A brief analysis of the key points of Double 11 project operation and promotion!

When it comes to Double 11, I believe everyone is already familiar with it. From a small trial of 50 million in 2009 to the creative realization of 168.2 billion in 2017, such crazy numbers are being surpassed and subverted every year! From the accidental creation of Double 11, to the proposal of the vision of making Double 11 a "Chinese phenomenon", to the omni -channel operation of the Double 11 Carnival, Double 11 is not just a combination of 10 Arabic numerals, but also a microcosm of the changes in China's retail industry over the past decade. At the same time, with the development of Double 11 every year, many merchants have also interpreted Double 11 into a team anniversary parade.

So, how can we improve the Double 11 performance through strategic and tactical key point layout and continuous iterative optimization? Based on my experience in e-commerce operations over the past few years, I have sorted out eight key points in implementing the Double 11 project based on the 4P-4C marketing theory.

Key point 1: Product

No matter how perfect a marketing plan is, if it is not supported by highly competitive products designed based on brand positioning and core consumer groups, the plan will ultimately be a castle in the air.

I won’t talk much about product design and development, but will mainly discuss it from two perspectives: product inventory and online product optimization in combination with e-commerce operations . Many merchants start taking inventory for Double 11 in July and August every year. First, they need to conduct a second review of the overall Double 11 products from the dimensions of sell-out rate, category structure, etc. Then, based on this year’s Double 11 transaction target and real-time inventory status, they need to make preliminary estimates of this year’s product category structure, number of inventory pieces, inventory value, sell-out rate, expected number of transactions, etc. in accordance with the 28 principles and ABC classification method, and make dynamic adjustments based on sales conditions in the later stage. At the same time, we must pay attention to the Double 11 pre-sale and preheating (official) distribution.

Merchants with RDC warehouses distributed in many places across the country can reasonably arrange inventory in each region based on the sales volume and sell-out rate of each category in each region in the same period last year, as well as the sales performance of the region in the current year.

In addition to stocking products, optimizing and improving product details pages, product SEO , optimizing related recommendations, adjusting product delisting and delisting times, and maintaining product Q&A reviews are also crucial.

Based on past experience, in July and August every year, we will arrange a major redesign of the product details page and store visuals based on that year’s industry product feature trends, consumer feedback and other dimensions. Focus on checking product reviews and Q&A before the event to avoid unnecessary negative comments that affect conversions .

Key point 2: Price

Tmall Fashion once proposed four major segments in consumer operations: trendsetters, quality users, pragmatists, and price-sensitive people. For daily sales, it is a very wise choice to dynamically manage the prices of key consumers based on consumer insights and market competition.

During the promotion phase, especially the Double 11, Double 12, and 618 mid-year promotion, perhaps the "non-price sensitive" users during daily sales have become "price sensitive" users, so price setting becomes particularly critical at this time.

The prices of all products in the store must be unified across all channels . This mainly refers to the fact that the pricing of Double 11 products must be consistent online and offline. At the same time, based on the year-round product tiered discount plan, product prices are set with reference to store coupons, large coupons, search coupons, shopping allowances, platform discounts and other benefits during the event.

For standard product categories, during the critical period of big sales, when the overall cost and budget are relatively ideal, the pricing of the main products or products in the key price range should be directly targeted at the main competitors. This can effectively increase the market share of brand products and reduce the loss of potential customers to a certain extent.

If the price cannot be sufficiently discounted in order to maintain the brand value, efforts must be made in brand marketing and product packaging to effectively increase the product's premium ability.

Key point 3: Channel (Place)

As a bridge between products and consumers, channels play a vital role. Here we will not conduct an in-depth analysis of omni-channel operations at the brand level, but simply talk about how to operate and select sales channels within the online platform for a single online store.

Open Taobao on your mobile phone, and you will find channels that can meet the sales needs of merchants and reach consumers efficiently, namely Juhuasuan and Taotuangou. The choice of channel must be based on the characteristics of the store’s consumer population, combined with brand positioning and channel characteristics. The brand is positioned at the high end and requires high purchasing power from the population, so Juhuasuan-Jumingpin is very suitable. If the product does not have excessively high requirements on consumption capacity and the output can be guaranteed, the product can be operated in Juhuasuan single product group and brand group. For merchants who sell mass consumer goods and have very ideal sales, it is recommended to use the Taobao flash sale channel.

When operating a channel, you should pay attention to product distribution, product value, main promotion strategy, discounts, and slot fees. The product value must be just right, and the sell-out rate is a key criterion for considering marketing channels.

Key point 4: Promotion

In fact, simply understanding Promotion as sales promotion is a bit one-sided. Promotion is not just sales promotion, brand publicity, PR, promotion and other marketing activities are also important components. Double 11 is divided into three aspects: pre-sale, warm-up, official sale and return. The promotion is carried out in a layered and progressive manner according to the mentality conveyed at each stage.

In terms of brand promotion and PR, the marketing department will arrange one or two offline IP activities before Double 11. At the same time, PR will be concentrated on major portals, self-media and other channels to increase the brand's external voice and build momentum for Double 11. If you have a good brand marketing plan and media placement plan, you can find relevant resources on the platform for exchange.

For sales promotion activities, the following points should be considered. First, the activity strategy, including store-wide activity strategy, main product activity strategy, 0-store detonation strategy, pre-sale 1-point detonation strategy, and activity strategies at key time points of 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, and 23 o'clock throughout the day. I won’t go into detail on the specific activity strategies here, as the gameplay for each category is different. Second, the theme of the event. The theme of the event should be content-based, keep up with real-time hot spots, and match the core consumer group. Do not directly use the Double 11 Carnival as the theme.

The allocation of promotion expenses at each stage is planned according to the overall operating rhythm of the store. The store I operate sells durable consumer goods, which have a relatively long product conversion cycle. I will start on-site promotion around October 12.

From October 12 to 19, the on-site promotion expenses accounted for 10% . During this stage, the store population was gradually expanded, new customers were accumulated, product exposure was increased, and the cognitive customer base was expanded . The focus was on the proportion of new customers.

October 20th to 31st accounted for 25%, mainly promoting pre-sale products and reasonably adjusting the allocation of pre-sale paid promotion and preheating.

From November 1st to November 10th, it accounts for 50%, maximizing the accuracy of attracting new customers and snatching traffic from competitors. At the same time, it redirects people who add to cart and favorites to increase the stickiness of potential customers and avoid loss. Focus: Number of added items to collection.

On November 11, it accounted for 12%, grabbing traffic in all aspects and increasing investment during the weak period in the afternoon.

The return period from November 12th to 13th accounts for 3% . It is recommended to use DMP to target customers who have not completed the transaction.

Key Point 5: Customer

Here, customers mainly refer to customer needs, emphasizing the provision of products and services based on customer needs.

When talking about customer needs, we have to talk about Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory, which divides human needs into five levels from low to high: physiological needs, safety needs, social needs, respect needs and self-actualization needs.

We combine different products to meet the levels of consumer demand, continuously optimize and improve products and services, and enhance brand competitiveness.

With the development of mobile Internet , it is not enough for fitness equipment to only meet consumers' needs for exercise and weight loss. Treadmills that can be connected through smart apps and share exercise status with friends are very popular. Sharing on WeChat Moments may seem simple, but it actually meets the social and respect needs of some consumers.

So, for luxury goods merchants, would it be better for the deliverymen to wear white gloves when delivering goods?

Key point 6: Cost

For enterprises, costs mainly involve purchase price, sales price and other aspects. We have mentioned the price above, so I will not elaborate here. For consumers, cost means the "minimum amount of money" that consumers are willing to pay when purchasing goods to achieve the principle of maximizing benefits, as well as other hidden costs incurred during the purchase process, such as time cost and energy cost.

From an operational perspective, what we need to do is to increase the "minimum amount of money" that consumers are willing to pay when purchasing goods as much as possible. So, how to increase the average order value and the premium ability of brand products so that consumers are willing to pay for the products is our main task.

To increase the average order value, we must first know that the average order value = number of items * unit price. The unit price is closely related to product pricing. The number of items is the key direction for increasing the average order value. For the entire store, you can set up promotions such as discounts and gifts for purchases over a certain amount. For products, making good related recommendations is the main way to increase the average order value. Improving brand premium capabilities is a long-term marketing behavior that relies on the brand's accumulation over time. It involves strategies such as brand image building, brand value maintenance, and brand innovation, and will not be analyzed in depth.

Key Point 7: Convenience

Convenience is an important factor affecting customer experience, which can be explained from three aspects:

• Convenience of purchase for consumers;
• Convenience of use for consumers;
• The convenience of after-sales service.

The convenience of consumer purchases emphasizes that consumers can obtain (and have their homes delivered to) the most suitable products in the shortest possible time when purchasing goods. The main focus here is on the store’s shopping guide capabilities and logistics and distribution service capabilities . In addition to window recommendations, most of the offline shopping tasks are done by shopping guides. For online store shopping guides, the design of product navigation is key. At the same time, based on the survey of consumer usage scenarios, consumers are guided to browse products through different selling points . For standard product categories such as electrical appliances and home furnishings, consumers often choose product specifications, sizes, and colors based on the decoration style and house size. Therefore, in operation, big data analysis can be used to divide different product combinations and guide consumers to choose through differentiated selling points, thereby creating a convenient and simple shopping environment. At the same time, product short videos and product reviews are also a good way to help consumers understand products and make quick choices. In addition, perfect logistics services are crucial. Before Double 11, you must arrange to pack as many products as possible based on the estimated quantity.

In terms of consumer convenience, merchants try to provide as much information as possible through pictures, texts, and videos within stores and online media channels, so that if consumers have any questions about use, they can have them resolved as soon as possible.

A large number of after-sales services are inevitable after the Double 11 event. On the one hand, the event rules should be made clear before the event. On the other hand, the number of Double 11 after-sales service inquiries should be estimated in advance and reception staff should be arranged reasonably.

Key point 8: Communication

The Internet has enabled cross-regional communication between businesses and consumers to be more convenient. At the same time, with the development of the Internet and the increasing richness of social media, the methods and channels for brands to communicate with consumers have become relatively complex. In short, the choice of communication media should always be based on the characteristics of consumers, and targeted media should be selected to promote the event. Where your consumers are, that is where your advertisements should be placed. Where your consumers like to go, there is your advertising. At the same time, by combining the four links of interest, cognition, purchase and loyalty, the entire chain is differentiated to efficiently reach consumers with information on product information, activities, prices, etc.

To sum up, I have briefly sorted out the key points of the Double 11 project based on the 4P-4C marketing theory. My views are not suitable for all categories. They are only a brief analysis based on my work experience in the past period of time. There are still many omissions, and I welcome your comments.

The author of this article @XH compiled and published by (Qinggua Media). Please indicate the author information and source when reprinting!

Product promotion services: APP promotion services, advertising platform, Longyou Games