»  Shopper Engagement

This infographic from Lemon, a mobile expense tracking app, highlights some interesting insights about what data shoppers are willing to share. Based on an IBM survey of more than 28,000 respondents, the findings indicate that shoppers are quite willing to share certain levels of personal data in exchange for offers that are unique to them. Ultimately what shoppers crave most is a genuinely personalized shopping experience and often times a release of personal information is required to deliver that experience. Find out more about engaging with your shoppers by visiting birdsong gregory, the leading independent shopper marketing agency in the southeast.

Maybe it was my recent trip to the public library seeking out the next literature adventure, but the concept of physical and digital collisions has recently been on my mind. Allow me to explain:

Without any specific book or author in mind, I spent a good 30 minutes scanning aisles upon aisles, rows upon rows, books upon books. In such an analog environment, there was nothing except vertical book bindings to aid my selection. In other words, I was left to figure it out myself.  

Except I wasn't.

As a sign of the times, amidst paperbacks and hardcovers, I stood motionless. Looking down. At my shining iPhone. To illuminate my decision, I used Amazon's algorithm to make recommendations based on past browsing and buying behavior. I used Esquire's list of recommended reads to curate my selection. In order to deselect from the thousands of options lined up in front of me, I used technology to enable my selection.

As a consumer, I am not alone in my use of technology as an aid and influencer of decision. If you really want to see how shopper behavior is evolving, watch people in a new environment where they have to make decisions - in a new store or new category where they have to deselect and then select. In order to create order from the chaos of modern choice, information is required. And increasingly, this information is sourced online.

The collision of physical and digital takes place at the point of choice.

Shopper technology is not the solution, it is the reality. If your shopper engagement strategy does not include or recognize this collision, you may be missing the complete picture. Technology delivers information. If you don't provide that information physically, shoppers will find it digitally and will make decisions based on the information they find.

Being a car guy, I found PSFK's article on how Rolls Royce uses customer experience to differentiate themselves interesting. Naturally, selling 3,600 cars a year allows an increased level of service that millions of shoppers a week doesn't. But, in this age of increased competition, a focus on shopping experience is critical.

Differentiation within product selection and in-store environment is a challenge for retailers across all channels. And yet, I am amazed at how many retailers ignore the first and last touchpoints with customers. These arrival and departure moments are key opportunities to set expectations and end on a positive note experience.

A Rolls Royce owner doesn't buy a Rolls for driving pleasure. It is a symbol of status and stature. As one RR executive explained in the article, "that feeling an owner has when they turn up somewhere...and also when they leave, is a critical differentiator of the brand."

How are you leveraging arrival and departure moments to enhance your shopper engagement? These are bookend opportunities to reinforce a return. And really, is there a better way to influence shopper behavior than providing a positive end to their shopping experience?

The process of finding, selecting and purchasing a product continues to evolve. For the one or two regular readers of this blog (thanks Dad!), this should not be a new idea. What is new are the different technologies that lead this purchase evolution.

Because we live in the age that birthed Facebook and Twitter, it is easy to be skeptical when people talk about the "next big thing". And while VC's spend their days trying to find and fund the next, technology ultimately has its future determined by consumers wielding the power to select which of the many new innovations available will become adopted. 

Pinterest is emerging as one such technology.

On the surface, it is a pretty simple concept - this technology lets consumers create online boards, allowing the curation and sharing of different "pinned" inspirations, passions and products across the interwebs. What makes Pinterest a relevant technology for marketers and shopper marketers specifically is its ability to connect pinned interests to a purchase. According to a recent article, 21% of Pinterest account holders have made a purchase after seeing a product pictured on the site.

That is a pretty staggering fact - 1 in 5 users have purchased a product based on seeing it pinned somewhere by someone. This is the kind of organic word of mouth and authentic influence that is starting to build bottom lines. Forget point of sale, Pinterest is monitizing the point of interest. 

What does all this mean? A couple quick thoughts:

1. All technology is becoming shopper technology. The power is found in its ability to connect, inform and influence -- and like Pinterest, ultimately lead to a purchase (or Pinterest purchase, a pinchase?!)

2. Shopper behavior continues to move upstream. The most pinned items on Pinterest? 70% cite recipes and cooking. The impact of this will be felt downstream at your local grocery store.

3. Be authentic in your engagement. Brands are still figuring out how best to use Pinterest. What Pinterest forces brands to do is find their voice and curate the world based on values, perspective, or a point of view. If you don't have any of these established for your brand, start with your brand essence before you add in technology. 

Whether path of purchase or pin to purchase, your consumer continues to evolve their approach to purchase. How are you evolving your approach to understand and connect? We can help.

 

Chobani, the best selling yogurt in America and a new client of birdsong gregory, served up its delicious Greek yogurt at the Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim last month. The trade show, attended by almost 60,000 industry professionals, provided a showcase for Chobani to unveil its new campaign, "It's crazy to love a yogurt this much" from Leo Burnett New York. Our team developed all the retail-facing sales materials and designed the Champions banners pictured above.

Our engagement with Chobani illustrates a great example of how birdsong gregory applies our specialized shopper marketing expertise to complement a national campaign. Find out more about our services at www.birdsonggregory.com

 

In all the efforts to create stronger, better, bigger Shopper Marketing campaigns, let's not forget the brand building blocks that start at the shelf.

Heaven forbid, if a shopper knows nothing about your product when they arrive at the shelf, what are the cues they will use to determine what kind of product it is? Without any exposure to your brand position, your campaign idea or your marketing executions, what are they left with?

Before you layer on any other shopper engagement tactics, make sure your two P's are building your brand.

The first P is Packaging. 

As retailers continue their efforts to own and control their own space, this is one of the few billboards manufacturers have left in the store. If a shoppers is shopping your category, they will more than likely see your package. So what does your packaging say about your product? How premium is it? What does it do? How is it different than the other packaging staring at them? Why should they spend their money on your product? Are you delivering the information they are looking for?

While we don't believe packaging should or can answer all of these, it can start to inform shoppers about your brand. And since shoppers who read your package at the shelf have the ability to purchase, this is critical.

The second P is Pricing.

Pricing is more than a negotiating tactic with retailers. It is a very visible cue at the shelf as to what your product does and how important your product is. Pricing informs shoppers of how they should view your product in comparison to other products at the shelf. And while packaging can pay off that differentiation, pricing starts it. 

Retailers want to deliver the best price to their shoppers. In fact, most retailers build their brand with shoppers based on price. A fundamental aspect of marketing is what is happening at the point of sale and pricing is a huge part of this. What is your pricing really telling shoppers about your product?

We at bg love being part of improving the shopping experience across a wide variety of retailer outlets. We love leveraging new digital shopper marketing tactics to enhance engagement and connection with shoppers. And yet, at the end of the day, a great shopper marketing campaign cannot overcome what these two P's are telling shoppers at the shelf. While basic, they are critical brand building blocks.

In it's sixth year, the DC Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show asked Bloom to be one their elite sponsors.  Having found this sponsorship as a unique opportunity to speak to their target demo in a market with a sea of competing messages from greater DC grocers, Bloom decided to continue this venture to get in front of their potential and already loyal customers. This year, however, Bloom decided to go bigger and bolder and for this they came to Birdsong Gregory to manage, execute and creatively develop every detail.  Having worked on all the in store decor and messaging for 2011, we were well versed in the Bloom strategy and shopper experience.

Our strategy for showcasing Bloom at the Metro Show was two-fold: bring the inside of the beautiful stores out- showcasing actual store fixtures and wallpaper while sampling some of the unique Bloom offerings (such as Gluten-Free and Private Brand products) and make this event engaging and memorable for DC Metro Cooking patrons.  We did this in two different spaces within the Convention Center, one that was set up as 3-round foodie competition that attendees of the show could compete in to win tickets or gift cards.  The other space was set up to mimic the inside of the Bloom stores (unapparent to patrons who have never shopped Bloom or only driven by) and sample their specialized & local products.  Additionally the sponsorship included TV coverage, print in TIME Magazine, social media plugs, and flyers that included store locations and coupons to drive sales back to the store, just to name a few.  

All in all, about 20,000 people attended the event, redemption of the flyers came in at a record high and Bloom's positive exposure in the DC market was endless.  To top off the successful event, Birdsong Gregory even won a Charlotte Addy Award!  Stay tuned to see if we win Bronze, Silver or GOLD on March 7th.

Take a peek at the 2011 DC Metro Cooking & Entertaining Show

Pew just released analysis of how shoppers shopped during the holidays. While it should come as no surprise to regular blog readers that technology continues to shift shopper behavior, this study in particular illuminates just how shopping experiences are changing.


The highlights:

• 50% of US adults used their phones while they were in the store
• 52% used their phone for one of these three reasons charted above
• 33% used their phone to look up product reviews or compare prices
• 20% decided to make their purchase at an online retailer vs. in-store

The implications are pretty far reaching. The path to purchase continues to be fluid - it is no longer about activities that happen in physical locations (ie research at home) but more about what information is accessed and how it influences the purchase. Shoppers continue to evolve their approaches to purchase, allowing information (reviews, pricing, etc) to influence their purchase decisions like never before.

Have you changed the way you approach retail activation? As shopper engagement continues to migrate into a customized blend of physical and digital, it is essential that marketers also blend their approaches. After all, with studies like these it is becoming impossible to ignore the fact that the phone is the shopper's best friend. It should also be a marketer's best friend.

We are officially in the middle of shopping season. Terms like Black Friday and Cyber Monday are not only part of our vocabulary, but are increasingly how we search for deals. According to a recent MediaPost article, the search term "Cyber Monday" led all google.com search terms, jumping 120% from last year. "Black Friday" rose 60%. 

While it is not news that consumers shop more and spend more during this time of the year than any other, what is news is how we are shopping. This year, more than any other in history, consumers shopped differently.

Consider these statistics from this week:

• PayPal saw a 511% increase in mobile payment volume on Cyber Monday vs. last year.
• 17% used a mobile device to visit a retailer's site.
• 10% used a mobile device to make a purchase.
• 5% of mobile traffic came from the iPad. 

Year to date, online retail purchases are up 16%. All of this points to a healthy start to the holiday buying season and more, illuminates the continued adoption of mobile as a critical shopping tool. 

Shoppers are multi-channel creatures of purchase and smart phones are their multi-functional swiss army tool of choice. Shopper behavior has forced retailers to stretch their offerings across channels in order to enhance shopper engagement. Retailers have started to focus on creating a seamless and similar shopping experience regardless of which channel shoppers are engaged.   

What does all this mean?

• Shopper technology, that is, technology that enhances the shopping experience, has to be a focus for marketers. 
• Digital Shopper Marketing strategies and insights are increasingly critical for retailers and manufacturers.
• Organizational silos that separate online and in-store need to be unified under a renewed focus on shopper experience.
• Mobile executions need to consider context. Reapplying traditional or web programs is cutting your effectiveness short.

The brave new world of the integrated, informed consumers is here. How have you adjusted your engagement with them? 

Quantifying and capitalizing on digital behaviors is a focus of many marketers, as a lot of traditional shopper behavior has migrated online. Based on this, I thought the below infographics from Nielsen on the most valuable digital consumers presented some compelling information.

Based on reaching the tipping point of 50% smart phone penetration, understanding your target market's needs, behaviors and opportunities is going to become even more important.   

The Wall Street Journal recently highlighted what it calls the new frontier of frugality - retailers having to come to terms with consumers who traded down during the recession and aren't coming back. According to the article, 75% of consumers shop with a list compared to 45% just 3 years ago. Private brand grocery sales are up 5%. And 72% of consumers think the economy still has a way to go to reach bottom.

To survive this new reality some brands like Coca-Cola are introducing new, smaller sized packaging at a lower price and Wal Mart is reintroducing layaway which it phased out in 2005. More than ever, this new reality calls for having greater shopper insights to understand the best ways to engage them. Give birdsong gregory a call to see if we can help your brand thrive on the new frontier.

Retail associate are a personification of your brand. They are front line brand builders or brand breakers. They have a direct impact on your store's shopping experience. 

This is a reality that spans retail channels - how associates choose to interact with your customers will form an impression of your brand. Whether shoppers are looking for a product recommendation, need help navigating the store or seeking information, when your associate doesn't take the time or have the answer, you are missing a critical shopper engagement opportunity.

Sadly, we all have examples of bad retail associate experiences. It is an unfortunate retail reality these days. But think about your recent positive associate interactions. What was common about these experiences? I would argue good retail associates are like bartenders. A good bartender engages you and seeks to understand what you want. They are ready to make a product recommendation if you aren't sure what you are having - based on understanding inventory and market trends. They know their tip is directly related to the level of service they provide and as such, they put service before product. They have the background knowledge to make what you need and the empowerment to deviate from a specific menu item to make you happy. There is follow up to make sure you have what you need.   

For all the focus put on marketing, don't forget the most important contact point you have with your shoppers. How are you empowering them to build your brand with customers? Maybe it is time to start viewing your associates more like bartenders. 

Think the shopper behavior of finding ways to save money is going away anytime soon? Not according to a recent Mintel report. 

Shoppers continue to look for discounts. While this is not a total surprise based on the sluggish economy, what is surprising is how this behavior has seemingly shifted away from doing this out of need and into doing this out of enjoyment. According to the report, 64% of US Moms say they are spending more of their time looking for details, sales, etc.

In other words, they are spending more of their personal, pre-purchase and pre-store time seeking these deals. This is no longer just about saving money, but about finding enjoyment in the “hunt” for these deals. It is about the process as well as the outcome.

With the boom of shopper technologies, the challege for marketers is not creating and helping shoppers find deals. Instead, the important consideration is how we are shifting shopper engagement strategies to talk to customers pre-store and at the point of sale to effectively drive brand preference.

There is no doubt that this focus on price and finding deals presents significant shopper marketing challenges. However, given this reality, how you adjust and directly impact your shopper's choice to put your brand in their cart?  Perhaps birdsong gregory can help?

While f-commerce continues to lead the digital shopper marketing push for retailers and manufacturers, it is quickly becoming obvious there are critical differences between f-comm successes and duds. From a recent NY Times article, Doron Simovitch of SortPrice offers 7 f-comm tips:

• Engage users creatively (and consistently) with likeable wall posts to support your f-commerce offering
• Provide exclusivity with promotions, discounts and sales that are exclusive to your Facebook fans
• Attract new fans with added incentives with one-time promo codes, coupons or discounted shipping for those Liking your page
• Solicit input by asking your fans directly how you can improve the f-commerce experience
• Make Facebook a PR tool with wall posts that provide news beyond retail – such as charitable and community service initiatives
• Incorporate Facebook into Customer Service by enabling customer product reviews, a forum to share shopping experiences, and proactively, publicly and transparently addressing customer concerns
• Keep an eye out for new features and tools with new f-commerce tools such as flash sales, group-buy offers, and contests – designed to may the f-commerce experience more fun and social

While there is benefit for brands to have a f-comm presence, it is important to ensure your strategy reflects the unique opportunity the Facebook shopping experience provides. It is not just another commerce outlet - it is an opportunity to engage your audience, allow them to interact with your products through unique offers and provide compelling incentives to purchase and share.

One of the more interesting bits of information coming out of the recent announcement of Apple's retail leader Ron Johnson going to JC Penney are insight into Apple's retail "secrets." While it is too simplistic to assume a short list of secrets are all you need to unlock your retail potential, there is much to learn from Apple's approach to retail.  

As retailers and manufacturers know best, your front line is where the interaction with the shopper happens. It is where impressions are made, brands are built and products are sold. And yet, even with all the complex training and engagement strategies this is one of the biggest industry weaknesses. Given this, Apple took a KISS (keep it simple, stupid) approach to employee engagement - bringing their philosophy to life through an acronym.

A: Approach customers with a personalized warm welcome.
P: Probe politely to understand all the customer's needs.
P: Present a solution for the customer to take home today.
L: Listen for and resolve any issues or concerns.
E: End with a fond farewell and an invitation to return."

What a great reminder that retail marketing requires as much simplicity as it does strategy.

This video explains Facebook commerce (f-comm) in a pretty simple way. As shopper marketing expands beyond the walls of traditional retail to include digital shopper marketing, the fundamentals of understanding shopper behavior to create a positive shopper experience is still critical to retail success.

While brands and retailers are still trying to figure out how to use Facebook, this video proves there is a lot of opportunity for creating meaningful shopper engagement through social media.  



Looking for a partner to help you determine if you should enter f-comm or help you differentiate your f-comm from your m-comm? Reach out to bg - we believe not all comms should be treated equally. In this digital age, we are an equal comm opportunity shop that loves helping clients navigate the new world of retail activation.  

No, this isn't about how to sell more Chivas Regal to a business traveler in an airport duty free shop. It's about acknowledging that the basic principles of shopper marketing – relevance, convenience, understanding what consumers really want – also apply to many B2B environments.

Take conferences for example. If you think of the attendee as the shopper and the conference organizer as the retailer, how can a host organization make the experience better for their guests?

How about taking that 300 page conference program (with its two keynote speeches, seminar schedule, speaker bios, restaurant guide, etc., etc.) and turning it into an app I can download to my tablet? Think about it: no heavy tome to lug back home, instant engagement through live updates and twitter feeds, and a huge savings in printing costs for the folks putting on the event. 

The NYT had an insightful article about this exciting trend recently. Check it out.

Retail Marketing continues to evolve. Retailers have become manufacturers, creating brands and products to sell in their stores. Manufactures as retailers, looking to create more direct interactions with shoppers. Based on this, here are two interesting examples of manufacturers blurring the lines beyond their traditional roles.

Pepsi's Social Vending Machine:
This new execution from Pepsi mixes the lines of retailing, manufacturing and social media. As the video shows, you can purchase or gift a drink as well as explore ways to get involved with their Refresh project. Will it result in more sales? Increased brand engagement? Stronger brand preference? Maybe, but more importantly, the ability for shoppers to interact with products and as a result, for Pepsi to gain shopper insights from those interactions can be priceless.  



P&G's Art of Shaving Store:
While not a new execution, I had my first visit recently and came away impressed. From the merchandising to the store employee training, it is obvious P&G has invested a lot into making this store work. And while it may or may not be successful, the learnings, interactions and sampling the Art of Shaving provides could be a differentiating factor as P&G looks to evolve the men's grooming business.


There are many examples I could pull from, as evolving roles continues to be a trend changing marketing. While the implications are many, the central focus for retailers and manufactures is the same - relevance. In today's shifting landscape, having an opportunity to engage consumers and gain shopper insights is critical to keeping your store and brand relevant.

In-store marketing has always been about understanding and engaging shoppers on their path to purchase. And yet technology continues to act as the change agent, bringing new levels of innovation to retail. It has forever evolved the traditional path to purchase. Given the changed retail reality we all face, I found this to be a fantastic article that challenges much of the commonly accepted philosophies on why shoppers make the decisions they do.

The article boldly states there is no longer a traditional path to purchase. Meaning there is no longer a linear purchase process - there are added dimensions and layers to how consumers get, interact with, and give information. And these interaction points can influence or change a shopper's approach to purchase. It is no longer about tracing a shopper along a path leading to a store for a purchase. As Mark Prichard, CMO of P&G says, you have to "follow the consumer. And the consumer is becoming more and more engaged in the digital world.” 

Shoppers are becoming increasingly channel- and commerce-agnostic. Said another way, they care more about the what than how they get their what. Given this, how are you evolving your approach to them? Here are three initial ideas and I would love to hear your thoughts as well.

1. Question your assumptions. Really seek to understand how these new retail realities are shifting your shopper's behavior. Not knowing or not being sure are no longer acceptable. 

2. Follow your shopper. Find, gather, and utilize shopper insights in new and different ways. Shoppers are not taking a traditional approach to the store. Your insights shouldn't either.    

3. Integrate your strategies. Social, mobile and shopper marketing should no longer be treated as divergent strategies. Shoppers use them seamlessly and marketers must start viewing them as different avenues by which you can communicate to the same target.

Ultimately, with an ability to purchase anywhere at anytime, a shopper's path no longer is a journey to a brick & mortar store. Each shopper can take many different paths at different places at different times. As shopper marketers, it is time to embrace the many paths to purchase.

I love this example of pushing the traditional definitions and executions of in-store marketing from Adidas. AdiVerse is a fully dimensionalized and interactive point of sale experience that creates an engaging and informational experience, all available at a shopper's fingertips. I especially love the way they integrated shopper insights into their approach, bringing external information (like how many goals their soccer shoe scored in the World Cup) into the information provided to shoppers.