Embracing the Phygital World

Have you heard of the term phygital? Maybe, maybe not — either way, you’re already living in the phygital world.

What is phygital?

For us, the term “phygital” was introduced in a talk by Mike Devereau of Nature’s Way at St. Norbert College in early 2019. It refers to the combination of the physical and digital customer experience. According to Devereau, physical and digital are not separate entities because both are intertwined in the customer’s journey.

Since our inception, our focus has been on aligning the physical and digital customer experience for our clients. The emergence of this term only confirms what we’ve known all along — a strong digital presence is just as impactful as a strong physical presence (if not more so).

How can brands effectively conquer the phygital world?

The key to phygital success is to have an integrated marketing approach that seamlessly combines physical and digital spaces. If you’re a champion of great customer service in your physical location, then you should have a customer-focused user experience on your website and social media channels. If you know your target demographic is heavily influenced by technology, incorporate interactive touchscreens or another creative digital element to enhance their in-person experience. This is phygital marketing.

Being successful in the phygital world isn’t just about aligning tactics. It’s also about emotionally connecting with the customer across their entire experience with your brand. Afterall, it’s emotional ties that create strong brand loyalty. “Phygital is not about [infusing technology] in a physical space, but reshaping a customer’s journey, adapting the environment and operating processes to support a customized experience.” It’s through this molding of the customer experience that you can create meaningful connections and positive experiences that bring the customer back again and again.

What happens if you don’t embrace the phygital world?

A decade ago, you might have been able to treat the physical and digital as separate entities, picking and choosing where to allocate your efforts. Those days are gone. The point of combining the two into the term phygital is symbolic of the fact that both elements are now so closely related that there should be no seams to indicate where one experience ends and the other begins. The customer experience isn’t one or the other — it’s phygital.

Avoiding this reality will spell trouble for your brand. Ignoring either component creates brand confusion, unhappy customers and ultimately impact sales negatively. The brands of today and tomorrow are already embracing phygital. Are you?

Need help strengthening your brand’s phygital experience? Fill out our contact form and let’s chat!

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