Archive for July, 2012
How digital apps can drive e-commerce and m-commerce sales
With e-commerce spending reaching a double-digit share of all retail spending, online B2C marketers are devising push-and-pull strategies to grab the attention of consumers. These methods must provide assurance and convenience, while also standing out amongst other similar techniques in practice.
One way to do this is through digital applications, a slight shift from e-commerce to m-commerce. Not all shoppers are ready for this yet, but they soon will be and smart brands will be waiting for them when they arrive. Below are 3 ideas to drive online sales.
1. Blend Physical and Digital Interaction via a Unique Social Spectacle
Launch a provocative digital-based spectacle that causes consumers to gather in a physical space to engage with your brand and, ultimately, make a same-day purchase. Here’s how you do it:
- Connect the event with a phenomenon or cause (not related to the brand) that resonates with the target group.
- Include a digitally-based spectacle that consumers can interact with only through their mobile devices; the same tools they can then use to make a purchase.
- Bring consumers closer to the brand with a promotional offering they can’t resist.
Once they make the purchase on a mobile device via a digital application, allow customers to pick the most convenient route to obtain their goods (i.e. delivery or pickup).
While congregated, consumers can mutually influence one another’s purchases through group think, engendering effective social shopping.
If executed adeptly, the spectacle will wow the masses, including media. More importantly, it will induce multiple and instantaneous online purchases.
South Korean big-box retailer Emart did this with its ‘Sunny Sale-QR Code’ campaign. The stunt boosted sales and earned lots of free publicity.
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How to get to the heart of what you’re writing
Writers have a habit of getting in their own way. Faced with a writing assignment — a white paper, a press release, a blog post, ad copy — we tie ourselves in knots wondering how to begin. Too often, we tangle the opening paragraphs in clauses and context and never really get to the point until later in the piece. Maybe our readers will trail along after us that far, but probably not.
I was taught a good way to avoid this when I was a reporter for a daily newspaper. Though it originated in journalism, I’ve found it works for marketing as well. Whenever reporters would get together at lunch or Happy Hour, we’d talk about our latest stories. It was understood that no one wanted to hear a lengthy recap so the response inevitably was a quick summation delivered between swallows of beer or bites of a sandwich.
“The mayor and City Council are fighting over block grant funding.”
“Warehouse fire on the East Side. Nobody hurt, but hazardous waste was hidden inside so they had to call the EPA.”
“Acme Corp. is expanding its anvil factory. Adding a new production line and 200 jobs.”
Because we didn’t have the time or feel the need to formulate elaborate explanations, we summarized quickly and accurately, delivering the news and skipping all the extras. That summary is never the entire story, but it is the kernel, the most important part of the message.
Next time you find yourself paralyzed at how to begin a writing assignment, imagine you’ve been asked about it by someone who doesn’t care to hear too long or too detailed of an explanation. What you come up with might not be the lead of the piece, but it will be the essence of what you’re trying to say and that’s always a good thing to remember when you’re sitting at the keyboard.