There is no doubt long lockdowns have had a significant impact on people's daily lives as the world continues its transition from managing the Covid - 19 crisis to recovery and the reopening of economies . Consumer behaviours have shifted as a result of lengthy periods of self isolation and economic uncertainty . While practically all activities have now returned to normal , most consumers will continue with the online purchasing habits that they developed ver the past two years . According to the UOB Asean Consumer 2021 survey , 98 % of Thai consumers prefer grocery shopping online , along with 95 % for food delivery and 93 % for apparel purchases.
All generations of Thais increasingly used online media during the pandemic , particularly among Generation Z , with YouTube ( 86 % ) and Facebook ( 74 % ) key channels . Gen Z also had the highest average daily internet usage at 12 hours and 5 minutes , according to the Electronic Transactions Development Agency ( ETDA ).
Small and medium - sized enterprises ( SMEs ) now have access to a wider range of customers as a result of this growing trend . These customers include younger people to whom they might not have marketed in the past , as well as older generations with more spending power . For SMEs looking to increase revenue , it will be essential to know what resonates with their target consumers and to incorporate these insights into their business plans.
This year's Smart Business Transformation Programme ( SBTP ) , run by UOB Thailand and FinLab , focuses on providing a cross - generation digital marketing guide to help SMEs capitalise on the abundance of opportunities available.
METAVERSE OPPORTUNITY
Many brands are now focusing on the metaverse , a virtual reality experience , to reach out to younger generations who spend the most time online and are more engaged in digital culture than any other generation . According to a study by Obsess titled " The Metaverse Mindset : Consumer Shopping Insights " , 70 % of consumers who visited a virtual store completed a purchase . The survey also found 75 % of Gen Z shoppers have purchased a digital item within a video game , and 60 % think that brands should sell their products on metaverse platforms.
"The metaverse is not just a place to sell products or services , but also a community where brands and businesses can collaborate to improve their customer experience , leading to brand loyalty and new business opportunities , " says Oranuch Lerdsuwankij , the co - founder and chief executive of Techsauce Media , a leading Thai media outlet for tech startups and corporate innovation . The metaverse is still in its infancy . Now is the time for SMEs to adopt a test - and - learn mindset , to be receptive to metaverse experiments , and learn how to quickly recover from failure and capitalise on success.
GAME OF ENGAGEMENT
Gamification is another powerful tool to boost engagement , according to Panuwat Sachaviriyakul , a psychology and user experience expert and co founder of Nudge Thailand . " People have a competitive nature ; putting game - like elements into products and services could make people excited and eager for rewards , " he said . An easy way for SMEs to get started with gamification is to understand their target demographic and make campaigns simple and fun , while providing opportunities and rewards.
Gamification is a technique that SMEs can use to create relationships with their target customers and collect insights . The more a business understands the existing target audience , the more effectively it can promote the campaign . Given the access that is now available to vast amounts of data gleaned from digital tools and technologies , it is imperative that the data a business acquires can be adequately managed and analysed . As companies amass more data , the more insights they can gain and the better the service they can provide to their consumers . Business strategies , solutions and promotions should be considered when analysing all data from every source to find the perfect matched answer for customers . This data - driven mindset also helps define the most suitable marketing strategies and campaigns to reach target customers and achieve business goals.
source : Bangkok Post
September 21, 2022
