The shopper landscape is evolving quickly — and with it, the environment in which shopper marketers operate is shifting just as fast. Industry forums, websites, and events are filled with excitement about emerging technologies, each promising fresh ways to engage with shoppers. While these innovations do create new communication opportunities, they also come with potential drawbacks. So, how can shopper marketers craft effective shopper communication strategies that break through the media noise and truly influence shopping behavior?
To truly grasp the situation, we need to consider the shopper’s perspective. Even under normal circumstances, a store can be an overwhelming environment—offering tens of thousands of products, alongside a constant barrage of signs, displays, announcements, and videos. Add to that the stress of managing time, and the experience becomes even more demanding. Amid this sensory overload and endless messaging, shoppers are expected to navigate the store, locate the few items they actually need, make choices, and complete their purchase.
Clear Targeting
Effective marketing always begins with clear targeting, and shopper marketing is no exception. When you try to speak to everyone, your message often ends up bland and ineffective. To rise above the noise of shopper media clutter, marketers must ask: At this stage of the shopper journey, or in this specific store, who exactly are we trying to reach? The more precise the targeting, the greater the chance the message will feel relevant. And the more relevant it is, the more likely it is to capture attention and make an impact.
Ideal Media in the Ideal Spot
Shoppers’ behaviors and communication needs evolve throughout the path to purchase. Once you’ve defined your target shopper, it’s essential to consider which media is most likely to capture their attention at each stage of their journey. Just because a statistic claims that 84% of shoppers use their phones while shopping doesn’t mean that’s the case for your audience at this specific point in their journey. Always validate these kinds of stats—they’re often oversimplified or misleading—and, more importantly, focus on what’s actually true for your shopper in your context.
Right Channel to Deliver Message
It’s important to remember that many purchase journeys span multiple channels. Just because a shopper completes their purchase at one supermarket, for example, doesn’t mean that is the only supermarket where they can be influenced. Knowing which channels your shopper interacts with—and identifying the most effective points to engage them—is a vital skill for shopper marketers operating in today’s omnichannel landscape.
Best Point on Path to Purchase
It’s unrealistic to expect a brand to deliver the perfect experience for every shopper at every stage of the purchase journey. Instead, focus on identifying the key moments along the path to purchase that matter most to your target audience—and treat those as your highest-priority opportunities to win.
Importance of Packaging
Frequently underestimated, packaging is a powerful yet unsung element of shopper communication that deserves focused attention. Sitting right on the shelf, well-designed packaging can have a powerful impact—capturing the shopper’s attention in-store and continuing to engage the consumer after purchase. Don’t underestimate its value. If your shopper marketers aren’t involved in pack design, you could be missing a major opportunity to deliver effective shopper messaging at no additional cost.
Make Your Shopper Communication Stand Out
As with any form of communication, success in shopper marketing comes from being both relevant and distinctive. In an increasingly cluttered shopper media environment, standing out is more important than ever. To achieve this, provide your creative teams with strong, focused briefs—grounded in real shopper insights—and push back against generic, one-size-fits-all ideas.
Summary
Shopper marketers today possess an unmatched variety of tools to engage and influence shoppers—and that arsenal is only expanding. While this opens up exciting new opportunities for engagement, it also brings greater challenges. Cutting through the noise is becoming increasingly difficult, and doing so effectively demands clarity and discipline. Know your target audience, ensure your messaging and media are both relevant and distinctive, and be strategic about what you communicate, where, and when along the purchase journey.
Interested in improving your communication along the path to purchase? Contact us today.
