The marketer’s “Super Bowl” is almost here—Black Friday, Cyber Monday. Leap and Placer.ai, the leader in foot traffic analytics, recently partnered to review all of our brands’ traffic trends and the conclusion is clear: despite inflation, holiday season shopping visits are growing. And we’re not alone: The Wall Street Journal recently reported that retail sales growth in physical brick and mortar stores is growing faster than ecommerce this year.
Inviting ecomm shoppers to shop retail stores can also be a profitability play—omnichannel shoppers typically have a higher repeat rate, AOV, and more profitable purchases given the lower likelihood of returns.
As you gear up for the biggest selling days of the year, ask yourself this simple question: is your holiday marketing strategy truly omnichannel? Follow these simple steps and you’ll be well on your way.
Retail stores act as a trust signal for digitally native ecommerce brands. Highlighting the fact that you have physical brick and mortar stores on your digital channels—from your website to social media—builds brand equity. All too often, retail store locations are relegated to website footers. Consider implementing these prominent tactics to drive sales:
This example from The Sill’s current homepage brings it to life.
Take a look at your first-time customer offer. Do you message and communicate it as applicable online and in-store? The holidays are an opportunity to highlight your retail presence and make consumers know these discounts can be used in your stores. The promise of an in-store experience coupled with a welcome offer is often the hook that’s needed to convert a first-time customer. In fact, according to Omni-send, Marketers using multiple channels in a campaign earned a ~500% higher order rate than those using a single-channel campaign.
For example, handbag and women’s fashion brand Kate Spade welcomes shoppers by delivering a digital “Thank You” note that encourages shoppers to attend events and launches as well as take 15% off their next purchase in-store.
Take a look at your email newsletters and campaigns. It’s natural for your flows to primarily speak to ecommerce customers, given your brand’s online roots. However, email flows are a critical place to generate awareness for your retail stores—and they don’t need to be separate flows. True omnichannel brands talk about the fact that consumers can experience the brand in real-life to all of their customers—not just geo-targeted to subscribers near physical stores. A few ways to make this happen:
Sticking with an example from our friends over at The Sill, check out these email banners below for inspiration.
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Take a look at your “abandoned cart” email flows. According to Shopify, one of the main reasons customers "bounce” at checkout is due to unexpected shipping costs. While we all strive to capture the customer in-the-moment when purchase intent is high, but featuring store locations in abandonment messages can drive conversion. This can come to life in a few ways* and Yieldify can help you implement:
*Important to note assortment, sizes, and styles may vary, and to contact the store first.
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On average, omnichannel shoppers have higher customer lifetime value (CLTV) than single-channel shoppers. And because these shoppers are more valuable, they should be treated as such. Consider launching your Black Friday, Cyber Monday deals in-stores earlier this season.
Follow this guide and your stores will be even more prepared this holiday season, and check the Leap blog regularly for firsthand insights into retail best practices to help grow your brand.
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