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Marketing

Retail Strategies for a Resilient Valentine Season

quality, price, brand recognition, and convenience … pivotal factors influencing consumer choices this season, underscoring the need for retailers to balance these elements adeptly. The art of storytelling also comes into play here; where intelligent, relevant, and accurate content creation can sway undecided shoppers. Why? Because many will be making choices based on emotionally driven impulses. However, it takes a retailer that has invested in customer knowledge to execute this excellently in time for Valentine 2024, which is just around the corner.

HOW’S YOUR MARKETING? A CRITICAL REVIEW FOR 2024 

The Risk of Complacency: If you find yourself uncertain about whether you are meeting customer needs, it is likely that your customers are sticking around due to factors like high switching costs, lack of alternatives, or mere convenience of location. This is a precarious position to be in, as it leaves your business vulnerable to any new competition that might offer more attention to detail. 

TWITTER REBRANDING: EMBRACING THE X-FACTOR FOR FUTURE SUCCESS 

In the world of social media, Twitter has always been at the center of drama and challenges, even before Elon Musk stepped into the picture. Despite its strong brand equity, (as at July 2023, Twitter’s market cap is at $41 billion) the platform has faced its fair share of ups and downs, not to mention the rising competition from Instagram’s Threads. Despite the negative wrap from industry experts, media and public, Elon Musk’s decision to rebrand Twitter might seem like a radical move, but it could be just what the platform needs for a fresh start under its innovative owner.

THANKS TO US, BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE CONTINUES

It is disheartening to see how many individuals have become accustomed to poor service. They have grown so accustomed to receiving subpar treatment that they may even castigate those who stand up or speak out against it. This normalization of mediocrity perpetuates a cycle of complacency, preventing any meaningful change from taking place.

INFLUENCER MARKETING IS OVERRATED 

It is not enough to choose an influencer solely based on their popularity or follower count. The influencer should genuinely resonate with the brand’s values, target audience, and campaign objectives. This alignment ensures that the influencer’s endorsement feels authentic and carries weight with their followers. Otherwise, your brand will end up being the next in line of many to line up the pockets of influencers with no real value or ROI to show for it.

Photo by Önder Ördel on Unsplash

HOW YOUR GREAT IDEAS CAN TAKE FLIGHT 

Having great ideas is one thing but bringing them to life and making them take flight requires more than just sending an email or jotting down notes at your desk… If you want to see your bold ideas soar, (I am referring to ideas that have been meticulously scrutinised to have the potential to provide value for customers and the organisation). Here are a few actions I suggest …

EVERYONE HAS AN OPINION ON MARKETING, BUT… 

But you are the custodian of the marketing budget. Marketing is a function that is widely discussed and debated in most organizations. It is not surprising to find that people outside of the marketing function, including colleagues, clients, and even friends and family of CEOs, have opinions and suggestions on marketing matters. While these suggestions and opinions can be helpful, they can also be overwhelming, and it is up to the marketing team to address them …