Advertising trends are evolving, and successful retailers are evolving with them.
A thriving company’s long-term success is dependent on its ability to shake up strategies and reinvent itself. Whether changes are prompted by competition, shifts in the market, new technologies, or consumer behavior, a good company knows that continued relevancy requires a constant eye on the future.
This was where Lowe’s Markets recently found itself. The grocery retailer based in Littlefield, Texas, has been serving communities since 1963 and has grown to over 140 neighborhood stores throughout Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and Kansas. Lowe’s Markets has earned an invaluable reputation through a person-first business philosophy that aims to serve the neighborhoods they’re a part of, their own teammates, and their families. But even after decades of success, Lowe’s Markets knew that they needed a concrete plan for the future of their outreach. The retailer was left in a tricky situation navigating how to open new marketing channels while still maintaining contact with shoppers loyal to their existing channels.
Creating a Plan
Print distribution has always played a foundational role in grocery advertising. And Lowe’s has utilized print media successfully for decades. But Lowe’s leadership has also been attentive to the shifting landscape of consumer behavior. They began thinking about the ways they could downsize their reliance on print ads while also putting platforms in place that would enhance their digital efforts.
So Lowe’s made a plan with partners they trust. Their marketing agency, AR Marketing, led the way with a comprehensive strategy to maintain Lowe’s crucial relationships with their customers. This required strengthening Lowe’s digital channels and implementing various new marketing initiatives for the retailer. With the strategy framework in place, AR Marketing realized the plan would benefit from a reliable grocery digital marketing provider to help actualize the vision on the website end. That’s when Webstop was added to the mix to build out a website platform to help accomplish Lowe’s digital transformation .
Building for the Future
Transitioning away from print has been a persistent challenge for grocery retailers. Revamping long-held practices takes a significant amount of time and the commitment to push through a series of challenges along the way. With so much on the line, bringing in outside expertise is vital. This is what makes Lowe’s partnership with AR Marketing, Webstop and their other digital providers so important. By collaborating with experts in the field, Lowe’s was able to begin a complex transformation and be set up for future success.
In the last three months, Lowe’s has successfully launched new websites and mobile apps for each of their grocery banners, revamped their email marketing, enhanced their digital circular experience and introduced a new digital coupon club. And they have even more digital initiatives in the works.
Similar to Lowe’s, Webstop has helped countless retailers navigate digital transitions, the benefits of which are multifaceted. A shift like this not only works to build a vital digital foundation for the future, but features like Webstop’s Digital Circular Plus give retailers the tools they need to make additional strategic moves down the road. For Lowe’s, this means the ability to grow and expand their digital offerings as they progress.
“I’ve worked with a lot of different companies that have tried to reinvent themselves in different ways, and the website launch we did with Webstop has been the smoothest I’ve ever experienced,” said Matt Corbin, Director of Marketing for Lowe’s Markets.
Meeting Your Needs
For retailers, success requires the ability to adapt to shifting consumer behaviors and trends. Attempting to modernize existing outreach can be daunting, but forward-thinking retailers like Lowe’s know that strategic progress is always better than staying stagnant and then being forced to adjust when it’s too late.
Webstop puts retailers in a position to succeed via digital transformation. By establishing a cohesive digital experience that guides shoppers from discovery to purchase and by being flexible to specific retailer needs, Webstop sets retailers up for success now and in the future.
Does your outreach need a refresh?