It’s Cyber Monday!  Are you doing your online shopping?  Well, you can bet your customers are.

Just look at the stats this year.  $11.64 billion has been spent online in the US this holiday season, up 13% from the same period in 2009, according to comScore.

Although there is a lot of hype surrounding holiday shopping and Cyber Monday, the reality is consumers are purchasing more and more online year round.  For many, it has become a way of life.

As marketers, it is important that your company is prepared to take advantage of the increase in e-commerce.  The first and most important factor is to make sure your company website is user friendly.

Below are a few tips for improving website usability and increasing customer conversion:

1)   Make sure your website is easy to navigate and information is easy to find.  Content should constantly be changed and updated to keep the site fresh and relevant, but it’s easy to clutter up websites as new products are added.  So, take some time to look at the site from your customer’s perspective and evaluate what they experience.

2)   Make it easy to buy your product.  Navigation should be simple and to the point, making the purchase easy for your online customer. Don’t clutter the purchase process with unnecessary information or pop-ups.  A clean and attractive design makes it easy for customers to access and navigate. Quickly guide customers smoothly through the purchase process.

3)   If you sell through distributors, make it easy for your customer to locate them with direct links to their websites.  Reduce the number of steps a customer needs to take to buy your product so you don’t lose them in the process.

4)   Make it personal by suggesting other products that might be of interest.  Customers will appreciate it and you will boost sales. Offer special pricing, gift with purchase, product upgrades or free shipping to help close the deal.

5)   Become a resource to visitors by providing helpful digital downloads such as training guides, free videos, or tip-sheets. Help them out and they will begin to trust your expertise.

6)   Just because someone didn’t purchase your product this time doesn’t mean they won’t in the future. Invite them to sign up for your email announcements and keep them informed of upcoming product launches, promotions and offerings.

7)   Deliver on your promise.  Whether you’re touting free shipping, a white paper, a case study or specific product benefits always follow through on your offer.  Provide your customers with a positive experience and they will come back again and again.

Social media moves fast.  Tweets, updates, status… they are there for a moment and then pushed down the list as others post their messages. As marketers, your goal is to keep your message in front of potential customers.  So how do you prolong the life of a social media message?

Cross-pollination.  By “cross-pollinating” or leveraging the different marketing tools available and using them to work together, you can develop a campaign that creates lasting buzz and extends the life of social media messages.

I came across a set of on-line commercials for the Wheat Thins brand called “The Crunch is Calling”, that are a fantastic example of maximizing exposure and prolonging a social media message.  Not only is the idea clever, but the short commercials are fun to watch.  The concept of each on-line commercial is based on a consumers single tweet on Twitter.

Wheat Thins took each tweet to the next level, by actually physically tracking down the consumer, responding to their tweet in person in creative ways and filming the response.  These recordings were then turned into short on-line commercials and YouTube videos.

Below is a clip of one of the videos.  You can see all of the videos here.

Wheat Thins was able to extend the life of single tweets, adding a personal touch through in person follow up and incorporating on-line video.  One tweet that was viewed by hundreds will now be seen by hundreds of thousands.

Take your social media messages to the next level by tying them in to a variety of other marketing avenues.  Social media moves quickly, but your marketing message can live a long life.

Are you considering advertising in a magazines digital iPad edition?  If so, there is some new information that may prove beneficial.

Condé Nast, has stepped out as a leader in developing iPad versions of their magazines, which include The New Yorker, Wired, Glamour and GQ.  After months of tracking how readers are using their iPads and extensive research into what works and what doesn’t, some new findings and best practices for advertising within these iPad apps are beginning to emerge.

One significant piece of information Condé Nast found is that many people aren’t using their iPads as mobile devices, but instead as household devices.  From a publications standpoint, this means there are probably multiple readers per copy.  As an advertiser, this is great news because it means your ad is reaching more people.  However, it means that the device is not necessarily a true mobile device, so incorporating functions in the ads that are location-based may not be as important quite yet.

It was also found that the iPad was, for a lot of people, their first Apple device. This is very important for advertisers as they design and create ad content.  There are a large group of iPad users who are still becoming familiar with the swiping, pinching and zooming features.  Providing on-screen instructions and walking readers through the special functions in your ad will ensure that all the bells and whistles aren’t missed.  Make sure ad content is clearly visible and use arrows, callouts, etc. to call attention to interactive features.

In an effort to assist advertisers, Condé Nast used the research to put together some suggested best practices for advertising in magazine’s iPad editions.  Below is the list of five best practices provided:

1. Take advantage of the new platform’s functionality. Users liked ads better when they provided experiences that print could not, such as video, photo galleries and links to websites. One successful ad unit promoting a new TV series kicked off with video of the star addressing the magazine’s readers and naming the magazine.

2. Provide clear instructions. It might clutter up the page a bit, but it’s better than seeing consumers swipe past without even knowing about those extras you included.

3. Don’t repurpose your TV commercials or other materials you created for other media. Conde Nast had advertisers who just used a 30-second TV spot that had already been seen a lot of times.  Repurposing for no other purpose than that it was convenient didn’t work so well.

4. Tell a story. Consumers remembered the ads best when they contained narratives.  Some video was created that wouldn’t have been used for anything but the iPad.  It showed people how to use the product being advertised, an in-depth how-to.  It had a little story but it demonstrated something actually useful.

5. Help consumers move closer to buying. That could mean offering more information about product colors or sizes or it could go all the way to in-app purchasing. Offering a link and nothing else fares poorly in comparison.

As iPad usage continues to grow and more publications develop digital apps, we will begin to see more feedback from users that can be applied in developing ads, but these are definitely some helpful tips to keep in mind and a good first look at some general best practices.

Yesterday as I was waiting at the crosswalk for the walk signal, I pulled out my mobile phone to look something up on the internet.  Afterall, I had a few seconds to spare. The funny thing is, as I looked around me, I noticed how many other people were doing the exact same thing.

We are becoming attached to our phones and this increased reliance on our smart devices is driving growth in mobile internet usage. According to eMarketer, by 2013, 142.1 million users (53.9% of the US mobile user population) will access the internet using mobile browsers or applications.

For marketers, this creates opportunities for increased engagement and outreach to potential customers via mobile. However, the mobile marketplace is fast paced and marketers will need to keep up with the changes as well as consumers expectations.

A great place to begin in assuring your company is ready to accommodate mobile users is making sure your company website is mobile friendly.  But what makes a website “friendly” to a mobile user? What do they expect when it comes to their mobile web experience?

Gomez, a web performance monitoring firm, recently released the results of a survey “What Users Want From the Mobile Web Experience” that takes a look at what is most important and what frustrates consumers the most when accessing the internet via their mobile device.

The survey reveals the most common problem mobile users encounter when browsing websites is poor website formatting, making it difficult to read or use.  Slow page load times are also a common frustration.  Mobile users want quick access to the internet and on-the-go access to information.  According to the survey, consumers consider availability and response time the two most important factors when browsing mobile sites.

How does your company website measure up?  Is it easy to read with links to content that is easily accessible?  Does it pop up quickly or does it take several minutes just to load the home page?  Mobile optimization of your website will be key in marketing to consumers who expect to access information quickly, anytime and anywhere.  Open the door to this growing opportunity by taking the time now to make the necessary changes and adjustments that make your website a mobile friendly resource.

I had the opportunity this past week to introduce my four year old daughter to the magic of Disneyland. After a week long trip, we came home exhausted but very happy. Disneyland truly is one of the happiest places on earth, but what is it that really makes it so amazing?

Of course the creative and fun rides, cute decorations, costumed characters, and buckets of cotton candy are part of the equation, but the entire trip I couldn’t help but notice that it’s so much more than that.

My daughter summed up exactly what I was thinking when she said, “Everyone here is calling me princess. They’re all so nice to me mommy, I want to live here forever!”.

From the time I first called the reservation lines through our entire trip encounters with park customer service, ride operators, food sales and everyone in between, the way we were treated and the happy, helpful attitudes made me want to stay forever.

It was such a good reminder in the basics of great customer service and how important it really is in creating happy customers who feel valued and come back again and again.

As marketers, we are always looking for a way to stand out in a business environment where competitors are constantly cutting prices and introducing new products and features.  It takes hard work and dedication, but delivering outstanding service is the key differentiator in a crowded marketplace and will go a long way in setting your company above the rest.

Defining what customers want, measuring how well your company delivers, hiring the right people, proper training, excellent systems and processes and rewards for great performance are all key factors in developing a great customer service program.

Each touchpoint with a customer is an opportunity to meet or exceed their expectations, building credibility and loyalty for your brand.  Whether it be through an email, website, phone call, social media site or sales call, every individual within your organization that encounters a customer has the opportunity to build the brands reputation.

It’s easy to overlook the value in establishing an exceptional customer service program, but taking the time to do so will quite possibly make your company one of the happiest places on earth!

The talented people in our agency have been hard at work planning and preparing for an event this coming Friday – KGO Radio 810 Girls’ Night Out.  We had the privilege of working with KGO again this year to develop the event website, print and banner ads and printed program.  What a great time we are all having!

The event consists of a night of mingling with the KGO Radio personalities, informative classes, food and wine tasting, health and beauty demo’s, music and dancing.

As one of the sponsors we supplied the businesses exhibiting with these fun marketing ideas and tips to help them get the most from the event and make it a success.

I’d like to share these tips with you as well for use at your next event, tradeshow or exhibit:

1.  Leave a lasting impression with giveaways—business cards, brochures, pens, magnets, and other items that has your name, website, phone number and logo on it.  Everyone there expects to take home some goodies.

2.  Have literature on your product or service?  Use display racks or plastic holders to show your flyers, handouts, coupons, brochures, etc.

3.  How about Gift Certificates? If you can offer them, there’s nothing better than getting a deal when they “cash in” their certificate.  And it brings them in your store or in contact with you.  Hopefully they’ll come back again.

4.  Contests are a great way to attract attention. Offer a prize that in some way complements your business and is appealing.  Be sure entrants sign a guestbook or simple form, fill out an entry ticket or drop in a business card. The idea is to get information on who participated for follow-up after the event.

5.  A Raffle Drawing is a fun thing to do.  Have good prizes! One idea is to have a big tumbler at your booth or table—hopefully one that lets visitors see the tickets inside—and sell tickets to support a good cause, like breast cancer or heart disease. Sell 10 tickets for $5 or a bunch (fingertip to fingertip with arms stretched out) for $10.  Announce a special time for the drawing and have at least 6 winners.

6.  Don’t assume your visitors understand what you have to offer.  Spell it out!  Use small signs and information sheets to simply describe your business.

7.  Have a newsletter or eNewsletter? Don’t forget to have a signup sheet readily available and visible at your booth or table.

8.  Make sure your company name and logo are visible.  Banners, booth graphics, panels or posters should tie together visually to best represent your products and services.

9.  Got energy? It’s amazing how far a smile and upbeat attitude will go to attracting visitors and guests to your display.

10. Take some time to walk around and visit other displays to get new ideas for future events and see how other folks are doing.  Call it research!

If you have any other tips you would like to add, we would love to hear them.  May your next event be a success!

As iPad sales have soared and people have come to rely on them daily, new research is emerging as to how they are really being used. There has been much talk about the advertising opportunities the iPad will create.  As marketers, this research is important in capturing those new opportunities and making sure our marketing messages are reaching the hands of the iPad users.

A recent study,“A Play Date with the iPad, by Ball State University examined how attitudes toward iPads changed after owning one for 24 hours.  Participants reported that content creation was difficult, but the iPad was ideal for content consumption, more of an entertainment device.

In the UK, a survey by copywriting firm Cooper Murphy Webb found that iPad owners also felt the same, the iPad was great for entertainment purposes.  Two in five said they used the tablet at least 10 hours weekly, and almost a quarter said it had become their primary entertainment device, ahead of TV and trailing PCs by just 9 percent.

Of notable importance, the iPad was considered the number one method for receiving newspapers and magazines.  41% of iPad owners preferred to read on the device while 36% liked hard copies better.  Although, more than 60% said they rarely or never took their iPad when they left home.

So what, as marketers, can we take away from this research?  Clearly, the iPad is seen as a device for content consumption, with newspapers, magazines and books some of the top uses. The opportunity ahead lies in developing and placing ads within these digital publications iPad app’s.  Ads that incorporate sound, movement, the capability to share instantly with friends and encourage interaction with the reader.

However, as it appears the majority of iPad users are leaving them in their homes, don’t abandon your traditional print and online ads either.  There is plenty of opportunity to reach these users while they are away from their iPads as well.

There are a number of different opinions surrounding outbound and inbound marketing and the roles these play in developing a marketing plan.

There are those who believe outbound marketing is passé and suggest focusing only on inbound tactics. Others have done a great job of building up their outbound channels, but have neglected to develop any inbound marketing strategies.

Can you have one without the other?

Sure.  But you’ll get a heck of a lot better results if you incorporate the two.  Together they deliver a one-two punch, pushing out your marketing message, sparking consumer interest, and then drawing them in to learn more as they go online to research more about your product or service.

Outbound marketing consists of the more traditional tactics we as marketers have implemented for years.  And although the internet is now a part of our everyday lives, these off-line avenues are still very important.  Print, radio and television ads, direct mail, email and tradeshows capture attention and spark interest.  These tactics provide a broad reach and offer far more brand impressions than inbound marketing alone.  Outbound campaigns help drive potential customers online to find out more and engage in your inbound avenues.

Inbound marketing helps your company “get found” by those already learning and shopping in your industry.  The goal is to attract visitors to your website naturally, by drawing them in with valuable, helpful content.  Becoming a trusted resource of information that is invaluable to potential customers as they seek to learn more.

Search engines, blogs, viral video and social media sites can all serve as tools to draw people in on their own accord. As your potential customers spend time sifting through the resources you’ve provided, their trust and reliance on your company grows, making it all the more likely they will choose to do business with you.

Both of these strategies are essential elements of a well rounded, effective marketing program. Together they offer the perfect balance of driving your marketing message and engaging customers on a more personal level.

If you have been thinking of placing all of your efforts in an inbound campaign, reconsider.  And if you have been chugging along with strong outbound strategies, adding an inbound marketing effort to the mix will help move you to the next level.

I just bought a new camera.  But what’s interesting, is the process I went through in making the decision to purchase one and which to buy.  A sales flyer I received in the mail featuring the newest pocket sized cameras sparked my interest.  I have a very large heavy camera, but with an upcoming trip to Disneyland planned, a small camera seemed like just the thing.

I took the next step, turning to the internet to read reviews, search social media sites and read about the different cameras on the company websites.  After several days of conducting my own research, I settled on the perfect one.  I just received it in the mail in fact and so far, I’m a happy camper.

If I were to ask, most of you would probably say you make a lot of your purchase decisions in much the same way. Something sparks your interest in a product or service, maybe an ad in a magazine or an email you received, and then you head online to research it a bit further.

Outbound and inbound marketing.  Both of these marketing tactics played a significant roll in my camera purchasing decision.  Let’s take a look at the difference between the two.

Below is a simple chart I found on Hubspot which highlights some of the marketing tactics in each:

Outbound marketing consists of more traditional tactics like print ads, direct mail, trade shows, TV, radio and telemarketing. These marketing vehicles include brand/product messages and aim to promote awareness on a wide scale and entice consumers to take action.

Inbound marketing attracts consumers using a completely different strategy.  Instead of pushing your message out, the goal is to draw people in as they research and find out more about your brand on their own.  Website optimization, blogging, social media and word of mouth all serve to help consumers find out more as they search the web.

Both of these marketing tactics are important in creating a well rounded marketing campaign.

Stay tuned for the next post about the benefits of utilizing both inbound and outbound marketing tactics in your campaigns!

Times are changing in the BtoB media world.  In just the last two years I have seen some dramatic shifts as publications have merged, some have shut their doors and others have emerged as leading magazines in their industries.

One of the biggest changes has been the transition from print publications to their digital versions. Many of these leading publications have already developed digital editions of their print magazines and others are well on their way to doing so. Some have chosen to go completely digital, phasing out their print editions all together.

A new “Communications Industry Forecast” was just released from Veronis Suhler Stevenson’s, a New York based private equity firm, and indicates that by 2013, BtoB e-media spending will surpass BtoB print spending.  With the transformation I’ve been seeing, this comes as no surprise.

According to the forecast, e-media will continue to grow and by 2014 e-media spending should reach $8.03 billion, growing an average of 12.8% a year from 2009 to 2014.

As marketers, this transition from print to digital brings opportunities for creating unique interactive campaigns within these digital publications.  Ads that are no longer static, but actually interact with your readers through video, sound, and moving product images, drawing readers in to learn more about your product or service.

Your potential customers will spend more time with your brand as the interaction entices them to navigate through each part of the ad.  And the longer the reader spends on your ad, the more trust and loyalty they develop for your brand.

Exciting opportunities lie ahead as these traditional print publications go digital.  Stay ahead of the curve by beginning to turn your traditional print ads into interactive digital experiences.