What does digital shopper marketing (DSM) mean, and how does it impact sales?
A very important question to be certain, but it might be better if we take one step back and define shopper marketing (without the digital). The definition is actually very fluid depending on who you ask, however the most widely accepted forms of shopper marketing include displays, packaging, marketing, research, sales, and promotion. When you take any of these elements individually, or combine them, it provides an avenue to reach your target audience at the time they are thinking about making a purchase.
Over the last several years the line between the physical world and the digital world has burred significantly, leading to increased focus on digital shopper marketing. Brand marketers can now reach shoppers in innovative ways that can impact their purchasing decisions like never before. Consider the following example; have you ever clipped a coupon but then forgotten to bring it with you? Imagine if you had that coupon in digital form stored on your smartphone inside a digital wallet. Your purchasing decisions could be altered at the exact decision making moment. Where you may have forgotten a paper coupon at home – and therefore decided to buy the generic brand instead – you now have a digital coupon on hand and will purchase the name brand instead. Digital coupons are just one example of the way that digital shopper marketing is utilizing new technologies to influence purchasing decisions for shoppers.
Incentives are a powerful motivator but there are many more facets to DSM that carry weight when it comes to influencing the shopper. Smartphones are ubiquitous in the world today, and marketers are just beginning to see their potential to deliver value propositions in real-time. Social networks are also being accessed by shoppers to get feedback from their social graph about a brand or product. Positive responses in the social space have already proven to be a big motivator in purchasing decisions.
There are far too many topics to cover right here on this rapidly evolving space, however having a DSM professional in your organization is a requirement if you want to remain competitive. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about DSM and how it can elevate your brand to new heights.