This time of year, a certain kitchenwares store sends me a catalog in the mail. This is interesting only because it sends me two catalogs a year, even though it produces more than that. I am sent a catalog right before the holiday season and right before my birthday. I don't think the store knows my birthday (but it might), but I do think it has gathered enough data about my husband's shopping habits to know that those are the two times of year that we are most likely to be a receptive audience, and it knows that it is worth the money and time to send out the printed catalog.
Also, I am sent daily emails from this company. Mostly I delete them after a quick 2 second glance. However, if I ever click through to the website, it tracks how long I look at items. Then, the next day's email is geared towards the item, or category of items, I spent the most time looking at. Also, I receive emails when there is a special event at the store location closest to where I live. A third type of email I receive is a reminder of consumables I have purchased before. Awhile after purchasing these items, I receive a message of "Remember this? Have you run out yet? Do you want more?" This company is gearing its marketing towards when I shop (actually, mostly when my husband shops for me!) and what I usually shop for.
One other kitchenwares store I shop at pursues a different route. It seems to blanket its market with a generic weekly mailer and ubiquitous discount coupons. It doesn't tempt me personally to go to its big box store, but instead hopes to catch my eye with something on sale, but it doesn't know what in particular got me there. I go there, coupon in hand, when a friend is registered there or I need a certain item right away. I don't receive emails from this company, and it doesn't respond to my purchases by recommending similar products or coordinating items. But this store keeps its name in the forefront by constant generic reminders of "Hey, I am here!"
There is a big difference between the unspoken messages these two marketing strategies are sending me.
One company knows how to capitalize on the data I've given it through my purchase and web browsing histories. It is saying, "We know your interests, and we have what you like," and this encourages loyalty to this company even though it isn't always the least expensive option. It lures me into purchases through showing me attractive products I am most likely to buy when I am most likely to buy them.
And all it took was a little time to set up data collection, connecting my name and address or email address with dates of purchases, and what was purchased. Then, that data was used to craft an individualized message. It took a little extra effort, but its reward is my continuing purchases at the times I am most susceptible to its messages.
The other store's strategy says, "We want everyone to come to us and shop our low sale prices." Not a bad message in these economic times, but definitely not personalized. There's no loyalty and there's no emotional response to this. It works because of the low prices and discounts. There is probably no better way to introduce a company to a wide area and diverse populations. But once the population knows this company is there, what more is there?
How does it retain my business? Personally, I only go there with a coupon. The low price is the draw. If this company ever stopped printing the coupons, I would probably rarely, if ever, darken their door. I am ambivalent to its existence, and would just go to another low-price leader if the coupons stopped coming. Either I don't shop there enough to make it past the generalized coupon marketing to the upper tier of individualized marketing messages, or there isn't an upper tier.
Especially now in this consumer holiday season, companies should be aware of what their marketing says beyond the advertisement's phrasing. Even small companies can collect data. It's as simple as asking a question to every customer who purchases something from you. An easy place to start is "What brought you in today?" or "How do you know about us?" And with a large enough sampling over a period of time, patterns emerge, and you will be able to craft more personalized and more effective marketing messages.
No comments:
Post a Comment