Smart Phones, Social Media Boost Creative Marketing

Heavy discounting, promotions and ‘sale’ signs dotting storefronts in malls are nothing new this holiday shopping season, however creative marketing strategies have been elevated to new heights with the rapid evolution of technology. While last year some businesses were just starting to jump on board the social media bandwagon, this year, marketing directors of shopping centers are trying to keep up with the pace of ever-changing promotional content which is then posted on the center’s social media sites. “It’s not unusual to see us walking around, taking photos of store deals and then posting them on Facebook,” said Shoshana Puccia, marketing director for the Glendale Galleria. Puccia said the 12 person staff of mall operators at the Glendale Galleria is all pitching in to the effort, which requires keeping tabs on what more than 200 stores are doing. “It definitely translates into a few extra hours of work a day,” she said. Efforts have been elevated even more since the Glendale Galleria and Northridge Fashion Center, both owned by General Growth Properties, introduced a mobile application for iPhone and Android phones that keeps shoppers in the loop when it comes to deals going on at their shopping centers. Use of smart phones This year more than ever smart phones have turned into shopping guides and deal spotting tools and since they offer an avenue for fast, direct information, retailers are exploring their newfound freedom to change things up quickly when it comes to promotions. “Retailers are being a lot more flexible with their promotions,” said Susan Haynes marketing manager for the Northridge Fashion Center. “They can try something new every week and see what’s working and what’s not” Some retailers like Charlotte Russe have taken this notion of quick change to new marketing levels. The clothing store has been offering “Happy Hour Deals,” said Haynes, where the company offers select store items at a discount for only one hour, between 6-7 p.m. on select days. “One day all of our necklaces will be $5 only for an hour, the next time it can be our handbags which will be discounted for an hour,” said Erica Cervantes, floor manager at the Charlotte Russe store in the Northridge Fashion Center. “It’s kind of like a big rush, everyone gets excited, we get excited and then it’s over.” The strategy, Cervantes said, works. “It brings in new customers, and regular customers keep coming back just to see what will be discounted.” Deals announced Every time the store plans to hold a Happy Hour deal, it communicates with Haynes and the marketing staff, which then announce the deal on the shopping center’s multiple social media sites, which are then accessed via smart phones. This marketing opportunity is one that more store owners are looking to take advantage of. “At a time when you don’t have huge marketing dollars the best way to reach a younger demographic is through Facebook and Twitter,” said Puccia. Many are hoping that the momentum from Black Friday sales carries over until Christmas. “Almost all of our stores are reporting their sales are up significantly, one store as high as 25 percent over last year, so we’re all cautiously optimistic,” Puccia said.