Weitzman’s proprietary “Tech & Mortar” digital platform continues to cement physical retail centers firmly in the digital world
BY MARSHALL MILLS I PRESIDENT AND CEO
Retail centers and retailers today have tools at their disposal that yesterday’s concepts could only dream of.
They have multiple channels to reach their target customers before, during, and after visits to the store.
They can create loyal customers through a mix of marketing, digital and brick-and-mortar outreach, and they can enhance sales by being everywhere the customer shops, whether that’s in the store, on a desktop or smartphone.
The problem for many landlords and retailers is, where to start? What is the best solution? And, most importantly, how can I afford the expense?
This balance of needs and costs led Weitzman to develop our “Tech & Mortar” marketing program, a proprietary platform and related marketing services designed to help retail developments and retail tenants succeed.
To date, we’ve implemented our “Tech & Mortar” marketing platform and services at retail properties totaling more than 7 million square feet of retail space in several key submarkets. The program is being rolled out for properties we lease and manage and on behalf of leading retail landlords such as Velocis.
And most importantly, the program’s costs are scaled so it’s available to both chain retailers and mom-and-pops, all under the umbrella of marketing a retail property digitally.
To create a “Tech & Mortar” digital program that would deliver results for retail centers and retail tenants, we first considered the customer. And today’s customer has more options for purchases than ever before.
To ensure retail center success in this competitive environment, we address what today’s customer wants:
• Communications that are personalized and relevant
• Shopping centers that are convenient and experiential
• Offers that are tailored to the customer’s needs and preferences
To meet these needs is where “Tech & Mortar” comes in. The digital planform encompasses:
• Custom websites and search engine optimization (SEO) for each center to ensure it achieves a high ranking when customers are searching the web. SEO can tell us in real time what works—and what doesn’t.
• Digital and social media strategies aligned with each center’s and its retailers’ objectives and which speak directly to immediate trade area residents and professionals.
• Certified marketing professionals maintaining the program and measuring results against objectives.
• The opportunity to participate in highly strategic digital ad campaigns that capture active users within a 2- or 3-mile area of the shopping center. We work with our retailers on targeted, but very affordable, Facebook and other digital campaigns.
Without a doubt, today’s retailers and retail professionals face a challenging environment. But now, more than ever, we have the tools to understand those challenges and turn them into opportunities.
To learn more about how you can have Tech & Mortar at your shopping center, contact:
Leisa Barger I Chief Marketing Officer I Weitzman
214-720-6609
