Digital brochure extension: location-based retail marketing with Profital

Profital is launching Switzerland's first leaflet app and creating new opportunities for local Swiss retailers in the field of location-based services. Users can access information about shopping, such as the currently valid advertising brochures, local offers, and opening hours of stores in their area, using the free app and via the web portal. Profital enables Swiss retailers to digitally extend their most important advertising channel - the unaddressed advertising brochure. "Profital combines the flexibility of online marketing with the strengths of the retail trade. With Profital, local retailers can for the first time use technologies for segmentation and targeting that were previously reserved for online retail," says Profital CEO Raphael Thommen. This cross-media solution reaches end customers who do not want to receive print advertising, live outside the distribution area or prefer digital information channels. In addition to print distribution, Profital thus creates additional reach for local offer communication and offers the opportunity to address consumers in a targeted manner.

With Profital, retailers can benefit from the so-called ROPO effect. "Our offer is primarily aimed at people who first obtain information online and then buy their desired product offline. There may also be a direct link to online stores, depending on the customer's strategy, but our app is primarily designed to strengthen local retail trade," says Raphael Thommen. The target group of customers is relatively broad: "Of course, the app is aimed at an audience that spends a lot of time online, but apart from that, everyone likes to benefit from good offers. However, we are not a bargain platform," says Thommen. Nor is Profital intended as a "Comparis for retailers": "We are a neutral platform that does not judge who offers the best price. That's why "competitors" can also show themselves side by side with us without any problems," says the managing director. The attractive conditions are already having an effect at the start of Profital. Lidl, Tchibo, Volg and many more can already be found represented in the app. "A whole lot more will be added in the next two weeks," Thommen reveals.

Brochures and local offers are distributed free of charge via the Profital app and Profital.ch. Users proactively find out about the offers and products of their favorite retailers on Profital (pull marketing), which they can put together themselves. The attention and impact of the advertising message is thus particularly high. Retailers thus always reach their customers at the right point in the customer journey - when planning purchases and during shopping. In addition, they gain valuable insights into their advertising media, as Profital provides comprehensive evaluations of advertising media usage and impact. "Thanks to the use of geotechnology (geotargeting, geofencing), it is possible for the first time to be able to measure the effect of online advertising media on in-store sales. We don't need any sensitive customer data for this, the whole thing can be measured completely anonymously, but at the same time we can provide advertisers with solid data on the impact," says Thommen.

Also interesting for retailers: "As is usual with online advertising, billing is exclusively usage-based, so the customer only pays for advertising that has been seen. This minimizes wastage and thus the risk of paying for something that has little effect," explains the CEO.

The nationwide launch of Profital will be accompanied from mid-November by an advertising campaign created by Cross Five in German and French-speaking Switzerland. "The cross-media campaign will be supplemented by a presence in post offices and at selected Profital customers". (nod)

About Profital:

Profital is a startup of the Direct Mail Company (DMC). DMC is one of the largest providers of unaddressed direct mail in Switzerland and a wholly owned subsidiary of Swiss Post. Profital's technology partner is Offerista Group from Germany. Offerista is a solution provider in the area of location-based services for stationary retail and operator of the barcoo and Marktjagd platforms.