Marketing Week Live

Marketing Week Live 2014 held in June at London's Olympia, encompassing all aspects of marketing from digital, to print and retail marketing. MWL 2014 was intelligently split into five zones based on the core challenges marketers face; Convert, Engage, Experience, Personality and Understand and was hosted by key industry publication - Marketing Week. The range of keynote speakers and conferences available was impressive and covered customer insight, the power of digital, social and mobile, content marketing, integrating marketing channels and immersive brand experience. The addition of the MWL Leadership Programme provided a dedicated section of content directed at Marketing heads, chiefs and directors. This concept ensured that the event added value to all levels and the sessions were really popular.

Marketing Week Live Talks

 Omnichannel marketing is of growing importance in retail marketing. No longer a trend, developing a fully integrated retail marketing campaign that incorporates apps, digital, print, in-store events and direct mail is vital for the success of retail brands. Claude Nahon, President - MOOD International presented a retail focused look at 'The heart of the omnichannel brand strategy for a truly connected store'. Claude strongly believes that in-store marketing must provide a sense of theatre to capture attention and prove effective. Gamification is a great way to encourage your customers to interact with your brand on and offline. With this in mind we suggest you look at the potential to add gamification to loyalty schemes through use of a mobile app. For example vouchers can be added to the app for use at the checkout, by scanning certain POS units throughout the store, which not only drives in-store traffic to designated points, but also reinforces the chosen message. This could be extended to include exclusive recipes or competitions available by scanning set POS displays. The options are endless and with the growing popularity of augmented reality, interactive POS is a not to be missed opportunity.

Marketing Week Live Exhibition 2014

Julia Monro, Head of Social Media & PR - Pret A Manger shared six fundamentals for great social media management. Her two core themes were to look beyond selling and provide an 'entertainer' that can see the opportunity for engagement within a wide range of real-world events and situations and use the platforms to understand your customers. Julia advises that you keep social media management in-house, describing social media as the first point of call for your customers. We would advise linking POS to social media to increase traffic both in-store and online, by encouraging consumers to share pictures of their meal or DIY project, completed using a group of items available in store with offers. A further offer could be issued to each online contribution to encourage further in-store traffic and brand loyalty. Social media should always add value to your customer and providing access to new products prior to launch, or exclusive offers or expertise will ensure that customers keep following your chosen call to action. As a final note on social media, we would advise that you always answer feedback, good or bad and listen to sentiment levels as a guide for not only your marketing plan, but also to shape product development and operations. 

Gaz Battersby, Creative Director - Epiphany talked about the importance of great content marketing. Gaz stated that great content adds value to the reader and is available across multiple channels. With approximately 55% more traffic for blogging companies, the potential is clear. Great content goes beyond providing information or calls to action, great content can enhance your SEO and powers your social media channel through sharable and high quality copy. Retail brands could harness this marketing technique on their blogs by utilising celebrity or guest bloggers, for example celebrity chefs, respected designers, mixologists, builders, stylists or thought leaders in your sector. These figure-heads should not only talk about the benefit of your products and services, but also tips for new trends or insider knowledge that would interest your target audience. This will ensure that readers keep consuming your content and can be used to drive traffic in-store. 

M&M World - Immersive Retail Marketing

Marketing Week Live was packed full of valuable information, high quality exhibitors and engaging show features. We will definitely by visiting again next year. Our only critique would be that the retail marketing content and zone needed a little more focus as it was overshadowed by the other zones a little, but I am sure this will balance for next year.

Top tips from Marketing Week Live 2014:

1. Use omnichannel marketing to drive in-store traffic and improve brand loyalty by linking app, loyalty schemes, POS, direct marketing and social media.
2. Use social media to add value to your audience rather than as a showcase for your 'best side'.
3. Grow your blog content by including exclusive information from opinion leaders and respected experts.
4. Always respond to feedback on social media, they have cared enough to give you the opportunity to respond, use it to secure their relationship.
5. Use POS to drive social media traffic with interactive functionality and exclusive content, that can then in turn increase traffic in-store holistically. 

As experts in Retail Marketing and with the Clockworx Design Agency dedicated to app, digital marketing and 3D design, send us your brief today to find out what unique solutions we can offer to solve your challenge.

Maria Parker-Harris

Group marketing Co-ordinator

The SPS Group 

www.spsgroup.co.uk