By Carlos Pérez // Last weekend in Merida our news was dominated by commercial plazas or malls, as the North Americans call them. The first news was that the meeting place of many Meridanos of different social strata was “La Isla”. This new center is considered the largest in southeast Mexico and with many activities to do that go beyond the simple experience of buying products and services.
The other news was that in another shopping plaza, Altabrisa, there was an outbreak of fire that alarmed those who were in that place and made headlines on social networks, probably evoking for many that fire that happened in another Merida shopping plaza years ago, but still called Plaza Dorada.
But we do not want to talk about accidents in these places, but ask ourselves, why so many openings in Merida? How do brands take advantage of these places? What do those of us who live in Mérida gain from these sites?
Where before it was exclusively shopping, today shopping centers are places of leisure and recreation, and this the brands understood in recent years, and created strategies to increase traffic and in the same space the power to make a purchase decision. Remember that a weak point is that in terms of supply in all places, we encounter the same stores, and this similarly occurs with the so-called departmental stores? So, what to do?
First, be different in everything: from corporate architecture to products and services. Second, make experiences and create emotions in your store, in such a way that you achieve loyalty from your customers and that they return to you. Third, the managers of the malls and the stores have to interact in such a way that they do joint actions that win both, such as, for example, promotions and events inside. Fourth, the use of social networks from activations and games to the use of free WiFi within it. With all the above we can realize the importance of being within these sites and carry out communication actions at all times.
According to reports, in 2018, more than 9 commercial spaces will open in Merida that will cover approximately 280 thousand square meters of rental areas. These include “The Harbor”, “Mid Center”, “Urban Center”, “Odara,” as well as the recently inaugurated “Up Town” and “The Island “.
We can add those that have their doors open for many years and with these new arrivals, they will have to make substantial changes in their administration. Recall that, according to the report of the International Council of Shopping Centers and the United Business Media in Latin America, Mexico occupies the first places with more than 600 centers with an annual growth of 6%.
Faced with these figures and the impressive growth of the city, merchants cannot stop utilizing these spaces. Ask yourself if your target reaches them and, if so, take a hand to the work to be present in these places. We cannot expect the client to be the one to look for us; times have changed, the offer of brands is huge, and now, more than ever, companies must keep up with customers. Being in the “top of mind” is no longer just an advertising issue, now you have to have a constant brand presence in all possible channels and spaces. Is your brand in all those spaces?
By Carlos Pérez *
carper165@hotmail.com
* Consultant in Strategic Communication and Public Relations. Specialist in marketing and corporate communication.
