Proximity Marketing Strategies: What You Need to Know.

It drives me crazy when I read a post that is all tactical, but the author is trying to pass it off as strategic. I read such a post last week. It contained such insightful proximity marketing “best practice” tips as:

• • Tell your audience your store location
  • Use hyper-local references
  • Mention specific categories and brands
  • Have compelling offers

 

These types of best practices aren’t the place to start with proximity marketing. They’re the place to end. For the record, I’m not saying that there isn’t value in those tips . The problem is that these tips are kind of “duh” factors. Sure, they should be on your checklist, but did you really need someone to tell you that?

 

So, let’s get you on the right track for your proximity engagement campaign. I’ve outlined some of the strategic approaches we take when implementing mobile media campaigns and our LighthousePE™ proximity engagement messaging.

 

1. Start by understanding your customer’s behavior.

 

If your want to change behavior, you have to understand it first. In other words, you need to look at the data you have. Analyze things such as visiting patterns, buying frequency, and conversion actions. Plus, you need to understand whether search actions are intended or implied. Every business will have its own relevant data sets. You can uncover opportunities by getting a holistic picture of each of your audiences. Then, align the proximity messaging that is parallel to the need.

 

2. Reach the customers closest to you. Literally.

 

By utilizing geofencing, location-based ad campaigns can connect with your customers at the right place and time. Campaigns should deliver customized content to their intended audiences based on crossed-referenced behavior traits. This can decrease media spend and narrow the audience focus.

 

3. Give your customers an unmatched experience.

 

Nothing grows a business faster than personalized experiences and service, and proximity engagements can deliver that in spades. The integration of three key factors — a mobile app, beacon technology and customer databases — provides the opportunity for any business to treat every consumer like a VIP. The right technology can track each behavior and add it to the customized content that is delivered in the future. It’s personalized and relevant to a customer’s actual time and place. Plus, proximity messaging can be pushed to an employee in real-time so that a personal one-to-one connection with a specific customer can be made.

 

The combination of location-based technologies and database integration is at the heart of these strategies. When employed properly, you can deliver relevant customized experiences to your customers in ways your competitors cannot. In the end, you’ll create your own best practices instead of relying on generic ones.