The retail industry is in the midst of an evolution driven by new technology and changing consumer preferences. E-commerce is booming, and consumers no longer need to visit stores in person to find the products they’re looking for.
Since potential customers can access products worldwide via the Internet, retail brands need to step up their game to stand out in 2024 and 2025. Innovative marketing helps boost awareness and create brand loyalty with memorable concepts and experiences.
Below, we’ll explore retail marketing and some real-life examples of how it works. We’ll also share 11 highly effective retail marketing strategies to help you maximize your next campaign!
*Note: The brands and examples discussed below were found during our online research for this article.
What is retail marketing?
Retail marketing is the process of promoting your retail businesses’ products and services. It’s a broad category encompassing everything from traditional advertising to organic social media content to in-store displays—just to name a few examples. The goal of retail marketing is to attract new customers and retain existing ones.
Retail marketing has changed drastically over the past few decades with the evolution of technology. There are so many ways to reach customers both online and in-person, which means that retail brands can get creative with their marketing campaigns to build a strong connection with their target audience.
However, it’s important to keep in mind that advances in technology have led to higher customer expectations. To exceed these expectations, leading retail brands are taking an omnichannel approach. This allows them to create cohesive and seamless experiences for customers as they interact with the business, both online and in person.
In addition, it’s become easier than ever to collect detailed data analytics and use this information to improve marketing efforts. And many brands are finding ways to use this data to personalize interactions with customers and make the relationship more meaningful.
Examples of how retail marketing works
Retail marketing is all around us—in fact, there’s a good chance you’ve already interacted with a retail marketing strategy today! Here are some of the most popular types of retail marketing that you’ll see.
In-store events and promos
For retail businesses with brick-and-mortar locations, in-store marketing strategies are an effective way to engage with your customer base on a more personal level. Hosting promotions at your physical stores can also help you bring in potential customers from the surrounding area.
Some examples of in-store events and promotions include:
- Product launches and demonstrations
- Themed holiday sales and celebrations
- Workshops
Connecting your in-store events to your online presence for a true omnichannel experience is crucial. One way to do this is by using retail QR Codes, which customers can scan with their smartphones to access relevant digital content via URL.
Another option is to include branded short links on your in-store marketing materials, which are quick and easy for consumers to type into their web browsers.
Social media campaigns and influencer partnerships
Social media is a powerful digital channel for retail brands. Strategic social media campaigns help you connect with your target customers in a way that feels personal and fun.
With a traditional social media marketing strategy, you’ll create paid and organic content to feature on your profile. The advantage of marketing on social media is that you can target specific users based on their demographics and behaviors.
Another option is to work directly with influencers for user-generated content (UGC). With this approach, the influencer creates posts featuring your products and shares them with their audience. When 69% of consumers trust information from influencers more than information directly from a brand, influencer partnerships can be particularly effective.
Loyalty programs
Retail marketing isn’t just about attracting new customers—it’s also about retaining existing ones. Loyalty programs incentivize customers to return again and again. These programs offer discounts, free products, and other exclusive benefits as rewards for purchases and new customer referrals.
Consistent customer engagement is key to the success of any loyalty program. Sending personalized emails and SMS messages to your loyalty program members keeps them in the loop and shows them how much you value their business.
11 retail marketing best practices to reach your marketing goals
Retail marketing strategies are constantly evolving to reflect technological changes and appeal to current consumer trends. Here are 11 marketing strategies for your retail business in 2024 and beyond.
1. Make omnichannel experiences a priority
Omnichannel marketing is an approach that integrates marketing content and strategies across different channels to create a seamless experience for customers.
For example, an omnichannel marketing strategy might include cohesive ad campaigns for search engines and social media platforms, as well as blog and video content on your website. You can augment this content with in-store promotions and traditional offline advertising strategies like TV and print marketing.
The key to a successful omnichannel campaign is continuity between channels. For example, a potential customer might find your products on social media, and then visit your website to learn more. After reviewing the product on your site, they can order it directly or head to a nearby store to purchase it in person.
You can even take it further and target foot traffic using SMS geofencing for retailers. With this approach, you can automatically push a text message to potential or existing customers when they get within a certain range of your store. Send a discount code, sale notification, or a friendly reminder to encourage them to stop in.
2. Optimize the mobile shopping experience
Many consumers love the convenience of shopping on their mobile devices. In fact, 76% of U.S. adults have made purchases with their smartphones.
Providing a high-quality mobile shopping experience will help you appeal to these consumers. This could be through a dedicated shopping app or a mobile-friendly website.
Speed and ease of navigation are crucial when building a mobile shopping experience for your customers. Focus on optimizing your page load times and creating user-friendly navigation options to eliminate roadblocks for shoppers.
On top of that, consider providing a wide range of digital payment options, such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, and Venmo, in addition to traditional payment options.
3. Create interactive in-store experiences
Augmented reality (AR) is more than just the Pokemon GO phenomenon or the Apple Vision PRO headset. Brands like IKEA, Sephora, and H&M have been using AR to create unique retail experiences that are accessible on a wide range of devices.
With AR technology, customers can engage with products in novel and exciting ways when visiting a brick-and-mortar store. One excellent example is Tommy Hilfiger’s AR mirror initiative, which gives customers a chance to try on clothing in three of its stores virtually.
This is one of many ways to use AR technology in retail stores. AR is also popular for virtual furniture styling, sharing immersive product information, and implementing gamification in retail settings.
When using AR in your stores, be sure to accompany these displays with eye-catching signage and clear instructions. Since AR technology is still very new, it’s important to walk your customers through the process step-by-step to eliminate any confusion.
4. Put social commerce on your agenda
Social commerce is the act of purchasing products directly from social networks, and this new approach to shopping is generating plenty of buzz. Gen Z is one of the demographics leading the charge with this new trend, especially on TikTok. The phrase “TikTok made me buy it” exemplifies the power of social media in shaping our purchasing decisions.
Not sure which platforms to sell on? TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest all have built-in social commerce features.
In addition to selling your products directly on these social media platforms, your brand should post organic content to boost brand awareness. You can take things a step further with influencer partnerships that showcase your products in action.
5. Implement targeted email marketing
Email marketing is a very effective way to keep your customers up-to-date with your latest product releases and sale events. The average open rate for email marketing campaigns across all industries is 32.55%, which means they can generate a powerful return on investment when built strategically.
To make your emails even more effective, consider launching targeted campaigns. You’ll need to segment your list of customers based on their demographics or shopping behaviors. Then, you can create personalized messages for each segment of your list.
And make sure you use Bitly’s branded short links to track traffic from your emails to your website. This will help you determine which email campaigns are most effective.
6. Focus on making shopping experiences more frictionless
Today’s consumers value convenience in their shopping experiences. To keep your customers coming back, you’ll need to remove roadblocks to create an easy and convenient purchasing experience.
For example, consider adding multiple payment options to your point-of-sale systems. Many customers enjoy the speed of paying with their smartphones or would rather use funds from their Venmo account than their checking account. Adding this level of flexibility to the retail experience ensures you aren’t missing out on potential sales.
Additionally, make sure to have customer support readily available throughout the shopping process. This is particularly important if you have an online store that ships directly to customers, as you’ll need a way to handle queries about missing or delayed packages.
7. Use customer data for personalization
Personalized customer experiences are highly memorable, so use that customer data you’re (hopefully) collecting to tailor your marketing efforts to each customer. One simple but effective way to do this is to use automation to create personalized email or SMS messages.
The more data you have available, the more you can customize your marketing campaigns. For example, if data shows you that a customer tends to make online purchases mid-afternoon, you can send messages to that customer at that time to maximize engagement.
8. Emphasize social responsibility
Many of today’s customers keep their values and ethics in mind when shopping. To capture the attention of these socially conscious consumers, put your corporate social responsibility policies in place and highlight them in your marketing messages.
Depending on your brand and your industry, this could include energy-saving and waste-reduction programs, as well as ethical sourcing and labor practices. When promoting social responsibility, ensure you’re practicing what you preach, as eagle-eyed consumers can spot greenwashing and “social washing.”
9. Use retargeting to re-engage customers
Making retargeting ads a part of your digital marketing strategy will help you reel customers back in even after they leave your website.
Retargeting ads are personalized and feature products that consumers have already interacted with on your site. If a consumer was on the fence about your product before, a retargeting ad can push them to make the final purchase.
When developing retargeting ads, focus on eye-catching visuals that showcase your products in the best light. Retargeting ads are generally small, so avoid overly complex graphics or wordy copy.
10. Incorporate video content into your marketing strategy
Video content has taken over social media, so incorporating it into your marketing strategy is a very effective way to connect with your target market. Well-crafted video content takes your audience behind the scenes to build a deeper connection with your brand.
There are plenty of creative ways to use video content in your marketing strategy. And 63% of consumers say it’s more important for marketing videos to be authentic than polished, so don’t worry about making things perfect.
Video is particularly effective for content demos, behind-the-scenes vlogs, or customer testimonials. In addition to posting pre-scheduled video content, you can use live streams for events like Q&As, webinars, or product giveaways.
11. Start using exit-intent popups
Adding exit-intent popups to your website will help keep visitors on your site to maximize conversion rates. An exit-intent popup is a short message that appears when it appears that a visitor is about to leave your website. These popups typically provide a limited-time special offer to entice visitors to stay, such as an exclusive discount or free shipping.
Exit-intent popups work by tracking visitors’ mouse patterns to sense when they’re about to close a window or tab. These popups are most effective when they use aesthetically pleasing graphics and bold copy that conveys your offer clearly.
How to measure the success of your retail marketing strategies
Your retail marketing strategy isn’t something you can set and forget. You’ll need to continually track your progress and refine your strategy to keep customers coming back and maximize your ROI. Here’s how to measure the success of your retail marketing campaigns.
Track key performance indicators (KPIs)
Before you launch a new marketing campaign, identify the most relevant key performance indicators to track. KPIs are quantifiable metrics that will help you measure the success of your campaign. Standard KPIs for retail marketing include:
- Conversion rates
- Time spent on page / in-store
- Customer acquisition costs
- Average order value
- Churn rate
Tracking these KPIs will give you a detailed look at how your business performs over time, helping you identify potential areas for improvement.
Use analytics tools for data-driven decisions
Analytics tools collect valuable data and insights to help you fine-tune your marketing strategy. Most marketing tools today have analytics features, including Google, Bitly, and popular CRMs like HubSpot and Salesforce. These detailed analytics will help you determine which marketing assets are most effective.
For a more holistic look at the customer journey, consider integrating your marketing and analytics tools. For example, the Bitly marketplace offers a wide range of integrations to choose from, so Bitly customers can track all their key metrics in one place.
Implement customer surveys for feedback
Collecting feedback directly from your customers gives you valuable insight into their values, opinions, and shopping behaviors. This information can help you build an even more powerful marketing strategy in the future.
Include a variety of options throughout the customer journey to provide feedback. This could range from adding feedback boxes to your website to conducting lengthy post-purchase surveys and interviews. Just ensure you’re asking the right questions to get the knowledge you need to refine the customer experience.
Bring your retail marketing strategy together with Bitly’s suite of tools
A sophisticated retail marketing strategy does more than just grab your audience’s attention. By combining innovative technology with customer-focused messaging strategies, you’ll give potential customers memorable experiences that lead to long-term brand loyalty.
Bitly helps brands connect online and in-person marketing strategies for a seamless customer experience. You can supplement your in-store retail marketing with QR Codes that lead to your online assets or use branded short links to connect email, SMS, social media, and in-app content with your website.
Bitly offers custom design options, detailed analytics, and a large library of integrations at your fingertips to help you create a comprehensive, personalized approach.
Sign up for Bitly today to start building a retail marketing strategy that works.
