customer experience — and which often
leads to repeat business.”
Demonstrations are also a prime op-
portunity for influencer marketing. A
customer might have discovered an item
through social media, and when they
own it, they may go back to that same
influencer to learn more about how to use
it and to discover other product recom-
mendations.
“We have seen the greatest brand
lift through influencers who post honest
product reviews,” says Monoyudis. “By
focusing on micro-influencers (those with
1,000 to 10,000 followers) who have a
highly engaged audience, we have been
able to leverage trusted sources as brand
advocates. Some will opt into our affiliate
program, but many are happy with free
product. The best way we have for tracking attribution is promo codes.”
Promo codes and referral links are
some of the most straightforward ways to
attribute sales to social campaigns and
influencer marketing, but consumers
discover products, research, and purchase
them in a path that looks more like a
maze than a funnel. When partnering
with influencers, which Kiko Milano
does regularly, Credali suggests setting up
ad campaigns on social media, looking
for traffic spikes, and tracking customers
from each channel. It’s not the sort of
precision that performance-based marketers prefer, but it’s an important part of the
overall strategy.
Reviews and demonstrations can
come from influencers or average people,
but they must be real, says Weinstein.
“The most important thing that we
have seen, during the
past several years, is
that the consumer
wants authentic and
genuine feedback
available at their fingertips,” he says. “With
92 percent of consumers reading reviews before making purchases
and ‘astroturfing’
rapidly on the rise, it’s
more critical than ever
to offer quality products
that resonate with our
customer base; then, the
advocates will organically emerge.”
Closing the Loop
From product discovery to post-purchase experience, performance-based
marketers think about every phase of the
consumer journey — online, offline, and,
as Weinstein points out, even when those
worlds come together at once. Digital
technology may be new and ever evolving, but captivating viewers and building
effective multi-medium campaigns is
what they do best.
As consumers look for more interac-
tive shopping experiences, there’s plenty
to be borrowed from the early days of
DRTV, too. Add an element of surprise
and entertainment. Get the audience
involved. Show viewers how simple it is
to use a product, and encourage happy
customers to share their stories.
Today’s shoppers are looking for a
balance of digital convenience and real-world experience, a trend that has led to
new retail models focused less on merchandising and more on customer interaction. TOMS, for example, is a popular
shoe brand, but its brick-and-mortar
retail experience is more of a community
hub and coffee counter. When visitors are
there, they can buy shoes, eyewear, and
other TOMS merchandise.
Or, they can browse in-store and purchase online later. Bonobos, Warby Parker, and Adore Me are more examples of
companies who’ve used brick-and-mortar
set-ups to focus on customer experience
and support online efforts.
Outer Spaces has a highly engaged
audience interested in science and science fiction, so it was a natural fit to
bring Supply Pods to Comic Con. “In the
past, we have hosted events at Comic
Con events to directly engage with our
customers in person, and this has been
a great customer acquisition strategy, as
well as an opportunity for feedback,” says
Monoyudis.
Events, pop-up shops, or any manner
of experiential marketing will be unique
and tie back into the nuance and art of
branded campaigns, but the goal is always
the same: to close the loop, keep customers happy and sharing about their experiences — and coming back for more. ;
Kiko Milano USA interacts heavily with its Instagram
followers, building close relationships with its customers
while also offering them social media-only specials.
we help get you there...
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CONSUMER JOURNEY:
POST-PURCHASE AND ADVOCACY
