Viewing digital marketing as an obstacle or enemy of shopping mall stores — that is, stores with in-person interactions — is a very serious mistake for two reasons: the first is that the “digital world” is not going away any time soon, and it is a reality today and in the future. The second is that ignoring digital marketing means wasting a powerful ally in winning over more customers.
One of the advantages of a shopping mall store, which already has great exposure due to its privileged location, is that the brand can integrate digital marketing into its in-person interactions to win more customers, have more exposure and, consequently, more sales .
Want an example? Take the case of 16 Handles , a yogurt attorney email list chain in New York: back in 2013, when Snapchat was just getting started, the company ran a campaign in which anyone who sent a snap of themselves trying one of the store's products would get a discount on future purchases.
Another good idea for integrating digital marketing into in-person interactions is through Facebook. The social network offers ad elements based on locations and addresses, allowing the ad to be seen by those already in the mall, for example.
Using Social Media to Target Your Audience
Social media is the greatest tool for engaging with the public in this century (at least for now). Using it to your advantage is a great way to ensure that more consumers come into your store.
As we have seen with Facebook, social media allows you to target your posts based on location, reaching the local audience that is so coveted by retailers.
Furthermore, social media is a highly viral environment, where quality content (such as a video, for example) can be replicated multiple times and helps drive the public to a physical store.
Keeping your consumer connected at all times
As previously stated, the concept of a “digital world” is old and erroneous. Today, the presence of online and digital elements has almost seamlessly merged with our physical world.
Therefore, it is safe to say that consumers are connected all the time — and this can be used to the retailer’s advantage. Want an example? A very common practice in shopping malls is to offer free Wi-Fi to consumers.