When it comes to websites, apps, and social media, many companies get caught up with the  bells and whistles before thinking about the implications of using these technologies, and if this is where they should be spending their time and money in order to increase sales. A blog posted on February 28th about the new Ralph Lauren app. is the perfect example of this. 

 ”The app is split into three sections; each features four scenes to interact with. It’s a good showcase but not a useful shopping tool.”

The free app is designed to showcase the new 2011 spring collection in a fun, interactive manner. The problem is it does nothing to entice the shopper to buy and  will unlikely be any sort of revenue driver.

“It feels like a showcase, though, rather than a genuinely useful shopping tool. Tap on the shop button, and you’re simply sent to the RLX section of Ralph Lauren’s website, rather than the  specific item of clothing that you’ve been looking at.”

Small usability problems like this negatively affect sales. If a potential customer sees something they like, they should be able to get to that outfit easily so they can buy it. Sadly, these are the types of features that we see many companies focusing their time and limited resources on, since they are visually stimulating and “fun” to implement. These apps and new technologies are so new, that companies are exploring the boundaries and testing the waters.

But, do these fun gimmicks really make a difference to the bottom line? Probably not. People will not keep coming back to your site and be a lifelong customer just because you have a clever game on your site that incorporates some of your products. Of course, Ralph Lauren will be fine shoveling out the money that went into building this little app. But, what about the small to mid-sized companies that want to keep up with the times? We see these companies spending thousands (or tens-of-thousands) on nifty virtual try-ons,  24 hour video streaming, and flash  introductions which bring no additional sales to the website, and in some cases can actually hurt business by taking focus off of making the sale.

Be aware of what is entertaining and fun for you vs. what is actually going to set you apart from your competitors in the e-Commerce world. Websites need proper SEO and SEM implementation to bring in qualified customers. Customers need simple ways to shop via correct website/app. usability practices. And,  businesses need to bring in the sales. Make sure these fancy new devices and exciting technologies don’t drive business down. Simplifying is sometimes the best way to stand out. 

See the Full Article Here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/appsblog/2011/feb/28/ralph-lauren-app-review

Digital Marketing, Website Content, Website Design, Website Usability Digital Marketing, Ecommerce, internet marketing, Marketing, Online Marketing, Small Business, Social Media, usability, Website Design, Website Usability

A morning show, talk show, or cable show featuring one of your products can get your brand and your products in front of millions of people who likely have never heard of you. And unlike advertising, this exposure comes with an implied (and sometimes overt) endorsement.

Here are some quick tips to help make sure you squeeze everything possible out of this moment. http://www.imerex.com/prepare_your_website_for_upcoming_product_mention_on_tv_show.php

Don’t let an opportunity  pass without make sure your website is ready!

Digital Marketing, Marketing internet marketing, Marketing, Online Marketing, TV appearance, website marketing

Ad Age article today states 73% of women said the recession has fundamentally changed the way they think about saving and spending money vs. 57% of men. Could it be because women are the ones shopping for the family, so they feel the effects of rising grocery bills combined with lower incomes? http://adage.com/u/5R3YZb

Marketers, whether packaged goods companies, clothing manufacturers or luxury retailers all need to adjust their efforts. The article goes on to state the they need to market to women’s “rational” side. We’ve been advising some of our clients about this very thing for months.

Position your items as basics, essentials, and smart buys.

Marketing advertising, Marketing, Online Marketing, Recession Marketing

A friend of mine who works from home called me the other day. She said she had noticed prices at offices supply stores seemed to be going up, which struck her as odd considering the state of the economy.

I thought she had to be mistaken. As a small business owner, I get at least one coupon a week from different office supply stores (along with special offers from just about every other retailer you can imagine). They’re all pretty much the same, “Get $25 off your next purchase of $75 or more” or some variation on that general theme.

It got me to thinking. When I was a kid, I worked in a small corner drugstore after-school and on weekends. The day before a seasonal sale, the owner of the store would hand me a pricing gun and have me go around and change the price of the items that were going to be on sale. Actually, to be clear, he’d have me raise the price on the items that we were going to put on sale. That way, when the customer got their discount, they’d feel great because they thought they got a bargain, and the owner felt great because he was selling lots of merchandise without really discounting anything. It seemed wrong to me, but I was 15 and in no position to ask questions. That was a tiny local drug store in a small town, in anywhere USA, and it was decades ago. Could the mass retailers be employing that same strategy on a national scale?

Are they upping their prices and then sending us discount offers?

After my friend and I spoke, I did some spot-checking on my own. We moved offices recently, so we had purchased more supplies than usual in January. What we bought was basic for any expanding office. Things like large white boards, another laser printer, shredders, etc… In checking back on what we paid, I realized that prices at Office Depot had in fact gone up since January. I checked by SKU # and not by product name to be sure I was comparing apples to apples.

So, in essence, the special offers they send simply negate the increase in prices. I don’t mean to pick on Office Depot. I just happen to have receipts from them so I can be sure of the price changes. Has anyone else noticed this and if so, why haven’t we banded together and called them out on it?

Marketing Marketing, Recession Marketing

For companies are looking for ways to cut advertising budgets without jeopardizing reach, social networking groups provide some great opportunities.

Anyone with a Facebook or LinkedIn account has seen these groups built around hobbies, professional experience, or even location. They exist on large social networking sites as well as on a myriad of smaller, niche online communities. These groups are similar to the clubs that we belonged to in high school and/or college (i.e. chess club, ski club), and are where likeminded people can exchange information, ideas and ask questions. What social networking has done however is allow us to join groups on a large scale.

Why do people join groups? Mostly, people join groups as a way to express themselves. For example, I belong to multiple “online marketing groups” on LinkedIn, for two reasons:
1. To show anyone that looks at my profile that this is my passion and
2. Because I want to connect to likeminded people who are at the forefront of the industry, and I am interested in what they have to say.

For marketers, this provides an opportunity to communicate to a mass audience of people interested in their products or services without huge media expenditures. That doesn’t mean that targeting social networking groups is free. Successful, well thought out, focused social media campaigns take time and strategic thinking. When done well, they can provide businesses a great outlet to engage potential customers and reinforce their relationship with existing customers.

Not convinced? Let’s say your company manufactures ski equipment and you are holding a ski demo at Stowe Mountain in Vermont (for those who don’t know what a ski demo is, it’s where a ski manufacture provides free ski’s to customers for a day so they can try them out). If your company had groups on existing social networks, it’s easy to let them know about your demo. But beyond letting your own groups know, you can find other groups, related to Vermont Skiing and Skiing, and notify them of the promotion as well. It’s targeted messaging to exactly the group that would most want to hear your message.

Social Media Marketing, Online Marketing, Small Business, Social Media, Social Networking, Social Networks