Appliance marketing generally focuses in one of two categories: the technology or the consumer.
The Technology
The latest and greatest fridge has a new computer on the front that essentially acts as a brain. It will remind you of your shopping list and when your vegetables are about to be less-than-fresh. Heck, new refrigerators even have built-in TVs so you are never out of touch with your favorite sports team because you’re busy preparing dinner. But even more compelling than what your fridge can do is what your fridge can help you do. This brings us to the second focus.
The Consumer
We’ve all seen the Kelly Ripa doing-it-all mom commercials from Electrolux. While it does feature some of the new technology available (a stove top that boils water in a minute!), the commercial is really about how appliances make you, the consumer, more amazing and efficient. And this is at the heart of not only appliance marketing, but appliance development as a whole. After all, once women did not have to spend hours hand-washing everything, they were able to do other things–like make cookies or get a job. The dishwasher effectively gave people even more time to do the other things that matter more in their lives. Therefore, saving the consumer time and money drives a great appliance marketing campaign.
Even though this trend has been around for decades, it has not slowed down. In fact, as the world spins faster and grows smaller with the onslaught of technology and social media, we the people have an even deeper need for efficiency. We can’t be bothered to wait 30 minutes for clothes to dry; we have things to do and tweet! This explains why the idea of making the consumer more efficient is still at the heart of appliance marketing. Hiring a spokesperson like Kelly Ripa, a woman who seemingly bleeds Red Bull and sunshine, is the perfect way to synonymize your brand with multi-tasking, high energy and high efficiency. Let’s assume, however, you don’t have Kelly Ripa.
Consumers who buy appliances are essentially data-driven. They’re constantly looking for price match guarantees, iron clad warranties and lots of product reviews. Essentially, in the age of information, we know how to do our homework. Therefore, it is actually easier to align your appliance marketing with the consumer’s wants and needs. They need to be more efficient not only in using the appliance, but finding it. Make it easier for them. Here are some ideas on how to do so:
1. Provide product feedback on your product landing pages. Sally from Indiana has a family like mine and loves this dishwasher.
2. Create relevant landing pages that cater to the long-tail researcher. Take me to the right place.
3. Provide comparison scorecards among your products on-site. Explain (quickly) why X and Y dryers are different.
4. Offer video tutorials of cleaning tips or troubleshooting for the appliances. Don’t make me call a 1-800 number.
5. Make it all mobile-friendly. I’m on the go, your brand should be too.
Want to make the biggest impact on your customers? Stay focused on them. These are just some quick and easy ways you can help your consumer make the best purchasing decisions possible, and they’ll thank you for it. Streamlining the process of buying an appliance could be exactly what the consumer needs to buy your appliance instead of a competitors’. Apply what works with marketing to your business model: never underestimate the power of saving time.