 Mobile marketing is a powerful tool to help businesses unlock opportunities. It allows businesses to engage and communicate with larger audiences in a way that is real-time and personal. If you’re new to the digital marketing world, you may be feeling some pressure from competitors to stay on top of the game. Fortunately, we have just what you need to get started. Below are 6 tips to help you hop on the mobile marketing wagon!
1. Use a simple template that works for all devices. This is the bare minimum. Customers should be able to navigate through your contents and communicate their inquiries with ease. Incorporate the appropriate multi platform sizing so your contents are displayed as intended for the platform on which it’s being viewed. Don’t lose out on potential leads and conversion opportunities due to lack of functionality. 2. Utilize location based strategy such as geo-targeted ads. There are more consumers on-the-go looking for local businesses. You want to capture them while they’re at the ready-to-purchase point. 3. Include information about your location in all mobile marketing. On-the-go mobile users usually search with a local intent. In other words, local and mobile are strong catalysts for each other. Consistency is the key here. Location information such as address, neighborhood, area code, maps, or anything else that communicates your location needs to be consistently displayed across ALL mobile marketing channels. 4. Incorporate focused campaigns. With so many competitors out there, sometimes the customer needs a little push, such as with mobile coupons or limited time offers when a search result pulls up. This helps to motivate purchase when the customer is deciding where or whether to buy. 5. Don’t miss out on calls to actions. Typically, mobile on-the-go consumers are action-oriented. You want to equip them with the necessary tools to follow through with their purchasing decisions on-the-spot. Implement action functions such as click-to-call, online reservations, request for more info, or purchase. Make sure these buttons are easily accessible. 6. Don’t forget to include Millennials and Gen X consumers. With aging boomers, you want to target younger consumers to build long-term brand awareness and customer relationships. More importantly, mobile marketing will reach younger consumers much more often than older consumers. Keep this in mind even if your products and services are intended for older audiences. It’s only a matter of time. This simple list of items will go a long way in enhancing the effectiveness of your mobile marketing strategy. Just remember to regularly monitor your marketing results and change your approach accordingly. If you are ready to create your mobile marketing plan, please leave us a message and let ERC elevate your marketing game!
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 As we enter the fourth quarter, it’s time for convenience stores to think about their 2018 marketing plan. With near 155,000 convenience stores in the U.S., competition is certainly fierce. To make the matter worse, large retailers and grocery stores—Walmart, Starbucks and Hy-Vee to name a few—are also trying to take a bite off the pie by expanding their grab-n-go, hot foods, delivery, and drive-thru services. Their goal? To capitalize on the convenience factor. It is no secret that the strength of C-Stores lies in its convenient location, extended hours of operation, large variety of merchandises, and speedy services. However, as large retailers close the gap on those fronts—exemplified by the launch of the revolutionary Amazon Go—how can C-stores differentiate themselves and retain customer loyalty? Below is a list of actionable items to help C-stores show the value of innovation and all that a C-store has to offer. 1. Go Mobile In this day and age, going mobile is no longer an option. It’s a must. Whether through SMS messaging or mobile apps, C-store competitors are delivering products and services to the customers with a touch of a button. C-stores need to make it easy for their customers to reach them and connect with them. More importantly, they want to be there with an offer while customers are browsing. Mobile marketing communicates the business' messages to its audiences in a way that is real time and personal, so the business can effectively capture customer attention and bring them through the door. 2. Focus on Food-Service A weakness of the C-store is that it is largely restricted by its location’s population density and traffic flow. To combat that, it needs to break through the location barrier and make the store a destination. It should to do so through food. Why? Because the average gross margin on merchandise is only 27%, while the average gross margin on food-service is 43.7%. Yet, food-service sales only encompass 15% of total in-store revenue. Check out this article on the profitability of food service. But don’t start loading up on the Twinkies. The key is to embrace a better balance between health and indulgence to help meet the evolving demand for nutritional products without alienating core consumers.  3. Amplify the Convenience Factor
This includes creative payment functions that maximize convenience. For example, apps such as Pilot Flying J and Speedpass+ allow drivers to choose a fuel lane based on wait time estimates and make payments through an app or other touchless solutions such as MasterCard. C-stores should also explore delivery service options through yelp or their local delivery services to expand its customer reach. 4. Look Smaller to Grow Bigger In other words, localize. Leverage the ability of smaller independent shops to remain flexible and cater to the needs of the local customers, whether it’s later hours or special accommodations, products, and deals. Build the store's community presence through participation in community events or involvement with notable nonprofits in its area. Take advantage of location based social platforms such as Yelp to increase its word of mouth effect. Lastly, use social media to differentiate the store from its competitors by adding an original twist or personality to its profile. People will always be responsive to enthusiasm, sincerity and passion. As C-stores continue to experience competitive pressures from large retailer moving into the convenience space, they must pivot quickly and strategically to establish their points of differentiation. Talk to a marketing specialist today to discover how to leverage your unique pivotal points to continue thriving in convenience retail. |
AuthorQinghua Lao & ERC team Archives
January 2020
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