Shopper Marketing Executives: 3 Ways to Gain Attention in an Increasingly Distracted World

As shopper marketing executives, you know the importance of getting the shopper’s attention and how new technology is making this more difficult. As a graduate student at Northwestern University in Medill’s Integrated Marketing Communications program who has learned from experts at Arc Worldwide, I have found articles which address the issue of how shopper marketers need to implement strategies that get noticed.

In, “5 Trends That Are Radically Reshaping Shopper Marketing,” T.L. Stanley writes about how most shoppers prefer to buy from physical stores, rather than buying online. Shoppers want to touch and feel before they purchase. Additionally, virtual reality, beacons, and other new technologies are joining the shopper marketing realm in order to enhance the shoppers’ experience. Stanley emphasizes a personal approach to shopper marketing, and that it isn’t just about the standard display anymore. If it doesn’t capture the shopper’s attention, it isn’t relevant.

            

                Source: Gartner

           

            Jonathan Dodd shares tips for shopper marketers in “10 Ways Shopper Marketing Can Help Improve Sales in a Tough Economy,” on how to improve their sales in today’s evolving market. He stresses that “consumers use, shoppers buy,” and that shopper marketing focuses on the active behaviors in the purchase decision journey. In addition, Dodd recommends keeping the message simple, otherwise shoppers will default to price. Also, he recommends shopper marketers should constantly evaluate and remain flexible when it comes to their campaigns.

           

Based on my review of these two articles, and my relevant studies in the Medill IMC program at Northwestern, I have developed 3 action-items you should regard for the future, they are:

• ·      No Attention, No Sale—If it doesn’t grab and keep the shopper’s attention, it won’t work.
• ·      High-Touch = High-Engagement—It’s important to engage the community by being interactive.
• ·      It’s Their Journey—It is important to remember that it’s about the shopper’s purchase journey, their active behaviors, and to look beyond the traditional “push” campaigns.

 Next time you’re creating a new shopper marketing campaign, remember these 3 action-items, and you’ll have more and greater successes.

 

Mary C. Fox

I am a Northwestern University graduate student studying Integrated Marketing Communications, graduating in August 2017, and I am interested in specializing in Brand Strategy and Strategic Communications. You can follow me on Twitter at @MCatFox or on LinkedIn.