According to consulting firm Copernicus, targeting consumers on the web is about more than offering the lowest prices. The study found seasonal shopping periods, such as the holidays and back-to-school weeks, result in increased web research around purchases. While a good price can always be one selling point, Copernicus suggests developing a content marketing strategy that elicits a positive response from prospects is as effective as having the lowest price.
Eric Paquette, senior vice president of Copernicus, said that a brand’s message drives perception and conversions as much as any other element of their products and services. This is especially true in instances where people buy for loved ones. High-quality site content written with an eye to personas and effective audience targeting produces the type of emotional connection that can lead to sales.
Moreover, attracting prospects with valuable information and catchy brand messages during key shopping seasons makes them more likely to respond to marketing campaigns during other times of the year as they’ll buy a product or service based on a good experience with a company.
“[Marketers] should understand what drives different types of back-to-school shoppers in their category online and to their brand’s site to make a purchase,” Paquette said in a release. “They might be surprised to know it is not always about price or discounts for many shoppers.”
In general, developing marketing campaigns that focus on relevant brand messaging and the user experience will make a company more desirable. Brafton recently cited data from Mintel and the Affinion Loyalty Group that found social media marketing campaigns are more successful when organizations look to make the customer experience more fulfilling.
