Focusing on customers

Archive for the ‘eToys’ Category

I’m very proud of myself. My Christmas shopping is done and I am “ready” for the holidays. I’m even beginning to feel that warm, Christmassy feeling in my tummy. It all happened without me really paying attention; somehow it came easily this year. I find that extraordinary since I work full time and spend the weekends doing errands, taking my daughter to dance class, cleaning…the list is endless. What did I do differently this year? For starters, I didn’t stress over what to buy people. Why? Because I found out what everyone wanted this year instead of wracking my brain trying to figure out. I also kept it simple with gifts certificates, ordering on-line (great deals and free shipping anyone?) and wrapping as I received them. Thank God for http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.etoys.com/. These two web sites made my life easy this year and I highly recommend everyone to use them! The walk-away here is for you to somehow deep within yourself try not to worry about things you can’t control or even things that you can because in the end, everything always works itself out! It’s taken me a long time to realize this and I’m still trying to practice what I preach, but I’m getting better.

I have a new appreciation for being a B2B marketer! It’s no wonder B2C marketers spend millions of dollars to get consumers to even notice them. What do I know, I’m not a consumer marketer…oh no, but it’s worse, I’m a CONSUMER! I’m picky. I’m not loyal to your products. I’ll only listen if you talk to me, personally, not just as one of your “demographics.” B2C marketing has gone way beyond personalization and relevancy. Simply addressing an email to me using my name and my recent transaction at your web site is not enough. You need to do more to get to know me, my habits, my likes and dislikes. Sure it takes a lot of data-collection, but in the end, it’s worth it. Trust me. Do you want me to tag your web site as a favorite? Do you want me to buy from you or visit you occasionally? Then here is what attracts me as a consumer, and to date, there are only a few companies that have kept my attention.

1. Talk to me about things I like!

I get so many emails about promotions for this, free shipping for that, and discounts. If I even get the slightest hint you don’t know what I like, I delete your email or throw away your direct mail piece. So what do you do to get my attention? Tell me what I’ll get from purchasing your product (WIIFM – what’s in it for me?). If I’ve purchased your products, send me similar items I might like. Keep consistently communicating with me (if I subscribe to let you that is). I’m a consumer. I’m impulsive. I purchase on emotion. Tap into those instincts with things I like, and you got me, maybe.

2. Keep it simple. I don’t have time!

If I had a dollar for every shopping cart I’ve abandoned because the process takes too long or asks for too much information or makes it virtually impossible to get to the end, I will leave. I have done so on many occasions because web pages timed out, have asked me for way more information than I think they need, or keep telling me I forgot to fill this field in or that field. I’m out of there. Don’t send me to too many pages in the process because I’ll lose interest. Don’t ask me to fill out information I have already provided (that’s a peeve). Keep my experience simple and fast, and I will come back.

3. Word of mouth happens without you even trying.

If I like a web site, you can bet my friends will know about it and their friends, and so on (we all know the commercial). Stop asking me to fill in my friends’ email addresses because most of the time, I won’t. I don’t want them inundated with messages they don’t even know about yet, even if my name is on them. Word of mouth is powerful. Let it take its course naturally.

4. Follow the leaders

So this is the part where I tell you who I think have done an incredible job of personalizing my experiences with them and making it easy for me to come back again and again. Study them well.

1. http://www.amazon.com/ – Clearly the king of personalization way before anyone even knew what it was. I have been an Amazon fan since the site began in the 90′s. My experience with them has always been great. They personalize their pages just for me, make helpful recommendations off of what I’ve searched on, without me even asking, have endless selections in multiple categories from their original books and movies to clothing and jewelry. Amazing! I love Amazon!

2. http://www.etoys.com/ – My favorite toy e-tailer that made my Christmas this year stress-free! Again, they are really good with recommendations, based on my kids’ ages, my nephew’s birthdays, you name it. I get emails reminding me of upcoming birthdays and recommendations. Having quite a few kids to buy for throughout the year, this toy e-tailer is number one on my list.

3. http://www.google.com/ – My favorite search engine and so much more. Google never ceases to amaze me with all the free tools, widgets, SPAM-free email, blogs, and customized home pages. All this and I pay nothing. It’s no wonder Google is the number one search engine on the web. They keep coming up with nifty tools and features that I’m finding myself using more and more. Just the curiosity alone keeps me going back.

4. http://www.marketingprofs.com/ – I’m a member of this marketing web site filled with thousands of marketing-related articles, case studies, and forums for a low subscription fee. Being a marketer, I find this to be one of the most resourceful sites on the web when it comes to finding out just about anything I want to know about my favorite topic – Marketing!

5. http://www.marketingsherpa.com/ – Similar marketing information site with more of a focus on testimonials, real-world case studies and techniques for successful marketing programs. They have become another favorite of mine. Not too long ago, they started a subscription service. I’m not sure how I feel about that since I’ve been accessing their content for so long and now they’ve asked me to spontaneously pay for it. I’m still debating on whether or not I’m going to join, but make no mistake, it is a valuable, informative site.

The above are sites whose emails I always want to read because they’ve pegged my interests and have kept my attention for that reason.

Kudos to those web sites. They have done a great job to date of getting my attention and keeping it. Don’t reinvent the wheel with fancy new tactics to get my attention, follow the leaders and do as they do. I hope you get my attention soon!