THE TOP 5 REASONS WHY BEACONS ARE A MARKETER'S NEW BEST FRIEND
THE TOP 5 REASONS WHY BEACONS ARE A MARKETER'S NEW BEST FRIEND
Picture this... You're walking through the Mall and suddenly, an advertisement, contest, or even a coupon pops up on your phone. Conveniently enough, that notification is from the same store you're currently browsing this very minute. Creepy right? Well, to marketers and advertisers across the globe, it's not creepy one bit. In fact, beacon marketing (or proximity marketing) is going to explode in 2016. I bet you think your smartphone is pretty smart right now. You haven't seen anything yet.
Let's revisit that little scenario I mentioned previously. The lead-off batter in today's Top 5 list:
1.) Proximity Marketing
Whether the grocery store, your favorite restaurant, or even the mall, your location says so much about yourself. Especially if there is a trend or pattern to that location. Proximity Marketing not only enhances the experience and convenience for the consumer but makes the job of the marketer much easier.
Discounts, coupons, really anything that can save someone money is one of the most commonly used approaches involving Proximity Marketing. This does come with caution to the marketing professional. Customers like a balance of notifications, emails, and advertisements. It's one thing to receive a coupon here and there, but every day can be a little much.
But imagine receiving the perfect notification at the perfect time. I walk by GNC and boom...a GNC coupon is simultaneously sent to my phone. Right on time.
2.) Analytics
One of the biggest challenges all marketing professionals face is knowing how to connect with their target customer at the highest level. Knowing what they like. What they don't like. How much do they spend here? What about at that store?
Loyalty to a brand is something all companies and brands strive for. Imagine how beneficial it could be to have analytics on your target audience or customers? Especially analytics of your returning customers or loyal customers. Personal preferences, purchase history, even recognition of first-time or new customers.
Having the answers to even a few of these questions could be very valuable. Saving time, money, and more importantly, has the capability of making predictions that benefit both the consumer and brand. Analytics has already changed the marketing industry, but with the help of beacons, the analytics made possible is priceless.
3.) Social Networking
People love to talk. Whether good or bad, happy or sad, society is as chatty as ever in 2016. Companies want to give their customers and audience a way of connecting with one another in real time. Seeing others that share similar interests as you makes people feel all warm and cozy inside. It's cute.
Think of customer service as well. Often times, the consumer knows more about the ins and outs of a product more than the brand that developed that product does. Companies know this. A large number of customer service issues are solved or answered via Facebook, Twitter, and other Social Media platforms. Beacons will only help with networking and communication in general.
4.) Digital Signage
Billboards, posters, even that kiosk set up at the bus stop, seems to have the same old message or picture day after day. What a waste of space. Not anymore. Digital Signage and the capability to control the target audience on that Digital Signage is receiving a breath of fresh air that is long overdue.
Creating an interactive model in your marketing I think is very important. You want to engage with your audience in a way that your message will not only be read but understood and remembered more importantly. The ability to market and target a specific type of person, gender, or age group through beacon technology, we could customize that marketing to a tee.
5.) The Mobility of the Wallet
There is going to be a sufficient rise in mobile payment. We already saw this trend take off in 2015, but look for features such as Google Pay or Apply Pay becoming much more of the norm. Through beacon technology, mobile payment transactions are estimated to be well into $25+ billion in 2016.
Digital coupons and discounts are becoming one of the most successful aspects of a brands' digital presence. The diversity of the digital wallets are fascinating as well, forcing all brands to compete for loyalty programs, coupons, etc.
Beacons will probably be loved by some and hated by others. But I can assure you from a marketing standpoint, beacons will shape a new era. The days of broad marketing and advertising campaigns targeting a massive audience are becoming a way of the past. A specific, knowledgeable approach is the first step to a successful targeted marketing campaign. Beacons are making that bulls-eye seem much bigger.
But imagine receiving the perfect notification at the perfect time. I walk by GNC and boom...a GNC coupon is simultaneously sent to my phone. Right on time.
2.) Analytics
One of the biggest challenges all marketing professionals face is knowing how to connect with their target customer at the highest level. Knowing what they like. What they don't like. How much do they spend here? What about at that store?
Loyalty to a brand is something all companies and brands strive for. Imagine how beneficial it could be to have analytics on your target audience or customers? Especially analytics of your returning customers or loyal customers. Personal preferences, purchase history, even recognition of first-time or new customers.
Having the answers to even a few of these questions could be very valuable. Saving time, money, and more importantly, has the capability of making predictions that benefit both the consumer and brand. Analytics has already changed the marketing industry, but with the help of beacons, the analytics made possible is priceless.
3.) Social Networking
People love to talk. Whether good or bad, happy or sad, society is as chatty as ever in 2016. Companies want to give their customers and audience a way of connecting with one another in real time. Seeing others that share similar interests as you makes people feel all warm and cozy inside. It's cute. Think of customer service as well. Often times, the consumer knows more about the ins and outs of a product more than the brand that developed that product does. Companies know this. A large number of customer service issues are solved or answered via Facebook, Twitter, and other Social Media platforms. Beacons will only help with networking and communication in general.
4.) Digital Signage
Billboards, posters, even that kiosk set up at the bus stop, seems to have the same old message or picture day after day. What a waste of space. Not anymore. Digital Signage and the capability to control the target audience on that Digital Signage is receiving a breath of fresh air that is long overdue.
Creating an interactive model in your marketing I think is very important. You want to engage with your audience in a way that your message will not only be read but understood and remembered more importantly. The ability to market and target a specific type of person, gender, or age group through beacon technology, we could customize that marketing to a tee.
5.) The Mobility of the Wallet
There is going to be a sufficient rise in mobile payment. We already saw this trend take off in 2015, but look for features such as Google Pay or Apply Pay becoming much more of the norm. Through beacon technology, mobile payment transactions are estimated to be well into $25+ billion in 2016.
Beacons will probably be loved by some and hated by others. But I can assure you from a marketing standpoint, beacons will shape a new era. The days of broad marketing and advertising campaigns targeting a massive audience are becoming a way of the past. A specific, knowledgeable approach is the first step to a successful targeted marketing campaign. Beacons are making that bulls-eye seem much bigger.
Comments
Post a Comment