Consideration is a key stage on the cyclical path to purchase, after all, it is at this very moment that a shopper chooses to buy your product or not. Getting that initial line out to them is the easy part, it simply depends on how targeted you want to be and/or the size of your budget. However, hooking them in is arguably one of the hardest stages for marketers, as you aim to exert influence in order to reel them in.
The consideration stage is also one of the most difficult to measure, which makes understanding and refining the marketing techniques to influence a significant challenge. It’s not all bad news though as, like many other aspects of marketing, technology is paving the way to making this both easier to understand and to take control of.
1. Measure
Initially, the most important aspect to agree on is what the measure of success is, and then how you are going to measure it. Knowing that you’ve not only increased consideration, but can also understand which of these tactics work in terms of overall sales, is key as you attempt to grow your bottom line.
Data is essential. Simple insights into shopper behaviour, specifically those surrounding consideration, can be used to measure the success of your marketing efforts. By tracking the whole path to purchase, brands are able to identify the best way to encourage specific types of shoppers to first consider and then buy. Knowing for example that customer ‘x’ is more likely to do a food shop on a Tuesday, provides an opportunity to tailor calls to action and encourage consideration just before that individual shops.
2. Build active awareness
Awareness, the stage in the path to purchase prior to consideration, is vital in maximising your output and for understanding how best to influence. It has a direct link to measurement too, as it provides a source of data and information regarding the success of marketing content. Active awareness, as opposed to passive awareness is the main differentiator here. We encourage our FMCG partners to always use advertising with a specific call to action to encourage active awareness, which therefore drives consideration and simplifies measurement. For example, a shopper clicking on a call to action in a digital advert online or on mobile to find out more information or activate a special offer is a great way to achieve this.
If a shopper is finding out more information about your product, then they’re certainly considering buying it. Passive awareness on the other hand makes measurement and influencing consideration very difficult. If a customer is considering your product but they need a special offer to push them over the line, without some level of active awareness to prompt them into action you’ll never even know they exist.
3. Incentivise your shoppers
Retail is a highly competitive market, you only have to look down an aisle such as cereal or soft drinks to notice how much choice most shoppers have. With the number of conflicting messages people have to delve through, the key is to find a means to engage effectively, and ultimately incentivise shoppers to buy your product over others.
One of the best ways to do this is through mobile based brand loyalty schemes, as you can influence before the shopper is even in store and encounters all of the ‘noise’ associated with them. They provide an effective, simple and highly personal means to engage, ensuring your message is heard, and your brand makes the consideration list pre-shop. Simple incentives like 20p off a loaf of bread are often all it takes to maximise a shoppers propensity to buy during consideration.
Catching shoppers in your net by increasing consideration has historically been complex. However, with the amount of data now available, and when combined with appropriate tactics, you can instantly build active awareness. This leads to incentivised shoppers, who you can then help by making the whole process relatively simple, especially when most activities can be actioned using their mobile phone. Our clients know that being able to track and engage with their customers via mobile at each stage of the path to purchase gives them a competitive advantage, and offers protection, over rivals for their shoppers.
Ultimately, driving consideration and understanding this engagement will give you the greatest chance to secure the best possible return on investment for your brand. It also has the added advantage that you can gain more control over your brand, and ultimately build more effective ongoing one-to-one relationships with you shoppers.
By Chris Newbery, director of sales at Shopitize.
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