When a consumer has a specific need, and they consider your brand as the solution, you’ve effectively established a relationship that reaches far beyond awareness. Continue reading “Explore the best marketing strategy to increase brand awareness”
Year: 2020
5 Ways to Celebrate Memorial Day at Home
Thanks to the date when it occurs every year toward the end of May, Memorial Day serves as both a day to honor the fallen members of our military as well as a day to celebrate the unofficial start of summer. Celebrations may have been cancelled this year that would have encouraged us to gather together with family and friends, but that doesn’t mean you can’t create your own fun at home. Below, we’re sharing five family friendly ways you can celebrate Memorial Day, honor our military, and still experience the excitement of summer being on the horizon from home.
1. Create Chalk Art for Soldiers
In one of her first Facebook Live segments, first grade teacher Mrs. Lamb shared how she and her kids were creating mosaic chalk art. If you have already created chalk art or you’re looking for a fun weekend activity, create chalk art in your driveway, but try to only use red, white, and blue chalk! You can also add notes to our military, like “Thank you for your service”, and even honor the various branches to celebrate all who serve.
2. Barbecue
Although friends and family may not be joining your barbecue this year, you should still make your favorite recipes! We love classic hamburgers and hotdogs on the grill, and you can also add to your spread if you grill vegetables, pizza, and fruit, like pineapple. This flag cake is also a fun item to enjoy for dessert, or you can also opt to make s’mores by the fire or in the oven.
3. Play Water Games:
If you have a pool in your backyard, make sure to jump in! Otherwise, think about playing water games with your family. A water balloon toss is a classic way to have fun, and you can also try making your own slip-n-slide or play Drip, Drip, Drench, which is a fun take on Duck, Duck, Goose. Also, remember when you ran through the sprinkler for hours when you were growing up? Introduce your kids to this way to have a blast!
4. Make Ice Cream:
Did you know you can make ice cream without an ice cream maker? You can! This strawberry ice cream recipe from Southern Living Magazine actually allows you to create ice cream in a bag. Kids will love mixing together the ingredients, and either you or they will enjoy quite the arm workout while you’re shaking the bag of ice. Enjoy the delicious results, Shopkickers!
5. Decorate Your Bike:
Many parades have been cancelled this year, so create your own even if it’s just you and your family. With your kids, decorate your bikes using streamers and crepe paper. Make sure to don your red, white, and blue attire! Then take a spin around your neighborhood. Your neighbors will love it, and some may even choose to join in from a safe social distance, of course!
How are you and your family celebrating Memorial Day this year? Let us know your plans on Facebook!
How to maintain customer loyalty in retail during an economic downturn
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way consumers interact in many aspects of retail—including trips to the store, items they typically purchase, and even how often they shop. Continue reading “How to maintain customer loyalty in retail during an economic downturn”
How to increase market share in retail with mobile marketing
Increasing market share can happen in one of two ways—either brands and retailers are “stealing” business from competitors or creating a new demand to increase the market along with share. Continue reading “How to increase market share in retail with mobile marketing”
6 Ways to Store Produce to Keep it Fresh
Our refrigerators look and feel as though they are more stocked now than ever before. Because we’re trying to stick to our healthy (or somewhat healthy!) regimens, much of what’s inside our refrigerators is produce. With an increase in purchasing produce also comes an increased desire to make sure it stays fresh throughout the week. We’ve been researching some of the best tips and tricks, and we’re sharing what we’ve learned and uncovered on our own below.
1. Make Sure Produce is Dry:
When we arrive home from the grocery store, one of our instincts is to rinse off our produce. While that’s a great idea in theory, produce can start to go bad if it’s too wet in your refrigerator. If you do plan to wash your produce, make sure it’s completely dry before you put it away. This is when your salad spinner comes into play!
2. Skip Rinsing Berries (for now):
You will absolutely want to rinse off your berries before you eat them, but berries don’t love being exposed to too much moisture. As a result, according to this article, it may actually be best to leave your berries in their original packages for now and rinse them off in bunches that you plan to eat right away.
3. Treat Herbs Like Flowers:
When you bring flowers home, you likely place them in a vase. Sometimes, you might even place your vase by the window. Many herbs like to be treated the same way! So, save space in your fridge and add herbs to your windowsill or countertop instead.
4. Line Your Crisper:
Chances are high that your produce will either produce moisture while inside your refrigerator or not all of the water from the rinsing you did when you got home will have dried off. So, line the bottom of your crisper’s drawer with paper towels. We know they are a hot commodity, but they will help to keep your produce fresh.
5. Store Fruit Properly:
Before you add all of your fruit to your refrigerator, double check that’s where it likes to be stored. Items like apples will stay fresh longer when placed in the refrigerator, but they will ripen faster if they’re left at room temperature. Bananas, on the other hand, don’t like to be in the refrigerator. Instead, keep them at room temperature.
6. Don’t Over Buy:
The temptation to purchase all items in bulk is definitely there right now, but try to keep in mind what your family will eat throughout the week. If you still find that you’re having to toss items, think about buying less or stop at the grocery store midway through the week to pick up additional produce once your family has finished the first batch of berries or bananas, for example. Produce has definitely been kept well stocked!
What ways have you uncovered to keep your produce fresh? Keep the conversation going on Facebook!
Retail tips: What makes a customer’s shopping experience seamless?
Seamless In-Store
Despite the convenience of online shopping, most customers still prefer bricks over clicks. They like seeing, touching, and interacting with products before they buy. They like personalized attention from sales associates and the whole store ambiance. Location-based technology is one of the ways brands and retailers are creating a more seamless shopping experience. They are using beacons to know when specific customers arrive at the store, how long they stay, what parts of the store they visit, and how long they linger in a particular aisle. Mobile POS solutions are valuable in-store tools that yield a more seamless experience. Store associates can look up a customer’s shopping history to find product information tailored to their interests.
Seamless Social Media & Web
Online shopping may only represent eight percent of direct purchases, but the internet remains a vital part of a seamless customer experience with 81% of shoppers researching online before buying. Furthermore, half of shoppers use social channels to research purchases they’re considering, and a third use social as a channel to discover new items. Tracking customer behavior across the web and running email drip campaigns, paid targeted ads on social media, special web offers based on purchase/browsing history, and integrated rewards programs for online shoppers is key to seamless and personalized marketing online. Not only must retailers ensure they have a seamless user experience across all channels, but they’ll need to make the online/offline transition smoother as well. BOPIS (Buy Online Pickup In-Store) is one of the latest innovations gaining traction with busy shoppers.
Seamless Mobile
Over half of shoppers use mobile apps while in-store to inform their purchases. They use their phones to find and redeem coupons, to find items, and to learn more about items they’re intending to buy. In-app video is a fast-growing way to connect with customers, whether they are using your native app or a third-party mobile shopping platform. In 2019, click-through rates for in-app video were two times that of native ads and over ten times greater than banner ads. Shopkick, a popular mobile shopping platform, invites users to earn rewards points for watching in-app videos. These points can eventually be redeemed for gift cards to use with partnering brands or retailers. By incentivizing video, one Shopkick partner’s campaign received over 16M impressions and was highly successful in educating consumers before their trip to the store, boasting a 99% branded video completion rate.
5 Lunch and Dinner Recipes for Kids
Whether your kids are dreaming of becoming a chef or you’re hoping they become more willing to try new things, we’ve learned most kids, no matter their age, love to help in the kitchen. To encourage this activity, especially right now when we’re all spending more time at home, we thought we would share five recipes (and themed night!) that are hands-on for you and your kids to make for lunch or dinner with you.
Pizza:
There are plenty of fun ways to make pizza together. Purchase premade dough and pick up cheese, sauce, and toppings. Then create individual pizzas so each member of your family can add their own preferred mixture. If you want to skip dough, try English muffins or bagels.
To try a completely different type of pizza recipe, we also spotted these Pizza Skewers! They remind us of kabobs, and they’re perfect for kids to make with you because they can create the order of the ingredients on the sticks and even what’s included.
Tacos:
Tacos are an obvious choice for a themed night, and Tuesdays are typically a go-to. Consider creating platters you and your family can pass around your table so each person can add their go-to toppings, or create a taco bar on your kitchen counter where all of the ingredients are lined up for easy serving. If you want to bypass the typical chicken or beef fillings, try making Breakfast Tacos!
Sandwiches:
Sandwiches are a quick and easy option for lunch and even dinner, but we wanted to find recipes that reinvented this classic option. Weelicious shared eight Savory Toast recipes, and they all sound delicious. Plus, they all represent recipes your kids can help to prepare. Additionally, we spotted these Chicken & Bacon Rollups, which present a great way to use up leftover roast or rotisserie chicken. We’re also drawn to these Peanut Butter Granola Pinwheels!
Breakfast for Dinner:
We mentioned creating breakfast tacos for dinner, which of course fall into this category too. But, we also thought about creating parfaits, and we added these Apple Yogurt Parfaits to our “to make” lists. Omelets and eggs made any style also fall into this category, and you can always make pancakes or waffles. There are plenty of options to create a fun breakfast menu at night!
Pasta:
Why not try your hand at making your own pasta? We went live with Sugar Beet Schoolhouse on Facebook Live, and Cheryl walked us through the (relatively!) easy steps to create pasta at home. You only need one egg and one cup of all-purpose flour for this recipe, and we think it’s a fun one to try over the weekend.
Which recipe will you and your kids try to make together? Chime in on Facebook and keep sharing so we can all uncover new ideas!
Consumers Looking Forward to Non-Essential Retailers Reopening, as Long as There Are Safety Precautions
Half of Americans plan to visit non-essential retailers within a week of reopening; Gen Z most likely to visit within first few days.
Top 5 Tips on How to Utilize Online Grocery to Save Money
Do you shop for your groceries online? I have been opting to skip shopping in stores over the past few weeks as a way to keep myself, my family, and my fellow shoppers safe. However, I have to admit shopping for groceries online is not an entirely new practice for me. One of the top ways to experience a sudden increase in your grocery bill is by adding additional items to your cart while you’re roaming the aisles, and I’ve found shopping online is a great way to curb that habit. Below, I’m sharing details about how to best utilize online grocery shopping, including explaining why we think it’s best to do curbside pickup rather than at-home delivery.
5. Lookout for Hidden Fees or Service Charges:
Many online grocery delivery services offer you the perceived value of ultimate convenience; however, this convenience usually comes in the form of a fee or service charge. Looking for options that are a little less convenient (Store Pick Up, Curbside & Click and Collect) could be a better option as most of these services are free to shoppers.
4. Plan Your Meals Ahead:
Traditional grocery shopping offers the opportunity for in-store surprise and delight via end caps and displays. In the online grocery environment, shoppers can plan out cost effective meal solutions via recipe websites or influencer blogs to find cost-saving tips paired with inspiration.
3. Identify Promotions:
Many retailers are adapting their models to extend savings to their shoppers via Online Grocery (especially the pickup version). Pairing those with rewards and savings can be a winning combination. Some retailers that run specific pricing promotions have reduced these during this time of Covid-19 due to excessive demand; however, retailers such as Walmart who maintain an EveryDay Low Price model have been winning the value equation over the past several months.
2. What about Leftovers:
Shoppers right now have the opportunity to make an online grocery order be more efficient and save money by thinking through what is the follow up leftover meal that follows the previous day’s recipe. There are countless websites that can provide this leftover strategy as you are thinking about eliminating food waste during this time and helping your dollar go farther.
1. Pickup is the Key:
I don’t want to belabor the point, but the best way to drive savings and avoid pesky upcharges is to make the effort to go to curbside pickup at your participating grocery location. Almost all grocery retailers are extending pricing and discounts for at-store pickup orders. This gives you full confidence you are maximizing the convenience factor while avoiding delivery fees and up-charges.
How have you been saving money on your weekly grocery budget? Join the conversation with fellow Shopkickers on Facebook!
Consumers are still shopping in-store despite COVID-19, but will only make one stop
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to widespread fear, anxiety, and uncertainty across the nation. As the pandemic intensifies week to week, consumers continue to shift the way that they shop to adjust to this new normal. Continue reading “Consumers are still shopping in-store despite COVID-19, but will only make one stop”
8 Ways to Celebrate Graduation While Quarantined
We have celebrated birthdays and even a few holidays as the quarantine continues throughout the United States. But, many of us have remained hopeful that students, especially high school and college seniors, would be able to return to school in time to finish their years surrounded by friends. Instead, graduations are being postponed or cancelled entirely. But, graduates should still celebrate and feel hopeful about their futures. To inspire your graduation festivities while in quarantine, we’ve come up with eight ideas below! This might not be the graduation you or your student had planned, but it will certainly be memorable for everyone.
1. Car Parade:
Although we cannot gather together, we can most certainly still celebrate. So, plan a car parade to surprise your graduate! Consider inviting family and friends, and ask them to decorate their cars. Ask your senior to wait outside, and enjoy as they see their own personal parade arriving car-by-car. The great perk of these parades is we’re able to see and shout a few words back and forth with our favorite people who many of us haven’t seen face-to-face in weeks.
2. Send Flowers:
Flowers are still able to be shipped and delivered, so think about sending a bouquet and a card with a note to your graduating senior. Everyone loves getting mail and packages, especially now! If you’re looking for a flower source, consider 1800Flowers.com.
3. Watch a Commencement Speech:
The great thing about YouTube is you can find just about any video online, so watch a commencement speech (or a complete series!) together. John Krasinski recently released an episode of Some Good News, his weekly show, in honor of graduating seniors, and well-known figures, like Steven Spielberg, Martha Stewart, Oprah Winfrey, and more shared plenty of inspiration.
4. Zoom Cocktail Hour:
If you know a student celebrating a college graduation, plan a Zoom cocktail party! Before the call, think about dropping off champagne on the graduate’s doorstep or having some shipped right to them. Then encourage everyone joining to sip their favorite drink while you catch up for an hour or more. A bonus would be if attendees shared a favorite memory of the graduate or offered their best advice.
5. Ship a Gift:
Consider sending a high school or college graduate a gift they can enjoy now under quarantine or when they begin their next steps in their collegiate or professional career. Apple AirPods, a backpack that can transition into a briefcase, a gift card for Uber Eats, or any other tech are all great ideas that can be enjoyed now and later.
6. Yard Decorations & Signs:
We have seen houses in our communities decorated to celebrate birthdays, and the same companies are offering to decorate for graduations! Another option is to purchase a sign for your front yard or window to celebrate the college your student will attend or the school where they should have been graduating from.
7. Share a Meal:
Many graduation parties are celebrated over lunch or dinner, so consider calling a restaurant you know the graduate loves and placing an order to surprise them with takeout. Another idea is to have dessert from a favorite bakery shipped or honor the place where the student plans to move next with food from that area.
8. Capture Photos:
Although this might not be the graduation experience anyone expected, it should still be documented. Capture pictures of your family together, and encourage your student to put on their cap and gown. You can also search #PorchPhotographer or #PorchPortrait on social media in order to uncover local photographers who are capturing pictures for families on their porches or front lawns. It’s a fun way to have family photos taken while also ensuring everyone remains at a safe distance apart.
How are you celebrating graduation? Share your plans with us and our Shopkick community on Facebook!
Implement a customer loyalty marketing strategy that increases trust and sales
Loyal customers tend to buy more and advocate for their preferred brand or retailer. Continue reading “Implement a customer loyalty marketing strategy that increases trust and sales”