SHREVEPORT, LA (12.31.2022) – January 1st 2023 marks the beginning of a New Year filled with opportunities. Happy New Year to all across the 12volt industry!
The New Year 2023 presents an opportunity for all to start with a clean slate and implement a fresh set of goals for the year ahead.
There is an old saying “Nothing is more constant than change.” The fact that online commerce continues to capture sales from brick and mortar retailers has become a constant that won’t change – unless brick and mortar retailers change their approach to the marketplace. E-commerce sales during the 2022 holiday season were up nearly double digits over 2021. Between Black Friday and Christmas eve FedEx, UPS along with the US Postal Service combined to deliver over 2 billion packages. To be sure, not all of those packages were Christmas gifts. However, as online ordering surged, the majority were Christmas gifts.
Brick and mortar retailers across the U.S. closed thousands of stores in 2022.
In the evermore digital marketplace, all brick and mortar retailers must change their mindset and marketing approach to engage the consumer marketplace. To be successful retailers must create an overall experience consumers can not get from an online retailer. Hearing crisp highs, and feeling bass in the chest, just can not be experienced online. Seeing in-vehicle lighting plus power sports and marine installations first-hand will drive sales. Safety and convenience products, along with in-vehicle connectivity, are also categories where an exciting in-store experience can capture business for brick and mortar retailers.
Social media outreach is an extremely powerful vehicle through which 12volt retailers can develop a legion of loyal followers and engage consumers. Mobile devices are in the hands of virtually all consumers today. The smartphone is such a valuable tool for 12volt retailers to showcase their respective message to their followers and consumers.
New product arrivals, hot installations, new in-store displays and proactive staff members represent ideal content to highlight through planned social media posts. By the time the morning coffee is brewed a far sighted 12volt retailer could have made an engaging Instagram post for his followers to checkout. That post could feature a new product with an invitation to come into the store for an exciting demonstration. As the Instagram post was made that content could have been shared to Facebook and Twitter accounts also.
The Instagram Business Profile, which is free, features a contact tab. A follower can tap the contact tab and call the store from their smartphone as they view the post. Also, a follower can send an email to the store as well as get a map to the store. Making a post, with the opportunity to get an immediate response from a follower, is an amazing outreach 12volt retailers can’t pass up in today’s marketplace.
For the good of our 12volt industry, the community of suppliers must endeavor to inform the world of the benefits mobile electronics products offer consumers. It’s is well known the price driven “Race to Zero” has stripped marketing budgets. Recent emphasis on high end in-vehicle audio, along with power sports for UTV and marine plus lighting, is a terrific way to kick off the New Year.
We look forward to seeing your company’s brand and positive activities showcased in the 12volt Central Studios in 2023.
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