With the explosion of new media, including mobile and social media, there is more conversation than ever before. However, this is not without its limitations. "Yes, we are talking, but are we talking at the right place, at the right time? The problem arises when brand owners cannot connect with customers at the most important point of all, the point of sale. Because of the supply chain, the distance between the two is large. The sole focus of all marketing efforts is to develop a relationship with the target audience by closing this gap and ultimately driving sales and if we fail to engage at her, we have not succeeded in our primary goal."
This is where we need to look at the consumer conversation model and how we are talking to customers at the actual point of consumption. "All of our social media and marketing efforts are redundant if we cannot connect with the customer at this critical point. In order to do so, we need to evaluate our on-pack efforts. On-pack is the catalyst in starting a conversation with the consumer and provides an opportunity for ongoing engagement. This is ultimately what cements the relationship.
"On-pack campaigns fuel engagement with the brand by enhancing the overall journey for the customer. A promotion or competition is a good opportunity to kick-start a conversation with the customer. "Customers can SMS their details to a pre-determined number in order to enter a competition. The customer is able to quickly gain entry via a mobile phone, which acts as an incentive to engage with the brand."
"Once you have opened the conversation, engage the consumer through value-added on-pack drivers such as discounts, competitions and coupons. This acts as an incentive for the customer to keep talking." Devices such as the company's Fix-a-Form leaflet labels are a practical way to relay these incentives, as they provide vast amounts of space for additional information, without compromising the aesthetic of packaging.
Brand owners can continue the conversation through a new campaign based on the information already collected from these drivers, or through initiatives such as Quick Response Codes (QR codes), which are a good opportunity to offer a value-added service to the customer. By downloading a QR code reader to their smart phones, customers can scan a product's QR code and link to a mobi-site page that contains useful information, such as a recipe or helpful hints.
Through this engagement, brand owners can build a database and thereby analyse the purchasing patterns of their various audiences. Due to new legislation, brand owners will need to compile their own databases and cannot simply purchase them. "This actually provides more value long-term as it allows for the easier investigation into consumer buying habits."
In effect, brand owners can build on to an existing relationship, or begin a new conversation through other marketing initiatives. "Brand owners must make a point of always including a 'call to action' in their on-pack devices, such as requesting contact details as a requirement for competition entry or coupon redemption. A solid database provides ample opportunity to engage with customers and measure the results."
"By collecting this data, brand owners are given the ammunition to ultimately refine their conversations in accordance with the preferences and purchasing patterns of their various audiences. "Brand owners can identify what their customers want and tailor their offers accordingly."
They can enrich the existing data collected by starting another conversation through a new campaign. By constantly engaging with the consumer and refining the information collected from these conversations, brand owners are able to immense offer value to their target audience. "They can then go back to the customer and continue the conversation through a new campaign."
This brings us back to the beginning of the cycle. "Through this conversation model, on-pack campaigns can seamlessly integrate with new media to continue to strengthen the relationship and create a multi-dimensional marketing strategy."
The company's MobileInteractive product demonstrates this theory in action. It is a time-saving, one-stop service that allows for easy integration across on-pack campaigns. It offers brand owners a tool to engage their customers through their mobile phones and social media, thereby enriching an existing on-pack campaign by adding a further dimension and exponentially increasing outreach.
"Keep talking to your customers, especially through on-pack campaigns, as it is the only direct link between you and them at the point of purchase," he concludes.
