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Jul 06
0

10 questions every business owner should be asking about their marketing RIGHT NOW

By | Audio, Blog, Branding, Digital, Events, In-Store, On The Phone, PR, Social

As businesses start to re-open their doors once more, it’s safe to say we’ve officially entered the realm of the ‘new normal.’ But what does this mean for your business and, crucially, your marketing plans?

It’s probably an understatement to say that the way you run your business has had to adapt in recent weeks.  With this in mind, it’s almost certain that your pre-lockdown marketing plans need to be re-shaped too, so that you can be confident your comms channels are working as hard as they possibly can.

Feeling a bit overwhelmed?  Don’t worry, we’ve put together 10 questions you should be asking yourself about your marketing right now.  And, of course, if your answers to these questions lead you to thinking you need a helping hand with anything, the OnBrand team are ready to take any marketing load off your mind!!

Your 10 questions start here

  1. What’s changed in my market/economy?
    Change isn’t always a bad thing.  For example, it may be that your target audience’s shopping behaviour has changed; they may be shopping less, but spending more.  Could this be an opportunity to look at ways to upsell or increase basket size online?
  2. What are my competitors doing?
    Whilst assessing what new opportunities there may be for you out there, don’t forget to check out what your competitors are doing too.  Think about what makes your brand/business different and how you can achieve stand out amongst all the ‘New Normal’ noise.
  3. What are my comms priorities?
    Whilst it might feel like you should be putting spend across each and every touchpoint, it’s better to do a few things really well, than spread your budget too thinly across too many channels. Think about which channels are working best for you right now and ensure those you choose to put resource behind will help you reach your overall business objectives.
  4. What skills are missing in my team that I need to take control of?
    With businesses having to make tough staffing decisions over recent weeks, you may find there are skillsets you need to tap into right now that aren’t covered within your team.  At OnBrand, our team cover a range of different marketing disciplines, so whatever the gap, we have an expert on hand to help!
  5. How much do I need to change my original 2020 marketing plan?
    It’s unlikely your marketing plan from the beginning of 2020 is going to be exactly the same now.  Take time to really assess which parts are still going to deliver, and which areas need a tweak!
  6. What new needs do my customers have? 
    The world has changed for everyone. Not only are businesses needing to make changes, but consumers are having to approach every day tasks and responsibilities differently.  Do your customers have any new needs that you can help them with?
  7. Do we have the right level of comms activity running to reach our customers?
    If you’ve been one of the businesses that have had to shut-up-shop during lockdown, it may be that you’re needing to ramp up your comms activity more than you originally planned to at this time of year.  Take a look at your marketing spend for the year so far – perhaps there’s budget you ended up not using during lockdown that you should be thinking about re-apportioning to really create impact now that you’re back up and running again?
  8. Do we need to revise our business goals?
    Do your business goals still reflect the market you find yourself in?  If they’re now seeming unrealistic or you’re needing to change your approach, make sure you re-align your business goals so that you have something to measure success with by the end of the year.
  9. Is our website/e-commerce platform robust enough to respond to changes within the business model?
    There’s no denying that since lockdown, the world has become more digital than ever.  People are spending even more time scrolling on their phones.  How well do you engage with your audience across digital platforms?  Is your website optimised for e-commerce?
  10. What am I doing to keep my brand visible and top of mind? 
    Of course, reaching your customers is key, so it’s important to think through which channels are going to work hardest at doing this for you.  It’s also important to think x-channel.  How are you engaging on social media?  Do you have an email database you can segment with the right targeted messages? Are you running an affiliate program?  We can help you explore which channels are right for your business, and look at your overarching content strategy so that not only are you appearing across the best channels for your brand, but so that your messaging really cuts through and stays top of mind.

Lots to think about!  Want to chat through ways we might be able to help?  Email: sayhello@onbrand.co.uk or call 03333 22 00 22

Jun 19
0

Are you re-opening with confidence?

By | Blog, Digital, In-Store

It’s been a busy week in the world of retail…and we have to say, it’s been full steam ahead for us too!  Unless you’ve been having the longest lockdown snooze ever, you will know that on 15th June, non-essential retailers were able to start opening their doors once more – hooray!

We’ve been busy helping retailers and shopping centres prepare for this very moment, so they can confidently re-open, knowing they have everything in place to encourage customer spend once more!  Working with businesses both big and small, we’ve been producing everything from social distancing signage and floor vinyls, eye-catching window displays, targeted radio messaging and even pedestrian roundabouts!

As well as creating physical measures to help everyone shop safe, we’ve also been taking the load off businesses by helping them with their online marketing comms and social media content to help spread the news to their target audience that they’re welcoming their customers in store once again!

Of course, it’s a time of transition for all retailers and customers alike, as we get used to the ‘new normal’ whilst we’re out shopping.  It’s understandable that many business owners are feeling like they’re having to work things out as they go along a little, and find solutions for things they may not have thought of until they started trading again.

If this sounds like you, panic not!  We’ve got everything ready at our fingertips, and a team of digital wizards ready to help anyone who needs a helping hand with either in-store or digital comms.  We’re determined to help get as many businesses up and running again as quickly as possible, so that everyone has the best chance of success.

After all, nothing is more true right now than the fact that #WeAreInThisTogether

Click here to check out our guide to re-opening 

Ready to chat?  Give us a call on 03333 22 00 22 or email sayhello@onbrand.co.uk

 

May 29
0

Are you ready to re-open? Your FREE Downloadable guide…

By | Blog, Digital, In-Store

We’ve made it our mission to help retail businesses thrive once they’re able to re-open their doors again on June 15th.

That’s why, we’ve put together the ultimate ‘guide to re-opening’ which gives you all the tips, info and services for you will want to consider before you welcome your customers in-store again.

It’s free to download and you can get your copy by entering your email address below:

    We work across a range of business, retail and consumer brands, with the clear mission to create the most memorable customer experiences.

    From how a brand sounds through an efficient telephone journey, to compelling social media campaigns that lead to engaging websites, to incredible award ceremonies and enjoyable retailer events.

    We make each moment memorable, customers happy and brands shine.

    Let’s get you ready for success.  

    Get in touch by calling: 03333 22 00 22 or email: sayhello@onbrand.co.uk

    May 26
    0

    Are you ready to re-open?

    By | Blog, Digital, In-Store

    With the great news announced by the government that retailers will be allowed to start opening their doors once again from 15th June, we wanted to do our bit to help make sure that you’re ready.

    BBC News reported that:

    “Shops have been told to consider placing a poster in their windows to demonstrate awareness of the guidance and commitment to safety measures.”….

    As a specialist retail marketing agency, we’ve been preparing for this news for quite a number of weeks now, and whilst we can absolutely help you with a poster or two, we’ve also put together a whole host of options for retailers to communicate that it’s safe to shop with them. From floor stickers, to window vinyls, to social media content to radio messaging…we have everything at the ready to help you successfully open for business!! 🙌🏻💚.

    So what sorts of things should you be considering right now? 

    Not sure where to start?  Don’t worry, we’ve done the thinking for you.

    It obviously depends on the type and size of your retail business, however, here are just some of the things we have planned and ready to help you roll out:

    Outdoor Comms

    Yes, a simple poster can remind your customers to social distance or show your gratitude for their custom by welcoming them back into store, but if you’re looking for more eye-catching or creative ways to engage your customers, there are plenty of additional options!

    A bold new window vinyl could be worth considering if you’re really wanting to stand out and let your customers know you’re open again.  We can help you tailor the messaging, look & feel in line with your branding, to help drive a bit of buzz around you opening your doors again.  Art-work could even be worked up on an A-Frame board alongside branded balloons outside the store too!

    Store Navigation

    Floor stickers are an effective way of marking out where customers should stand to ensure they’re maintaining social distancing standards.  You might even want to include friendly messages on them, which raise a smile as they navigate your store – after all, this is the ‘new normal’ and so making them feel welcome, whilst adhering to measures will certainly help encourage spend.

    How about your staff?  How can you help make sure customers adhere to social distancing with your team?  Of course, there are all sorts of ways of using pespex screens at payment desks etc; however, we rather like the idea of a simple badge for each staff member to wear, reminding customers that they’re here to help, but from a distance.

    Digital Comms

    Let’s not forget, many customers will still be cautious for quite some time, and so ensuring they can still engage and shop with you from home is key.  Now is not the time to forget about all the great work you’ve been doing over the past couple of months to build relationships with them online.

    Use your social media channels to showcase your open store and demonstrate that it’s safe to shop with you.  You could even incentivise your online audience with a voucher to bring to store, to encourage footfall.  In the not too distant future, after a little digital reassurance, it won’t be long before you see them step foot in your shop once again!

    Finally, don’t neglect your website in your preparations to open!  You should think about updating your homepage messaging with your planned opening date alongside any messages around what customers can expect from their new shopping experience with you..  It’ s crucial to make sure your website is optimised for SEO, making sure it appears higher up in those all important google searches….it sounds like a lot, but these are all really simple tasks for us, which we can easily take off your hands!!

    So, the big question is:  Are you ready to re-open? 

    Need a helping hand?

    Get in touch by emailing sayhello@onbrand.co.uk & we’ll get you sorted in no time! 👍🏻

    Download our free definitive re-opening guide

    We’ve put together the definitive guide to reopening for Retail. We’ve collated the very best products to help you reopen your store, services you can engage and tips on nailing your website & social media experiences. Enter your email address below to receive our guide.

      May 11
      0

      Planning to re-open? Why INSTORE Customer Messaging is KEY…

      By | Blog, In-Store

      With the government messaging having changed from ‘stay home’ to ‘stay alert,’ many retailers are preparing for what the Prime Minister has communicated as ‘Step 2’ of easing the lockdown, when shops selling non-essential items may be allowed to open again.

      Of course, as a nation, we’re all thinking about further adjustments we’ll be needing to make when we’re able to start going out and about again. One of the biggest jobs for retailers, however, is helping to ensure customers feel confident and safe whilst shopping, in order to encourage spend once again.

      There are, of course, many ways to communicate the measures you’re taking to ensure a safe shopping environment, however, one of the channels many retailers are turning to is instore radio.

      As an agency, we’ve been working with shopping centres and retailers alike to put together bespoke instore radio messages. It’s a great way to reach customers en masse at a low cost. Whether it’s music to create a positive atmosphere, or professional voiceover recordings reminding customers about social distancing, our team can help work up a solution to drive instore confidence and ultimately, sales!

      Don’t just take our word for it though – download our audio solutions pack and check out the stats from happy clients, which truly speak for themselves!

      Enter your email address in the field below to receive your free copy of our audio solutions pack.

        Interesting read? Want to discuss more? Get in touch!

        May 07
        0

        The Psychology of Lockdown: Where’s your business at?

        By | Blog, Digital, In-Store, On The Phone

        We thought we’d share a little something we were discussing in our team meeting this morning…

         

        As a team, we’re always making sure we stay on top of industry news and often share things we’ve seen online and in the world around us.  Today, one of the team shared this really interesting little diagram from Robert Stead at the Marketing Centre.

        What particularly got us talking was the fact that this very diagram truly encapsulates what we as an agency have already been experiencing.  We’ve been helping clients get through the ‘fear zone’ and have been on the case helping them to adapt their comms strategies to not only set the right tone, but to make sure they’re reaching out to their customers in an authentic way, across the right channels.  The result?  Well, we’ve noticed a real shift with our clients moving across into the ‘learning’ and ‘growth’ zones over the past couple of weeks.  The shift means that we’re now pulling together new packages to help businesses thrive in whatever the ‘new normal’ might be when Boris makes his next announcement.

        The big question is – in which ‘zone’ does your business currently sit?

        © The Marketing Centre

        Need help getting in the (growth!) zone? Feeling apprehensive about what any ease of lockdown might mean for your business?  Get in touch – we’re here to help!

        Apr 16
        0

        A little something to keep the kids busy during lockdown…

        By | Blog

        We’re officially into week 4 of lockdown.  How are you hanging on in there?

        There’s no denying that life has taken a different course for us all over the past few weeks and it’s been incredibly humbling to see such bravery amongst NHS and key workers.  As an agency, we’ve been thinking about the little ways we can help to give back to show our gratitude for all those who have been doing their bit to keep this country safe.  We’ve also been thinking about all the children who are stuck at home in lockdown, unable to see their friends…and of course their parents who are having to juggle childcare, home-schooling and work, whilst keeping their sanity at the same time!!…

        That’s why, we’ve put together these fun little colouring activities for parents to download to help keep their kids busy…we’re really rather pleased with these, as not only will they keep little ones out of mischief for a while, but once they’re completed, and displayed at your window, they will prove to be a fantastic colourful way to thank all those people working so hard to look after us all!


        If you would like to receive these images for free, just enter your email address below and we’ll email them to you.

          We’d love to see your creations!  Follow us on Instagram and tag us in an insta story showing us your kids’ work!

          Apr 14
          0

          A Positive Throwback: How we got Whitney Houston to drive engagement for Baytree Shopping Centre on Valentine’s Day…

          By | Audio, Blog, Case Study, Events, In-Store, PR, Shopping Centres, Social

          We thought we’d enjoy a little interlude from what’s going on in the mainstream news, to spread a little cheer and share  one of our favourite campaigns from earlier this year.

          Question for you…What do you get when you mix a shopping centre, a dollop of love, a spoonful of Whitney Houston and some clever radio marketing alongside a sprinkle of social media magic?

          An interesting recipe right?  Read on…

          A bit of background

          OnBrand’s history is deeply centred around radio, so much so that the whole company used to be called Centre Radio. And we’re proud to supply our most cost effective product, Centre Radio, to a wide range of different shopping malls up and down the country, with a variety of playlists and recorded messaging that can be updated and loaded quickly, especially in times when you need to react in a crisis.

          We can make you feel good

          We’re often reminding people that sounds can encourage a range of emotions. But did you know that positive feelings created by music can also help to increase both dwell time and sales in a shopping centre?  You can read more about the science behind it here.

          However, today we’re not going to talk about science. Here’s an update on how we used Centre Radio creatively to have a bit of fun this Valentine’s Day at The Baytree Shopping Centre.

          What went down

          The Baytree Shopping Centre wanted to launch a simple Valentine’s Day competition, but with a twist. Something that would make shoppers want to ‘dance with somebody’ and engage them within the centre and on social media channels.

          Centre Manager, Dan Foley didn’t really need to look very much further than OnBrand. We got right to the heart of the brief, which would mix all the elements together… (any Whitney fans getting our references yet?)

          The chart-topping idea

          A week-long competition that encouraged people to listen out for Whitney Houston’s, ‘I will always love you’ and then message the centre’s Facebook with the time that they heard it, in a bid to win a Valentine’s Gift Bundle.

          Working closely with our audio team to ensure the track was played when the ‘Clock strike(d) upon the hour,’  our social media gurus then set to work promoting this awesome competition on the socials.

          With a tightly planned schedule, we created banner advertising, posts and fun teasers, encouraging people to go into the centre and listen out for the tune, while giving them clear instructions on how to apply for a chance of winning.

          The results

          We generated plenty of seasonal engagement around this awesome competition, with customers emailing us to let us know they had specifically visited the centre just so they could hear the song… footfall – tick!

          Another customer was also so chuffed at the ‘creativity’ they mentioned it in their entry comment.

          And let’s not forget how happy the winner is…

          At Onbrand, we talk a lot about memorable experiences, happy customers and success stories… it just  makes us ‘so emotional baby’!

          Looking for a unique competition idea? Get in touch on sayhello@onbrand.co.uk.

          We’re ‘saving all our (creative) love for you…..’

           

           

           

          Apr 14
          0

          In the Sound of Silence… Is background music important in a shopping centre?

          By | Audio, Blog, In-Store, Shopping Centres

          Listen. Hear that?

          If you’re in a city centre and all you can hear are raised voices and revving engines, it probably means there’s a good chance that something else has slipped past your radar. Music. As forgettable as they seem, the songs that play in the background of shopping malls and supermarkets are as much a part of the experience as your loyalty card or bag for life.

          But how can something so important slip past us so easily? If we can barely tell it’s there, why bother, right? Maybe, we’re better off shopping in silence – they do say it’s golden after all.

          Or maybe not. You don’t need to be a scientist to know that a shop with no music feels weird, but in case you were in any doubt, mood-setting music has been shown time and time again to work best for retailers when it’s there.

          However, does anyone give it any notice?

          It’s like the air we breathe; we only speak up when there’s a problem. Take it away though, and there’s no atmosphere.

          When we think of shopping tunes, the first thing that probably pops into your head are upbeat top 40 bangers, those songs we hear played over and over until they become instantly recognisable.

          Maybe the rationale of business owners putting them over the intercom is that familiarity is a way to fast track comfort. Popular tracks everyone knows will make people feel more at home, and a welcoming retail environment is more likely to create regular customers.

          This idea hinges on people recognising the songs being played, so we know it sounds counterintuitive to be told it’s better for business when customers don’t recognise the music they’re listening to, but stick with us here: Several studies have proven that playing slower music causes shoppers to take longer in stores, and by not rushing, they end up spending more.

          Spangenberg and Yalch (2000) found that playing music unfamiliar (and so less obvious) to customers, not only hardly changed its enjoyment, but it also had this time-stretching effect.

          There’s lots of theories as to why this might be, but the prevailing one is that when we hear music we know, we feel time passing slower than normal. This makes sense right?

          Who’s not listened to a favourite song and it felt monumental, when the run-time is only a couple of minutes? When all the background songs mush together, our body clocks have a hard time working out how long it’s been since we started doing something.

          That said, having a whole load of people milling about might not always be the savviest sales option.

          Maybe your aisles are getting a little over-crowded, or there’s a queue of families waiting for a table. The answer? Pick up the pace a little.

          The good news for retailers is…

          When we are under music’s influence, these studies consistently find we have absolutely no idea, even if it seems blatant on paper. Hargreaves, McKendrick, and North’s experiment in a wine bar (1999) found that buyers were more likely to go for French wines when ‘obviously French-sounding’ music was playing, with the same effect on German wines with ‘German-sounding’ music. Customers also spent more on wine when classical music played instead of pop; in neither case did they think the music had affected their choices.

          So, let’s get controversial for a moment and make a bold claim:

          If you want customers to stick around and spend a little more, maybe it’s time to call time on in-shop pop. Its bouncy rhythms and anthemic choruses might be enticing, but as far as research goes, all signs point toward less being more.

          Hard to believe we know, but there’s nothing that makes us want to stay and blow our hard-earned cash than slow songs we haven’t heard before. We guess silence isn’t the only thing that’s golden.