However, there is a gap between knowing what the consumer wants and delivering it. Yes, consumers want a unique brand experience, but what does that look like, and how can outsourcing these kinds of activities to an agency benefit your brand? Here’s 3 ways agencies can help brands sell more with better consumer engagement:
Nothing says normality like shopping. We all know this. However, whilst there will always be people for whom in-store shopping is what it’s all about, increasing numbers of consumers are shopping online. Yet, shopping online removes consumer engagement entirely, so how do brands bridge the gap? Digital consumer experience that engages them with your brand’s products is the answer. You bring the store to them.
This is exactly what we’re doing with our partner, Go InStore. We’re allowing consumers to have a live, one to one video chat with colleagues in store, where they can get personalised demos, ask a store colleagues questions about products, and offer alternatives where appropriate. This is true innovation, and it’s a great example of the kind of forward thinking that sales agencies can bring to the table when it comes to finding new ways to engage consumers. For those who are wary of stepping into store in this climate, replicating the experience as much as possible by engaging with them online is a brilliant way to bridge the gap and keep consumers engaged with your brand, particularly if it is a brand that requires shoppers to see items before they buy, such as in Health and Beauty or Consumer Electronics.
For those who do crave the in-store experience, ensuring your store colleagues are experts in your brand’s products and are trained to active sell will result in sales uplift and increased consumer engagement. In many sectors where purchases are considered, helping the consumer to feel confident about and comfortable with their purchase is the absolute height of engagement, and active selling provides this in spades.
Much like using Go InStore, active sellers are always on hand to answer any questions, advise shoppers on the correct purchase, and elevate the shopping experience by engaging with the consumer on a personal level. We have already seen great success with our current clients using active selling, but it has a extremely useful application in considered purchase categories, such as in Fashion or Technology.
If you think of experiential marketing as a bit of theatre, you’ll soon realise why it can be a great tool for consumer engagement. When it comes to on trade, allowing consumers to see try and learn about products whilst in the thrall of a fully branded event.
Agencies that specialise in experiential marketing activity, such as our sister brand Wave, have had great success in weaving a compelling narrative that makes consumers understand not just the feel and personality of your brand, but can also bring it to life in a any environment. Staffed by passionate and knowledgeable brand ambassadors, these kinds of experiences are often one of a kind and offer a personalised shopping experience that helps consumers really see how products can fit into their lives. In many ways it is the pinnacle of consumer engagement, and this kind of activity would be a complete win for your brand.
Is your brand involved in any consumer engagement activities? If not, we can help. With decades of experience we know what it takes to engaged people and make your brand come to life, leading to sales uplifts.
For more information, you can book time with our Strategy and Marketing Director, Gordon Neil to chat about your needs during a no strings, one on one consultation.
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