Shopping behaviour has changed dramatically over the last few months and more people than ever are moving online, with 65% businesses believing that there will be lasting change in shopping channel preference post-Covid-19 (Kantar Analysis, March 2020).
As the industry looks towards the next few months, Diageo shares guidance on how best to develop your digital offering by getting the basics right with its ‘Digital Selling for Success’ guidelines. The framework which includes the key growth pillars Reach, Ease, Inspiration, Education and Optimisation, is based on years of understanding online behaviours, and has been consolidated by a team of digital experts in house. It is designed to educate and inspire UK wholesalers to set up, improve and make the most of their offering as eCommerce becomes even more prevalent in B2B.
This month we take a look at the first few guidelines around improving reach and education.
Reach
The number of eyes on available products and campaigns is key. This is about thinking mobile-first and driving penetration through digital touchpoints to capture shoppers at all stages of their online journey. When it comes to reaching and building relationships with individual shoppers, digital gives the ability to be extremely targeted, whether by social media or more traditional mediums, such as personalised email. With this in mind, take the opportunity to review your social channels and think about how you will reach new and existing shoppers, and drive sales without relying on the physical depot. Consider an ongoing calendar of interesting, shoppable content where shoppers can click-through to buy.
In the United Kingdom, 53% of consumers prefer to shop online using a brand’s app over its website (Pocket Shoppers: eCommerce on the Move, 2018). Wholesalers should consider expanding their digital offering to include a mobile app-based sales platform. This is key for convenience and on the go shopping. It can also enhance experience, drive repeat usage and boost customer loyalty. Furthermore, the ability to deliver targeted messages on mobile app through push notifications creates a huge opportunity for wholesalers to effectively engage with shoppers.
On both website and app sales platforms, wholesalers should dedicate discretionary space to shoppable media banners that allow shoppers to click through and purchase. This will help to raise awareness of products, innovations, and campaigns whilst driving sales. In all shoppable media, a call to action must be clearly communicated upfront and be fully understood – what is the product, what is it for, and why should shoppers buy – in less than 5 seconds.
Education
Education on-site is incredibly important, as for everything else to work, the basics must be right. Product names, images and key product information must all be available on site to land purchase, trial and exploration. This is crucial when converting sales – for example, 52% of B2B shoppers would not buy a product if there is no image (Diageo Customer Analytics, 2018). Wholesalers should take advantage of webspace to bring brands to life through detailed tasting notes and highlighting product awards. Consider using enhanced content such lifestyle and serve images of the product and support with perfect serve videos, where appropriate. This will give trade shoppers the knowledge and confidence to purchase and sell the products.
When it comes to individual products, along with a product title and quality hero image, digital allows for the addition of detailed product descriptions. When copywriting, think about your audience and the information they require to feel educated and enticed to purchase. Ensure these include category terms and are optimised for search. Finally, ensure all product information, including imagery, is scaled for mobile-friendly use. Next month, Diageo will dive deeper into Ease Inspiration and Optimisation – including how to tap into key occasions throughout the year, why it’s important to deliver consistent messaging and how to digitally connect to key moments of the shopper journey to drive engagement.
To get support and access more information on Diageo’s Digital Selling for Success guidelines, please contact your Diageo account manager.
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