Your retail marketing team is falling behind on industry trends. How can you catch up for a competitive edge?

Start by listening to your customers first to see what they are looking for. Have team members research and present on emerging trends. Subscribe to industry newsletters and blogs for daily updates. Attend virtual conferences and webinars to learn from experts. Set up Google Alerts for key industry terms. Encourage team members to follow thought leaders on social media. Implement a weekly trend-sharing session where the team discusses new insights. Partner with a tech-savvy Gen Z intern to bring fresh perspectives. Most importantly, create a culture of curiosity and continuous learning. By making trend-watching a team habit, you'll not only catch up but stay ahead of the curve, giving your marketing efforts that crucial competitive edge.

The reason most people can't achieve their goals is because they don't know where they are. It helps to have a marketing trends playbook that also shows the biggest trends by each year. It shows you where you are going. As an example, in 2021, social commerce was big. In 2022, it was the dawn of AI, with us seeing the very first AI product images. In 2023, personalized marketing became more and more important. In 2024, sustainability is central again with more customers demanding corporations to take seriously the notion of building their empires without destroying the planet for future generations. The easiest way to find this out is to Google "Retail Trends [Year]" and compare it with what you are doing.

Para avaliar o status do seu marketing de varejo, é importante realizar uma análise abrangente das suas estratégias atuais, identifique quais táticas estão desatualizadas ou com baixo desempenho, e observe onde seus concorrentes se destacam, essa autoavaliação revelará lacunas em sua abordagem e servirá como ponto de partida para melhorias. Compreender a jornada do cliente e como ela evoluiu com os avanços digitais é essencial para realinhar suas estratégias com os comportamentos atuais do consumidor.

To bridge the gap between our team and industry trends, we'll prioritize continuous learning and stay updated on industry news. We'll subscribe to industry publications, attend conferences, and network with industry experts. We'll encourage team members to participate in online courses and workshops. Additionally, we'll conduct regular trend analysis to identify emerging opportunities and adjust our strategies accordingly.

One thing that can really help in building insights as a marketer is to conduct competition and consumer research. Visiting competition stores will help you gain first hand knowledge of the key distinguishing factor and the value it adds to the overall consumer journey of their store. Observing how consumers respond to this distinguishing factor will help you understand what is it that the consumer is looking for today. The best way to understand what a consumer wants from you as a brand is by listening to them. With brands having direct access to consumer databases today, it has never been this easy for brands to listen deeply and deliver to the consumers' wishes.

If more information was the answer, we'd all be billionaires with six pack abs. What you need when you gather insights is to make it actionable. Constantly think about how you can be using the trend. Then take action.

Para se atualizar sobre tendências de marketing de varejo, participe de eventos do setor, leia publicações especializadas e faça networking, aproveite ferramentas de monitoramento de mídias sociais para entender o sentimento do consumidor.

Adotar novas tecnologias, como IA, realidade aumentada e análise de dados, pode rejuvenescer significativamente os esforços de marketing de varejo.

I am very big on this. Me and my team are constantly trying out new tech and trying to identify use cases from a practical standpoint. We are currently building an AR app to test the user engagement of customers for a furniture store. We operate under the idea that it has already been validated by the likes of IKEA and Wayfair with their own AR infused apps that allow customers and potential customers to see how a product would look in their homes before they even buy. This is like a before and after image that channels their desire to and pushes them to action (which is to buy)

Capacitar sua equipe em áreas-chave, como marketing digital e análise de dados, é essencial para lidar com as novas tendências.

Assumption is the mother of all failures. You need to test your assumption to see if they are correct. To test marketing trends simply, start with A/B testing, where you compare two versions of a marketing element (like an email, webpage, or ad) to see which performs better. Use tools like Google Analytics, or Optimizely to set up these tests. Collect data on key metrics such as click-through rates, conversion rates, and user engagement. Also use social listening, with tools like Hootsuite or Brandwatch. Gauge consumer sentiment and identify emerging trends. Hashtags, mentions, and keywords related to your industry, can help to quickly adapt your marketing strategies to align with current consumer interests and behaviours.

Adotar uma abordagem experimental e de melhoria contínua é crucial para integrar novas tendências de marketing de varejo, manter-se bem informado fará toda diferença no processo

We live in possibly the greatest time ever on this planet. Even if it doesn't feel that way. We live in a time of infinite leverage. Which means you can work smarter, not harder. Even in my agency, we outsourced design and focused on what we're very good at - tech and marketing. This leads to a better finished product overall. Retail brands can also do the same. If you have a t-shirt brand, partnering up with a perfume brand is a mix of synergies. These mash ups are an opportunity to create limited edition products that provide more value for customers and improve your bottom line. Since they have to be priced for how rare they are and how in demand they are.