Internet retailers: what’s your number?

We’re thrilled to be on the scene today as the Internet Retailer Conference + Expo kicks off at Chicago’s McCormick Place West.

While we put the finishing touches on Booth #1968, attendees are getting fired up in dozens of pre-conference workshops offered by industry experts. Wish we could join all of them, too – these workshops are a banquet of great ideas.

For example, John Minardi of CVS Health is challenging attendees to think beyond omnichannel marketing in favor of delivering powerful, relevant messages that truly enhance the customer’s experience of the brand.

Thanks, John – we couldn’t have said it better ourselves. That’s why we’re here, too.

We’re coming to IRCE with one big question for Internet retailers: What’s your number?

Are you looking for greater total ROI? Better customer retention? More sales from your most loyal customers?

Whatever way you express your objectives, we are eager to talk with you about ways to pursue a leaner, more powerful strategy to achieve them.

A recent study from Accenture shows that, despite what we may think, most customers want MORE information and engagement with retailers. For example, they’re hungry for alerts pointing to coupon offers, seasonal deals and BOGO promotions and they’d like to be able to redeem these offers on the spot.

However, the same study revealed that only a small portion of all retailers surveyed were ready with the right solutions – a finding we believe points out only one aspect of a huge opportunity.

Our goal at IRCE will be to talk with Internet retailers about reaching their numbers by maximizing the inherent value of print, merchandising, mobile and online tools to reach customers in timely, thoughtful ways. This may sound like a classic omnichannel strategy, but at its core, it’s all about what John shared with his workshop audience.

The marketing channels themselves aren’t the point. The goal is to deliver the information customers want and need at exactly the right time and in the right depth and detail. Each channel does this in its own unique way. Combining them wisely and economically is the key to off-the-charts success.

For example, the world’s biggest and most experienced e-tailers have retained print (or returned to it) as a natural complement to their online efforts. When it comes to delivering in-depth product information and unforgettable sensorial experiences, print cannot be beat.

Surprisingly, Millennials – who you’d think would be solidly wed to mobile and online channels – actually adore print. The astonishing success of The Fader Magazine and other high-end, print-and-online media prove how influential print can be when marketing to customers under 30.

But just in case you’re thinking we’re here at IRCE to sell you on the value of a print-centric program for your brand, let me widen out the perspective here.

While we’re helping all our major clients boost sales and customer loyalty with beautiful, well-planned, economical print and direct mail campaigns, we are also talking with them about bold new strategies that deliver timely customer messages via mobile and online. Here’s just one example from our expanding toolbox.

American Litho has invested significant sums this year to develop a new in-store POS system that:

• Offers up-to-the-minute news of in-store events, sales, discounts and more to customers as they enter the store – or even when they’re walking or driving by

• Lets shoppers scan any part of an in-store poster or POS display to receive on-the-spot details about new products or promotions

• Automatically builds a rich database of customer information, forming a “heart of gold” you can tap to enrich sales and customer engagement

This system operates from a unique, layered printing process we’ve worked hard to refine and perfect – and we can’t wait to show you how it works.

However, I do want to emphasize that this is by no means the only strategy we’ve got for you. That’s because we don’t start with solutions. We start with you. Your numbers. Your pain points. Your unique needs. And whatever we recommend, we create hand-in-hand with you.

Marketing costs big money. Millions, if you’re a leading brand. But the right marketing partner will show up on the right side of your ledger – helping you build ROI, not just manage your overall expenses. That’s the kind of partner American Litho aspires to be.

If that’s the all-in resource you’re looking for, we think you’ll find we have a lot to offer.

Don’t miss us – we’re the red-white-and-blue team at Booth #1968. See you there!

Dwayne Martinez is American Litho’s packaging and merchandising guru, offering insights and expertise gained through 30+ years in the business. Dwayne works hand-in-hand with the full ALitho team to create exciting, cost-effective packaging and merchandising solutions for both leading and emerging brands. Reach out to him via our page.