After much ado, the initial results are ready and available for consumption (for $5,000).

The study, entitled, “In-Store Traffic — Where’s the Shopper,” compares 308 categories in Supermarket and Drug stores to uncover where manufacturers can find the greatest opportunity to connect with shoppers during their store trips.  Click here for a brief on what to expect when you purchase your copy.

Click here to watch shopper report

To say that marketers are facing a huge challenge right now is understating the obvious. Nevertheless, just as shoppers are being coached to diligently manage their budgets and stay out of stores, marketers must be reminded to stay focused on the goal of not only motivating shoppers to purchase, but keeping them engaged with the brand.

Marketers must be creative and direct with their messaging. Inside the aisle of the store presents the most direct opportunity to sway the customer one way or another — a captive audience with plans to spend. However, use of in-store communications must be strategic, creative and well-planned to catch the shoppers’ attention.

While Miller Zell’s recent study shows that more people are making shopping lists, we also found that shoppers are still receptive to the right in-store influencers. A recent news story by Georgia’s favorite consumer advisor, Clark Howard (watch the report above) advises shoppers to avoid being influenced by in-store communications, increase coupon use and stick to the list. Good advice, but if this is what you’re facing as a marketer, how do you adjust to communicate with your newly focused shoppers? Are your in-store communications compelling enough to deviate from the list and add your item to the basket? Does your strategy keep your shopper loyal to your brand when they’re in the aisle? What is your strategy for winning the battle at the point of decision?

Similarly, Miller Zell is releasing research later this week that demonstrates the effectiveness of in-store marketing versus in-home marketing. The research suggests that in-store marketing, which reaches customers at the point of decision, is significantly more impactful. Considering the retail economy this information could shift the way marketers target consumers and increase effective allocation of marketing dollars.

There are great pictures of some commonly used in-store marketing techniques. However, as we see the industry expanding and metrics being rolled out, in-store marketing is growing in sophistication.

Bryson listed Kraft, Kellogg and General Mills among companies that see value in continuing to pump monies into their advertising budgets. At that time, the manufacturers found that upping their marketing spending allowed them to pass on price hikes without losing the customer. That idea might be a harder sell this week. Things have changed and manufacturers will need marketing more than ever to stay competitive with value focused private labels. But how do you continue marketing, compete with private label pricing and stay profitable? The answer is value engineering.

It is imperative that manufacturers get the most out of their marketing dollars — particularly for marketing in the store where brands are placed alongside private labels. Partnering with a display and fixturing company that is strong in value engineering, has capabilities in multiple materials (sheet metal, wire, wood and plastic) as well as in house engineering can stretch those dollars. Creating modular design elements that allow multiple configurations, making use of fixtures engineered for easy installation and graphic change out without additional hardware requirements are all solutions that maximize in store marketing investments. Another solution is international sourcing. Just be sure you have a partner that has many years of international experience and employees on the ground inspecting factory production processes to ensure you get a high quality product. 

In Bryson’s article, Larry Light, former global CMO of McDonald’s, articulates the value of marketing in today’s economy. “Investing in brands during a rough economy can not only fend off share loss but also boost the brand’s trajectory when things improve.” Light’s research classified companies who spent more on advertising and marketing during a recession as “winners” and those who cut spending as “losers.”

According to Light, “Losers cut marketing in a recession, and the result is they simply accelerated their loss in market share after the recession.” Value engineering keeps your brand in the game.