Top 10 Retail Marketing Mistakes

We often get asked, “What could we be doing better?” And while the answer varies from client to client, we have compiled a list of the top 10 marketing mistakes we see in the retail industry. So check it out…how do you measure up?

10. Incomplete tracking of shopping cart abandonment- You might know that X% of users abandon your conversion funnel, but do you know where they go afterward? Do they return to your website or make their purchases elsewhere? Make sure you have a complete view of how and why users abandon their shopping carts. This information will help optimize your checkout process and increase your ROI and ROAS. Something as simple as condensing shipping and billing lead forms onto one page could make a difference.

9. Using market-speak instead of user-centric language in keyword strategies- There is a distinct difference in how marketers and consumers talk about products. Make sure your keywords cater to consumers and not marketing folks. Think like your customers and which terms they use to find your brand. From here, you can direct them to relevant content that progresses them through conversion stages.

8. Overlooking mobile coupons to attribute online engagements to in-store purchases- Retail marketers crave ways to connect cross-platform touch points, and mobile coupons are one mean to this end. If you’re engaging consumers online, direct them to coupons they can access from their mobile devices (via apps, email or mobile ads). This way you can concretely attribute an online interaction with an offline purchase. Connecting these dots will present you with a holistic view of how various touch points affect your ales.

7. Idle social media efforts- What have you done for social media lately? Do not go the way of social-flunkies before you and create profiles/ accounts and let them die. Users who engage with retail brands on social media platforms are actively requesting information. Do not let these customers down. They want to talk with you, so shape up, staff up and get your social media marketing plan in gear.

6. Not thoroughly segmenting paid search marketing- Paid search can be as scalable and targeted as you need. Take advantage of paid search’s targeting technology and reach various consumer segments with personalized ad copy. This will increase your click through rate, and if the rest of your sales funnel is optimized, conversion rates can greatly increase.

5. Undefined attribution model- Most retailers execute campaigns that span display, paid search, SEO, social and offline tactics. If this is your scenario, make sure you have a plan in place to know where sales originate. By creating an attribution model to track sales sources, you will have the data you need to maximize subsequent programs and gain better insights into how consumers engage with your brand.

4. Lack of landing page optimization- Capturing consumers using paid search and display media is only part of the battle. From here, where do consumers land? Does the information relate to ad copy? If not, you’re risking a high bounce rates and losing potential sales. Think about a complete path to sale and value your landing pages. They need to make a good impression and logically transition consumers from third party sites into your conversion process.

3. Fragmented CRM program- Keeping existing customers happy is a critical component of  marketing–especially for retailers. Whatever your preferred communication vehicle, make sure your CRM program resonates with consumers and maintains desired frequency and messaging.

2. Viewing SEO as a one-time effort- Search engine optimization is a continuous process. There are only a finite number of first page rankings, so if you want to stay there, you must keep ahead of your competitors. This can be accomplished through premium link building and adding original, quality content that attracts engine crawl bots. You must also think about consumer evolution. As their search habits change, so must your SEO strategy.

1. Working with multiple digital agencies to create a cohesive marketing program- If you want an integrated campaign, find an agency (like Geary Interactive) that meets your comprehensive digital needs. They will be better suited to execute a cohesive message across multiple disciplines because they understand the core of your business needs. One agency, one team working cooperatively to help achieve your marketing goals.