In-store Advertising: The Unexplored Terrain

As a retailer or dealer in branded products, you may be overlooking a powerful marketing strategy that is sitting right in front of you -- in-store advertising. Usually, when marketing teams plan their marketing, they focus on traditional print ads, commercials, and digital platforms. They think about how they can use outside messaging to bring customers into a store.

They overlook their ability to use onsite messaging to engage customers that are already in the store.

Retail marketers need to see that marketing doesn’t exist solely outside of a retail store. Through in-store advertising, they can promote messages and unlock a lucrative new marketing channel.

The habits of in-store shoppers show the value in investing in in-store advertising. An in-store shopper engagement study that interviewed 3,000 mass merchant shoppers revealed that:

• 82% of purchasing decisions are made while in a store.
• 62% of shoppers make an impulse buy while shopping.
• 16% of unplanned purchases are driven by in-store promotions.

In-store shoppers are primed for receiving messages that direct their purchasing habits, and in-store advertising allows you to deliver the information those engaged, interested shoppers need.

In-store advertising:

• Leads purchasing decisions.
• Encourages impulse buys.
• Introduces new products.
• Promotes sales.
• Supports cross promotions.
• Creates up-sell opportunities.
• Informs customers.
• Reminds customers

In-store advertising in Kenya has been limited by the non-existence of a platform that can connect brands to customers at the point of purchase, with precision and at scale.

This is the gap that KOKO Digital Media seeks to bridge. KOKO Networks is a technology company that is offering a cleaner cooking energy solution using bioethanol fuel. This is a cleaner, safer, cheaper and environmentally friendly cooking option compared to the traditional dirty fuels like charcoal, firewood, kerosene and even LPG.

To this end, KOKO has developed a bioethanol fuel stove and also deployed cashless fuel ATM's across the greater Nairobi region to deal with last mile distribution for the fuel. The 700 ATM's are situated within modern retail stores across 106 mass market neighborhoods. They feature a 14-inch interactive screen and radio capabilities that offer an avenue to bring in-store promotions to life. This being an interactive platform, it also offers opportunities to do very targeted advertising based on metrics such as customers, age, spending habits, gender, brand affinity etc.

With this channel, marketers can incorporate:

Product Displays: Showcase products by building stand-out displays that highlight brands and items with feature signage and product demo videos.

Digital Signs: Instead of using static posters or signs, utilize engaging digital signage to share ads and messages through videos and multimedia.

Digital Menu Boards: Use easy-to-update menu boards to drive upsells and introduce your customers to a wider variety of products.

Interactive Screens: Take signage up another notch and feature interactive digital signs that allow shoppers to select and control the content they see on the screen.

In Store Radio Contextual Ads: Speak directly to in-store shoppers by using in-store voice prompts as a way to relay information about sales, promotions and special events.

In-store advertising doesn’t always follow the same formula as traditional or out-of-store marketing. When creating content for in-store advertising, keep the following concepts in mind.

Placement: Find the right location.

Where you place in-store advertising is just as important as what you say in in-store advertising. Make sure your displays and signage fit into the showroom layout. Position content so that messages are in the places where shoppers spend the most time in your store and place it the right distance from the shopper's eye so they can view it properly.

Brevity: Say it quickly.

You don’t have a lot of time to catch and hold the attention of in-store shoppers. Most shoppers won’t stop to watch a lengthy video or read a detailed message. Keep it short and brief. Use bullet points and headlines that get to the point and quickly relay the vital information shoppers need.

Relevance: Give consumers what they want.

As with any marketing, it’s important to fully understand your target audience. Define your target audience and deeply assess who they are and what they need and what. Once you have a full understanding of your audience, you can create messaging that accurately touches on their true pain points and desires.

Quality: Add a professional polish.

In-store advertising content should be created with the same level of professionalism and care that out-of-store marketing receives. Put resources into creating in-store content, and use high-quality screens and signs to ensure that your messages look polished and professional.

Timelessness: Don’t be out-of-date.

A retail store can quickly lose credibility and consumer trust by featuring out-of-date or irrelevant in-store promotions. When you choose to use in-store advertising, you cannot set it and forget it. You need to set up a marketing content schedule that reminds your team to change out-of-date promos and advertisements.

To help advertisers capture all these aspects, KOKO Digital Media has an in-house creative team ready to develop content and concepts that work for in-store advertising.

The way you present your messaging can shape shopper habits and increase sales. It can act as the trigger that leads in-store customers to make a purchase or make a larger purchase.

So, in-store advertising can’t be an afterthought.