Consumer Engagement Tactics

In 2007, a pair of pants ignited a retail revolution that would forever change how men shop. Andy Dunn, a Stanford graduate and innovator, identified a significant gap in men’s fashion: the absence of well-fitting, high-quality pants available online. This insight inspired the creation of Bonobos, a company that would revolutionize men’s retail. Bonobos stood out by focusing on one key issue: providing great-fitting pants for men. They didn’t just sell pants; they transformed the shopping experience. Here's how Bonobos transformed men's fashion retail: > Bonobos proved that men would indeed buy clothes they couldn't try on.  90% of their initial sales came through their website, challenging long-held beliefs about male shopping habits (Harvard Business School). > The "Guideshop" concept: Bonobos introduced a revolutionary hybrid model. Their guideshops allowed customers to try on clothes in person but place orders online, blending physical and digital experiences. > Mastering the perfect fit: Bonobos nailed fit customization with a variety of sizes and fits, which helped them reach over $200 million in annual revenue by 2019 (Inc. Magazine) > Customer service excellence: Bonobos elevated customer service with their "Ninjas" - representatives empowered to go above and beyond for customers. This approach yielded an impressive 83% customer retention rate (Forrester) The Bonobos story teaches us that addressing real customer pain points can transform an industry, and blending online convenience with offline experiences creates a powerful retail model. As fashion industry professionals, we can draw inspiration from Bonobos' success. What areas of fashion retail do you think are ready for a Bonobos-style disruption? Share your ideas in the comments below. #FashionInnovation #RetailRevolution

As an adult, I've cried only three times. One of those times was when we unexpectedly learned we were having our fourth child. I wasn't angry or upset, but the news threw me into crisis mode. The jump from three to four children required immediate and significant adjustments. One of the most pressing changes was the need for two vehicles with third-row seating. This was a daunting task for me, as I hate cars, driving, and spending money. On a cold Saturday morning, I packed three agitated children and my wife (who I perfectly timed an argument with) into the car. We arrived at the dealership, and it was evident that the Robinson family were losing the day in a blowout. The salesperson rushed over and asked if he could help. I simply said, "I need a car with a third row." He then showed me a Toyota Camry, which only has two rows, and spent ten minutes trying to convince me it would work. I will spare you the details, but we left quickly. At the next dealership, the salesperson's first move was to provide coloring books and snacks to keep the children occupied, effectively de-escalating the situation. He then observed the tension between my wife and me and steered the conversation towards topics that would unite us. He demonstrated an understanding of our emotional state and offered practical solutions to navigate this uncomfortable situation. This experience highlights an opportunity for both buyers and sellers to improve the sales process in our industry. From a buyer's perspective, coming to the "table" with a clear understanding of their needs (beyond simply "I need a car") is crucial. From a seller's perspective, bringing calm to the situation, reading the customer's emotional cues, and leveraging industry knowledge can significantly enhance the experience. While not always feasible, as nothing is ever 100%, this approach can simplify the sales process and lead to more positive outcomes

Have you considered how integrated restaurant ecosystems can revolutionize sales growth and customer loyalty? I recently came across a fascinating discussion diving deep into the power of integrated restaurant ecosystems. It unpacked how moving from fragmented, single-channel setups to cohesive omni-channel ecosystems can be a game-changer for restaurants. Imagine a restaurant where you have absolute control over your customer data, enabling personalized marketing and boosting customer loyalty. That's where the industry is heading. Here’s a powerful story from the talk that got me thinking: A pizza place, once relying solely on indoor dining, transformed its operations by embracing curbside pickup. They repurposed their parking lot to include 40 spaces exclusively for pickups! This pivot not only retained but increased their revenue during the challenging COVID-19 period. Some key takeaways from the session: - Data Ownership: Having a unified back-end system means better data accuracy and customer relationship management. - Customer Preferences: Up to 70% of guests prefer ordering online, which increases the average ticket size by 26%, thanks to upselling and cross-selling. - Loyalty Programs: Integrated loyalty programs can boost repeat visits by up to 30%. - Operational Efficiency: Integrating all channels from POS systems to delivery services into one system can streamline operations, making them more transparent and manageable. The discussion also highlighted the shift from in-room dining to digital solutions, a phenomenon accelerated by COVID-19 but here to stay. The next frontier may not be just about great food but how you leverage technology to create seamless, personalized experiences for your customers. How are you integrating technology to enhance customer experience and drive growth in your business? Please share your thoughts! #RestaurantTech #Omnichannel #CustomerLoyalty #DataDrivenMarketing #SalesGrowth #DigitalTransformation

𝗞𝗲𝗻𝘆𝗮'𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗚𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝗮 $𝟭𝟬𝟬𝗠+ 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗚𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲 – 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗜𝘁! 💎📊 After deep-diving into #Kenya's Big 3 supermarket loyalty programs (Naivas Limited, Carrefour, Quickmart Supermarket), I discovered something shocking: We're witnessing the greatest missed opportunity in African retail history. 🤯 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 📈 🔹 Naivas: 2+ million customers, 5-year purchase histories, yet still relies on MANUAL point capture by cashiers 🔹 Carrefour: Digital-first approach, but basic utilization of customer intelligence   🔹 Quickmart: Traditional program with ZERO data sophistication 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻-𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆'𝗿𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 💰 Kenyan supermarkets are missing out on a trillion-shilling opportunity to leverage their loyalty data for hyper-targeted offers such as personalized discounts and product suggestions based on individual shopping habits. Mass customization at scale through predictive replenishment, personalized lists and subscriptions, and advanced revenue optimization strategies like dynamic pricing, waste reduction, cross-selling, and churn prediction, all of which could dramatically boost profitability and transform customer experience through true personalization. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱? 🤦🏾♂️ - Naivas: Customers manually tell cashiers their phone numbers to earn 1 point per KES 100 - Carrefour: Has the tech but uses it like a digital receipt system - Quickmart: Prayer, Vibes & Inshaallah 🙏🏾 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜𝘁 𝗪𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 🚀 To truly unlock the value of loyalty programs in Kenya’s retail sector, supermarkets must invest in real-time customer data platforms, AI-powered analytics, mobile money integration, and omnichannel journey mapping, while strategically building teams for data science, segmentation, and personalization; above all, a cultural shift is needed - from simply running 'points programs' to building intelligent customer relationship platforms, allowing for dynamic offers, relationship-driven engagement, and individualized experiences that will drive loyalty and long-term profitability. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗠𝗔𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗩𝗘 📈: proper loyalty data utilization could deliver 20-30% higher customer lifetime value, 15-25% larger transactions, 40-50% better retention, and 10-15% marketing cost reduction. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻❓ 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗞𝗲𝗻𝘆𝗮'𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗝𝘂𝗺𝗶𝗮, 𝗔𝗺𝗮𝘇𝗼𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗲-𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘀 to master customer intelligence while they collect dust-gathering phone numbers? 🤔 The data is there. The customers are willing. The technology exists. What's missing is vision and execution. 💪🏾 How do we unlock this goldmine? 🔓 #RetailInnovation #CustomerData #AI

Vehicle affordability will continue to remain a top concern for car buyers. How should your website help buyers with that? Some of your website visitors are close to purchase, and are ready for that penny perfect quote, but most, like 90%+, are early stage shoppers and just want a quick estimate on their monthly payment, and to browse your inventory based upon what they can afford. You can and should give them both approaches to meet them where they are, and we’ll share three examples here now. Let’s start with Union County Kia. There are a lot of call-to-action buttons there (see the video, y'all), but we’re paying attention to the “Express Shopping: Build Your Deal” and “Calculate Your Payment” buttons. They’ve clearly communicated to browsers that one button is for buying, a la a digital retailing process, and the other is a quick way to get a payment estimate. Next up is Audi Hilton Head which also uses the right wording on their CTA buttons. Want to buy? Click here. Want a payment estimate. Click here. Finally, here's John Amato Hyundai Superstore(click into any vehicle). Again you’ll see “Start Buying Process” and “Calculate Your Payment in less than 60 seconds”. In all three, we can certainly debate the number of CTAs and the cornucopia of colors, but ultimately the motivated buyers know where to click, and have a mental expectation that starting that online buying process is going to take longer, and they’re willing to invest the time. The early stage shoppers know where to click, and get information quickly, turning more of them into first party leads for your dealership. The takeaway: meet your customers where they are in the buying process and your website will be humming. If that means having two tools that co-exist on your site do the job, have two tools.

Rules of engagement. (Automotive) Sales 1. Walk in - should be treated in be best way possible. Make them feel welcome. In this heavy traffic they took the time out and effort to come to see you and your car. 2. Qualify - understand their need, understand their family dynamics. Ask the right questions. Suggest what you think is best for them. Remember you are the automotive expert not them. 3. Test Drive - one of the most important and neglected things. Understand the demographics in today’s market. There are enough adverts, promotions, AI videos etc going around on social media in the times of digital age. Anyone can easily be influenced into sometimes making the wrong decision. Let them drive the car, feel your product. Make them understand what you see at times is not what it is. 4. Crash Test - do you know most of the honest Car makers have their crash tests listed on official websites? Let them see those while they are there at your showroom. Many customers will tell you I like car “A” car “B” etc. do the comparison and let them know what your ratings are. Let them compare. 5. Leads - this is a very crucial thing to look at. Many will just inquire. Turn it into a visit. Request them to come see you at the showroom. Let them test drive. Persistence is key. Be persistent not irritating. 6. Relationship - Long term relationship is golden. Customer bought a car, Job is not done. Till the day they drive your car they are your Customers, build on it, they will speak to others and it will create a legacy and a brand. 7. Product - Believe in what you are selling, learn the product inside out. It shows your commitment. And you will automatically come across as confident and shows you know what your are talking about. Easier to explain to a customer, and won’t sound gibberish. 8. Punctuality - can not emphasize this enough. Leaves a lasting impression. Always always always be on time. Even before time. 9. SMILE! Yes smile, you earn money from it, don’t make any customer feel like you are not enjoying it. 10. Profiling - Do not under no circumstance ever profile a customer. Never ever do that. That’s the biggest cardinal sin you can do on the floor. Regardless of what they wear, how they look and how they speak. Nationality, race etc. all are equally important. It’s the minimum you can do is to be ethical and polite to all. Gratitude always for where you are.

The US Department of Energy (DOE) took a colossal step by committing to a conditional loan guarantee for Sunnova Energy's Project Hestia, paving the way for the establishment of virtual power plants (VPPs) that could well alter the very foundation of energy production, distribution, and consumption in the United States. Virtual power plants are not just a technological innovation; they embody a radical shift toward decentralizing and democratizing energy resources. The significance of this shift cannot be overstated in a climate where electricity demand is escalating, traditional power plants are retiring, and new grid connections are mired in multi-year waitlists. VPPs present not merely an alternative but an innovation that leans into resilience, inclusivity, and sustainability. Project Hestia targets lower-income homeowners, extending beyond the mere provision of energy to catalyze job creation and empowerment within communities. Given the urgency of bridging social inequalities and ensuring that technological advancements do not leave behind marginalized communities, this is a pivotal moment. By focusing on disadvantaged individuals and communities, and prioritizing an inclusive approach that transcends socio-economic barriers, the project ascends from being an energy initiative to a socio-economic catalyst. With VPPs, homeowners become active participants in the energy grid, fostering a participative energy economy. This circumvents the longstanding issue of being mere consumers in an energy market dominated by colossal, centralized entities. By generating, storing, and even potentially selling back energy to the grid, households are empowered, facilitating a redistribution of both energy and economic power. This “power to the people” approach underpins a future where the benefits of clean, renewable energy are not confined to those who can afford them but permeate throughout society, diminishing existing socio-economic disparities. However, the transition to VPPs is not without challenges. Technical, regulatory, and economic hurdles await, and thorough oversight will be essential to ensure that the promise of inclusivity and empowerment is realized. Moreover, as VPPs pivot heavily on technology, ensuring cybersecurity, data privacy, and the integrity of the connected grid will be paramount. A balance must be struck between technological sophistication, simplicity, and security to foster participation while safeguarding against vulnerabilities. https://lnkd.in/e744mEqH

From Problem to Opportunity Some might see it as a problem whereas some might see an opportunity. Now putting in context of Pakistan Power System this is the average hourly load demand based on the actual recorded load demand of ISMO for Year 2024/25. We can see two distinct features huge drop in demand during solar hours thanks to DER penetration and large peak demand in evening hours. So can we turn this problem into an opportunity. Based on my understanding of CTBCM, current market participants would be => Generators => Suppliers/Traders => Bulk Power Consumers (BPCs) What if we extent this category to include two new participants say =>Virtual Power Plants (VPPs). Aggregators of distributed generation, storage, and flexible demand. Allowing them to sell aggregated energy or capacity to suppliers, traders, or even BPCs through bilateral contracts. =>Demand Response Aggregators (DRAs). Entities that pool flexible consumer loads and sell negative watts (reduced demand) as capacity or energy resources. Allowing then to turn consumption flexibility into a tradable resource. These new participants can allow reduction in steep net demand fall caused by solar generation from rooftops and embedded PV. Instead of curtailing solar or running thermal units inefficiently, VPPs can export surplus to nearby industrial loads through local trading arrangements. On the other hand, as solar output fades, demand spikes DRAs can activate flexible loads (HVAC, pumping, industrial processes) to temporarily reduce demand. Together, VPPs and DRAs flatten the load curve, transforming an operational challenge into a market opportunity. CTBCM already provides the institutional and contractual foundation. What’s missing is the regulatory recognition of flexibility as a market product. Introducing VPPs and DR Aggregators can provide a structured way to monetize flexibility, help reduce ISMO balancing costs and empowering consumers to become active market participants. #CTBCM #VirtualPowerPlant #DemandResponse #GridFlexibility #PakistanPowerSector #EnergyTransitionPakistan #learning

Unlocking 1.48% more revenue just by hiding reviews. Curious why? We recently tested something interesting: hiding review stars on men's Product Listing Pages (PLPs). The result? A 1.48% increase in ARPU! 🚀 Why did this work? Men, it turns out, focus more on product features than on reviews. They're less swayed by opinions and prefer straightforward decisions. By removing review stars, the focus shifts to the product itself, making choices simpler. This change also shortened product tiles, allowing users to see more options with less effort. This means a more efficient shopping experience, reducing the cognitive load. For men, streamlining the process is key to enhancing engagement. Our main takeaway? Understand your audience! Knowing what they value can lead to effective strategies. In our case, understanding men’s shopping preferences led to better user experience and increased revenue. The truth is, tailoring experiences based on audience insights can boost conversions. It's a reminder of how small changes can have big impacts. 🔍 Have you tried similar strategies to improve engagement? Let me know! #cro #abtesting #ecommerce

Why Great Photos Matter More Than You Think in Selling Cars A General Manager once told me, "Price sells cars." While price is undeniably important, in today’s digital age, this mindset misses a key component: Online presentation, especially photos. With 90% of car shoppers starting their journey online, your vehicle’s photos are often the first and sometimes only chance to make a strong impression. The Power of Photos in Online Car Sales Photos Drive Engagement: Listings with high-quality images get 48% more clicks compared to those with low-quality visuals (AutoTrader). Visuals Build Trust: Professional photos make vehicles appear more valuable and trustworthy. Buyers are even willing to pay up to $1,000 more for a car that looks appealing online (Edmunds). Better Photos, More Time Spent: Buyers spend 3x more time on listings with high-quality images, according to Cars.com. Why Photos Are a Competitive Advantage: In a crowded online marketplace, great photos help your inventory stand out. A CarsDirect study found that listings with professional images generate 30% more inquiries than those with basic or poor-quality photos. Additionally, high-quality visuals create an emotional connection with buyers, something price alone can’t achieve. As Harvard research shows, 93% of consumers base purchase decisions on visual appeal. Real Results From Better Photos A 2022 case study compared two dealerships: Dealer A used 5 low-quality images per listing. Dealer B showcased 15+ high-quality, professional photos. Dealer B saw a 25% increase in sales conversions and 40% higher click-through rates. The difference? Better photos made buyers stop, look, and act. Takeaway While price gets attention, it’s high-quality photos that sell cars in today’s online world. Great visuals create trust, drive engagement, and make your inventory stand out. If you’re not investing in professional photos, you’re leaving money and customers on the table. Want to boost your sales? Start with better photos in a 360Booth.