‘Be your brand’ and other lessons for succeeding in the phygital world
E-commerce and omnichannel executives came together at eTail West in Palm Springs this week. After a short drive to the desert, I had the chance to participate in this event and get an update on digital strategies that are working in the marketplace today. My top takeaways for those seeking success are:
- Be your brand
- Get discovered
- Engage dynamically
Be your brand
Retail success (still) starts with a good plan and a strong vision. Brands with a purpose who infuse their vision, mission and value into everything they do, turn consumers into fans and advocates. In an age of ad fatigue, consumers crave authenticity. Retail presenters at the conference that stood out from the crowd in this respect included:
- Sephora, which makes beauty fun for all through “Inclusive Beauty”;
- Moosejaw, which calls itself the “Most fun outdoor retailer in the world” and is known for its disruptive marketing;
- ThirdLove, the anti-Victoria’s Secret that sells “bras and underwear for every body”; and
- Bombas with its mission-based model that provides a sustainable solution to the most requested clothing item at homeless shelters — socks.
Get discovered
There is a new generation of search, and it’s not just keywords or SEO. Done right, search is a sophisticated set of strategies to attract micro-audiences at specific points in time. Discoverability must be coordinated across third parties and owned platforms: social channels, websites, retail/wholesale partners, influencers, Google, Amazon and others. Constantly changing algorithms, relationships and costs make maximizing discoverability, improving the experience and promoting products super complex.
Engage dynamically
Everything around connecting with customers has changed: the path to purchase, the marketing funnel and the concept of personalization. Using customer data, social signals and artificial intelligence and/or machine learning to understand intent allows brands to personalize dynamically and serve up relevant content in the form of product information, reviews, design options, style guides, etc. Overstock.com shared its transformation — a new approach, tech stack and library of 40M digital assets that can be deployed based on where each visitors’ journey takes them on the site.
It all comes down to retailers and brands understanding customers and fulfilling the reasons for their visits. My advice: stand for something, live your brand and make it easy for customers to interact with you regardless of where they are along the purchasing continuum.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: Are brands taking discoverability seriously or are they stuck on your father’s search? What retailers and consumer-direct brands do you think are doing a good job of understanding and engaging consumers moment-to-moment?
Cynthia HolcombFounder | CEO, Female Brain Ai & Prefeye - Preference Science Technologies Inc.
Cynthia HolcombFounder | CEO, Female Brain Ai & Prefeye - Preference Science Technologies Inc.
Andrew BlatherwickChairman Emeritus, Relex Solutions
Andrew BlatherwickChairman Emeritus, Relex Solutions
Cynthia HolcombFounder | CEO, Female Brain Ai & Prefeye - Preference Science Technologies Inc.
Cynthia HolcombFounder | CEO, Female Brain Ai & Prefeye - Preference Science Technologies Inc.
Andrew BlatherwickChairman Emeritus, Relex Solutions
Andrew BlatherwickChairman Emeritus, Relex Solutions
Take Our Instant Poll
Loading ...
Join the Discussion!
9 Comments on "‘Be your brand’ and other lessons for succeeding in the phygital world"
You must be logged in to post a comment.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Chief Customer Officer, Incisiv
The newer DTC brands (Bombas is a perfect example) have a better handle on discoverability as they are able to better attract talent than most of the legacy brands. We are just completing a study on this and most legacy retailers are super concerned with their ability to attract the right talent. That said, folks like Sephora and Ulta are doing a nice job (at least that what my daughters say!).
Contributing Editor, RetailWire; Founder and CEO, Vision First
Your daughters are right on, Dave! Look forward to your study — digital talent and hiring are must-win propositions!
Founder | CEO, Female Brain Ai & Prefeye - Preference Science Technologies Inc.
Brands try to take discoverability seriously; unfortunately, most brands try to engage in search without a clear mission. Retailers are faced with overwhelming search and engagement technology solutions, believing snippets of consumer behavior will transform into the nirvana of customer experience resulting in “Be Your Brand.” Retailers and brands are like ships sailing and hoping to stumble upon a new land. The bottom line is retargeted ads, segmentation based emails, and the continuous attack of online ads that are a source of annoyance during a peaceful web search are clear indications of which retailers and DTC brands just don’t know what to do. Hence the marketplace has only a select few rarified brands and retailers who do get it. These retailers and brands are perceived as authentic, dynamic and sought after by consumers. It’s not rocket science, as some might say.
Principal, SSR Retail LLC
There is no “silver bullet” for marketers (was there ever?). Consumers expect transparency, authenticity and – most of all – personalization that puts the brand when and where they want it.
Global Retail & CPG Sales Strategist, IBM
I couldn’t agree more, Patricia! What is a brand if it doesn’t stand for anything that compels shoppers to shop! Make it easy. Make it obvious. Make it genuine. Make it consistent. Let’s get away from consumables for a moment and think about a brand that has truly stood the text of time. For some 40 years, BMW has been “The Ultimate Driving Machine.” If a driver wants to drive well, they know where to shop.
Contributing Editor, RetailWire; Founder and CEO, Vision First
Consumption was a big topic in Palm Springs, Ralph! Consumers are way more conscious of where and what they invest in.
Chairman Emeritus, Relex Solutions
Contributing Editor, RetailWire; Founder and CEO, Vision First
It’s becoming table stakes to close the decades-long gap between corporate strategy and field execution. Your example shows that discoverability is one prong of an operational strategy to satisfy the purpose of (any) consumer visit regardless of channel.
President, Sageberry Consulting/Senior Forbes Contributor
You lost me at “phygital.” 🙂