Archive for June, 2008

Home Shopping 2.0: ERA Europe Monte Carlo

June 23, 2008 | (1) Comment

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Download a PDF version of Jeff’s PRESENTATION here!

Download a PDF of Jeff’s HANDOUTS / REFERENCE MATERIALS here!

I recently lectured at the Electronic Retail Association (ERA) Europe’s Electronic Home Shopping Conference 2008, Monte Carlo, June 22-24. What a great time I had presenting along side of the likes of Livemercial’s Johnny Mathis Jr., Elie Boudara of ID SIDE (who presented a remarkable, pioneering case study on how product placement strategies can intersect with long-form, video generated, Web-based selling!), Andreas Büchelhoffer (who is pioneering auction-based DRTV models in Germany), Anders Hjorth of Relevant Traffic, Rok Hrastnik of Studio Moderna, Rodrigo Sepúlveda Schulz of vPod.tv and many others.

I focused my lecture on how DRTV (direct television/infomercial) marketers can, should be and are transferring existing best practices into their Web-facing business units to drive increased sales. Like “magalogers” (catalogs that take a magazine-like, content rich approach), direct TV companies are the hands-down masters of the “long-pitch” sell technique involving info-tainment but need to look out for the likes of newcomers, HoneyShed.com, who are mixing the old (same approach to video-based selling) with the new (interactive EXPERIENCES that consumers crave).

How can DRTV marketers take the Internet bull by the horns? They’re compelled to address the multi-channel shopping problem that Rok Hrastnik addressed so well. That is, capturing consumers who are interrupted on their way from TV to purchase via the Web (interrupted by sellers of knock-off products, etc. etc.).

Rok (who puts Studio Moderna’s money where his mouth is) and I see eye to eye — it’s all about becoming a publisher of content that customers crave. It’s not about the short-term sale; rather, about a long-term, trust-based relationship with a customer that keeps your brand “top of mind” when they’re considering making a purchase. Rok’s social marketing case study focused on his Dormeo.com brand. The secret sauce? Sex-related articles for men + weight loss content for the ladies = sales. Such an approach also supports word of mouth marketing given how the content is extremely shareable (easily syndicated) and presented to consumers based on their own consumption preferences (ie. email, RSS feeds, etc.).

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Customer Acquisition Using Social Marketing & Consumer Empowerment

June 17, 2008 |

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This presentation was given to the Business Networking Chicago IT S.I.G on June 16, 2008.

Best Practices in Consumer Empowerment

June 15, 2008 |

The Web is all about interaction… and interaction forces experience. More than anything else customers are experiencing through their interactivity. Will their experience be fun, frustrating or confusing? As a marketer, the answer is up to you.

Here’s how another company is using video to create experiential marketing that results in customer acquisition and retention. It’s a great example of a best practice in social marketing or what’s being called “consumer empowerment.”

Consumer Empowerment: Social Marketing’s Secret ‘Success Sauce’

June 6, 2008 |

Jeff Jarvis of Buzzmachine.com agrees. The sense of empowerment that consumers receive when participating in a “crowdsourcing” model feeds on what marketers should be taking notice of (and applying!).

Let’s look at how one big company does this: Progressive auto insurance. Watch the video above for this and more examples of how pioneering marketers are taking charge by giving customers unrestricted control over CHOICE — creating powerful bonds that drive brand loyalty.

Web 2.0 Mindset: Let Supply Find & Create Demand

June 2, 2008 |

The key to success in today’s digital, multichannel shopping world is a bold, new mindset. This foundation is rooted in new, non-traditional concepts. In fact, some say these concepts are NOT marketing at all.

Bottom line: This customer-centric framework is being forced by a hyper-connected, always-on interactive ecosystem. Success in this brave new world is about recognizing and ACTING on this shift.

And, yes, sooner or later you’ll need to get in the game at some level! Click the video to learn more.