Technologies to apply in marketing and communication
Many times I am asked if everything has already been invented in marketing or if we still have many innovations ahead of us that are going to revolutionize the sector. My theory is the following: the bases were created a long time ago, but the tools that we have at our disposal to carry out a marketing strategy for our business evolve and adapt to changes in society.
And, what does society currently demand as far as marketing is concerned? More heart, less sales. Give more and ask less.
Although this Law was initially created for the field of quality control, it has later been applied to other fields, including marketing and, specifically, content marketing. To which it refers? To the famous 80/20 rule, that is, that 80% of the content is to add value to our customers and that this helps us to retain them and the remaining 20%, to sales-oriented content.
Would this be enough to develop a good marketing strategy? It is a good part of it, but nowadays users seek to go one step further and that, in some way, the technological tools that we have at our disposal help us to offer a complete, different and suggestive experience to our users.
The objective? Respond to a demand or need that did not exist in the market or that, at least, the company did not offer until now. There are numerous examples on the market, but I have gathered a few from different sectors so that you can get an idea of the potential that these tools have in a current and innovative marketing strategy.
QR code scanners for the supermarket
The increase in establishments that serve healthy food and complete menus has increased considerably, especially in cities, and this means that many people have reduced their usual shopping cart.
This circumstance, together with the desire to take care of oneself, has led supermarkets to offer takeaway food, but also to create QR codes that they place next to fruits, vegetables, fish or meat, so that users can find out, for a hand, the properties of these products, health benefits and possible recipes. A different way to help your customers to create their own recipes, enjoy fresh products and take care of themselves. Undoubtedly, a simple technology, but it provides a different experience to the supermarket user, perfect for dealing with the competition.
VR- Commerce: a very real experience, from home
At the moment, it seems that only large companies are betting on this type of technology, but medium-sized ones are also proving its benefits. Which is it? Introduce the customer, from home, to the store, so that they can walk through it, find out how much an object costs, its characteristics, etc.
For what purpose? On the one hand, to increase online purchases (it’s as if you were in the store, but without stress and at the time that suits the user) and, on the other, to create a new, completely personalized user experience. Big brands like Ikea have already put it into practice.
3D mirrors for fashion stores
Without having to try on clothes, the user only has to stand in front of the mirror and when the mirror recognizes him, he shows him the clothes that are available and the customer can see how they would fit. The system also gives you the size, depending on the garment and your body.
Undoubtedly, an innovative experience that will also save time waiting in the tester queues. At the moment, it is a technology that needs to be improved, but it is already part of some of the best-known fashion stores worldwide.
Facial recognition for the beauty and aesthetics sector
Being able to offer customers a preview of how they will look, for example, a pair of glasses or how they would look if they changed their haircut or color, thanks to facial recognition, are gaining more and more followers among large and medium-sized businesses in health.
Geolocation systems for local commerce
Being registered in systems such as Google Maps or Google My Business if you have a local business, is the best way for the largest search engine that currently exists, Google, to suggest your establishment to a client.
Highly recommended in the case of catering establishments, but also fashion or food stores, especially in the most touristic locations or with a large influx of public.
custom applications
There are so many options that technology offers us that, today, practically any business could have its own application, as a marketing tool. However, when thinking about creating one, it is necessary that it can provide an extra, a different experience, to the client and that the rest of the technological or communication tools cannot offer it.
For example, in the case of a pharmacy, the application could allow not only to place an order online or receive offers that only users of the application receive, but it could also personalize the information based on their state of health or the people in charge, etc.
The truth is that the health sector is beginning to work a lot on this type of technological tools applied to marketing, with the aim of humanizing and personalizing an essential service in our lives.
In summary: technology is an excellent tool at the service of marketing, as long as the main objectives of the company are taken into account and provide additional and differential value to the user.
