What makes a product a must have for retailers? The consumer is at the core of all business decisions, why is a consumer more likely to purchase one soil over the other? Brand awareness. It is a critical element in the decision-making process of the everyday consumer and is often entirely overlooked by the wholesaler.
For wholesale companies, most of their marketing efforts are around creating awareness among the purchasers for the retail store, but the real money lies in having the consumer know your products and ask for them. Think of the most popular brands, what do Nike, Scotts Miracle Grow, and Colgate all have in common? Their continued investment in direct to consumer marketing. These companies have set themselves apart by communicating their unique sales proposition directly to people who will benefit from it.
Now, this isn’t a big secret but then why aren’t more wholesale companies allocating marketing resources to marketing directly to people who will be the end user of their product? Many think that consumer marketing is the job of the retailers and well that leaves the fate of your brand and products in the hands of others. In the article, we will explore how your wholesale business could benefit from building a direct to consumer marketing strategy.
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Control and Strengthen Your Brand
Does your brand stand out on the shelf? If it doesn’t, you are potentially losing sales to your direct competitors. Yes, the retail packaging is important but so is brand awareness. A bright, colourful package will get their attention, but brand familiarity and trust will make the sale.
By investing in marketing directly to the consumer, you are in full control of your brand from the messaging to the medium of the marketing itself. This will ensure that the core values of your brand are accurately delivered to the consumers. From online ads, social media and the odd flyer campaign, there are more options available to get your brand out in front of your ideal consumer.
Providing your retail customer with marketing materials for their promotions allows you to continue to control your brand while better servicing your retailer customers in the process. From product images to merchandising tips, there are endless ways to help your retailer make your products stand out to the consumer, and suitable packaging simply isn’t enough anymore.
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Deepening your Relationship with the Consumer
The way a consumer purchases has changed, they are doing much more research on products prior to even entering a store which means what they find or don’t find about your particular product effects the likelihood of them choosing it off the shelf.
Can consumers find your product with a single google search? Creating a direct to the consumer-focused website is a first step to helping increase consumer visibility on your products. Think from the perspective of the customer, providing them with all the information they will want on your products, including what store near them will sell that product. By doing this, you are directly communicating the value of your product to the consumer without intercepting the relationship your retail customers have with the consumer.
Social media offers a lower cost way to connect to consumers that help build brand loyalty directly. Looking at social media tools like Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest as additional marketing channels can transform how your brand interacts directly with customers. When made expertly, social media efforts can build brand loyalty driving sales. Social media also offers low-cost analytics that allows you to understand the consumer in ways like nothing else. These insights provide you with the ability to identify what products have gained greater interest over others allowing your business to make more educated decision making in the future.
Future Growth
The retail and wholesale game is changing, direct to consumer e-commerce sales are on the rise and will continue to alter how consumers approach purchasing. With new products being delivered directly to the consumer daily, the market has never been more competitive for both retailers and wholesalers alike. Brand loyalty is built over time, by providing consistent high-quality marketing and support around your products you can set yourself apart from competing brands. Investing in marketing products directly to the consumer will allow your business to continue to grow in the future.