Often brands do not listen to their customers, which can cause frustration and negative perception about the business. So, a new survey that considers both sides of the brand consumer relationship has got to be worth a look if your business is trying to sell to consumers.
Also: Millennials demand more social media engagement in exchange for loyalty[1]
Austin, Texas-based promotional media company RetailMeNot [2]has released its 2019 Retailer Playbook[3] looking at trends this year. It asked 200 senior marketers at major retailers and over 5,000 consumers in November 2018 what they considered to be important this year.
It uncovered some interesting trends for 2019.
Consumer marketers are not interested in Gen Z just yet. Only five percent of brands will focus on Gen Z shoppers in 2019 -- despite Gen Z's use of social channels to connect with brands[4]. Three out of five (60 percent) of retailers will focus their marketing efforts on Millennial shoppers instead.
Taking a stand is worth the risk for retailers. Almost nine out of 10 (87 percent) of retailers say taking a stand on social issues is worth the risk. Over four out of five (83 percent) say that failing to take a stand can negatively affect their bottom line.
This also extends into companies taking their role as corporate citizens more seriously. Three out of five (61 percent) of consumers say they would recommend a brand to their friends that aligns with their social values.
Offers and discounts top the list of growth strategies. Mobile app-exclusive codes and offers is the number one tactic that brands plan to use to positively affect sales growth in 2019. Marketers say that focusing on mobile marketing and