What It Takes to Transform First-Time Shoppers Into Repeat Customers

Crafting effective messaging was another theme of the conversation. Shannon Jones, co-founder of VERB, said, “We talk about this notion of making people feel seen, valued, connected, and ultimately obsessed with your brand.”

 She lauded The Lip Bar for making her feel seen with products for “non-makeup girlies” like her. “That specificity is what creates that deep resonance and brand loyalty,” Jones noted.

Golder shared that her company has a “nuanced conversation” when marketing the Edge NYC observation deck to different audiences. “The message for a Gen Z audience is very different than for a family or for someone going on a date night,” she said.

But to create relevant marketing, brands need a good understanding of their audiences. Lentino said he is still shocked about how little upfront audience research is happening.

It’s not enough to say you market to Gen Z or millennials, he explained. Rather, brands need to know who and what those audiences care about, their behaviors, and their psychography. “That’s what’s going to make the difference in marketing in a way that’s going to build trust and loyalty vs. just speaking,” he said.

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