Mobility is bridging the gap between in-store and online shopping. In fact, 78% of in-store shoppers desire online access via mobile, to read customer product reviews and ratings. The digital and mobile age is transforming the way shoppers interact with retailers. Optimize your retail mobile marketing game by targeting these 3 areas:
Offer Free WiFi
Free public WiFi access is an expectation for many customers. A study by Small Biz Trends found that offering free WiFi in retail environments resulted in 61% of customers staying in-store longer and 50% spending more money. The longer shoppers visit and explore, the more likely they are to purchase from your store. 71% of shoppers indicate that their mobile device is integral to their in-store experience. In-store WiFi enables mobile online research thus satisfying the customer’s desire for comparative shopping information.
WiFi is a powerful way for retailers to connect to the mobile customer. Mobile devices are your modern day sales associates, aiding in your customers search for product, price, inventory and store information. There is an excellent opportunity to capture the customer’s attention and business with mobile, since 42% of retail shoppers conduct online research while in-store. Customer engagement actions via WiFi provide retailers with a tremendous competitive advantage.
Increase your Social Media Presence
Social Media is an excellent avenue for capturing your customer’s attention. 40% of mobile phone owners use social networks via their mobile. In addition, 41% of social networkers follow their favorite brands social media profiles and regularly engage with them. A consumer’s mobile and social behavior affects how they interact with brick-and-mortar retailers. Research by Think with Google found that 74% of online, digital customers who discover a retailers local information via online search results are more likely to venture in-store, to shop.
Social media presents the perfect opportunity to highlight upcoming in-store sales, announce new products and promote store events. Entice mobile users to visit your store using consistent social media updates. Brand enthusiasts will be more than willing to share your social media posts, resulting in more traffic for your retail store. In fact, research by Accenture, found that 60% of customers are interested in posting to social media sites while shopping in-store. There is no better publicity than a positive customer review or a social share!
Boost your In-Store Marketing
With mobile technology, information is at the consumer’s fingertips. As shoppers scour your retail inventory for the perfect product they also desire more product information. In-store marketing will ease customer’s mobile research pain:
1. QR codes
Customize QR codes to connect customers to informational product pages or specs. All customers need to do is scan the code; this saves them the hassle of researching on their own. QR codes are also a great way to promote your social media pages to increase likes and/or follows. In addition, QR codes can be published on your coupons and used to redeem promotions in-store.
2. Social Coupons
On-premise WiFi allows retailers to send personalized social coupons directly to their in-store customer’s mobile device. This can be an automated process. For instance, set up your social coupons to be delivered when your customer returns after 5 visits or send a coupon directly to a customer shopping in a specific department. Simple promotions can make all the difference in enticing a sale.
3. Social Notifications
Receive notifications when mobile shoppers connect to your WiFi, if they are visiting on a special day, like a birthday or anniversary. Deliver personalized marketing material to acknowledge their special occasion and enhance their customer experience.
Mobility is becoming more prevalent in the customer path to purchase. WiFi, social and mobile digital mediums provide retailers with numerous opportunities to create a seamless and enjoyable shopping experience for customers. The shopping journey is situated between the online, mobile experience and the in-store experience. Embrace the power of the mobile connection and engage your customers in new innovative ways!
