5 weeks back , if someone had asked me if I am confident working on Internet/ Digital Marketing I would have said “Not Really”. Now after 5 weeks of highly focused learning and the opportunity to implement those learning in Internet Marketing course,  I am confident that I can do it. My role in the team pertained to e-mail marketing. I started by learning about Mail Chimp and I was extremely impressed to learn more about its features. When I sent my first mail , I was continuously checking the reports at Mail Chimp. I was really happy to see the result since I saw very high open rate and click rate. But what struck the most to me was that I saw clicks not just to the link I had provided but also to Twitter as well as to Webpage. I would like to share some more of my observations during the project time:

1. Internet is just a vehicle of communication. It gives us the opportunity to connect with people all over the world. However, equally important for a business is to understand the importance of customer segmentation. It is important to understand the segment that will be benefited most from the business. In our case , our client rFactr has very clearly defined customer segment. This proved very helpful since we knew which platforms will be most effective for this segment.
2. Another important component of campaign is CONTENT. The content needs to be as per the stage in marketing funnel where the customer segment lies. If they are unaware of the business then the content should try to educate them or inform them about the business service. Try to keep the stage of funnel in mind and the objective of the campaign when deciding the content.
3. I realised that social media marketing in not just about choosing the content but also the right platform for sending across that message. For example Twitter, LinkedIn and Slide Share are suitable for business segments while teenagers can be engaged through Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram.
4. Social media scheduling , content selection as well as analysis are the roles generally performed by the same person and it has to echo the message that Internet ads are sending or the message that e-mails are sending.
5. The impact of video is always higher than the impact of a lengthy/ wordy message
6. The timings of sending the message are very important. For example e-mails are most read if sent on Wednesday at 9.00 am.
7. Adwords are the key and so is the analysis. As much as adwords help in directing leads to the webpage, their analysis ensures that we make the best out of the budget by using the most effective words.

At the end I believe that both Social and Internet Marketing complement each other. Their roles can be interchangeable but the best way to use is to generate original and relevant content and push it through these channels.

 

 

 

The first time I heard this term, I had no clue what Inbound Marketing meant. I was told by a friend that Hubspot is a great resource to know more about it. However like any other curious person online, I googled it and landed on Wikipedia. It was defined as ” Inbound marketing is promoting a company through blogs, podcasts, video, eBooks, e-newsletters, whitepapers, SEO, physical products, social media marketing, and other forms of content marketing which serve to attract customers through the different stages of the purchase funnel. In contrast, buying attention,^[1] cold-calling, direct paper mail, radio, TV advertisements,^[sales flyers, spam, telemarketing^[and traditional advertising^[4] are considered “outbound marketing“. Inbound marketing refers to marketing activities that bring visitors in, rather than marketers having to go out to get prospects’ attention. Inbound marketing earns the attention of customers,^[1] makes the company easy to be found,^[2] and draws customers to the website^[ by producing interesting content.” This can be the most newest and different thing we have heard in a decade now. I got more interested in this new concept.

My next step was to visit Hubspot and understand further in depth about the whole concept. I was amazed to know that they provide free Inbound Marketing Certification, and have extensively covered all the topics. They introduced the customer conversion process which is very well integrated in all classes. It’s called “Inbound Methodology”

 

 

These 5 stages are the heart of this strategy. The concept is still catching up in the marketing world but is very important for those who intend to nurture their built client base. The certification can be done in one weekend. Inbound Marketing provides a good opportunity for the company to interact with customers who are approaching them and are interested in knowing more bout your brand. So make the best of this opportunity and dwell on this greates discovery to make your marketing funnel more functional.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.hubspot.com/inbound-marketing

In Feb 2015, advertisers spent approx. $ 4.5 million on broadcasting on sports channels. This happens every year. We all remember the cute dog from Budweiser but do we remember the KIA model that was highlighted in the ad that played in the same event? This brings me to my point whether the traditional advertising budget for Super Bowl is worth it?.

Super Bowl seems an attractive platform for advertisers and the reason is justified too. It one of the most watched show in America and the viewers enjoy these ads too. But there are 3 factors that we ignore as marketers:

1. People enjoy the game and the excitement to see their team winning or disappointment to see their team losing will be governed by their emotions. Their focus on ad may be less. A  fan will hate these ads if he is too keen to watch the game.
2. Half Time is the show stealer. Don’t we all remember Katy Perry and those super cute sharks dancing on her tunes! The half time hype and publicity always dwarves the best of the ads. In this battle of 30 minutes of pure entertainment VS 30 seconds of compressed messages , Half Time wins because the game is not being interrupted.
3. Hundreds of ads are released that day. The possibility of your ad sticking to people’s  mind is very low.

Overall, the ads that are played are fighting for attention at the most expensive event. If the same amount of money can be invested on Online Marketing where companies can collaborate with Superbowl and play the same message, they will get higher engagements and will be more effective.

 

In 2013, WestJet started its campaign of making Christmas special for its customers. It records these celebrations and uploads on You Tube every year to share the joy and celebrations with others. The culture of WestJet of being fun, friendly and caring is being spread through these surprises and videos. This ad has been viewed 42,819,136 times as on 6^th December, 2015. In 2014, when I was in India I saw this ad being shared by many of my friends. The ad has also been mentioned on the globe and mail, Financial Post, The Global News and CBC. It has been called a “Tear Jerker” ad.

When I came across Chip Heath’s video on “Made To Stick” , I was reminded of West jet again and I decided to find similarities between the theory and ad.

• Simplicity “Simplicity isn’t about dumbing down, it’s about prioritizing” as has been mentioned in the book “Made to Stick”. The core of the message in this ad is as simple as it seems. It’s about having fun, spreading joy and believing in miracles. There is no complex message that is being sent here and no hidden imagery that is thought provoking.

 

• Unexpected : This video has held attention right from the beginning. The “curiosity gap” in this video is the reactions of the customers. Another “curiosity gap” which was only for small time was what will WestJet do of the information it is collecting from its customers? Will it really gift these things that the customers desire? The ad has a shock value. The passengers never expected these wishes to be fulfilled. The element of surprise makes the ad more appealing and stronger. This also makes the viewer to share the ad since they want to discuss more about this.

 

• Concrete : “To be concrete, use sensory language.” This ad uses multiple ways to stick the message in the minds of the viewers. The rhyming description and customers sharing their joys is one of the best ways to use multiple types of memories. As the Voice Over narrates the perfect Christmas story, it adds to the appeal of the video. This penetrates the attention of a viewer and makes him engaged at many levels.

 

• Credible: The idea of the ad is original but is also common. As credible as gifting on Christmas seems, this idea is associated only to an event. Making customer happy beyond belief but it lasts only for an event. Once the season is over the customers may not remember it. However, if the customer service was highlighted more than the joy, it would have had a greater impact on the choice of the customer.

 

• Emotional: This ad has a very high emotional appeal. It captures surprise, joy, affection, celebrations and family values at the same time. The ad clearly communicates that WestJet cares about people and their emotions. This makes the ad a clear winner. Customers want to be cared and when a brand cares about their emotions, the brand wins their loyalty. The viewer’s get a joy out of watching these videos. By sharing this video they also try to share joy. This ads builds an emotional roller coaster. The viewer cannot leave this ad in the middle because it has been designed to engage the viewer emotionally till the end. Every age group enjoys the emotion of joy, gifts, and surprises. WestJet gives these emotions in its video and have been successful in stocking the message in the minds of customers

 

• Stories : “Stories drive action through simulation (what to do) and inspiration (motivation to do)” as mentioned in the book “Made to Stick”. The video clearly has one strong story and that is Christmas story by WestJet. The passengers are asked about their wishes and then the staff of WestJet rushes to multiple partner stores for gift shopping and as soon as the plane carrying these passengers’ lands they are surprised to see the gifts. The story has been spun well with all ingredients of a joyful story. Every time the story is mentioned, Westjet will be remembered by the customer. Its association has been cemented. The simulation for viewers is to spread the joy by sharing the video and the inspiration is the underlying desire to see miracles happening. Our minds love fairy tales and stories that make us believe in good emotions like love, loyalty, care, trust etc. These emotions are surfaced in this ad and act as motivation to share it and talk about it.

 

People also have strong associations in their minds to brands. As much as they enjoy stories, they do not prefer highlighting the brands over the story. This video successfully keeps the involvement of brand WestJet subtle and lets the passenger experience and happiness take the front seat. This creates an impression in the mind of the viewers that the brand genuinely cares about their emotions.

 

Holidays are the most beautiful time for customers. Huge discounts, bright lit stores and the festive season feel attracts customers to stores. Holiday season is a good time for businesses to attract customers online. The first step towards this is to inform the customer about the Holiday Deals. without any online ad campaigns, social media messages and websites that echo those deals. how will a customer be informed? This brings to my point that decorating the Christmas Tree inside your store is only one part of the celebration. Inviting the customers to those celebrations is another.

Let them celebrate those deals. Start by Google Adwords and ads. When they search for your brand or deals relevant to your brand, try to be explicit about the deals and special offers that your business has crafted for the customers. Let them feel special and add the joy of saving.

One of the biggest mistakes that brands make is advertising a deal on which, when a customer clicks he/she enters the website that has absolutely no ease of navigation. Take them to LANDING PAGES. Make the process of selection and navigation easy for your customers. Give the customers a sense of security by making the payment process safe. During peak seasons, customer worry that the data may be hacked or lost by the retailer. Association with trusted authorities such as VISA, MASTERCARD or PAYPAL gives a sense of security to customers when they are shopping online.

Another important part of the campaigns is the sensitivity to time. Ensure that the messaging is in line with the festive spirit. Sending a mail wishing Christmas on 26th December will not please the customer. So as a marketer try to stay updated on the different festivals celebrated by the customer segment if you have a global customer base.

So keep these small but important details in mind this year and make the customers a part of your brand’s celebrations.

Every year retailers design the Black Friday Sale to be the most awaited shopping extravaganza that Americans love. With huge discounts, they have been luring customers to line up in front of their stores for years now. Fighting extreme weather conditions, pushing their expenses towards end of the year, planning for Christmas, customers have been equally supportive in this extravaganza. Gradually, the lineups were dealt by opening stores one night early, hiring more temp staff and opening more payment counters. Even though the satisfaction of savings was huge among customers, the inconvenience was a big problem. I remember my Black Friday Sale experience in 2012. I left my house on Thursday evening at 10 pm to be among the early shoppers. But I was shocked to see Bellevue Square Mall parking which was full by that time. After 15 minutes of struggle finding a parking spot, my next struggle was to enter the mall which was fully packed. With Nordstrom, JC Penney, Macy’s, Sephora and other big brands present in one place, I should have expected this. I did not foresee any relief in future too. But last year, I was shocked to find a parking spot at 11 pm and a not so busy mall. Was it the sale that wasn’t attractive or were the shoppers not looking to save anymore? Later, I read in news and heard from many friends that Macy’s and many other big retailers had taken the experience online. But the crowd that went online was more than the retailers had expected and as a result sites kept on crashing. Later many ended up missing the purchase that they could have done in brick and mortar stores. Researchers and analysts broke down this decline as effects of economy, high customers spending year long. What they missed here was the fact that willingness to buy had not reduced, it was the lack of opportunity to buy. Also how can we forget Target’s credit card information compromise had gotten us all worried about the potential loss. This affected the sense of security that customers have while shopping. It took them some time but the trust has been re-established.

This year was better. As per Reuters, ” Shoppers in the United States spent $822 million online between midnight and 11 am ET, a 15-percent increase from 2014 but lower than the expected growth of 19 percent, according to the Adobe Digital Index, which tracked 180 million visits to over 4,500 U.S. retail sites. On Thanksgiving Day, online sales rose 22 percent from midnight to 5 pm ET.” Time Magazine’s article shows a gradual shift in shopping preferences of consumers. It mentions “Brick and mortar sales on Black Friday fell from $11.6 billion in 2014 to $10.4 billion in 2015, according to the retail researcher ShopperTrak. Sales on Thanksgiving fell from just over $2 billion to $1.8 billion. Both decreases are attributed to the increase in online sales, the Associated Press reports.”. These are clear indicators of what our shoppers want.

So, its time that marketers realise that they need to allocate more money to online and digital advertising in their budget rather than spending thousands and millions on pamphlets or newspaper inerts that go completely ignored. Give the shoppers a seamless experience. They must feel good about their decision to stay home and shop.