When it comes to creative ways to attract customers, CPG brands should consider how mobile apps can improve their business models. In 2018, customers spent an estimated $101 billion on apps and downloaded more than 194 billion programs. The popularity of apps is tied to two factors: convenience and fun. Consumers enjoy the ability to complete their everyday tasks efficiently and in a fun, gamified way. Brands that wish to leverage creative ways to attract customers in their marketing efforts should consider how mobile apps can enhance the customer experience. 

3 Ways Mobile Apps Provide Creative Ways to Attract Customers

There are many creative ways to attract customers which brands can leverage to improve the customer experience while highlighting products and increasing purchase likelihood. Below are just three examples of companies using mobile apps and the digital space to drive product interest and increase sales.

• Augmented reality: Many brands and retailers are embracing the use of augmented reality to improve customer experiences. Target serves as a great example of using augmented reality in a fun, innovative way. The retailer allows consumers to virtually try on a wide range of cosmetics through its Beauty Studio. Shoppers can select an item on Target’s desktop or mobile site, and use their webcam to see how it would look on them. This removes purchase barriers to testing cosmetics online and creates a fun experience for consumers.
• Gamification: Shopkick keeps consumers engaged and creates memorable shopping experiences by offering a digital scavenger hunt. Consumers use the program to earn kicks (rewards points) for seeking out items in store, picking them up at shelf, and scanning UPCs. This rewards-based model makes shopping trips fun for consumers, while also providing a valuable service to brands that work with Shopkick to build awareness and enhance in-store marketing. Shopkick’s strategy is fun for consumers, but it also primes them for sale by getting them to seek out and handle participating products.
• User-generated content: Getting users to share their own content that happens to feature your brand is an excellent way to spread awareness, but it can go a step further. This is a strategy which Pringles used with its flavor stacking campaign. The brand worked with Google to discover a trend of consumers combining flavors to create new ones, and chose to center a marketing campaign around that. They used the “stackable” idea in everything from Super Bowl ads to an online experience which allows consumers to test out stacking options virtually. This campaign works on two ends. It engages consumers, and it shows that Pringles paid attention to their opinions, driving brand affinity.

Mobile apps are the key to creating an engaging customer experience as they allow brands to leverage tools such as a consumer’s location and their camera phone. These campaigns extend beyond traditional marketing to get consumers invested in brands.

3 Tips for Offering Creative Ways to Attract Customers

Many brands looking for creative marketing approaches tend to do so with massive, expensive campaigns and celebrity endorsements. However, this doesn’t always have to be the case. Brands can engage users with any campaign, as long as they:

1. Keep it simple: Consumers shouldn’t have to learn a new skill to be able to enjoy the experience. Target’s Beauty Studio works with a few clicks of a mouse. Shopkick users can manage their rewards easily through their phones. Even Pringles keeps its stackable site clear and easy to manage. Limit the steps consumers must take to enjoy the experience and brands will see much higher participation rates.
2. Focus on the benefit: Campaigns like these should not be heavily sales focused. Instead, they should be about how the product can benefit consumers and improve their lives. These types of campaigns should work as an added value to the product, to show how consumers can enjoy it even more.
3. Incentivize interaction: Rewards points, coupon codes, and other incentives go a long way towards getting consumers to participate in a campaign. Brands should consider what they offer consumers who participate to drive interest in their marketing strategy.  

Brands that focus on the result for the consumer will have the best outcome when establishing their unique marketing campaigns. A strong user experience can build brand affinity, drive word of mouth marketing, and improve sales overall when executed correctly.

Brands that focus on the result for the consumer will have the best outcome when establishing their unique marketing campaigns.

There are many creative ways to attract customers that brands can consider when attempting to improve sales. Taking advantage of the options in mobile app marketing eases this process. Mobile apps allow brands to connect with traveling consumers, which can boost sales as the message reaches them when they’re most likely to make a purchase.

Shopkick allows our partners to leverage creative ways to attract customers by engaging them with our mobile app. Review our success stories to see how our program can work for your brand.

Image courtesy of Sfio Cracho