Belk Connecting With Millennials Through Digital Campaigns
By Megan Zielinski, contributing writer
Belk, country’s largest family-owned and operated department store, has partnered with HelloWorld, developer of digital and social marketing platforms, creating a digital campaign “Modern Southern Style Concert Sweepstakes,” to better interact with the company’s younger customers, “the future of the customer base.”
From August 1 through September 15, all participants can enter by including their mobile phone number and completing a personality test online—revealing the results of concert styles and back-to-school fashion recommendations according to accumulated answers. By sharing the results through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, participants increase their chances to win an all-inclusive, paid trip to any U.S Live Nation concert for 4 guests, along with a Belk gift card worth $1,000, and $500 in cash. The incorporation of an entry questionnaire is to give Belk Corporation an idea of what age group the campaign is mainly targeting, and to increase its focus on grade school and millennial customers.
On the Belk webpage, visitors have access to view interactive video of concert performers dishing out their fashion favorites and styles that Belk has to offer—with outfits and pieces from popular brands, such as Lucky Brand, Levi’s, Polo Ralph Lauren, and French Connection, the artists display and describe the appealing features of each item, engaging with shoppers through visual content of their personal preferences—inspiring fans to want to dress in the same styles of the musicians they admire. Customers can conveniently shop for merchandise presented in each video by clicking on “shop now” listed along with highlighted brands.
To date, there are over 80 million millennials just in the U.S. alone, spending nearly $600 billion each year. By 2020, growth in millennial spending is expected to reach $1.4 trillion, representing 30 percent of total retail sales. About 68 percent of millennial shoppers expect a seamless shopping experience in every channel. Over 95 percent of young shoppers want retailers to deliver personalized promotions and discounts through loyalty programs. Millennial shoppers want to feel like valued customers. Loyalty campaigns and promotions help companies to drive sales, increase in-store traffic, and build upon customer’s trust. Positive shopping experiences influence repeat visits and encourage satisfied customers to share good word of the company. Belk offers customers with fashion updates, notifications on sales, exclusive deals, and coupons through email and mobile text messages. Promotions and saving opportunities are posted regularly through digital and social media channels such as Belk’s Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, Google Plus, and Belk Blog.