How To Use Mobile To Bridge On And Offline

September 27th, 2017 | Jed Schneiderman, marketing, mobile and tech executive

Closeup of woman holding shopping bags ,using smart phone with copy space

This is a case of “have you ever” – hope you are happy to play along.

Have you ever walked into a store, held up your phone to a retail clerk, showed them a photo and said (or maybe even barked), “Can I get one of these”?

Or have you ever stood in a store, taken a photo, sent it to a friend or family member (via text or social) and asked “Do you like this one? Should I buy it”?

The reality is that mobile phones play a big role in our lives, and for some – an all- consuming one. Consumers use their phones as alarm clocks, many use their phones for its camera and for music. And some use it to watch Netflix or to stay connected with friends via social networks.

Yet, while more and more time is spent on mobile devices, it is not “an all-or-nothing” scenario. Mobile does play a big role, but consumers live in the real world, consume products in the real world and have real-world experiences.

So as marketers, how should one think about mobile? One way is to think about it as a means of nudging consumers. Mobile can connect online and offline, nudging consumers along a path to purchase.

Consider the following scenarios:

  1. You are sitting at dinner. Someone pours you a wine that you have never had; you drink a glass (or two) and decide that you’d like to buy some. So, you take a picture of the label and then walk into a store to buy it. Or, if you live in the Province of Ontario, you scan the UPC code with the LCBO app, check the price, find out which store has the wine in stock and then go pick it up.
  2. You are standing in the aisle of a store. You see a product that interests you – you take out your phone, type the product name (or even model #) into a search engine and look up some product reviews, do some price checking (including availability of coupons) and then decide you’ll buy it, when you’re back at home.
  3. You are deciding where to grab a bite to eat. You notice an out-of-home ad that offers $10 off your first order via a food-ordering app. You download the app, place an order – for $10 less – and go pick up your food shortly thereafter.

In all of the examples above, the consumer interacted with the physical world and used their phone to complete a transaction, in whole or in part. The mobile behaviour was triggered by something else: a nice label on the bottle of wine that tasted great; the need for a product and good merchandising at a store along with (perhaps) good search-engine-optimization (SEO) and good distribution; being hungry, a well-placed out-of-home ad along with a nearby restaurant that connected with a food-ordering app.
So, when looking at mobile opportunities, consider how the phone can make the life of the consumer easier. Can mobile make it easier to buy from you or find your product or can you use mobile to understand where the consumer is in the buying process? Phones are digital machines and while they have a lot of power packed into them, they used by humans in the physical world.

Jed SchneidermanJed Schneiderman is a proven leader in the traditional and new media space with expertise in digital marketing, mobile marketing, brand and CRM marketing. He is a proven marketer who loves to build and grow businesses.

Prior to starting Tapped, Jed worked at Microsoft Canada where he managed the BING and Windows Live portfolio. Jed has also worked at CTV Television Inc., held senior marketing positions at Procter & Gamble and AOL Canada.

Jed is also an advisor at the Ryerson Digital Media Zone and past member of CMA Digital Council and IAB Search Committee.