Contributed post.

Today’s consumers are spoiled by choice. For consumer packaged goods (CPG) marketers, it’s no longer sufficient to create a product that simply “does the job.” You need to really understand the desire and motivations of your customers.

You need a brand able to stand out among the ever-increasing levels of competition. And once you have customers in your store, you need to get your message across. You need to mold the customer experience and know exactly what gets their attention and interest. This is shopper marketing.

Shopper marketing is the process of creating an integrated and strategic approach to a customer’s journey to increase customer awareness, enhance engagement, and generate sales. It’s a strategic approach to compel the customer to purchase from you and positively impact their shopping behaviors and habits.

While physical stores are still a main focus when it comes to shopper marketing, the rapid growth of e-commerce shopping and the constant access to digital shopping has caused marketers to adapt their strategies to work online too. As opposed to traditional marketing campaigns that advertise a flash sale or discount to push sales, shopper marketing strategies focus more on a long-haul carefully curated approach.

Why is it so important to understand shopper marketing?

As the demand for CPG is reasonably steady and doesn’t fluctuate much with changes in the economy, companies need to consistently compete for consumers’ attention. Building this solid customer base relies on brand recognition and consumer loyalty. This is why shopper marketing strategies are so important.

What can CPG businesses use to create shopper marketing strategies?

Here are five tactics that support an effective shopper marketing strategy.

Design in-store displays

An in-store display is a great way to make your CPG product stand out. Have your product displayed at the end of an aisle so your customers don’t need to navigate the rest of the lane. It’s the first thing they see and you’re not fighting for attention with competing products. Accompany it with attention-grabbing signage and a stand to further cement your product in shoppers’ minds.

You can use an online printer to print out your marketing materials for this, including flyers that customers can take to learn more about the product. This could include exclusive discount coupons or codes they can utilize and information on how to sign up to a newsletter.

You could also get business cards printed, posters and leaflets. With online printing being more affordable than ever, it makes creating printed marketing materials an effortless process. You can get high quality deliverables without any hassle.

For an in-store display, design your printed materials to catch the customer’s eye right away with bright colors, clever messaging, and a memorable logo. A roll-up banner can also be a good addition to help really make the display stand out.

You could also offer customers the chance to “try before they buy” with free samples. This can encourage them to make a purchasing decision on the spot. Through physical interaction with your product by taste, smell, and feel, they will be more emotionally invested and have a stronger affiliation than with any other product on the shelves. Trying in advance also eliminates any “risk” factors they might (consciously or subconsciously) be wary of such as disliking the taste or texture or just not being impressed with the product.

Build a loyalty program

People love being rewarded. It’s a great way to boost engagement, increase brand loyalty, and encourage people to shop with you in the future. Introducing loyalty programs with discounts, freebies, and other incentives is a popular and effective CPG shopper marketing strategy. You could offer customers an on-the-spot discount to encourage that immediate first purchase.

Focus on social media marketing and location-focused ads

It’s rare to find a shopper who doesn’t scroll through their phone at one point or another. Whether flicking through social media for fun or recommendations, it provides the ideal opportunity for you to capture their attention.

Run location-targeted ads that pop up on people’s phones when they are near your shop. This way you’re getting yourself seen by someone who’s either ready to buy, or near enough to browse, and you can then capture their business through clever displays and your loyalty program as described above.

Create a simple shopping experience

In marketing, simplicity is key. People want a simple, friction-free shopping experience that gets them the item in as few steps as possible. Applicable both to online and in-person shopping experiences, it’s important to keep this in mind when considering your buyer journey.

In-store aspects such as cleanliness, ease of navigation, and busyness can all impact their journey. Online, it’s how many clicks it takes to complete the journey, page speed, and the aesthetics of the site or social media channel.

Throw a pop-up event

Pop-up events are another form of shopper marketing strategy that can introduce your CGP brand to new audiences, as well as form stronger connections with existing customers. These immersive experiences are designed to make your brand and product memorable.

One of the oldest marketing adages is the “rule of seven” where it’s hypothesized that consumers need to see or hear a marketing message at least seven times before taking action. Throwing an event offers a chance for consumers to become immersed in your brand or product without being distracted by others. This sole focus can shorten the user journey and lead them to purchase your products sooner than they might’ve otherwise.

These are just a few ways you can create shopper marketing strategies for a CPG brand that can build success for your product. Keeping the customer in mind at every step of the process is vital for not only generating sales, but also brand awareness and creating a customer base that’s loyal for years to come.

Solicit customer feedback to generate insights about what they will be looking for both before they set out to go shopping and once they get the product back home. What are some top tips for how you can create shopper marketing strategies for a CPG brand? Let us know in the comments below; we’d love to hear from you.

The post How To Create Shopper Marketing Strategies For A CPG Brand appeared first on B2B Marketing Blog | Webbiquity.