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Monday, 20 June 2011

RETAIL BRANDING

Def : Brand is the product’s essence, its meaning and its direction. It defines its identity in time and space.

Successful Retail Branding starts with:

  • 1.      A clear definition of what the retailer stands for
  • 2.      An identification of what the customers associate it with
  • 3.      When customers think the brand is a reflection of them
  • 4.      When the retailer is in the minds of the customer when he think of brand.
Brand
True branding effort

  • 1.      Communication that inspires emotional reaction
  • 2.      Customer Service
  • 3.      How salespersons greet customers
  • 4.      How fast product is shipped and delivered
  • 5.      Involves every single contact occurring between any product and a human

  • Role of Brand
  • 1.      Successful Retail Branding ensures Stable long term demands
  • 2.      Better margins
  • 3.      Differentiation by way of creating long term association
  • 4.      Adds value to the product
  • 5.      Trust of fulfillment of service expectations
  • 6.      Protection from growing competition
  • 7.      Image as a company attractive enough to work for
  • 8.      Negotiation with suppliers from a position of improved strength
Brand Loyalty
Brand or store loyalty will ensure
  • ·         Positive disposal to the brand based on brand loyalty
  • ·         Brand preference : Frequent utilization of the store over other stores
  • ·         Brand allegiance: Continuous utilization of the store overtime 

Brand loyalty may be expressed for one or more brands

  • 1.      Hard core loyalty : Buying one brand all the time
  • 2.      Soft core loyalty : Buying a combination of two competing brands
  • 3.      Shifting loyalty : Buying preference shifting from one brand to another
  • 4.      Switchers: No loyalty to any one brand based on the deal given.

Positioning of brands Determined on the basis of
·         Product usage
·         Price
·         Price
For successful brand positioning Brand Managers should
  • ·         Regularly assess the customer’s opinions
  • ·         Clearly identify the target
  • ·         Plan the brand
  • ·         Differentiate the brand from others in the sub group
Differentiate the brand from others in the sub group
Personality of the brand
  • ·         It is created by way of adding psychological values through
  • ·         Packaging
  • ·         Advertising
  •     Other aspects of the marketing mix

Importance
  • ·         Encourages customers to build a relationship with a brand
  • ·         Gives strength to the brand
  • ·         Ensures the staying power of the brand

Concept has two non-functional aspects of brands
  • 1.      Brand image
  • 2.      Brand identity

Brand image

  • ·         Customers regard brands possess human-like characteristics
  • ·         Customers experience brands as bundles of association
  • ·         Customers see, hear, smell, taste and get gut feelings about different brands
  • ·         This profile or essence is called brand image

Retail Promotional Strategy

Retail Promotional Strategy

•  Any communication by a retailer that informs, persuades, and/or reminds the target market about any aspect of that firm

Elements of the Promotional Mix

Advertising
Sales promotion
Store atmosphere
Web site
SEM
Personal selling
E-mail marketing
Publicity
SEM
Word of mouth

Planning a Retail Promotional Strategy

Promotional Objectives

•          Increase sales
•          Stimulate impulse and reminder buying
•          Raise customer traffic
•          Get leads for sales personnel
•          Present and reinforce the retailer image
•          Inform customers about goods and services
•          Popularize new stores and Web sites
•          Capitalize on manufacturer support
•          Enhance customer relations
•          Maintain customer loyalty
•          Have consumers pass along positive information to friends and others

Public Relations

•          Public Relations - Any communication that fosters a favorable image for the retailer among its publics
–        Nonpersonal or personal
–        Paid or nonpaid
–        Sponsor-controlled or not
–        Publicity – Any nonpersonal form of public relations whereby messages are transmitted through mass media, the time or space provided by the media is not paid for, and there is no identified commercial sponsor

Advantages

•          Image can be presented or enhanced
•          More credible source
•          No costs for message’s time or space
•          Mass audience addressed
•          Carryover effects possible
•          People pay more attention than to clearly identified ads

Disadvantages

•          Some retailers do not believe in spending on image-related communication
•          Little control over publicity message
•          More suitable for short run
•          Costs for PR staff, planning activities, and events


Advertising

•          Paid, nonpersonal communication transmitted through out-of-store mass media by an identified sponsor
•          Key aspects
–        Paid form
–        Nonpersonal presentation
–        Out-of-store mass media
–        Identified sponsor

        Advantages
•          Attracts a large audience
•          Gains pass along readership (for print)
•          Low cost per contact
•          Many alternatives available
•          Control over message content; message can be standardized
•          Message study possible
•          Editorial content surrounds ad
•          Self-service operations possible

Disadvantages
•          Standardized messages lack flexibility
•          Some media require large investments
•          Geographic flexibility limited
•          Some media require long lead time
•          Some media have high throwaway rate
•          Some media limit the ability to provide detailed information

Personal Selling

Oral communication with one or more prospective customers for the purpose of making a sale

Advantages
•          Message can be adapted
•          Many ways to meet customer needs
•          High attention span
•          Less waste
•          Better response
•          Immediate feedback
Disadvantages
•          Limited number of customers handled at one time
•          High costs
•          Doesn’t get customer in store
•          Self-service discouraged
•          Negative attitudes toward salespeople (aggressive, unhelpful)


Sales Promotion

Encompasses the paid communication activities other than advertising, public relations, and personal selling that stimulate consumer purchases and dealer effectiveness

Advantages
•          Eye-catching appeal
•          Distinctive themes and tools
•          Additional value for customer
•          Draws customer traffic
•          Maintains customer loyalty
•          Increases impulse purchases
Fun for customers

Disadvantages
•          Difficult to terminate
•          Possible damage to retailer’s image
•          More stress on frivolous selling points
•          Short-term effects only
•          Used as a supplement

EMERGING TRENDS IN INDIAN ORGANIZED RETAIL SECTOR

The emerging trends in the Indian organized retail sector would help the economic growth in India.

There is a fantastic rise in the Indian organized retail sector in a very short period of time between 2001 and 2006. Eventually, out of the shadows of the unorganized retail sector, India has a chance of tremendous economic growth, both in India and abroad. 


The emerging trends in the Indian organized retail sector are also adding up to the development of the Indian organized retail sector. The relaxation by the government on regulatory controls on foreign direct investments has added to the process of the growth of the Indian organized retail sector.


The infrastructure of the retail sector will evolve radically in the recent future. The emergence of shopping 
The trends to follow in the future:

  • The Indian Organized retail sector will grow up to 10% of total retailing by 2010.