The largest Australia/New Zealand retail-marketing services company, Crossmark, has released some tips for retailers in preparation for the summer peak season, showing how field marketing can help maximise sales during the busiest time of the year.
The document states that maintaining long-term planning for boosting consumer spend as a high priority is a must for retailers, despite the pressures of day-to-day activities. With the Christmas shopping boom not far away, Crossmark insists that now is the best time to take stock of what retailers need to be doing to ensure the opportunity for lucrative seasonal sales is maximised.
Crossmark states that not gearing your business to include extra customer service, distribution of inventory and tailored promotional materials means you may be missing out on conversion, risk losing a valuable brand-advocacy opportunity if a customer walks away with a disappointing experience, or worse still, is unable to buy due to unavailable stock.
In the lead-up to Christmas, which is the most crucial time for many brands and retailers, savvy operators are utilising insights from their Mother’s Day or Father’s Day strategies and successes to help shape a more powerful marketing plan as the end-of-year activities approach.
The company says retailers should be weighing up the benefits of outsourcing, using a field team as a resource during the peak periods.
Areas in which Crossmark says an external field team can help retailers include:
On-shelf availability: you can’t sell what isn’t there, so make sure retailers have your support during peak sales periods. This will ensure the retailer sells more, leaving you to nurture the trade relationship.
Merchandising: make sure your product and brand stands out in the sea of options to help influence purchase.
Consumer experience: minimise shopper frustration by making the experience easy, achievable and fun. Consider how in-store experiences can be leveraged to win over customer loyalty and build brand advocacy.
Other key factors Crossmark states are important for retailers during the peak season are using technology to track sales and considering an assisted sales blitz.
