Getting In Shape For 2022 – Become a Digital First Retailer

What Changed In 2021 That Is Now the Norm?

2021 was a wild ride for a variety of reasons. Much of what changed in 2020 regarding consumer behaviors extended into 2021 and advanced some shifts faster than expected.

Ecommerce in all verticals had record growth in 2021. Adoption of buy now, pay later, curbside pickup, and real-time inventory levels on websites maintained their customer adoption rates as consumers let it be known how they want to shop. Savvy retailers took advantage and won.

Streaming services like OTT, YouTube CTV, and digital radio all hit peak adoption levels leading to major acquisitions in all spaces and immediate ad dollar shifts to capture the attention of those users.

Social commerce and mobile-first marketing are now critical to a digital-first retailer’s success regardless of market size. And first-party data became the buzz term of the year with announcements from Google, Facebook, and Apple as digital privacy has the world’s attention.

What does it all mean? Change is constant. And evolving your business is the only way independent retailers can stay competitive. A mindset shift to digital-first retail is step one.

someone using a credit card to purchase something on their laptop

What Is a Digital First Retailer?

Before we get started let’s clarify, digital-first doesn’t mean digital ONLY. Alright, let’s get in it.

Evolving into a digital-first retailer is a mental game. Understanding the power of the internet and your website to move a visitor into a customer is the beginning. With that mental foundation in place, you begin to look at the internet and your website with a different set of eyes.

The digital-first retailer knows that a website is not set and forget. The digital-first retailer knows that site visitors are just as important as customers walking through the storefront doors. Every image. Every word. Every button. Even color all has a major impact on whether a customer takes a desired action or not.

As a digital-first retailer, you must keep in mind the journeys a customer travels before making their buying decision. Once armed with that knowledge, you can begin executing on digital plans to be present in as many digital locations as possible to remain relevant and, ultimately, win the sale.

How To Be Both Digital-First and Retail Ready

Customers still enjoy touching appliances and experiencing the features in person. A digital-first mind knows this and creates opportunities to educate customers online using video, images, and written words to paint a picture that helps narrow the product selection. And a live chat option encouraging customers to ask questions is a simple way to begin a digital-first and retail-ready strategy.

Your product pages, blogs, social media posts, and emails are valuable tools to maintain a customer’s attention and to drive those shoppers to add-to-cart or online or in-store. Creating a content strategy, understanding the performance of product pages, and using an automated email program ensures your business is top of mind, allowing the customer to choose the purchase path.

couple shopping for appliances

Digital Workout Plan to Be In Great Shape For 2022

Now that you understand what a digital-first retailer is, let’s craft a digital workout plan to help you build that mindset and take action.

Quarterly…

  1. Check Digital Performance Dashboard
    • Review Year over Year performance of the website from the top 10 metrics
      • Add To Carts
      • Transactions
      • # of Products Sold
      • Average Order Value
      • Online Revenue
      • Chats
      • Calls
      • Location Pageviews
      • Driving Direction Requests
      • Quote Requests – if relevant

2. Set goals for the upcoming quarter based on last year’s results

3. Sign up for AVBM quarterly promotions to maintain digital-first readiness

    • Mark the calendar with the start and end dates for each promotion
    • Post to social media & send an email at the start and end of each promotion

Monthly…

  1. Set a planning meeting with your AVBM account representative
  2. Digital performance dashboard check
    • Compare MoM and YOY (see metrics above)
  3. Create a Google Business Profile post plan for the month
    • Define 1-2 days a week for content to be published
    • Pick 4-8 ideas for the month and write them down a Word Doc or Google Keep pad
    • Mark your calendar for the posting date & post
  4. Outline a promotion email plan (1 or 2) for the month
  5. Set your merchandising plan for the month
    • Flagging and Sort Weights!

Weekly…

  1. Digital performance dashboard check
    • Compare WoW (metrics above)
  2. Google Business Profile post, Facebook/Instagram post. Below is a sample weekly calendar.
    • Monday – GBP “Check out these great deals on in-stock ranges!”
    • Thursday – Facebook/IG “Have a look at this inventory! Visit our site or come down this weekend. Fresh baked cookies and free Wi-Fi for the kids.”

Daily…

  1. End of day digital performance dashboard check
    • Keep a pulse on high-level metrics for your website
      • Daily visitors, Chats, Calls, Add To Carts, Sales

 

As a digital-first retailer, you know presence means purpose. And your digital presence is designed with the purpose of giving value to people. That focus of singular purpose creates a simple decision tree, so you stay focused and dismiss the unnecessary.

 

Not sure where to start? Connect with a Digital Strategist.

Don’t work with AVBM yet? Take advantage of your member-owned Digital Marketing & Advertising Agency and join the hundreds of members succeeding as Digital First Retailers.

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