How Retailers Can Take Advantage Of More Powerful Influencers This Season

The marketers who will benefit most from the bullish 2016 holiday retail market are the ones who recognize that the buying journey extends all the way into a store—and develop marketing strategies that do, too.

2016 has shaped up to be a vibrant, multibillion-dollar holiday season for retail. The tactics brands used to reach consumers have run the gamut from TV ads and billboards to social influencers. But the bottom line is that even though impressions seen while driving or scanning social feeds may affect someone’s affinity for a brand, the vast majority of consumers still prefer shopping in stores.

The best marketers will make sure that they tailor their approaches accordingly, through making advertising more authentic and by ensuring that retail associates are well-trained and available to assist customers with their final buying decisions.

I predict that brands and retailers who recognize that the buying journey extends all the way into a store—and develop marketing strategies that do, too—will benefit most from the bullish 2016 holiday retail market.

Aim For Resonance, Not Reach

Recognizing that people trust people, marketers have long leaned on recognizable celebrity endorsements in the hopes of driving visibility and trust. Ultimately, though, celebrity campaigns are often seen as inauthentic, and examples abound of endorsements gone wrong.

Take LeBron James and Kia’s “Fit for a King” campaign, which immediately received blowback from fans skeptical that James would in fact drive a Kia, especially considering the many online photos showing James driving Ferraris, Porches, Lamborghinis, and the like. Undeterred, the intrepid brand persisted in its relationship with its most famous ambassador. James insisted that he drove a Kia long before he appeared in any ads for the company, and teammate Richard Jefferson was prompted to show a Snapchat photo as evidence of his friend indeed driving his Kia K900. While TV spots with an NBA champion may deliver reach, it’s hard to see how this campaign could resonate when fans ultimately didn’t believe the endorsement was genuine.

You don’t have to look far for other examples: Oprah Winfrey endorsed the Microsoft Surface—from her iPad. Samsung spokesperson David Beckham, caught texting on an iPhone, claimed he was holding it for a friend. Will.I.am was sued for his refusal to continue promoting a clothing line that bore his name. Paris Hilton was sued for wearing hair extensions that competed with her own eponymous extensions and was publicly humiliated for missing a company launch event because she was in jail.

People can usually tell when support is being bought rather than coming from the heart, which is why brands and retailers should find ways to regain credibility with consumers through their marketing tactics.

Lead With Expertise, Not Social Publishing

Much of the motivation behind celebrity endorsements has evolved into modern-day influencer marketing, a tactic that has become as much about paid reach as anything. In fact, rather than referring to them as influencers, we should refer to them as social media “publishers.” Their reach is real, but their motivations are monetary, which is no different from other publishers who make their money from paid media. The result is that these “influencers” tend to suffer from the same lack of credibility that both celebrities and advertisements do.

For brands able to withstand the siren song of celebrity endorsers or people who just have a lot of Instagram followers, there are actually people out there consumers do trust. These are the people whose knowledge, experience, and passion have made them trusted sources of advice and inspiration. They’re experts, like ski instructors, makeup artists, and the enthusiasts who work in camera shops and outdoor stores. These are the people who can become great brand advocates because they’re real and relatable.

In-Store Retailers: Turn Retail Associates Into Experts

Many of these experts are active in social media, so activating them—even if individually they have only modest followings—can make a major difference for brands.

One of the most obvious but overlooked sources of these experts is the retail associate who consumers rely on to help guide them through their shopping experiences.

We recently surveyed some of the sales associates in our community (who are unpaid by Experticity) to see just how big of an impact they have for brands. It turns out the vast majority of them have conversations about their products outside the store, and many believe they could sell a lot more products each day if they had a deeper knowledge of those products.

The take-home message is that by investing properly in sales associates (in the form of things like information, recognition, and perks), retail leaders and brands create a valuable resource for everyone involved. Consumers benefit from the increased expertise of the associate helping them make more informed buying decisions. The associates and stores benefit from greater credibility and increased revenues. Brands benefit from greater customer loyalty because the associate has matched consumers with products that are well-suited for them.

All of this results in a more trusted buying experience and a more confident consumer, which in turn results in greater customer loyalty and engagement—something worth celebrating in this and every other holiday season.