
Multisensory Experiential Retail Marketing
Multisensory experiential retail marketing might sound complicated, but it has been used for decades by business and retailers alike. Businesses need to integrate fun and interactive marketing tactics into their business models to keep customers engaged and entertained. Finding non-intrusive and user-friendly methods to stimulate a consumer’s senses of sight, sound and taste can create a positive and memorable experience. Going the extra mile by offering refreshments, food samples, classes that pertain to your business, book readings, film viewings, or promoting live events that appeal to your customer base will cement the relevance and longevity of your business. Considering the rate at which retail technology is progressing, there’s no doubt that multisensory experiential marketing will become a retail industry staple in 2017.
Mobile Payment Solutions Everywhere
We all know that cellphones are not just cellphones anymore. Now, they’re instant messaging, research, and alternative payment devices, too. They’re an important part of consumer-driven trends, and their popularity will only increase over time. Mobile devices aren’t likely to drastically impact your business’s bottom line, yet they do have some influence. In-store Wi-Fi, which has already become a huge business trend in the retail industry, allows customers to research prices before purchasing items while they’re in your store. If they find a cheaper price online or at another store, they will expect you to match it or risk losing their business. Some customers also like having the option of using their mobile devices to make purchases either in advance or on the spot. Subsequently, retail stores will be expected to offer same-day shipping both to the store and customers’ homes.
Increased Importance of Social Media
Social media has become a force to be reckoned with since the inception of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and many other online platforms. Many customers use these online methods to post reviews of businesses, seek online customer service, and even interact with other customers. Now, more than ever, it’s important for business to have a strong online presence and find creative ways to maintain it and keep customers interested.
Engaging customers online and creating personalized advertisements that target their interests is possibly one of the most effective forms of online marketing. The great thing is customer response can be tracked. The easiest way to do this is to keep tabs on how many people are liking or following your social media posts and which posts or advertisements render the best results and feedback from customers. Online surveys are also an excellent way to get to know your customer and cater specifically to their individual needs.
Resource Integrated Ltd. is a Richmond Hill-based, boutique-style production firm that specializes in printing, retail fixtures and displays, data-driven communications, as well as logistics and installation. For more information on how we can help businesses improve their retail in-store marketing, please contact us at (905) 771-3773.
