Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Posted by Jenny Liu, Industry Marketing Manager, CPGFor decades, a marketer's control over consumer communication was generally straightforward - they dictated the times, places and delivery channels to passive consumers via offline media vehicles. The internet changed that completely, turning the act of consuming into a self-initiated exercise or a two way communication, rather than a passive process. Today’s consumer actively seeks out the information for herself, and increasingly is able to find everything that she needs quickly, easily and whenever and wherever she needs it. The result is an increasingly complex path to purchase.
Google and Catapult, a digital shopper agency teamed up with In-Store Marketing Institute to sponsor at 24-page white paper titled "Clicking Through the Path to Purchase: Best Practices in Digital Shopper Marketing" authored by Peter Breen of the In-Store Marketing Institute. The comprehensive report paints a vivid picture of the "Zero Moment of Truth" and examines the behaviors and impact of online couponing, search, social media, product reviews and mobile. The paper illustrates clear examples of the innovative techniques that brands in the CPG space are employing today to engage with this audience.
The report came out with a list of things that marketers need to do to take full advantage of the new digital era. We highlight 5 below:
1. Focus on insights - Developing programs that will resonate with today’s shoppers requires a deep understanding of their needs and behaviors.
2. Look beyond the brand - Resonating with shoppers and aligning with retail partners will often require looking at the category or store-wide level.
3. Develop relevant content - The most important thing you can do is think about building your own assets.
4. Target - Many marketers are viewing location-based communication as the Holy Grail. Technology may soon let retailers “market by the aisle.”
5. Measure - Successful marketers will engage their research and analytics departments while designing programs (rather than after the fact) to assure a higher level of confidence in the accuracy of results.
