E-Marketing Tactics: Focus on Retail

Advertising:

• Search marketing is critical to driving traffic to your site, but monitor average cost per conversion compared to average sale value (depending on margins, try to keep a 1:3 ratio)
• Treat affiliates as true marketing partners and strategically assess the relationships. They can bring 10 to 20% of your online sales. Although, keep in mind that 5% of your affiliates may generate 95% of your sales. These relationships require refining and measurement on a weekly basis.
• Email relationship programs offer an opportunity to increase sales, especially if the messages are highly personal on a targeted marketing basis.
• Email-to-a-friend options for products provide quality-leads to your site for little to no cost.

Site Design: Functionality, Product displays and Shopping Cart

• The quality of your site, specifically the internal search capabilities, can dramatically affect conversion rates.
  ---- Offer “sounds like” or “close matches”
  ---- Eliminate harsh error messages
• Using exit pop-ups can provide you with valuable information or defense against cart abandonment.
• Two viable marketing expenses:
  ---- $5 gift for filling out a survey
  ---- Free shipping for gifts over $25
• Remembering previous shopping cart purchases and up-selling within the site can build your average sales figures.
• Bestseller lists help customers feel confident in a purchase and reduces the need for a lot of comparison research.
• In-house written copy can benefit the site by relating to customers in your store’s own style, as opposed to the boring manufacturer’s information.
• Provide an enlarge image feature for customers to become more familiar with your product.
• Include inventory quantities so that customers can feel comfortable with their purchase.
• Handhold customers through a flexible shopping process.
  --- Allow them to keep a panel on the side displaying the items in their cart so far.
  --- Display shipping costs before they get to the final page.
  
  
  

Web Analytics: Converting the Masses

Monitoring website visitor and customer activity in detail, you can make rational business decisions that increase success. Some crucial things you should know before spending another dollar in marketing are where visitors are coming from, what keywords your visitors use to find your site, how they navigate through the site, which visitors are good customers, and what actions those customers took along the way.

The ways you allow customers to interact with various online products and features directly provokes customer conversions. So how do you know what is working and what is not?

In terms of web analysis, there are generally two types of information: 1) measures of e-commerce, 2) measures of customer interaction with content. For example, if you find out that the average customer from Google views 6 pages with more conversions, while the average viewer from Yahoo stays only two (less likely to buy), you can alter your advertising focus due to these customer interaction trends. Or if you find out that customers are leaving the checkout very late in the process, even after they’ve entered their information, you can extrapolate the duration of your checkout process is probably too long, or the final steps include a prohibitive policy or cost.

Three fundamental categories for customer interaction are: 1) Qualified Traffic – the visitors intend to be on your site (some don't); 2) Qualified Intent – they find and leave with information, or they want information for future purchase, or they want to purchase now; 3) Qualified Confidence in Purchase – they are repeat customers, or they have brand confidence prior to checking out, or you must instill a sense of security in them via your site and brand.

A variety of fundamental lessons can be learned from the visitor interaction with your site. For example, if you acknowledge your best customers, who bring you the most value, your referral base could increase. If you narrow your keyword analysis for customers who only seek purchase, you could lower your cost per acquisition.

There are more and more resources becoming available to the e-marketer for the purpose of analyzing user data. For example, the book “Marketer's Guide to E-Metrics” by Bryan Eisenberg & Jim Novo can provide some insight into the metrics you use to better your business. Meanwhile for a competitive analysis or benchmarking data, refer to comScore, Nielsen//NetRatings, and Hitwise. These companies do not measure your website server statistics, but use panel and ISP based analysis to compare many sites.


Resources for Analyzing Ads and Web Metrics:

Wordtracker - $265/yr membership, keyword analysis
Hitwise.com – comprehensive video explaining measurement techniques
Nielsen/Net Ratings – panel based, top-level industry analysis
Urchin Analytics – web server
Clicktracks – web server
LiveStats – Deepmetrix – web server
WebTrends Analysis – web server
Coremetrics Online Analytics – complex web server
Omniture SiteCatalyst – complex web server

Intervet: Internet Marketing

"Research Makes the Difference"

Strategic planning and implementation of websites and online advertising:

1. Setting Goals and Positioning Websites

• Intervet.com
• Product websites - Axilur, Vetsulin, etc.
• Disease/disorder websites - Foot-and-mouth-disease.com, cats-at-risk.com, etc.

Evaluate current website metrics and develop recommendations and summary conclusions based on targets and objectives. Redesign components of your site(s) based on the above analysis for cohesive message, strategic goals and professional/trustworthy appeal. What is the target audiences’ perception of the website? Is all information up-to-date? -- issue with the Vetsulin launch date....

2. Interactive Advertising Plan and Budget

• Domain names
• Keyword analysis
• Banner Ad campaign
  - found on www.thepoultrysite.com
  - additional targeted marketing
• Graphics, Tile and Banner development
• Additional Multimedia?
• Explore Google and Overture directory listings
  - Sample budget with keyword bid costs
• Affiliate sites:
  --Professional Associations/Magazines Online
  ----Design promotional messages, target links, etc.
  ----Work with marketing team to build comprehensive list of client resources and publications for advertising opportunities

Competition is advertising to owner audience using PPC campaigns. For vet audience, consider e-newsletter and article sponsorship on highly targeted websites, i.e., American Veterinary Medical Association's Pet Health. For poultry industry, consider DPI (Delmarva) sponsorships and listing under "poultry links", The Poultry Industry Council, ThePoultrysite.com, International Poultry Expo.

3. Search Engine Optimization

• HTML, meta tags, alt tags
• Keyword population in content
• Web analytics: Where are customers moving on the site?
• Expand branding for additional search terms
• Dmoz, Inktomi, AOL, Google, MSN, Ask Jeeves, Teoma, AltaVista
• Link building, between sites and with articles
• RSS Feeds and Article Composition – grassroots marketing
  

4. Customer Communication

• Identify and cherish your good customers,
• Increase customer retention and referral base
• E-postcards
• E-newsletters
  

Burlington Coat Factory E-marketing Plan

Online Positioning Strategy
Keyword/Domain Analysis
Optimize Website
Interactive Advertising and Affiliates
Search Engine Optimization
Customer Communication

I. Positioning – 15% of budget
a. Evaluate current website metrics and develop summary conclusions
b. Redesign components of your site(s) based on the above analysis for cohesive message, strategic goals and professional/trustworthy appeal
----It is critical that the visual presentation of BCF be not only graphically stimulating and appealing, but also aesthetically appropriate for the target retail market
c. Evaluate long term focus of brand and short term sales/discounts objectives
d. Where does the company want to compete?
---- US retail chain offering high-quality merchandise at prices up to 60% less than competitors (for Burlington brand)
---- Cohoes and other brands are differentiated – should remain separate
----Outerwear, apparel, shoes, baby items, toys, linens, bath and home décor
---->325 stores in 42 states
----Burlington Coat Factory, Baby Depot, Cohoes Fashions, Luxury Linens,
MJM Designer Shoes, and Totally 4 Kids
----Cutting-edge technology philosophy
----Low – middle income, highly female, 25-54
e. What is the consumers’ perception of the product line?
----Coats - More than great coats?
----Competition – Ross, TJMaxx, Linens n Things, Bed Bath and Beyond
----School uniforms – differentiated from retail image

II. Keyword/Domain Analysis – 10% of the budget
a. What popular keywords/phrases are searched
b. Domain names – additional focus required here

---- http://www.coat.com/ - redirect
----http://www.bcdirect.com/ - redirect
---- http://www.babydepot.com/ - redirect – should it be unique domain?
---- http://www.luxurylinens.com/ - redirect – but it should be unique domain
---- http://www.cohoesfashions.com/ - unique domain – even more professional/upscale? – coherent and consistent message and image
----http://www.totally4kids.com/ - not owned? – school uniform focus?


III. Optimize Website – additional focus in line with (I) and (II) above – 5% of budget
a. HTML, meta tags, alt tags
b. Keyword population in content
c. Web analytics: Where are customers moving on the site?
----Shopping cart abandonment rates
----Page views and popular paths
----Promotional pages and results


IV. Interactive Advertising – major emphasis – 55% of budget
a. Graphics, Tile and Banner development
b. Multimedia?
c. Explore Google and Overture directory listings
--Sample budget with keyword bid costs
d. Affiliate sites: (Maintenance $4000-$10000 per year)
-----Link Share
-----Performics.com
-----Commission Junction
e. Magazines Online:
----Design promotional messages, target links, etc.
----I-village
----Modern Woman
----Shopping Guides
--Target Market Websites (Oprah, etc)
---- Design promotional message, target links, etc.
f. Business and YP listings


V. Search Engine Optimization – 10% of budget
a. Expand branding for additional search terms
b. Dmoz – free
c. AOL, Google, MSN, Ask Jeeves, Teoma, AltaVista
d. Link building, between sites and with articles
e. RSS Feeds and Article Composition – grassroots marketing
----Submit articles to the RSS
----Press release development for “positive news”


VI. Customer communication – 10% of budget
a. Identify and cherish your good customers, increase customer retention and
referral base (think Pier 1 newsletter)
b. E-postcards
c. E-flyers