tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3405449819748370722024-03-04T22:01:34.532-08:00One Step Retail Solutions Blog<b>All About Retailing Blog</b> - This blog tackles the topic of retail technology solutions and key retail trends. One Step Retail Solutions is your one step resource for your retail technology needs. One Step Retail Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276319508840587863noreply@blogger.comBlogger413125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-340544981974837072.post-31355655001803290262015-11-20T11:00:00.000-08:002015-11-20T11:00:00.392-08:0012 Tips to Create a Killer Call to Action for Every Email By Lisa Furgison McEwen <br />
<br />
To create a <a href="http://www.websitemagazine.com/content/blogs/posts/archive/2015/07/31/5-Best-Practices-For-High-Performing-Emails-.aspx" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">high-performing email</a>, you need to build it with the right components. When Ford builds its Mustang, top-of-the-line parts are used to create a driving experience like no other. <br />
<br />
An email is the same way. Every part of an email should be the best it can be to ensure subscribers get the best experience possible. <br />
<br />
One of the most important components in an email is the call to action, and that’s what we’ll focus on in this article. We’re going to give you twelve in-depth tips that will help every business create <a href="http://www.rickwhittington.com/blog/ingredients-for-an-effective-call-to-action/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">killer calls to action</a> that convert subscribers. <br />
<br />
Here are the tips to create must-click calls to action: <br />
<h2>
<strong>Call to Action Wording</strong></h2>
What will your call to action say? You need to pick several words that entice the subscriber to click. Here are copy tips to create a variety of call to action messages that convert: <br />
<br />
<strong>1. Keep it short</strong> <br />
A call to action should be fairly short. There’s not a hard and fast rule on the length of a call to action, but most are about 2-5 words long. Amazon Local uses 2 words in the example below: <br />
<br />
<img alt="call to action - amazon" class="size-full wp-image-5211 alignnone" height="359" src="http://www.pinpointe.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/call-to-action-amazon.png" title="" width="400" /> <br />
<br />
<div style="line-height: 20.8px;">
That’s not to say there won’t be times when your call to action is 7 words, but a call to action should be clear and brief. </div>
<div style="line-height: 20.8px;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 20.8px;">
Remember, the call to action doesn’t work alone. It’s supported by <a href="http://www.pinpointe.com/blog/email-campaign-good-content-tips" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the message inside your email</a>, so use the body of your email to convey the entire message. Your call to action should simply activate or reinforce that message. </div>
<div style="line-height: 20.8px;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 20.8px;">
Another good tactic is personalizing the call to action and using words like "Get My…," "Take Me To…," and "I Want To…" like in the email example below. </div>
<div style="line-height: 20.8px;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 20.8px;">
<img alt="Merry fitness call to action" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-5215" height="400" src="http://www.pinpointe.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Merry-fitness-call-to-action.png" width="361" /> </div>
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>2</strong><strong>. Capitalize on the fear of missing out</strong> <br />
<br />
Everyone wants to be part of the in-crowd. If there’s a possibility of being left out of a good deal or a limited number of products, customers will act fast. <br />
<br />
If you have a set number of products that you’re releasing, a deal that only comes around once a year or a product that’s likely to run out fast, make sure your call to action reflects it. <br />
Here are a few examples of calls to action that you can use: <br />
<br />
<ul>
<li> Claim your limited-time offer </li>
<li> Get it before it’s gone </li>
<li> Don’t miss out, buy now </li>
<li> Buy a limited-edition (name of product) today </li>
<li> Shop the biggest sale of the year </li>
</ul>
<strong>3. Create a sense of urgency</strong> <br />
<br />
A call to action should create a sense of urgency, so you should choose words that encourage such. Use present tense, active words that make subscribers follow through with your desired action. Use words or phrases like “now,” “today,” “act fast” or “redeem instantly.” Any word choice that compels a subscriber to act immediately is the right choice. <br />
<br />
<img alt="shop now call to action" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-5213" height="181" src="http://www.pinpointe.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/shop-no-call-to-action.jpg" width="400" /> <br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>4. Try adding prices</strong> <br />
<br />
If a subscriber clicks on a call to action that includes a price, it shows a high level of interest. The customer knew your price point and took the next step. That’s a customer that’s close to converting, and worth identifying. <br />
<br />
Here are a few examples that include price points. Consider tweaking theses ideas to fit your product or service. <br />
<br />
<ul>
<li> Book a cleaning service for $50 </li>
<li> Shop TVs under $300 </li>
<li> Upgrade your account for $5 </li>
<li> Shop $20 holiday gifts </li>
<li> Find the perfect gift for $10 </li>
<li> Shop popular $20 gift sets </li>
<li> See how far your $50 can go </li>
<li> </li>
</ul>
<strong>5. Include an incentive</strong> <br />
<br />
Your call to action text could include an incentive. Why should customers click on your call to action? Can they save 50%? Try something free for a month? Upgrade for a one-time fee? Whatever the incentive, consider adding it to your call to action. <br />
<br />
The example below includes an incentive. It does make the call to action longer than usual, but the incentive could convert more subscribers. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.pinpointe.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/incentive.png"><img alt="incentive" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-5194" height="298" src="http://www.pinpointe.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/incentive.png" width="400" /></a> <br />
<br />
Other incentives could include, “Activate your 50% off coupon now,” or “Get a free gift with your $25 purchase.” <br />
<br />
<img alt="free gift call to action" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-5214" height="394" src="http://www.pinpointe.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/free-gift-call-to-action.png" width="400" /> <br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>6. Go (a little) extreme</strong> <br />
<br />
Some brands can go out on a limb and choose words that are a little extreme. Words that grab attention, are trendy or even a little risqué might be just what <a href="http://www.pinpointe.com/blog/secrets-to-improving-your-email-click-through-rates" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">you need to boost click through rates</a>. <br />
If you market to the younger crowd, speak their language. Use trendy words like “selfie” or “totes adorbs” in a call to action. <br />
<br />
Even if your target audience isn’t millennials, you can still create an out-of-the-ordinary call to action. For example, rather than saying, “Download the Healthy App Now” try something like “Ditch the Crappy Diet.” The second option pushes the envelope a little; it’s not stuffy corporate speak. <br />
These choices aren’t for every brand. If language like this doesn’t fit with the overall tone of your brand, don’t force it. Above all else, stay true to your brand voice. <br />
<br />
<h2>
<strong>Button creation and placement</strong></h2>
<br /><br />
In most cases, a call to action button is better than hyperlinked text. It stands out and is easily recognizable to subscribers. However, there’s more to creating a call to action button than you might think. Here are a few pointers: <br />
<br />
<strong>7. Create the best button size</strong> <br />
<br />
How big should your call to action button be? Good question. You want a call to action button hat works on every device. <br />
<br />
Email templates are built with a responsive design, so if you’re using an email template from an email service provider the button size will adjust to fit the user’s screen. <br />
<br />
However, you can customize buttons with third party button creators like <a href="http://buttonoptimizer.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ButtonOptomizer</a>. If you’re creating specifically for mobile, create a button that’s 57 pixels wide. MIT students conducted a study and found that <a href="http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2012/02/finger-friendly-design-ideal-mobile-touchscreen-target-sizes/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the human finger covers 45-57 pixels on a screen</a>. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://email-marketing.pinpointe.com/guide-to-email-design-basics"><img alt="banner-promo-basic-email-design-components" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-5216" height="102" src="http://www.pinpointe.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/banner-promo-basic-email-design-components1.png" width="400" /></a> <br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>8. Pick the right button color</strong> <br />
<br />
There’s a ton of research online that examines how customers react to certain colors. You could spend days reading which color represents dominance, or which color encourages a purchase. You’ll spin your wheels. There isn’t one magic color that will turn subscribers into paying customers or valuable leads. <br />
<br />
To find the best color, you should A/B test them. Send a small group of contacts the same email, but with two different colored buttons and see which one gets the best results. <br />
While there isn’t one perfect color, here are a few tips to help you find the right one: <br />
<br />
<ul>
<li> Pick a color that’s used sparingly in your email text, or not at all, so it really stands out. </li>
<li> Make sure the color of the button doesn’t conflict with the text inside it. For example, if your button is red, don’t use pink text inside it. </li>
<li> Consider using a color from your logo. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
Here’s a good example. National Geographic uses yellow for its "Order Now" call to action button. It’s a great choice because the color is used sparingly throughout the email and it’s part of the logo. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.pinpointe.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/CTANational.png"><img alt="CTANational" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-5195" height="400" src="http://www.pinpointe.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/CTANational.png" width="327" /></a> <br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>9. Put the button in the right place </strong><br />
<br />
There’s a lot of debate about the best place for a call to action in an email. Some experts will tell you an effective call to action sits “above the fold,” or near the top of the email so subscribers don’t have to scroll down to see it. Others say the call to action should serve as an email’s conclusion. <br />
<a href="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/why-the-fold-is-a-myth/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kissmetrics calls the entire fold argument a red herring</a>, and says it’s all about writing good copy and presenting the information well. <br />
<br />
It’s another component you can test to see what works best for your business. <br />
<h2>
<strong>Final tips</strong></h2>
Before we wrap up, here are a few final thoughts to keep in mind when you create your next call to action: <br />
<br />
<strong>10. Call to action testing</strong> <br />
<br />
While the tips above are designed to get you on the right track, you can fine-tune a call to action by testing it. We mentioned <a href="http://www.pinpointe.com/blog/email-split-testing-ideas" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A/B testing</a> a few times, but it’s really the best way to optimize your performance. You can test every component we suggested. From word choice to button size, testing will tell you which call to action resonates with your customer base. <br />
<br />
However, for testing to be effective, you should only change one thing at a time. Otherwise you won’t know what’s working. <br />
<br />
<strong>11. Be creative</strong> <br />
<br />
It’s okay to think outside of the box. You don’t have to use the same generic “Shop Now” call to action in every email. In fact, you shouldn’t. Subscribers like variety, so switch it up. Get creative and use your metrics to see what’s working. <br />
<br />
<strong>12. Scan your inbox</strong> <br />
<br />
Your inbox is home to a wealth of call to action ideas. Do a little recon and scan the emails in your inbox and pay special attention to the call to action. What grabs your attention? What do you like about it? Jot down a few notes and try those ideas in your next email campaign. <br />
There you go, 12 tips to create a call to action button that converts.<br />
<br />
To View Original Article: <a href="http://snip.ly/RX5s?utm_content=24433232&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter#http://www.pinpointe.com/blog/12-tips-to-create-a-killer-call-to-action-for-every-email">http://snip.ly/RX5s?utm_content=24433232&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter#http://www.pinpointe.com/blog/12-tips-to-create-a-killer-call-to-action-for-every-email</a>One Step Retail Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276319508840587863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-340544981974837072.post-92063880169058872012015-11-19T11:00:00.000-08:002015-11-19T11:00:01.890-08:0057% of holiday shoppers have already begun<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjynZcN45LtSQ1DuzEa3Gq-nd6TXZNQz1XW5AdGS8LRon13wnrqdypEyjk6bjUfvF7dzaU2VrXw7YmYtjlYKBSwWAE9welzxJR_M9ndj8NhYALpMyw05bteU_Z0u8VpAgazSS_klyZSlFGV/s1600/holiday-shopping-women-shopper-marketing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjynZcN45LtSQ1DuzEa3Gq-nd6TXZNQz1XW5AdGS8LRon13wnrqdypEyjk6bjUfvF7dzaU2VrXw7YmYtjlYKBSwWAE9welzxJR_M9ndj8NhYALpMyw05bteU_Z0u8VpAgazSS_klyZSlFGV/s400/holiday-shopping-women-shopper-marketing.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from merchandisingmatters.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
By Laura Heller <br />
<br />
Anyone looking for more proof that holiday shopping begins earlier has some new statistics to cite: 56.6 percent of those celebrating the holidays had begun shopping by early November, up from 54.4 percent last year and up further from the 49 percent who had started by this time in 2008, the first time the National Retail Federation asked the question.<br /><br /> It's the highest percentage seen in that timeframe, according to the NRF's Consumer Holiday Spending Survey conducted by Prosper Insights and Analytics. Some <a href="http://www.fierceretail.com/story/84-consumers-shop-black-friday/2015-10-27">21 percent of shoppers began before October</a>, according to a recent Brand Keys survey.<br /><br /> "Thanksgiving weekend shopping has evolved tremendously over the past few years and can no longer be seen as the 'start' of the holiday season, though there's no question it's still important to millions of holiday shoppers and retailers of all shapes and sizes," said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. "There is a real sea change happening in retail when it comes to the how, when, where and why of holiday shopping. Consumers today are looking for great prices and value-add promotions earlier than ever before, and retailers have answered these demands in several different ways already this holiday season."<br />
<br /><br /><a href="http://www.fierceretail.com/story/online-holiday-shoppers-are-younger-more-price-senstive/2015-10-23">Younger shoppers are among the busiest</a> early in the season. Nearly 65 percent of 25 to 34-year-olds and 62 percent of 35 to 44-year-olds say they have already started shopping.<br />
<br /> "While there are many 'Type A' holiday shoppers who love to get an early start on their wish lists, it's also likely some of the early shopping we've seen has been in the form of 'self-gifting,' and there's no question millennials love treating themselves to something when the price is right," said Pam Goodfellow, principal analyst and consumer insights director for Prosper. "And with Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Monday still to come, holiday shoppers of all ages are still in for a treat when it comes to unbeatable promotions."<br />
<br /><br /> Hot gift items this year include apparel and accessories (60 percent); books, CD's and DVDs (46 percent); and toys (41 percent). One in five will buy jewelry, and 30.5 percent will spend on food or candy.<br />
<br /><br /> And for the first time, the number of shoppers who intend to buy gift cards has declined: 56.3 percent plan to buy cards, down from 60 percent last year, despite gift cards being the most requested gift item, according to NRF.<br />
<br /><br /> Thus far in the season, retailers are getting high marks from shoppers when it comes to promotions. Slightly more than 40 percent rank retail promotions as excellent or good, and another 34.8 percent said they were average.<br />
<br /><br /> Retailers' attempts to reach millennials with more targeted messaging and promotions appear to be working as well. Nearly 59 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds and 54.5 percent of 25 to 34-year-olds agree retailers' deals have either been excellent or good.<br />
To View Original Article: <a href="http://www.fierceretail.com/story/57-holiday-shoppers-have-already-begun/2015-11-13">http://www.fierceretail.com/story/57-holiday-shoppers-have-already-begun/2015-11-13</a>One Step Retail Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276319508840587863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-340544981974837072.post-15459148670439711532015-11-18T11:00:00.000-08:002015-11-18T11:00:03.206-08:00Use Your Website to Boost Brick and Mortar Visits<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGeMrs9AbMFtHqUZZG4SNi3RB9L-o_M2dVdjK7nDRP6lZhxM8UeJ-6GVmitX4J2EiraOPcVSliS4_FjYuTi86ZSd4mDg0Qc77E-orW_jCfybKAINIK7EyBzW1fAd95gd9u9WyaAfda3zVT/s1600/SocialMonsters11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGeMrs9AbMFtHqUZZG4SNi3RB9L-o_M2dVdjK7nDRP6lZhxM8UeJ-6GVmitX4J2EiraOPcVSliS4_FjYuTi86ZSd4mDg0Qc77E-orW_jCfybKAINIK7EyBzW1fAd95gd9u9WyaAfda3zVT/s320/SocialMonsters11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
By Nicole Reyhle <br />
<br />
Is your business’ website doing more than giving customers your location, hours of operation and phone number? Is your brick-and-mortar retail site encouraging customers to check out your website? Cross-marketing your physical and online spaces increases awareness, engagement and revenue for your business. When looking to boost your marketing efforts, here are a few points to consider:<br />
<br />
<h3>
Ensure They Boost Each Other</h3>
<br />
Marketing across channels is an excellent way to reach new customers and encourage existing ones to return. Although a website can’t deliver the highly-personalized services of a skilled salesperson, it can serve as a valuable bridge to attract customers’ attention. Make sure your website delivers the information your customers need about the products and brands you sell. Include high-quality photographs that encourage them to visit your store in person for a closer look. Boost your website by encouraging retail store customers to sign up for emails that announce sales, pre-orders and other specials.<br />
<h3>
Help Customers Discover Your Website</h3>
<br />
Most shoppers operate in three distinct phases, <a href="http://www.boutiquewindow.com/blog/articles/make-your-online-marketing-work-together/#.VcO_UqgVhBd" target="_blank">according to Boutique Window</a>. These are:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li><strong>Discovery</strong>: This phase gives customers who aren’t in your geographic area the chance to find you through local online searching. You can expedite this phase by adding your website to local search engine directories so local customers can find your retail space. Make sure your website content includes geographic and product keywords that customers are likely to use in their searches.</li>
<li><strong>Connection</strong>: The second phase lets customers see if your store provides the products or services they need without making an actual trip to the store. Develop website content that informs and educates your customers about specific products. Demonstrating knowledge and expertise helps persuade them you’re a credible and trustworthy business.</li>
<li><strong>Sales</strong>: The final phase can happen online or in your store.</li>
</ol>
<br />
<h3>
Impress With Your Landing Page</h3>
<br />
Most online searches take the customer directly to the website landing page. Like your store, it must convey a positive first impression to encourage visitors to stay and browse. Your site also needs to make your customers feel safe and secure, not like they’re being spammed. Show perks of shopping online, such as free shipping or promotion codes. Also display security badges that testify to your site’s security. A good site will show that its site is accredited by the Better Business Bureau, approved by Norton Secured and a verified merchant from Authorize.Net.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Let Them Research Online and Buy in the Store</h3>
<br />
Many customers invest more time researching expensive products online before purchasing them from a physical location, according to ShoppinPal. This gives businesses with both online and in-person stores an advantage to target customers. An <a href="http://minewhat.com/blog/motivate-shoppers-who-research-online-to-buy/" target="_blank">infographic on MineWhat</a> cites research from RetailingToday that says 60 percent of consumers begin product research through a search engine and visit at least three online stores before deciding where to make the purchase.<br />
<br />
Although nothing can replace a personalized, in-store experience, a well-designed website can be a valuable sales tool that encourages customers to visit your store to forge that relationship. For example, <a href="http://www.spencerstv.com/">Spencers TV & Appliance</a> embeds links on its website that users can click on to call and check on specific products, prices and availability. It’s easy to visualize a good salesperson using this opportunity to bring a potential customer into your store.<br />
<br />
To View Original Article: <a href="https://retailminded.com/use-your-website-to-boost-brick-and-mortar-visits/?utm_content=buffer1363f&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer">https://retailminded.com/use-your-website-to-boost-brick-and-mortar-visits/?utm_content=buffer1363f&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer</a>One Step Retail Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276319508840587863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-340544981974837072.post-57534929283443101812015-11-17T11:00:00.000-08:002015-11-17T11:00:01.156-08:00How To Deal With A Bad Salesperson In Your Retail StoreBy Bob Phibbs (The Retail Doctor) <br />
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<br />
Do you have a bad salesperson on your retail sales floor?<br />
<br />
You know, the one who screams, "That was my sale!"<br />
<br />
The one who makes everyone miserable.<br />
<br />
The one who has to say to the salesperson while the customer is at the register, "I greeted them," or <br />
"Oh you came back after you talked to your husband."<br />
<br />
Nothing screams, "WE WORK ON COMMISSION!!" more than those behaviors.<br />
<br />
They have to put the other salesperson in their place.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<em>The problem for you is your whole store is watching.</em><a name='more'></a></h3>
<br />
And the truth is, sometimes customers don't <em>want</em> the original salesperson and will intentionally avoid them.<br />
<br />
Those customers are giving your store a second chance so it is better to allow them to decide whether to speak to a new salesperson or the original.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<strong style="font-size: 1.5em;">Adopt Ground Rules</strong></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
If you have an ups system, where each salesperson gets one "up" to greet a customer and then moves to the bottom of the order whether they sell that customer or not, create some ground rules:<br />
<ul>
<li>Once the customer walks out, you do not get credit for the sale.</li>
<li>Close 'em or lose 'em - no business cards given to customers to "ask for me."</li>
<li>Never cut in on a sale unless the other person allows it privately first.</li>
<li>Never mention whose sale it is or commissions in front of a customer or both of you lose credit.</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<h2>
In Sum</h2>
During your retail sales training, set the ground rules ahead of time and you'll reduce the chances of having an obnoxious salesperson barrel their way into a sale, ruining your customers' experience, and giving customers something bad to remember you by.<br />
<br />
Or worse, telling their friends on Facebook or posting a video on YouTube.<br />
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To View Original Article: <a href="http://www.retaildoc.com/elinor-bad-retail-salesperson-training?utm_campaign=Blog%20posts&utm_content=16510247&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter">http://www.retaildoc.com/elinor-bad-retail-salesperson-training?utm_campaign=Blog%20posts&utm_content=16510247&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter</a>One Step Retail Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276319508840587863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-340544981974837072.post-21511114606498095052015-11-16T13:03:00.000-08:002015-11-16T13:03:19.134-08:00We're Moving!!<h3 style="text-align: center;">
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One Step Retail Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276319508840587863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-340544981974837072.post-22886277414049978092015-11-16T12:24:00.000-08:002015-11-16T12:24:16.701-08:003 Reasons Why Social Media Influencers Make Powerful Brand Partners<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg78obirVF_y4e5PPGTjUeXu_KQtBAPOqpkkM60PNfr8SQnst3aJ9eNFJIK-I9leNnIdj1V1E9rqFi4coV8Qnw_rAbC8wrVrUAdDIvtAUz31pVxsQ4YBtr8_NRXIrJcxh8m6XTebdoy1M0r/s1600/social-influencers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg78obirVF_y4e5PPGTjUeXu_KQtBAPOqpkkM60PNfr8SQnst3aJ9eNFJIK-I9leNnIdj1V1E9rqFi4coV8Qnw_rAbC8wrVrUAdDIvtAUz31pVxsQ4YBtr8_NRXIrJcxh8m6XTebdoy1M0r/s400/social-influencers.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Who would you rather have promoting your products or services: Kim Kardashian or Michelle Phan?<br />
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Chances are you know who Kim Kardashian is and you may be thinking her widespread influence could launch your brand to the masses. Maybe you haven’t heard of Michelle Phan, a YouTube personality known for her unique makeup tutorials, but her over <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/MichellePhan" target="_blank">8 million followers</a> shouldn’t be overlooked.<br />
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When you’re looking to align your brand with an influencer, it may be tempting to target a famous celebrity. But with a closer connection to their audience, expertise on a niche topic and <a href="http://www.adweek.com/prnewser/why-engagement-beats-reach-for-celebrity-influencers/114482" target="_blank">greater engagement</a>, social media influencers could be the better fit.<br />
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Cision’s new “<a href="http://www.cision.com/us/resources/white-papers/expand-reach/?internal_campaign=expandreach&nav_location=blog_post" target="_blank">How to Use Influencers to Expand Reach & Impact</a>” white paper examines the impact influencers can have on your brand and how you can harness their power. Take a look at the following three reasons for why you should consider connecting with social media influencers for your next campaign:<br />
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1. Low Cost for a High Return</h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBGv3eOAEfjrtSC2Ews_D0wLXAGLGgAjZ1_EcWo6FUN8wH6I6Mt7QTGXWkSvFDLzy55KiNGuykFM6_YBAbbLWxAF9ww8U48hyphenhyphenrEz-BzK0lMbJ6kXsUtMi9KtBQymPRTr90wV-axdZNIX0H/s1600/influencer-payment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBGv3eOAEfjrtSC2Ews_D0wLXAGLGgAjZ1_EcWo6FUN8wH6I6Mt7QTGXWkSvFDLzy55KiNGuykFM6_YBAbbLWxAF9ww8U48hyphenhyphenrEz-BzK0lMbJ6kXsUtMi9KtBQymPRTr90wV-axdZNIX0H/s400/influencer-payment.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Celebrity influencers will happily promote your brand – but it’s going to cost you an arm and a leg. Most brands don’t have the resources available to even consider aligning with celebrities.<br />
That’s why it makes sense to turn to social media influencers.<br />
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While there still may be a cost involved to make them your partner, it will be significantly less than the cost for celebrity influencers. Plus, with a wide reach and significant sway, the investment in a social media influencer may be worth it.<br />
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2. Your Audience is Tuned in</h2>
While celebrities may be more widely known, they aren’t as closely connected to their audience the way that social media influencers are.<br />
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Think of the relationship between these influencers and their audience like the relationship between a mama bear and her cubs. Social influencers are the gatekeepers, protecting their followers from brands looking for new customers. They know what brands their audience should trust and that makes your audience inclined to listen.<br />
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If a social media influencer recommends your products or services, their audience is much more likely to take note than if a celebrity recommended them. Because of social media influencers’ attachment to their audience, they have more power to sway opinions.<br />
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3. They’re the Experts</h2>
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Just like social media influencers have a close connection to their audience, they also have a close connection to their industry. Unlike celebrities, social media influencers are known for being an expert on a specific topic. For example, they could be a YouTuber specializing in makeup and hair tutorials or a blogger who writes about food.<br />
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Your audience sees these people as the final word on the products and services in their industry. So if that Youtuber mentions how great your eyeshadow is in their video or that blogger writes about how effective your blender is, their audience is going to believe what they say, follow their recommendation – and head straight to the checkout counter.<br />
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To View Original Article: <a href="http://www.cision.com/us/2015/11/3-reasons-why-social-media-influencers-make-powerful-brand-partners/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_content=blog&utm_campaign=blogs">http://www.cision.com/us/2015/11/3-reasons-why-social-media-influencers-make-powerful-brand-partners/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_content=blog&utm_campaign=blogs</a>One Step Retail Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276319508840587863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-340544981974837072.post-11439525046074079242015-11-12T12:30:00.000-08:002015-11-12T12:30:00.498-08:004 Common Mistakes in Online Customer ServiceModern customer service is a much different animal than it was in the past. Now we have several channels of communication whilst once it was just phone and letter. This gives us an unprecedented opportunity to really connect with customers though and to really get brand messages across. All this helps ensure that customers are kept happy.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAV1zPHRKjctYF1nmtEx0BVc4NrFxb-U8VGxypRG6NythSZ44fbB3pLfSMJQbIxEH774DnzIAxf6qx3aRz-cbWRK6JbSub9rdMGz_T5IzAO5p8t5ALFHeRW4tClgXW6HQ0T1n06yARTxbC/s1600/cookie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAV1zPHRKjctYF1nmtEx0BVc4NrFxb-U8VGxypRG6NythSZ44fbB3pLfSMJQbIxEH774DnzIAxf6qx3aRz-cbWRK6JbSub9rdMGz_T5IzAO5p8t5ALFHeRW4tClgXW6HQ0T1n06yARTxbC/s400/cookie.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Despite this, mistakes in customer service still occur frequently. Some businesses that have been around before social media changed everything stick to outdated methods of communication, whilst others just don’t put effective training in place. We’ve all heard of the many <a data-bypass="" href="http://www.inc.com/rebecca-borison/top-10-social-media-fails-2014.html" target="_blank">social media faux pas</a> that ruined companies' public reputations with a single tweet or comment. However most companies that underperform at customer service do so quietly, without a big viral bang. What about those we don’t hear about? Are eCommerce companies getting it wrong still, or has the business world finally caught up with everything that technology has to offer?<br />
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Some businesses have been great at customer service right from the start, whilst others fail year in, year out. For example, for the past five years in the telecommunications industry, I’ve seen the same names at the top of the list when it comes to failing at customer service., It seems some just aren’t learning. What is worth noting: delivering great online customer service is not a matter of luck, nor is it impossible to learn.<br />
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With that in mind, let’s have a look at some of the most common customer service mistakes and the steps that you can take to ensure that your eCommerce business isn’t the one failing.<br />
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#1: One Way Communication</h3>
The internet is a wonderful medium for marketeers and it’s common for eCommerce companies to push marketing messages out over customer review sites and social media. However, communication should be a two-way street. ll too often we see the sales message being pushed out without effective customer service when it comes to responding to reviews – whether positive or negative – or questions posed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7GaH4I2t8RyBWNBYhXI_neztX1OvmkONa7XkQ5smARMioX5ZvMP8w0qvVw48Katpw96yNgmOJBZr2Pc1ut0hCAuRseK3jpDEzfzw6RYIriIhiMQkEB0Mu2GILf239cWGklqxGsru-XBuh/s1600/oneway.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7GaH4I2t8RyBWNBYhXI_neztX1OvmkONa7XkQ5smARMioX5ZvMP8w0qvVw48Katpw96yNgmOJBZr2Pc1ut0hCAuRseK3jpDEzfzw6RYIriIhiMQkEB0Mu2GILf239cWGklqxGsru-XBuh/s400/oneway.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The importance of addressing this cannot be emphasized enough. For the customer, there are few things more frustrating than being ignored. Ignoring only makes the situation worse. Angry customers take to copying and pasting their comments onto several threads in a desperate effort to be heard and customer service reps only make things worse by deleting these comments.<br />
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Or worse – the service reps repeat the same scripted message over and over.This makes the customer feel more like a statistic than a person. Even if the customer has played this card first, no company should answer like that. Customers will alwayshave the advantage when it comes to comment quantity. So when you answer, pick out a representative critical comment and answer specifically. The first step to a publicly presentable reaction is real dedication.<br />
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The same can be said of website communications. Many companies only allow contact through phone or contact forms, or worse, they insist that the customer searches through endless FAQ before making contact. But customers want instant results. The site that doesn’t provide this will lose out to the ones that do.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTQftks6jeXRjq9jLWPqvF1V5gYnLNWVi89iTAK5pDgxdYKVlUsk9hSbYrX90Slz1ohbwaOu9ae4f7Ibdos9g43vfRYuGZj2TCQ556wEFT-V4ddjSFhSfPV5W9qLpgoYZ5W9Tn6W8JCBwZ/s1600/keyboard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTQftks6jeXRjq9jLWPqvF1V5gYnLNWVi89iTAK5pDgxdYKVlUsk9hSbYrX90Slz1ohbwaOu9ae4f7Ibdos9g43vfRYuGZj2TCQ556wEFT-V4ddjSFhSfPV5W9qLpgoYZ5W9Tn6W8JCBwZ/s400/keyboard.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Live chat is useful for all kinds of customer queries, but is most commonly used for quick questions and answers to support a buying decision. Complaints tend to be made using email and general enquiries using the phone. Communication by phone canfrustrate customers when they are put in a queue. Also, plenty of people cannot bring themselves to call and explain their issue, especially when it is a negative comment or reclamation. Not to lose this group completely, offering live chat is an effective alternative.<br />
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#2: Using Outdated Methods</h3>
The internet is by nature a hotbed of competition and as such, you have to push the envelope a little when it comes to standing out. Those companies that don’t have a social media presence will lose out, as will those that keep relying on outdated modes of communication. That doesn’t mean that today marketing and service strategies are all alike and a company just has to have any mix of communication channels. Instead, the mix has to be there and it has to be adjusted to the specific target groups. This is an ongoing task, of course.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnZYxqqcjcJSlfJCOtxmcRr8Il-V3Wgon-P6a3LWwbNjvRc3vVMEhANl4hClg_g9z6MakF7xnjbJClmVEXhA_H5hRs0-_cTtrW094avUT8Pj3LoiVnFvqKUYNGbUAf-7PnW8lvJsJxUoEI/s1600/telephones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnZYxqqcjcJSlfJCOtxmcRr8Il-V3Wgon-P6a3LWwbNjvRc3vVMEhANl4hClg_g9z6MakF7xnjbJClmVEXhA_H5hRs0-_cTtrW094avUT8Pj3LoiVnFvqKUYNGbUAf-7PnW8lvJsJxUoEI/s400/telephones.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Some customers will always want to communicate by phone and are not willing to change their habits to suit you and that’s fine. You should offer a rounded means of contacting you that covers all eventualities. However, for the more web savvy customer, you should offer various channels for getting in touch and ensure that they are all properly manned. This means keeping someone on the phones, whilst monitoring email, SMS, live chat and social media.<br />
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Phones are fine and create a personal contact, which however also is their downside. Emails are more discrete and can be reviewed before sending, but they mostly don’t offer a quick answer. Live chat is arguably the best way to give customers answers when they are needed quickly, discrete and personal at the same time. This is especially true when it comes to questions that customers have when they are on the site, as they are likely to make a purchase. Modern CRM packages integrate live chat with other channels so that you always have a means of communicating with the customer in their preferred manner at the time they need your help.<br />
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One reason why live chat is implemented in most CRM systems these days, is a widespread acceptance throughout customers. In fact, live chat has the highest level of satisfaction when compared to any other customer service platform, with 73% reporting this to be the preferred method. Further to this, research has found that 31% of customers are more likely to go ahead and make a purchase after using live chat.<br />
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#3: Ignoring the Customer</h3>
A pet hate of just about everybody, it can be fatal for a company to not respond to anything the customer sends its way. For the most part, this problem manifests due to a lack of customer service staff. Since no one person can man the phones/email/chat on a 24/7 basis, it’s vital that you make it clear what hours your business keeps with regards to getting back to customers.<br />
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While it’s not good to stretch your customers’ patience in general, it can be seriously dramatic to leave them with a feeling that their message is sent into a black hole. If you can’t offer all day-round support, send a notice that the message has been received and will be answered in a certain time span. Make it a top priority to stick to that time span, be it mail, phone or chat.<br />
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For the social media world the same rules apply, with amplifications of negative outcomes. <a data-bypass="" href="http://www.crmidol.com/sites/default/files/Conversocial%20-%20The%20Consequences%20of%20Ignoring%20Your%20Customers_0.pdf" target="_blank">Recent research has found</a> that 27.1% of people who were ignored on social media after making a complaint would stop doing business with the company in question. 50.7% said in a survey that they currently use social media as a means to communicate with brands online. Of those respondents who had dealt with companies on social media, almost a third (32.5%) said that they were either neglected or completely ignored.<br />
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There is no excuse. Technology – that great enabler – has given you all the tools you need to effectively communicate with all customers in one way or another and social media is no exception. The exact same tools are available for any customer and using them is for many is a relief of pressure, or even fun. This makes it likely to blow up in your face if you ignore complaints or any other query on social media. <br />
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Likewise, if you have a chat function on your website, or you’re planning to get one, then it’s hugely important to cover as much time of the day as possible to answer questions. Of course, it isn’t always possible to have enough chat agents for being available round the clock. In this case, focus on the peak times of your business. Also do make sure that your chat widget clearly states when it’s manned on the front of it.<br />
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#4: Not Empowering Customer Service Reps</h3>
The employees on the front lines are the ones that have to deal with all manner of enquiries and complaints. This means that they should have the power to deal with these instantly. However, the rep can only work within the constraints of policy and if these are too tight, it’s likely that they will deliver a poor service to the customer.<br />
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For example, a customer may pop up on the chat and ask the rep about an order they’ve placed but which hasn’t yet arrived. The common response will be to give the customer an email address or phone number they can use to contact the relevant department directly. They may then wait days, or even weeks, before an email is responded to, or they may find themselves in a phone queue and subsequently passed on from one department to another as each employee refuses to take responsibility for something that they don’t view as being in their job description.<br />
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On the employee’s part, this is usually caused by fear. They know what policy dictates and it may be that they don’t have the authority to offer any recourse to the customer and know that a) they’re likely to be shouted at and b) are powerless to do anything about it.<br />
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Firstly, again, modern technology is good enough so that the customer service rep should be able to access customer records through their CRM dashboard whilst still on chat. They should then also be given the power to effectively deal with the query. If the delivery is late, for example, they could offer free next day delivery on the next purchase and give the customer an answer as to where their item is.<br />
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The rep should also have the power to advise the customer that they won’t accept abuse. If you allow this, then the rep is more likely to stay in the job as they feel that they have a voice within the company. Having helpful rules even for when a customer gets “out of hand” will make your reps more confident and take away their greatest fears. <br />
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Don’t allow your reps to go at the customers by telling them to calm down though, even if this would “serve a quicker resolution of the issue”. So, while you shouldn’t let your reps discuss emotional states of customers, they should not be focused on just the technical details either. The feeling of talking to a robot will inspire plenty of customers’ anger. There is a thin line between coldness and offense. Train your reps to find this line of professional sensitivity and they’ll be fine. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQSRJKUjM_PA2BdFMywkCMvstd5G-2p48tm8L6qyHwOeZdW5sQ9RYrglfkNpPKnibos4uIso03EA7vPEB-YA6wZOiuMiWCxXcl5N1hSSiqAKF-maYK2BTAG2MJYy-8Y_3ebw4mLF31ddLB/s1600/coffeecup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQSRJKUjM_PA2BdFMywkCMvstd5G-2p48tm8L6qyHwOeZdW5sQ9RYrglfkNpPKnibos4uIso03EA7vPEB-YA6wZOiuMiWCxXcl5N1hSSiqAKF-maYK2BTAG2MJYy-8Y_3ebw4mLF31ddLB/s320/coffeecup.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Outstanding Customer Service</b><br />
It’s not especially difficult to deliver excellent customer service across all platforms, but it does seem that many eTailers continue to get it wrong. There are now plenty of solutions available to pull communications together and ensure quick and effective responses to customer queries. Live chat is swiftly becoming the premium method for helping customers in real time and should be taken advantage of, but it’s important to understand too that customer service should be excellent across all platforms. his means adequate staff should be in place, alongside robust training.<br />
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To View Original Article: <a href="https://www.userlike.com/en/blog/2015/06/19/common-mistakes-online-customer-service">https://www.userlike.com/en/blog/2015/06/19/common-mistakes-online-customer-service</a>One Step Retail Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276319508840587863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-340544981974837072.post-61288587113083918092015-11-11T12:00:00.000-08:002015-11-11T12:00:01.324-08:00How to Motivate customers to share you productsIf you have social media buttons on your product pages, you probably added them because you wanted your products to be shared more frequently on networks like Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest. You know that more shares = <a href="http://www.woothemes.com/2015/04/online-store-free-press-coverage/" target="_blank">more publicity</a>, and more publicity = more new customers making purchases.<br />
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However, increasing those valuable shares isn’t always as easy as sticking a few buttons on your store and calling it a day. <strong>Your customers need motivation to share your products, and it’s up to you to give it to them.</strong><br />
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There are a few methods you can use to motivate a customer to spread the good word about your brand before, during, and after their purchase. Let’s take a look at some ways that you can boost shares of your products on social media and attract even more shoppers.<br />
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Why social sharing is beneficial for eCommerce</h2>
One of the biggest concerns that store owners have about products being shared on social media is that it doesn’t help their bottom line. If your ROI from social media shares is currently low, you may not think that it makes sense to encourage additional sharing, especially when there’s so much more you can do to market to customers at the earliest stage.<br />
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However, research has found that<strong> pre-purchase social shares are strongly linked to revenue.</strong> <a href="http://www.sharethis.com/blog/2014/09/23/new-consumer-study-millennials-2x-likely-purchase-products-share/#sthash.V3wtJOe6.dpbs" target="_blank">One study from ShareThis</a> showed that millennial shoppers (those born between the 80s and early 00s) are approximately <em>twice as likely</em> to buy a product they’ve personally shared on social media.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG_t2DbjLIUg1ICoFJExAU9_FeGEVDNP78Zww9VapEvZW1jovYImHoklo8LSozQVEo0pSVhoRO8IbjrREsZz5KXtt5mJdukjCUpEHm7p5vLCm_pvFYkSmtxkSPp0qebPfs9LGtbFLiNPAD/s1600/22-650x488.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG_t2DbjLIUg1ICoFJExAU9_FeGEVDNP78Zww9VapEvZW1jovYImHoklo8LSozQVEo0pSVhoRO8IbjrREsZz5KXtt5mJdukjCUpEHm7p5vLCm_pvFYkSmtxkSPp0qebPfs9LGtbFLiNPAD/s400/22-650x488.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Millennial shoppers who share products are about 2x more likely to make a purchase.</div>
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Even for non-millennials shoppers, social sharing brings with it a 20 to 40% lift in purchasing intent.<br />
Additionally, the ShareThis study shows that millennial-aged friends or acquaintances exposed to shares of your products are more likely to make a purchase from your company.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0nhrefUWNuv7t8626nGp08nmw7LFrI3ky7qYB21rz6OsG6lxZ6-JcN8u-9ho0XviqbrgpLcUTac9waLuC4wvBR03xmY6qRPVc3NhGkfC9TjNG7mDo0WSMlSNcLQdUB638NdZZ4uHTLgvH/s1600/21-650x488.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0nhrefUWNuv7t8626nGp08nmw7LFrI3ky7qYB21rz6OsG6lxZ6-JcN8u-9ho0XviqbrgpLcUTac9waLuC4wvBR03xmY6qRPVc3NhGkfC9TjNG7mDo0WSMlSNcLQdUB638NdZZ4uHTLgvH/s400/21-650x488.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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40% of millennials are “somewhat likely” to make a purchase based on a friend’s recommendation on social media.</div>
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As you can see, there’s immense value in making social sharing easier. Whether it’s so your target customers can add your products to a Pinterest wishlist or just nudge an interested friend on Facebook, these shares can drive additional clicks, further brand awareness, and — of course — sales.<br />
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Use your product pages to ask for shares that drive purchases</h2>
So how can you prompt your customers to share your products before they buy them? Start by <strong>adding the appropriate social buttons or links to your product pages.</strong> This may require using a tool or plugin to generate the proper buttons and links for each page; if you’re using WooCommerce, an extension like <a href="http://www.woothemes.com/products/addshoppers/" target="_blank">AddShoppers</a> or <a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/storefront-product-sharing/" target="_blank">Product Sharing</a> for the Storefront theme can simplify this process.<br />
How you display these options is up to you. It’s often best to find (or even create) buttons that match your branding, and position them on your pages in a way that is noticeable and functional yet unobtrusive.<br />
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For example, online clothing shop <a href="https://luvd.com/" target="_blank">Luvd</a> has these stylized sharing options placed neatly beneath their product photos on each page:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHM7fh7tof7RG5SNtXXAc50XZNhVZSdijb-GjpSk4AUnLT0pItqeHJPnW8w-WPzo0bCENeUKY1qWANWvBcclhgi5LaFmx9FE4yfgmJ-FUPA6fWywvJDqZsMuKjD42qEgpx0rZIt9-a6-dQ/s1600/luvd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHM7fh7tof7RG5SNtXXAc50XZNhVZSdijb-GjpSk4AUnLT0pItqeHJPnW8w-WPzo0bCENeUKY1qWANWvBcclhgi5LaFmx9FE4yfgmJ-FUPA6fWywvJDqZsMuKjD42qEgpx0rZIt9-a6-dQ/s400/luvd.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Sharing options on the Luvd store.</div>
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On the other hand, <a href="http://www.designboom.com/" target="_blank">Designboom</a> places them front and center so they’re hard to miss, using social icons as an overlay on a large product image:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyT2GJqXCt7nxzaIJ3fak8FmLKhFl_lhwRNH9VK477abfRTKHpyEiCVYsx5i-Co5RCTvPe_z9z7N8ET5rNOUcQ51AemO1t1vGoBBbsENdpsTXdSiXsWsDWseWlwFun7cuTqqeBIlQjIBp1/s1600/designboom-650x539.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyT2GJqXCt7nxzaIJ3fak8FmLKhFl_lhwRNH9VK477abfRTKHpyEiCVYsx5i-Co5RCTvPe_z9z7N8ET5rNOUcQ51AemO1t1vGoBBbsENdpsTXdSiXsWsDWseWlwFun7cuTqqeBIlQjIBp1/s400/designboom-650x539.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Cool floating share buttons at Designboom.</div>
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Where should you place <em>your</em> social sharing options? It might take a few tries to find a place that seems right to you. Additionally, you may have to go through a few rounds of A/B testing to determine the location that your shoppers respond best to. Don’t be afraid to try a few options until you find the one that works best for everyone.<br />
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Finally, keep in mind that your customers may not use certain social networks. If you sell farm supplies, your customers may not find a “share to Pinterest” button useful — but if you sell jewelry, this option is a must-have. Consider removing unpopular options from your pages, as this may <a href="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/loading-time/" target="_blank">cut down on your site’s load time</a> and save a little space.<br />
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Use confirmation pages or emails to ask for post-purchase shares</h2>
As a store owner, all of your effort is likely placed on getting customers to click that final “buy” button. Once that happens, you can breathe easy, right?<br />
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Not so fast. If you aren’t asking your newest customers — that is, the ones who have just completed a purchase — to share the products they’ve bought, you’re missing out on an amazing opportunity to tap into their feelings of happiness, goodwill, and self-satisfaction.<br />
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Consider this: according to <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1057740813001149" target="_blank">a paper</a> published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology, professors from the University of Michigan claim that shopping can alleviate sadness, improve your mood, and make people happier. Additionally, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/19/science/good-news-spreads-faster-on-twitter-and-facebook.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0" target="_blank">several publications now claim</a> that on social media, positive or happy updates spread faster and are better received than neutral or negative ones.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDAGrnTxrcfvLDXE3HO9Uc0FpaoAY6oU2Qd7GL9JOZWvw6S2V2nEyWQWkJE7qhQW_7PPKxoNK_9HuuPMCTWWRm9wnabtUnrEX1jSFHtGPuipt0TwhJZ1ZyePHkM8Zs45YT01V_PCpSIaNM/s1600/6101296095_0f9450fca3_b-650x390.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDAGrnTxrcfvLDXE3HO9Uc0FpaoAY6oU2Qd7GL9JOZWvw6S2V2nEyWQWkJE7qhQW_7PPKxoNK_9HuuPMCTWWRm9wnabtUnrEX1jSFHtGPuipt0TwhJZ1ZyePHkM8Zs45YT01V_PCpSIaNM/s400/6101296095_0f9450fca3_b-650x390.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Good news spreads faster than bad news. (Photo credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/9198432@N02/6101296095/">J E Theriot</a>)</div>
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So if you put the two together, you might stand a pretty good chance at getting your happiest customers — that is, the ones who just bought something from you — to effectively spread the word about your store. But you have to <em>ask</em>, and <a href="http://lp.ownedit.com/Leaving_Money_On_The_Table.html" target="_blank">as a 2013 Owned It study found</a>, only 3% of major UK retailers are requesting that customers share their purchases.<br />
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Just adding the social media links to your “thank you” or “order confirmation” page or email isn’t enough. You should come right out and <strong>ask your customers to share the products they’ve just purchased</strong>.<br />
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Amazon asks customers to share what they bought <a href="https://vwo.com/blog/high-converting-thank-you-pages/" target="_blank">as soon as their transaction is completed</a>:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQPHWhu6cxSG3EZMzy2SAjftT8WaJV4bsIjoU29fIxbfzTM_gHJqQsW4UFTxcLj0A_PWz-zRULJGZrzyhIwcWwXgUg313EMkyLzNaDm8UWPG3eDxGxHjAMxhsUH7w40ExCZAfviA3wzAcL/s1600/amazon-purchase.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQPHWhu6cxSG3EZMzy2SAjftT8WaJV4bsIjoU29fIxbfzTM_gHJqQsW4UFTxcLj0A_PWz-zRULJGZrzyhIwcWwXgUg313EMkyLzNaDm8UWPG3eDxGxHjAMxhsUH7w40ExCZAfviA3wzAcL/s400/amazon-purchase.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Amazon asks for shares as soon as you buy something. (Image credit: <a href="https://vwo.com/blog/high-converting-thank-you-pages/">VWO</a>)</div>
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Note that there are two networks available (Facebook and Twitter), as well as an email option. The title and metadata of the share are both pre-filled, which means the customer only has to click the “Share this item” button to spread the good word about their purchase.<br />
There’s also a second subtle nudge in the confirmation email:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipiDjdBWNhYhrHcxtCFUCawLRJ-UAwvaXbh-i2BURI9ZpxzqRbXdR4jc7-a6zXj2wlqg37Gr85tEoEamRY3QA1GdT-fO1umQ5YIRielnLwgANTzZdeNjhJshjkkaTpeQQQtM-1Faipu5I8/s1600/amazon-post-purchase-650x206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipiDjdBWNhYhrHcxtCFUCawLRJ-UAwvaXbh-i2BURI9ZpxzqRbXdR4jc7-a6zXj2wlqg37Gr85tEoEamRY3QA1GdT-fO1umQ5YIRielnLwgANTzZdeNjhJshjkkaTpeQQQtM-1Faipu5I8/s400/amazon-post-purchase-650x206.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Amazon adds social share options to confirmation emails, albeit much smaller ones.</div>
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Although the share isn’t explicitly requested here, it’s still an option.<br />
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Consider implementing social sharing buttons within your confirmation pages or emails as shown above. With metadata pre-filled as it is above, the share is easier since customers won’t have to take any time to write a description. If you support Pinterest, you can try <a href="https://developers.pinterest.com/rich_pins_product/" target="_blank">Rich Pins for products</a> to even include details like pricing automatically.<br />
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Be sure to pair these sharing options with calls to action that will tap into customers’ feelings of post-purchasing happiness. If your store is small or new, you can ask shoppers to “spread the word” or “tell their friends” about you; if you’re larger or well-established, you may have better luck asking them to show off their purchases.<br />
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Worried that no one will share? You’ll never know until you ask!<br />
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Tap into customer satisfaction with post-delivery requests</h2>
We’ve covered how to motivate your customers to share your products <em>before</em> they make a purchase, and how to prompt them to share immediately <em>after</em> they’ve completed a transaction. There’s one more time you should consider asking for a share: after their order has arrived.<br />
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This final request time may vary based on what you sell. If you offer digital goods, like eBooks, it makes sense to ask for shares in an automated follow-up email just a few hours later. But if you specialize in physical goods, you’ll probably want to wait a few days. This allows time for a customer’s order to be delivered, and for any questions or concerns to be resolved.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqq4a5r8xdwCR_TkYpQNHT88GlHDK3zI-lRYbOFcfK383XLjqc7GxB573NjCBBehmmcZ2ZhgfthMntCbHwjOKaosv6pUJ98ZxScGkMLwgG8lhmsRWbtoCbSyP-miV2z6ojhIu0v2mnMb5K/s1600/2235314798_10f4eae58f_b-650x432.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqq4a5r8xdwCR_TkYpQNHT88GlHDK3zI-lRYbOFcfK383XLjqc7GxB573NjCBBehmmcZ2ZhgfthMntCbHwjOKaosv6pUJ98ZxScGkMLwgG8lhmsRWbtoCbSyP-miV2z6ojhIu0v2mnMb5K/s400/2235314798_10f4eae58f_b-650x432.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Give them some time to receive, open, and check out their purchase. (Photo credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/37996592430@N01/2235314798/">Dan Budlac</a>)</div>
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Why should you ask for shares at this point? Well, your customers are hopefully satisfied with what you’ve delivered, and you can tap into that feeling to ask for a favor. <strong>A well-timed follow-up email that politely requests a share is likely to be well-received. </strong><br />
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The key here is to wrap your request in language that keeps the recipient feeling good. Thank them again for their purchase, encourage them to contact you with any questions, and <em>then</em> ask for shares. That way they won’t think “they want me to do what?” — they’ll see the major portion of the email, full of compliments and good will, and think “this company is great! Sure, I’ll share this with my friends.”<br />
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Many brands have invested in automated emails that request product or company reviews, and this is one way you may already be tapping into the feelings of satisfaction your customers have with your brand. You already know how important reviews are for motivating future sales, after all. But <strong>social shares can be just as motivational for customers who have never heard of you</strong>, so why not build upon this same strategy and allow your customers to share the products they are reviewing from the <em>same</em> email?<br />
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Sharing is caring, but don’t overdo it</h2>
Should you be asking your customers to share your products while they’re browsing your store, after they make a purchase, <em>and</em> when their order arrives? That depends. The last thing you want to do is be pushy or annoying. If you add buttons to every touch point, some of your customers might feel pressured to share, and will actively avoid the option.<br />
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There’s also the possibility that social sharing may not result in positive ROI in one or more of your marketing channels. In one A/B test <a href="https://vwo.com/blog/removing-social-sharing-buttons-from-ecommerce-product-page-increase-conversions/" target="_blank">highlighted on the VWO blog</a>, an eCommerce website actually <em>increased</em> its conversion rate when it removed social sharing buttons from product pages. Products were 11.9% more likely to be added to the shopping cart from pages without these options.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja-EeGI_DFKUWrEYK0LEDyYp_qJp7rLl1VZRCYUC8HsiwrCDEUClRrttE9Mpfl4jMwAyGFVlYzZtiBYQeWRsBDaW9M6vjDb-_sE9ohylctCS_Tt_0FqI3LCbiW2E7KdiL5cEmX98QVprON/s1600/vwo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja-EeGI_DFKUWrEYK0LEDyYp_qJp7rLl1VZRCYUC8HsiwrCDEUClRrttE9Mpfl4jMwAyGFVlYzZtiBYQeWRsBDaW9M6vjDb-_sE9ohylctCS_Tt_0FqI3LCbiW2E7KdiL5cEmX98QVprON/s400/vwo.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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For this store, removing social share buttons actually helped improve conversions. (Image credit: <a href="https://vwo.com/blog/removing-social-sharing-buttons-from-ecommerce-product-page-increase-conversions/">VWO</a>)</div>
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VWO’s Mohita Nagpal speculates that this was because the number of shares on the store’s products were typically zero, and that worked against them as a negative form of <a href="http://www.woothemes.com/2015/04/sell-with-social-proof/" target="_blank">social proof</a>. Because the products had so few shares, some customers might have thought “this must not be very good” and left the page. It’s also possible that the social buttons distracted from the ultimate goal of the product page, which was to motivate purchases.<br />
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What does all of this mean for you? If you are planning to ask for social shares of your products, <strong>start slowly and tread lightly</strong>. Don’t ask for shares at every step. Perhaps just start with on-page buttons and a polite request in a follow-up email. You may also want to A/B test the location of your buttons, or even having buttons at all, to ensure that you’re not actually harming your conversion rates in the process.<br />
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Just as every store is different, every group of customers is different, too. So what works for one store may not work for yours. Be prepared to test, try new things, and ask for feedback on your social sharing options — just as you would with any other new feature.<br />
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Are you asking for shares?</h2>
Whether you ask your customers to share from your product pages, show off their recent purchases, or tell their friends about your brand after their order has been completed, social sharing is another method you can use to grow your business.<br />
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With the right motivation dealt out to your customers, you can increase shares of your products and take advantage of the increased lift in awareness and sales that this publicity brings. Just remember to start slowly and cautiously, and never forget that your customers are doing you a favor!<br />
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Do you give the option to share your items from your product pages, on your order confirmation page, or in any other unique location? Care to share your results or findings with us? We’d love to hear from you!<br />
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To View Original Article: <a href="http://www.woothemes.com/2015/05/ecommerce-social-sharing/?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=buffer&utm_content=buffer43dfe">http://www.woothemes.com/2015/05/ecommerce-social-sharing/?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=buffer&utm_content=buffer43dfe</a>One Step Retail Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276319508840587863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-340544981974837072.post-73354973036932778982015-11-09T14:30:00.000-08:002015-11-09T14:30:01.038-08:003 Things You Must Optimize on Your E-Commerce Site <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ZjtXT5UWpl3XA9niKf_Po7jnAeNPftS2AlXx1MzOd0t7470do1a28P5g_WDTVfKPH8SM5jMWtNpA0oxhWW0v4DGigF1oRD4kct4cp-wUE-xI6B9mKqUbR_Sv11UvWOdFwGPLe9XDpTU5/s1600/getty_166085865_9706339704500183_66380.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ZjtXT5UWpl3XA9niKf_Po7jnAeNPftS2AlXx1MzOd0t7470do1a28P5g_WDTVfKPH8SM5jMWtNpA0oxhWW0v4DGigF1oRD4kct4cp-wUE-xI6B9mKqUbR_Sv11UvWOdFwGPLe9XDpTU5/s400/getty_166085865_9706339704500183_66380.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
By Neil Patel <br />
<br />
For all the progress of the last few years, we still have a long way to go in ecommerce. In many cases, the ecommerce effort is a staged battle against Amazon. In its other forms, ecommerce is simply a throw-enough-mud-on-the-wall approach where more products plus free shipping equals more sales.<br />
<br />
That's not how it works.<br />
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To be successful in the extremely <a href="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/seo-for-ecommerce-websites/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #009cd8;">competitive ecommerce industry,</span></a> you must understand what's most important and how exactly to fix it.<br />
<h2>
Ecommerce optimization isn't what you think it is.</h2>
In this article, I'm responding to several significant shortcomings that I've observed among ecommerce optimizers. First, there's a significant lack of understanding of the importance of product pages. Second, there is a lack of attention to the purchase <em>process. </em>Finally, many optimizers misunderstand what it means to optimize the category pages.<br />
<a href="http://neilpatel.com/2015/04/16/the-definitive-guide-to-ecommerce-search-engine-optimization/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #009cd8;">I'll explain the best strategy</span></a> for optimization in each of these areas.<br />
<h2>
Optimize for mobile.</h2>
Ecommerce optimization should be synonymous with <a href="https://moz.com/learn/seo/mobile-optimization" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #009cd8;">mobile optimization</span></a>. Already, as recent holiday booms have shown us, mobile traffic and purchases often exceed the traffic and conversion rates of non-mobile users<br />
<br />
Ecommerce is essentially a mobile industry. Shoppers are using their mobile devices to browse, compare, and learn. Buyers are using their mobile devices to convert on a purchase.<br />
An ecommerce site without complete mobile optimization is limited <a href="http://www.quicksprout.com/the-advanced-guide-to-seo/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #009cd8;">from the very start.</span></a><br />
<h2>
Optimize your product pages.</h2>
Ecommerce is about purchasing <em>items. </em>This being the case, the most important pages on a an ecommerce website are the product pages themselves. Optimizing product pages is key to ecommerce success.<br />
<br />
Here are the features of a product pages that require attention:<br />
<ul>
<li>Focus on the longtail. A product page is basically a longtail keyword landing page. You will gain the most qualified and conversion-ready traffic from users who are inputting these longtail queries. Be sure you optimize the page title, H1, content, and images with this longtail in mind.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.quicksprout.com/2015/07/13/how-to-cut-your-bounce-rate-in-half-with-interactive-content/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #009cd8;">Add interactive elements</span></a>. Interactive content is that which turns passive users into active participants. Interactive content engages users in such a way that they are doing something <em>on </em>the page not simply looking <em>at </em>the page. Interactive elements could include social sharing, price toggling, shipping customization, quizzes, easy forms, and user-controlled visuals. The more interactivity you can add to your page, the greater you will engage and attract the user.</li>
<li>Gain user generated content. User-generated content is content that your users create <em>for </em>you. <a href="http://www.quicksprout.com/2014/05/30/how-to-get-fans-creating-and-sharing-content-for-you/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #009cd8;">UGC takes many forms</span></a>, but it has its greatest advantage in e-commerce. Since content is a time-consuming prospect with limited ROI, it makes sense to get others to do it <em>for </em>you (for free). Product reviews are exactly where this technique can help an ecommerce site flourish. Product reviews are much like testimonials--<a href="http://blog.crazyegg.com/2014/02/15/testimonials-increase-conversions/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #009cd8;">letting your customers do your marketing for you</span></a>. Obviously, reviews are a double-edged sword. While positive reviews can easily sell a product, negative reviews can do the opposite.</li>
<li>High-quality custom photos. The right images can <a href="http://conversionxl.com/how-images-can-boost-your-conversion-rate/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #009cd8;">dramatically improve your conversion rates</span></a>. Even a technique as easy as making the pictures bigger can create a noticeable uptick in conversion rates. The higher quality your images, the better your page will be optimized.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.quicksprout.com/2015/09/11/how-to-skyrocket-your-rankings-overnight-by-implementing-schema-markup/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #009cd8;">Implement schema markup</span></a>. Schema markup is a type of code that improves your page's results in search engine results. Much of the schema.org markup centers on product details. Adding markup neil to your products' price and star review level are two essentials.</li>
</ul>
Optimizing product pages is difficult, due to the fact that a site may have thousands of such pages. Creating unique copy for each item, let alone vast amount of additional content, is time-consuming. Taking a longview of the project while also improving and templating each page is crucial for full optimization.<br />
<h2>
Optimize your purchase process.</h2>
The CTA (Call To Action) button is the most-talked-about and most-optimized element on an ecommerce page. Is it really that important? I would say <em>yes, </em>but not to the neglect of the page's other features.<br />
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Whether the CTA is a micro conversion or an actual purchase, optimizers love to test it and refine it to the hilt. This is good as far as it goes, but it's a limited view of ecommerce optimization.<br />
<br />
Conversion optimization is a process-focused pursuit, not a single-item improvement. In order to optimize an ecommerce page, you must iteratively improve and test multiple features, not just your prized CTA.<br />
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<ul>
<li>2-3 steps. Once your checkout process exceeds the third step, you're going to lose some users. Keep things complete, but eliminate extraneous steps or forms in the process.</li>
<li>Focused and accurate error messages. One of the most frustrating features of a checkout process is the error message. Maybe you forgot to add a zip code, a phone number, or your CV code. When designing a checkout process, make completely sure that the user knows exactly where and how to fix the errors.</li>
<li>Progress bar. A progress bar keeps users informed as to where they are in the process, and keeps them motivated to complete the process.</li>
</ul>
<h2>
Conclusion</h2>
Ecommerce is still expanding, growing, maturing, and improving. Like other efforts and methods of online business, there's still more growing to do.<br />
<br />
Adjusting our perspective on what to fix and how to fix it will make an enormous impact on conversion rates and ultimately, upon revenue.<br />
<br />
To View Original Article: <a href="http://www.inc.com/neil-patel/3-things-you-must-optimize-on-your-ecommerce-site.html?cid=sf01001">http://www.inc.com/neil-patel/3-things-you-must-optimize-on-your-ecommerce-site.html?cid=sf01001</a>One Step Retail Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276319508840587863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-340544981974837072.post-80249607679457712542015-11-08T13:00:00.000-08:002015-11-08T13:00:00.487-08:00Should You Decorate Your Retail Store For The Holidays? If So, How?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib1tvNQJBd2BGFXu8aqwqSAFH_B1Etpj3HiwJ0JSQqJ8fTN4OzbDpm70nskPrMsJx8VlF1Ldj2Tr0hUF3w7ahNjlMEUi05zqJ_elQS4N4CmcWxxtTKUlNGEWsiW2zTNqijVG-uhOuMyQgk/s1600/3-holidays.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib1tvNQJBd2BGFXu8aqwqSAFH_B1Etpj3HiwJ0JSQqJ8fTN4OzbDpm70nskPrMsJx8VlF1Ldj2Tr0hUF3w7ahNjlMEUi05zqJ_elQS4N4CmcWxxtTKUlNGEWsiW2zTNqijVG-uhOuMyQgk/s400/3-holidays.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<em></em><br />
<em>By Bobb Phibbs (The Retail Doctor) </em><br />
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<em>Retailers looking for answers on whether or how to decorate their stores can come up empty. This post answers the question with examples. And while many people will read this with only Christmas decorating in mind, it is just as relevant for Halloween and other seasonal celebrations.</em><br />
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<span>Various seasonal times and holidays can inspire retailers to create magic for their customers. And decorations go far beyond a demonstration of a new skillet or an invitation-only event.</span></div>
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<span>Decorating a store goes to the heart of what makes great retailing…<a name='more'></a>I<span>t piques a shopper’s curiosity to discover what is </span><span>new</span><span>.</span></span></div>
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<span>When you introduce new, yet familiar elements to the shopping experience, you change the energy of your entire store.</span></div>
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<span>Christmas, in particular, has the chance for a store to make a statement that </span><em>wonder and magic</em><span> lie behind your doors. </span></h2>
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<span>Dad could be a hero…</span></div>
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<span>Mom could be a queen...</span></div>
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<span>A brother who never got what he wanted for Christmas could buy his favorite gadget.</span></div>
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<span>An aunt who lives thousands of miles away could purchase a token of her love instead of buying a gift card at the local </span><em>Kwik-E Mart</em><span>.</span></div>
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But if your store looks the same December 10th as it did September 10th, that is less likely to happen.</h3>
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<em>One caveat before I continue, we aren’t talking big budget here.</em></div>
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While Saks and Tiffany’s can afford one-of-a-kind window displays and custom elements that customers can activate with their phones, decorating isn’t about technology...it is about creating a different shopping environment.</div>
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<span>The more you can decorate, the more energy and excitement you bring to passersby. </span></div>
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<span>Go big, <strong><a href="http://www.retaildoc.com/why-retailers-should-display-holiday-merchandise-before-halloween" target="_blank">go early</a></strong>, and go to town. This is what I always recommend.</span></div>
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<span>Well-decorated windows truly enchant us to come in and experience the </span><em>feeling</em><span> of the season and not just witness it on a street.</span></div>
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<strong><em>What does it take to wow an iPhone obsessed, me-centric consumer these days?</em></strong></div>
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<span>Here are the four main elements:</span></h2>
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<span style="color: black;"><strong>Lights</strong></span><span><span style="color: black;"><strong>.</strong></span> When you add strings of lights, you add color, you add energy, you add <em>magic</em>. One of the first things I did when I took over a store was to ring the front windows with miniature white lights. It caught interest, it set us apart from stores on either side, and it brightened up the windows. The more lights throughout your shop, the better.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><strong>Colors of the season.</strong></span><span> Whether it is spring pastels</span><span> or holiday reds and greens, seasonal colors are temporary. Yes decorating your store does take a bit more work as you can’t leave fall leaves through February, but they do align your store with seasonal celebrations.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><strong>P</strong></span><span><span style="color: black;"><strong>rops that are appropriate help tell a story.</strong></span> </span><span>It is easy to think of props for a national celebration - think a country’s flag on Independence Days. While a tree or other large prop might be too much for Christmas, your props can be as simple as putting Santa hats on your mannequins. At the start of baseball season, you could add gloves, bats, and balls to those same mannequins.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black;"><strong>Signage that speaks to the season.</strong></span><span> So many merchants either avoid or forget well-conceived signs. But you need them, so during the holidays, over a mountain bike with helmet, GoPro and night gear, place a sign that says </span><em>Dad, Be A Hero To Your Daughter</em><span>. Around the wedding season, place a sign that says </span><em>Forget The Tea Towels, Give ‘Em An Experience </em><span>with a complete baking system and five at-home chef lessons, or around Mother’s Day, </span><em>Make Up For That Broken Window When You Were 8 </em><span>for any premium product. You get the idea.</span></div>
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<span>Here are some great examples of two retailers who go all out for seasonal and holiday events.</span></div>
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<span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pufferbellies" target="_blank">Pufferbellies</a> in Staunton, Virginia is one of my all-time favorite independent stores because they understand how to create wonder, magic and emotion in their store decorations - as evidenced in these three Christmastime windows. (photos Robbie Lawson)</span></div>
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<strong>2012</strong> </div>
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<strong>2014</strong></div>
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<strong>2011</strong></div>
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<span>Read the story of how and why they created the magnificent window below <strong><a href="http://www.retaildoc.com/blog/retail-holiday-store-windows-case-study-merchandising" target="_blank">here</a></strong>.</span><a href="http://www.retaildoc.com/blog/retail-holiday-store-windows-case-study-merchandising"><span></span></a><span><a href="http://www.retaildoc.com/blog/retail-holiday-store-windows-case-study-merchandising"><br /></a></span></div>
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<strong><a href="http://www.retaildoc.com/blog/events" target="_blank">Macys Annual Flower show</a></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #666666;">Malls too should invest like the Shops At Crystals in Las Vegas did to capture the magic of wonder as shown below</span></strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbE-AKhkJx7EBRq4bUri-rbWHLNwp7ugY4TTbEwVAyAJtsXLlQutyybSqy-GOxGh5-UamQYqlUyt-dY1t8NeNkS2w5k8OcY9NEq8_-MJvtnTAYdjK-4TL9uQLQPGoG5khXNPxrrJ95uswU/s1600/shops-at-crystals.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbE-AKhkJx7EBRq4bUri-rbWHLNwp7ugY4TTbEwVAyAJtsXLlQutyybSqy-GOxGh5-UamQYqlUyt-dY1t8NeNkS2w5k8OcY9NEq8_-MJvtnTAYdjK-4TL9uQLQPGoG5khXNPxrrJ95uswU/s400/shops-at-crystals.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #666666;"></span></strong> </div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><a href="http://www.retaildoc.com/blog/events" style="font-size: inherit;">What should you go all out to <em>avoid</em>?</a></span></h3>
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<span> Cheap paper or any other 99¢ table ornaments.</span></div>
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<span>A <em>picture</em> of an appropriate holiday decoration instead of the decoration itself. </span></div>
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<span>Old decorations that are torn, worn, or just plain ugly. You want to look new, fresh and inviting. There's <em>vintage</em> and then there's <em>garage sale</em>. If in doubt, throw it out. </span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">
<span>In addition, I always suggest staying clear of any one specific religion to keep your store as welcoming as possible.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">
<span></span> </div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">
<span>Yes it's work to create magic but it's a lot more fun than same-old, same-old.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<em><strong></strong></em> </div>
<h2 dir="ltr">
<span>In Sum</span> </h2>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">
<span>There is a reason better merchants pull out all the stops during December – it jolts jaded shoppers into the higher brain area that engages child-like <em>wonder</em>.</span></div>
<img align="right" alt="window reveal" data-constrained="true" height="216" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/69769/hubfs/Blog_Pics_2015/puffer-robbie-lawson.jpg?t=1446635947387&width=325&height=216" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; width: 325px;" title="window reveal" width="325" /> <br />
<div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">
<span>Look at the cost of a full-on decorated shop as a marketing expense that makes your retail store a </span><em>destination</em><span>. A place deserving of a shopper’s time, investment, and curiosity.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">
<span></span> </div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">
When you do it right, you turn shoppers into a volunteer marketing army.</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">
When you go cheap, you stay another also-ran, bland and boring warehouse of goods in search of someone’s money.</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">
<span>Make your decorated store fresh, make it fun and use more lights than you think you should...</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">
<span></span> </div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">
<span>To View Original Article: <a href="http://www.retaildoc.com/blog/should-you-decorate-your-retail-store-for-the-holidays-if-so-how-pics">http://www.retaildoc.com/blog/should-you-decorate-your-retail-store-for-the-holidays-if-so-how-pics</a></span></div>
</div>
One Step Retail Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276319508840587863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-340544981974837072.post-37036315928911642142015-11-08T12:00:00.000-08:002015-11-09T10:33:02.831-08:00How To Navigate The Complex Retail Sale And Increase Your Conversion Rate In Four Steps<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgohGOnJkXHXrQxe0Bogr9ddHiWLOgE_b7bxp6EctPavwZVqU9Zdsipg-KaOJ8lc1qcv9quP3L4eRuXZ1d_6VzsAZ6LxcVQvGhD1NQqIbVhmp5_95PUoKtINSN6ljet8ecijw8Y70Xv9wsq/s1600/iStock_000011512599_Small-ironing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgohGOnJkXHXrQxe0Bogr9ddHiWLOgE_b7bxp6EctPavwZVqU9Zdsipg-KaOJ8lc1qcv9quP3L4eRuXZ1d_6VzsAZ6LxcVQvGhD1NQqIbVhmp5_95PUoKtINSN6ljet8ecijw8Y70Xv9wsq/s400/iStock_000011512599_Small-ironing.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<em></em><br />
<em>By Bob Phibbs (The Retail Doctor) </em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>Do you ask a wall of questions before ever getting a customer excited about the possibilities in what you sell?</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">If so, I’ll bet it is affecting your conversion rate (the number of people you encounter divided by the number of times they purchased).</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span><br />
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Such was the case when I went into a flooring retailer…</span></h3>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Me: I’m looking for a new wood floor.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span><br />
Guy: Are you doing it yourself or are you using a contractor? Is your floor above grade or below? Are you looking for real wood, laminate, or vinyl? Do you have a budget?<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">He asked about six other questions, but my ears had stopped processing. All I could hear was my own voice, </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Boy are you unprepared – this is work. Let’s leave.</em></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;"><em></em></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Such a wall of questions ultimately tumbles onto the unassuming customer making them feel stupid and foolish.</span><br />
<h2>
<strong><i>Are you doing that to your customer?</i></strong></h2>
<strong>I’ll bet you are…</strong><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">There are varying degrees of complexity to many sales in a store.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Maybe your customer needs to know what their dinner companion will be wearing because she wants a complementary look. She wants to look like a couple, not like two individuals.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Perhaps a contractor needs to be consulted for items in a new kitchen.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Maybe the doorway dimensions need to be known to make sure the dream couch will fit through it.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Like everything when it comes to retail sales training, there’s a way to get that information…and a way not to. Let's iron out the wrinkles in your selling process...</span><br />
<h2>
<strong>Here are four tips for selling in retail to navigate a complex retail sale:</strong></h2>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">1)</span> <strong>First and foremost - create the vision of what your product can do for your shopper.</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> This is the fun side. This is where you create </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">wonder</span></em><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">,</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> where you encourage people to look, touch, and imagine. Get them to fall in love with it first. Show options in different price ranges and styles. The important thing is to keep all of your options to sell wide-open, to show your customer all you have and all you can do for them.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">2)</span> <strong>Present each piece of information you need in bite-sized chunks.</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> While you may need a wall of information and only questions will help you build it, you need to build it brick by brick. Your goal is to reframe </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">fearful</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> into </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">safe</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">If you need the dimensions of a doorway for that couch, is there a way to </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">approximate</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> the size? </span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">For example, you could ask </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Does it feel like an average doorway to walk through – not too tight?</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> You could ask them to hold out their elbows at shoulder height and touch fists together and then ask, </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">This is about the space we need – does that feel right?</span></em><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">If it does, you can move on. If there is still a question, you need to provide safety, so now you offer options. </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">95% of the time we can deliver through a doorway like that, if not we look to see if we can use a window. In the rarest of cases, they’ll measure before bringing it in and if there’s no way it can be done, we’ll cancel the order. Sound good?</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Your goal in a complex sale is to keep the motion moving forward until you know the sale is dead. This keeps you from stopping a sale before it even starts.</span></em><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">3)</span> <strong>Recap all of the possibilities that could throw the sale off by assuring the customer you’ve examined everything.</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">To finalize the sale, restate each brick of information once again. Remind them…</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span><br />
<em><span style="font-weight: 400;">We’ve approximated the size of the ring;</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">we’ve got the rose gold color she likes;</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">we’ve got plenty of time to get it resized or let her pick out something else.</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></em><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">And always end by asking,</span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Did I miss anything?</span></em><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Again your goal is to anticipate their fear of the unknown and remove it to make the sale. You need to show them you have thought of everything - the things they’d thought of and the things they hadn’t - so they know they are in good hands.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">4) </span><strong>Finish by making a personal request.</strong> <em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Invite me to the wedding when she says yes.</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-weight: 400;">I hope you’ll post a picture of your outfit online; I would love to see it.</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Remember a party is a great way to show off your new furniture. Again, I’d love to see a picture of the fun.</span></em><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong></strong></span></em> </div>
<h2>
<strong>In Sum</strong></h2>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">A sale that is dependent on more than one factor can make untrained employees want to get all their questions out immediately. They don’t want to waste their customer’s – or more likely – </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">their own</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> time.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">The problem with all of those questions for information is they front-load a potential sale with a bunch of heavy baggage. That makes the customer’s whole effort to buy an </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">effort</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">. You never want that to happen.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Customers want to spend money freely and not feel shamed that they didn’t come in armed with everything they needed to know. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">When you keep your focus on creating a vision...and not a wall... you’ll make the complex sale simple. <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> </span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-56b3ba96-a46e-4ec0-aab7-5735efb3898f"><span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-56b3ba96-a46e-4ec0-aab7-5735efb3898f" id="hs-cta-56b3ba96-a46e-4ec0-aab7-5735efb3898f" style="display: block; text-align: right; visibility: visible;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-56b3ba96-a46e-4ec0-aab7-5735efb3898f">
</span> <!-- end HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> </span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">And after all, isn’t that what you’re paid to do?</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span><br />
<br />
To View Original Article: <a href="http://www.retaildoc.com/blog/how-to-navigate-the-complex-retail-sale-and-increase-your-conversion-rate-in-four-steps">http://www.retaildoc.com/blog/how-to-navigate-the-complex-retail-sale-and-increase-your-conversion-rate-in-four-steps</a><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span><br />One Step Retail Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276319508840587863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-340544981974837072.post-11417999561262545492015-11-07T13:00:00.000-08:002015-11-07T13:00:00.390-08:00Making Omnichannel Work: Unifying product, pricing and inventory information<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWdb_CLDkpPDY01fdARTAOWY5mNxJqH1Q4M-yj0N-gntDAf7iEcGH2S2dwmIvXN8PJmsbAYadg66I6unZsDHfpIs1btnY0LKL6u60vEXqnaiaPdEPkH2wSRGkJPaKPWzMP1gIVyWUOOAD/s1600/retailers-are-aware-that-shoppers-both-online-and-in-stores-like-to-feel_278_409653_0_14077938_300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWdb_CLDkpPDY01fdARTAOWY5mNxJqH1Q4M-yj0N-gntDAf7iEcGH2S2dwmIvXN8PJmsbAYadg66I6unZsDHfpIs1btnY0LKL6u60vEXqnaiaPdEPkH2wSRGkJPaKPWzMP1gIVyWUOOAD/s1600/retailers-are-aware-that-shoppers-both-online-and-in-stores-like-to-feel_278_409653_0_14077938_300.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo from retailpro.com </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Omnichannel retail is no longer a prediction; it's a foregone conclusion. Shoppers are demanding cross-channel conveniences and retailers are gearing up and reorganizing to meet the challenge.<br />
<br />
But, to put matters simply, the challenge is all in the data — data such as purchase history, inventory status and product information that has been managed independently by different departments and systems.<br />
<br />
Despite efforts to get systems "talking to one another," more often than not, customer-facing data fails to match up from channel to channel. Today, according to a CFI Group study, nearly three quarters of cross-channel consumers experience price and promotion inconsistencies between stores and websites under the same banner.<br />
<br />
To overcome the shortcomings of legacy master data solutions, retailers are turning to new platforms that offer out-of-the-box, cloud-based capabilities. These solutions build powerful, centralized caches of data that can enrich how customers interact with a brand by assuring that information is continually updated and transferred between channels.<br />
<br />
The benefits of a unified, omnichannel e-commerce platform are exemplified in Walgreens' newly updated mobile app that now offers an extended array of personalized and store-specific promotions to customers who shop via mobile and in-store channels. The app offers extensive product information and delivers inventory transparency to in-store shoppers that was previously only available to desktop users.<br />
<br />
To View Original Article: <a href="http://www.retailwire.com/tip/1362/making-omnichannel-work-unifying-product-pricing-and-inventory-information">http://www.retailwire.com/tip/1362/making-omnichannel-work-unifying-product-pricing-and-inventory-information</a>One Step Retail Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276319508840587863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-340544981974837072.post-87301351908123461822015-11-07T12:00:00.000-08:002015-11-07T12:00:02.323-08:00The Impact of Mobile on the Retail Industry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDcZMeA7dbH7wcXrqUMVhfTlk5zG3r9QUPfsHAK7wwajAqRDs2tUIXz4MffWYzTYKDOyHlhl-OFhGcHFd2ImQUmsUWi-zPrstVrLvC9lG7kakMVgl9sefRVacowEzWPc23s6CPys8n6M_N/s1600/Bushel2-1024x682.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDcZMeA7dbH7wcXrqUMVhfTlk5zG3r9QUPfsHAK7wwajAqRDs2tUIXz4MffWYzTYKDOyHlhl-OFhGcHFd2ImQUmsUWi-zPrstVrLvC9lG7kakMVgl9sefRVacowEzWPc23s6CPys8n6M_N/s400/Bushel2-1024x682.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
By Charles Edge<br />
<br />
One of my first jobs was installing Point Of Sales (<a href="http://www.bushel.com/?utm_source=RetailMinded&utm_medium=Text&utm_content=Sponsor&utm_campaign=2015-32&utm_r=2015-32-RetailMinded" target="_blank">POS</a>) solutions. Back then, even a smaller retail organization might expend tremendous resources, with weeks of professional services, to get a solution that allowed them to move their old cash registers into computers that were not user-friendly and provided little value above the traditional ways of completing transactions.<br />
<br />
Today, retail stores using Vend, Square, and other flexible technologies are popping up left and right. Everything from small yoga studios to juice bars to boutique shoe stores are experiencing enough initial success to open dozens of locations in months rather than years. This trend seems to be increasing, partially due to how easy the technology is to integrate. While you can still bring consultants in to help you get your technology sorted out quickly, you can also simply create an account on a number of Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions, install an app, and be selling in a matter of minutes.<br />
<br />
As your perspective matures, you’ll learn a few important lessons. Someone will inevitably lose a device, and you’ll have to react swiftly. You’ll want to make it quicker to set-up the devices that people use to swipe credit cards. You’ll get requests for people to pay you in different ways. And hopefully, you’ll get big enough to want to buy things using a volume account (if that’s what you want).<br />
<br />
Here are 10 tips to help guide you along the way:<br />
<ul>
<li>At first, use a single platform. This allows you to keep costs down. Supporting one type of device gives you the chance to learn more about that type of device and rely on outside help less. If your organization is oriented towards apps that run on Android, then go all Android. If you have easy access to Apple devices, go all Apple. And P.S. Try to stick with mobile devices; they’re easier to support!</li>
<li>Keep in mind that ease of use will trump the initial cost of a device in the long run. Not having to bring in a third party to help you maintain devices can have massive savings for your company you’ll feel right away.</li>
<li>Buy your devices using a company account: with Apple, this means getting set-up with a Purchase Order. Devices you order are then shipped with a technology called DEP (Device Enrollment Program). Devices that are in Apple’s DEP program allow you to automate the enrollment process.</li>
<li>Use an MDM (Mobile Device Management) solution. At first, you might only access its ability to wipe a device should it fall out of your control. Later, you’ll want to make use of tools like Apple’s Volume Purchase Program (VPP) which allows you to buy apps en masse and to deploy free and paid apps without having to setup an Apple ID for what could be devices used by multiple people. I’m partial to this one, as a member of the team that makes Bushel (<a href="http://www.bushel.com/">www.bushel.com</a>), a solution built specifically with small businesses in mind.</li>
<li>When you hire your first employee, get a time-tracking solution. One of the easiest SaaS solutions is Deputy (<a href="http://www.deputy.com/">www.deputy.com</a>).</li>
<li>Choose an accounting package that both your POS system and your accountant can support. This will help keep your accounting and tax fees low and keep the time you invest getting data to the right people at tax-time to a minimum. Check out QuickBooks (<a href="http://www.intuit.com/">www.intuit.com</a>), Xero (<a href="http://www.xero.com/">www.xero.com</a>), or FreshBooks (<a href="http://www.freshbooks.com/">www.freshbooks.com</a>).</li>
<li>Keep all your money in one place—at least until you have multiple charts of accounts. You can easily see everything under one hood using a simple banking app, like Mint (<a href="http://www.mint.com/">www.mint.com</a>).</li>
<li>Get social now! Go ahead and claim your names on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. The sooner you start posting content, the quicker you’ll find that content driving traffic to your site (and ultimately your store). Make content, and don’t regurgitate too much. Be interesting and appropriate to your target audience. But most importantly, be authentic. People like to interact with the people behind brands, so make sure to brand yourself and your employees in the right light.</li>
<li>Keep your documents in the cloud. Consider <a href="http://dropbox.com/">dropbox.com</a>, <a href="http://box.com/">box.com</a>, or other file sharing services to help you put menus, product descriptions, contracts, and other information in an easy place that you can share from. Don’t bother with a server at first (if ever), as this will simply drive costs up.</li>
<li>And one of the most important tips: make sure you can export your data from every service you invest in. On the POS side, this will keep your transaction history, customer list, and other important data within systems you own. Don’t worry about paying for a few apps to test; in the long-run, making sure you have the features you need will save you a lot more than the $20-$30 you might spend picking the right app!</li>
</ul>
Overall, starting a business was one of the most rewarding and crazy things I’ve ever done. There are so many lessons you learn along the way. Keeping these 10 in mind should help get you through those first few months, at least as far as your tech is concerned!<br />
<br />
To View Original Article: <a href="https://retailminded.com/the-impact-of-mobile-on-the-retail-industry/">https://retailminded.com/the-impact-of-mobile-on-the-retail-industry/</a>One Step Retail Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276319508840587863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-340544981974837072.post-91898461775140575592015-11-06T12:00:00.000-08:002015-11-06T12:00:00.542-08:008 Awesome Black Friday Email Campaigns You Can Steal This Holiday Season <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbouTYd4y7xjb3rdEuWIoCejI3p0YPEL286Gjm6wzzSIxFYvH7YSisbO-UUHXn-inGeptTihNb2w6IY1yItfVvTEKqiCb0rJsHS2sOggqVNW6YOMunvgH38Ubrof4MNYF3hyphenhyphenE1pFCz_PgC/s1600/blackfridayemai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbouTYd4y7xjb3rdEuWIoCejI3p0YPEL286Gjm6wzzSIxFYvH7YSisbO-UUHXn-inGeptTihNb2w6IY1yItfVvTEKqiCb0rJsHS2sOggqVNW6YOMunvgH38Ubrof4MNYF3hyphenhyphenE1pFCz_PgC/s400/blackfridayemai.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Last year </span><a href="http://blog.custora.com/2014/12/cyber-monday-biggest-day-in-us-online-shopping-ever-holiday-weekend-sales-online-up-15-over-2013/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">email marketing drove over 27% of holiday sales</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> according to Custora. With this year’s </span><a href="https://www.shopify.com/blog/55276613-the-26-point-checklist-to-prepare-your-store-for-black-friday-and-cyber-monday"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Black Friday set to be the biggest one yet</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">,</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> that number is only expected to rise</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">As a marketer and business owner, it can often be difficult to come up with great emails with eye-catching images and actionable copy. That’s why I like to draw inspiration and ideas from other successful marketers and businesses.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">I’m going to share eight awesome Black Friday email campaigns that you can steal and start implementing into your business. In each example, I’m going to break down what it is, why it’s so effective, and how you can implement their ideas into your holiday campaigns.</span><br />
<h2>
<strong>1. The Simple Sale Announcement Email</strong></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSzbiqLO_V6nnPmR0RoGsh7qhksCUaR9ejoiteGmS7FGb3m8Grt7PKVF_zEsgHjxvbGdu_I1e8ymEdQ9jqm2ePTKY3Rojyob65wyDHhnQyRuaA8kliX23dSxxdrIFREXFVK99BS1xOXtSK/s1600/canvaspop_email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSzbiqLO_V6nnPmR0RoGsh7qhksCUaR9ejoiteGmS7FGb3m8Grt7PKVF_zEsgHjxvbGdu_I1e8ymEdQ9jqm2ePTKY3Rojyob65wyDHhnQyRuaA8kliX23dSxxdrIFREXFVK99BS1xOXtSK/s400/canvaspop_email.jpg" width="286" /></a></div>
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<b>Subject:</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Black Friday - 40% off everything!</span><br />
<b>What it is:</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> A simple but well-executed email from </span><a href="http://www.canvaspop.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">CanvasPop</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> announcing their store-wide Black Friday sale.</span><br />
<b>Why it works</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">: This email is all business. It clearly announces the sale and has a focused call-to-action. Sometimes, keeping things simple is the best way to go.</span><br />
<b>How to implement it</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">: Take the simple approach to your Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale announcements. Have a clear subject line with the sale discount, and include a call-to-action in your email that brings customers to your homepage or page with the products that are on sale.</span><br />
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<strong>2. The Bold Imagery and Animations Email</strong></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq3lTaRq0gfndS78d6QxxJKrJ33b9vdbVoPKcpWuJwbcA6N1WjuiRB9Hyw6E4fv8V_6L1zhuIzvOtwW0ZCpF6qw6_gJJLU7i0GtDW5Y0nDM56gyg5CiLWIf_elOQ8WVMdCkZLvwQDEvh9s/s1600/quirkybot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="82" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq3lTaRq0gfndS78d6QxxJKrJ33b9vdbVoPKcpWuJwbcA6N1WjuiRB9Hyw6E4fv8V_6L1zhuIzvOtwW0ZCpF6qw6_gJJLU7i0GtDW5Y0nDM56gyg5CiLWIf_elOQ8WVMdCkZLvwQDEvh9s/s320/quirkybot.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<strong><b>Subject:</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Don’t wait ’til tomorrow! Take up to 50% off our most popular inventions right now.</span></strong><br />
<b>What it is:</b> <a href="https://www.quirky.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Quirky</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> uses a quirky image animation to announce their Black Friday weekend sale.</span><br />
<b>Why it works:</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> I don’t often get animated GIFs in my email, let alone one as fun and entertaining as this. This email really stands out from other Black Friday sale announcements that will be barraging customer inboxes.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Also, all the important information is immediately clear. Free shipping, the discount, and the day the sale ends are all there in plain sight.</span><br />
<b>How to implement it:</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Start using animated GIFs and very unique imagery in your Black Friday emails, especially if it matches the tone of your brand.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Again, keeping your most important information above the fold is important.</span><br />
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<strong>3. The Free Gift Email</strong></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiItiO5C9hIrRoErkjAGqnu4_xUscjoKZw7bTgjMJUE-xNjG9SEsj43Dv4XjW7LHQG5eI6NpGlh-6PCT-2whVBcWlE9CVF5CbO9tGCB6U-8lLA4w-R68gnkc66g2IRW3DoUUWM3Po2jIVux/s1600/storq_email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiItiO5C9hIrRoErkjAGqnu4_xUscjoKZw7bTgjMJUE-xNjG9SEsj43Dv4XjW7LHQG5eI6NpGlh-6PCT-2whVBcWlE9CVF5CbO9tGCB6U-8lLA4w-R68gnkc66g2IRW3DoUUWM3Po2jIVux/s320/storq_email.jpg" width="171" /></a></div>
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<b>Subject:</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Black Friday + Giving Tanks</span><br />
<b>What it is:</b> <a href="http://storq.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Storq</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> created a free gift coupon instead of offering a store-wide sale.</span><br />
<b>Why it works</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">: Storq uses Black Friday as an opportunity to </span><a href="https://www.shopify.com/blog/45499333-5-proven-ways-to-increase-the-average-order-value-of-your-ecommerce-store"><span style="font-weight: 400;">increase the average order value</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in their store. Offering a free gift is an enticing way to get customers to your store on Black Friday.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">The email design is also simple and effective. The coupon code really stands out and the instructions are clear and easy to follow.</span><br />
<b>How to implement it:</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> You can still participate in Black Friday even if your business doesn’t typically discount or you can’t afford to lower your prices. Black Friday gives you a reason to contact your customers, so email them with any offer you can create that weekend.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">If you can’t lower your prices, consider offering a free gift with a minimum purchase amount. You can </span><a href="https://docs.shopify.com/manual/settings/shipping/shipping-rates#free-shipping"><span style="font-weight: 400;">easily do this within Shopify</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> or with an app from the </span><a href="https://apps.shopify.com/search/query?utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=purchase+over"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Shopify App Store to help</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Keep your emails simple and don’t overcomplicate your offer. When it comes to copy, less is often more. </span><br />
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<strong>4. The Last-Minute Extended Sale Email</strong></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_m5nQIFXx5uJ5KgORouxcOxuEUxcaAYXoi1xi9rSPWQ4fTGxw-774iCIObx68D2xG_hVXcDyTZ8_b5ajpX7YTqjuJefxZzAVZlLcUCgc0Is-4fyUnKaCXc-Ew3S468-PoZpsOHz6qOjqq/s1600/julep_email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_m5nQIFXx5uJ5KgORouxcOxuEUxcaAYXoi1xi9rSPWQ4fTGxw-774iCIObx68D2xG_hVXcDyTZ8_b5ajpX7YTqjuJefxZzAVZlLcUCgc0Is-4fyUnKaCXc-Ew3S468-PoZpsOHz6qOjqq/s400/julep_email.jpg" width="325" /></a></div>
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<b>Subject:</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> EXTENDED! 50%. Off. Everything.</span><br />
<b>What it is:</b> <a href="http://www.julep.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Julep</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> extends their Black Friday weekend sale into Tuesday.</span><br />
<b>Why it works:</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Not everyone will have the opportunity to check out your Black Friday sale. Extending the sale last-second (and running a sale when competitors just ended theirs) gives customers another chance to purchase from your store.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">This email is also effective because it’s unexpected. If you’ve been consistently warning customers about the impending end of your Black Friday sale and then spring a last-second extension, it’s more likely to stick out in people’s inboxes.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Lastly, the email is well designed. The three most important elements in this email contrast well against the rest: “Extended 48 hours,” “50% off everything,” and “use code cyberwow.”</span><br />
<b>How to implement it:</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Consider extending your sale and surprising your customers. You can even offer a new discount for the extended sale to get customers off the fence.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Don’t forget to make the most important elements in your email stand out, too. Use Julep’s email design as inspiration.</span><br />
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<strong>5. The Black Friday Giveaway Email</strong></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOJHi2L0pKXwJBWwi8dt9Cg3SIll5T6NVrDBrmgTC-ZgPA7hZgACiS_FkZXvzPUOH4iUyexbLPINcYzFitlCDdWz0lQCg7VkWWvPiEPvmqps1olbR9dDnI3MpHNVflfudtEZOBG2pf4OYb/s1600/huckberry_email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOJHi2L0pKXwJBWwi8dt9Cg3SIll5T6NVrDBrmgTC-ZgPA7hZgACiS_FkZXvzPUOH4iUyexbLPINcYzFitlCDdWz0lQCg7VkWWvPiEPvmqps1olbR9dDnI3MpHNVflfudtEZOBG2pf4OYb/s400/huckberry_email.jpg" width="283" /></a></div>
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<b>Subject:</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Blacked-Out Friday</span><br />
<b>What it is: </b><a href="https://huckberry.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Huckberry</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> turns their Black Friday sale into a giveaway.</span><br />
<b>Why it works: </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">Giveaways and contests can inject even more excitement into a Black Friday sale. Huckberry is giving their customers more incentive to shop on their site during Black Friday by giving each purchase a random entry into their giveaway.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Huckberry also includes more copy in their emails than most stores. Huckberry is very keen on conveying messages and telling stories in their emails, even on Black Friday.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">This email in particular is too long to show in this blog post, but below their Black Friday sale announcement are stories, including the harrowing trip to Antarctica mentioned at the top of the email.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite being Black Friday, Huckberry hasn’t changed their established tone. Huckberry continues to deliver interesting stories, even in their most promotion-heavy emails.</span><br />
<b>How to implement it:</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Run a contest alongside your sale or give every customer that makes a purchase the chance to win a prize. Check out the giveaway apps in our </span><a href="https://apps.shopify.com/search/query?utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=giveaway"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Shopify App Store</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to help you put this together.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Finally, don’t diverge from your original messaging or style. If you’ve been delivering great content or stories with each email, that doesn’t need to change for Black Friday. Find a way to weave your Black Friday emails into what you’ve been doing well previously. Make it organic.</span><br />
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<strong>6. The Black Friday Humor Email</strong></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDi25hdQ035hC-iiZ9oSasEuOS29sFLJ2QASzLlAfQdbFYnu4knbevZEOUnScZgQ-zdsxgpuk57sznKMyCGtKfVnv7qDuJyd0iS1V88zPnFenlHDieHxhCoHD-Afc8apMd9VBikJtTtoqv/s1600/chubbies_email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDi25hdQ035hC-iiZ9oSasEuOS29sFLJ2QASzLlAfQdbFYnu4knbevZEOUnScZgQ-zdsxgpuk57sznKMyCGtKfVnv7qDuJyd0iS1V88zPnFenlHDieHxhCoHD-Afc8apMd9VBikJtTtoqv/s400/chubbies_email.jpg" width="230" /></a></div>
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<b>Subject:</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Sweats + Shorts = THE SCHWORTS</span><br />
<b>What it is:</b> <a href="http://www.chubbiesshorts.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Chubbies</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> stays consistent with their tone and branding and uses humor to promote their Black Friday sale on schworts.</span><br />
<b>Why it works:</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> This email looks a lot different than the a typical Black Friday sale emails. First, the subject line is great. Next, the image of someone lounging on their couch pouring food down their mouth after Thanksgiving is really funny.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">There isn’t a lot of copy in this email but it’s still effective at conveying why you need their comfortable shorts. Chubbies also </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">shows you</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> their shorts looking comfortable instead of only telling you that they’re comfortable.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Chubbies also chooses to focus on one product to promote their Black Friday sale instead of announcing a store-wide sale. This is far more effective since leaving customers with too much choice can be overwhelming.</span><br />
<b>How to implement it:</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Have fun with your marketing. If it suits your brand, experiment with unique subject lines for your emails and use humorous images.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">You don’t need a lot of copy in your Black Friday emails to convey a message. Don’t just tell your customers your shorts are comfortable, show them in an entertaining way.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Lastly, you don’t need to promote several products in your Black Friday email. Promote your Black Friday sale with one product (or a few) instead. Consider choosing your best-selling or most interesting product and promote it on Black Friday to drive traffic.</span><br />
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<strong>7. The Scarcity Email</strong></h2>
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<b>Subject:</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Woosters Almost Sold Out! Black Friday Prices + Free Shipping For A Few More Hours!</span><br />
<b>What it is: </b><span style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="http://www.greats.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Greats</a> gives their customers a Black Friday status report on the shoes on sale.</span><br />
<b>Why it works:</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Greats uses elements of scarcity throughout the email. “Moving fast,” “Almost sold out,” and “No time to be on the fence” creates a sense of urgency. Even the subject line has urgency in it with “Woosters almost sold out!”.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Of course, Greats’ personality shines through in this email as well.</span><br />
<b>How to implement it:</b> <a href="https://www.shopify.com/blog/48515717-while-supplies-last-how-to-use-scarcity-and-urgency-to-increase-sales"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Learn to create scarcity</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in your email marketing, especially on Black Friday. Create urgency and use your emails to remind your customers that your sale will be ending. Also, when your products are selling like hot cakes, tell people!</span><br />
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<strong>8. The Against-The-Grain Email</strong></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrDHT6LBEdLc77NzbJj3Szsl9da1OiEaLKLYl4EQjRqBbcSBNgI5rkeDfspWzLXbLy0cCt8sUEDm3EllSWrcZA9jAAtKkZPOmbuYfhW5WRoI3TTneZ4UsI_JPKA8_n6nBBXToEncbVKAst/s1600/everlane_email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrDHT6LBEdLc77NzbJj3Szsl9da1OiEaLKLYl4EQjRqBbcSBNgI5rkeDfspWzLXbLy0cCt8sUEDm3EllSWrcZA9jAAtKkZPOmbuYfhW5WRoI3TTneZ4UsI_JPKA8_n6nBBXToEncbVKAst/s400/everlane_email.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<b>Subject:</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> This Is Not A Sale</span><br />
<b>What it is:</b> <a href="https://ca.everlane.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Everlane</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> uses Black Friday as a platform to raise awareness and money for workers in China.</span><br />
<b>Why it works:</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> The subject line is strong and piques people’s curiosity, encouraging them to open the email to learn more. You don’t often get emails on Black Friday letting you know “this is not a sale.”</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">It isn’t a bait and switch either; Everlane goes against the grain and promises to give 100% of their Black Friday profit to their factories in China to improve working conditions.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">This gesture also helps build Everlane’s brand. It also has the chance to be picked up by news sites social media since it’s unique and generous for a time of year where businesses are focused on profit.</span><br />
<b>How to implement it:</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> If you’re tired of running the same Black Friday sale every year, or your customers have grown to expect the same from you every year, change things up. Consider making this year’s Black Friday all about your customer or someone else in need.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">It could be your opportunity to give back a little while also creating a positive brand image for your store.</span><br />
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<strong>Over to You</strong></h2>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">If email marketing isn’t a large part of your growth strategy, take the time to </span><a href="https://www.shopify.com/blog/9196929-why-email-marketing-is-the-key-to-ecommerce-success"><span style="font-weight: 400;">learn why it’s important for your business</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. If your email list is small, </span><a href="https://www.shopify.com/blog/13042257-how-to-build-an-email-list-that-builds-your-ecommerce-business"><span style="font-weight: 400;">start building it now</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to make the most out of Black Friday. You don’t need a gigantic email list for your Black Friday to matter, but the bigger your list, the better. With the right amount of engaged subscribers and awesome, well-crafted emails, your business can have a great Black Friday.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Want to crush it this Black Friday? Check out </span><a href="https://www.shopify.com/blog/55276613-the-26-point-checklist-to-prepare-your-store-for-black-friday-and-cyber-monday"><span style="font-weight: 400;">the 26-point checklist I put together</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to position your store for success this holiday season.</span><br />
<strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you have any questions or Black Friday email ideas you’d like to share, leave a comment below. I engage with and respond to everyone.</span></strong> <br />
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To View Original Article: <a href="https://www.shopify.com/blog/56776517-8-awesome-black-friday-email-campaigns-you-can-steal-this-holiday-season">https://www.shopify.com/blog/56776517-8-awesome-black-friday-email-campaigns-you-can-steal-this-holiday-season</a>One Step Retail Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276319508840587863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-340544981974837072.post-35226671102399793292015-11-05T12:00:00.000-08:002015-11-05T12:00:04.532-08:005 Creative Holiday Promotion Ideas for Retailers<span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong><em>Written by Square, Inc. for Retail Minded.</em></strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: 400;"><br />By now, Black Friday has become a holiday of sorts (you know, the kind of holiday where people get up crazy-early and spend a lot of money), but your seasonal promotions shouldn’t begin and end with the day after Thanksgiving. (Besides, you should be focusing on eating leftovers that day.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Get creative with your holiday sales! That doesn’t mean you should overthink it. After all, it’s just a fact that people are going to be shopping this time of year. But you should try to set yourself apart in a way that feels true to your business and your customers. Here are some ways to attract customers with sweet holiday deals.</span><br />
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<li><h3>
<strong> Friendsgiving</strong></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Get a jump on the “official” holiday shopping season by hosting a promotion the weekend before Thanksgiving. Email your customers an invite (</span><a href="https://squareup.com/t/f_content/d_retailminded/c_crm/o_oct15?route=customer-engagement"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Square’s email marketing software</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> has a template for events) to blow off some pre-Thanksgiving steam and avoid the Black Friday madness with cocktails and stellar deals to share with friends. For example, when a customer makes a purchase, she gets a card to share an additional discount with a friend. Make sure to offer discounts across the board (after all, you don’t want to alienate loyal, if solo, shoppers). Read more tips on </span><a href="https://squareup.com/townsquare/how-to-market-an-event-8-ways-to-give-your-guest-list-a-boost/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">how to market your event</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. </span><br />
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<strong> Ugly Sweater Day</strong></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Tacky holiday sweaters aren’t just for parties anymore: Bring a fun, festive element into what can be a stressful time by inviting customers to wear their loudest, trippiest, most sartorially unfortunate sweaters into your store. When they do, offer them a storewide discount. And, if you’re a clothing store, think about offering a special deal on sweaters that don’t look like costumes. You can also add a charitable element by asking customers to donate gently used (and not ugly) sweaters for a store discount.</span><br />
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<strong> Retail Therapy</strong></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">The most wonderful time of the year can also be the most stressful, so invite customers to indulge in a little “me” time by offering mini spa treatments. Pick a weekend day in the thick of the shopping season for their choice of a chair massage, nail polish change, or makeup touch-up when they make a minimum purchase. Try to partner with a local salon and spa to set up a mutually beneficial relationship.</span><br />
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<strong> Procrastinators’ Party</strong></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Turn last-minute shopping into an event with saved-the-best-for-last deals and offers. Turn the last weekend before Christmas into a party with cookies, hot chocolate (or bubbly), and complimentary gift wrapping on items purchased in the store that day. </span><br />
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<strong> New Year’s Shopping</strong></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">The boom of holiday shopping is always followed by the inevitable bust of a sales slump. To avoid a complete New Year’s sales meltdown, buy yourself an insurance policy in the form of store-issued gift cards that customers can’t use until January. When customers spend a certain amount through the end of December, thank them for their purchases and loyalty with a </span><a href="https://squareup.com/t/f_content/d_retailminded/c_giftcards/o_oct15?route=gift-cards/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Square gift card</span></a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">in the amount of your choosing. Then, once January rolls around (and your new merchandise rolls in), customers can cash in their store credit — and then some.</span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">To View Original Article: <a href="https://retailminded.com/5-creative-holiday-promotion-ideas-for-retailers/">https://retailminded.com/5-creative-holiday-promotion-ideas-for-retailers/</a></span>One Step Retail Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276319508840587863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-340544981974837072.post-31074469037510057392015-11-04T12:00:00.000-08:002015-11-06T10:33:20.602-08:00Quick! What's Your Inventory Turn? <span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">By Kizer and Bender </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">That's a fair </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 18.66px; line-height: 28px;">–</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"> and an </span><span style="font-size: 18.66px; line-height: 28px;">important</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 18.66px; line-height: 28px;">–</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"> question. Inventory turnover is a measure of the number of times inventory is sold within a period of time, usually a year. There are a number of ways to determine your inventory turn figure, but the easiest way is to simply </span></span><b style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">divide your last year’s total retail sales by your year ending inventory at retail value.</b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Retailers with a better turn rate achieve that rate because they closely control their inventory. They are empathic about delivery dates so that the product arrives at the store when it needs to be there. And they are pit bulls about managing the inventory on hand and about reducing the selling price when necessary to recoup as much of their investment as possible. Here are some things to think about:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Take Control</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">So, how do you control inventory? Sell it at regular price in a reasonable amount of time or at a reduced price to clear it out – it’s just that simple! The only markdown exception is basic merchandise that you must stock every day of the year. Beyond that, reviewing your entire selection of items at least once a quarter is mandatory. With very seasonal items this review needs to happen at least once a month.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">We recommend that you <b>adopt a bin ticket system</b>: a sticker with a date code that you place on fixtures so that each item has a designated home, and so that you will always know when each item in your inventory arrived. It’s an easy way for you to instantly know which products are selling and which ones are not. You will also want to encourage your store associates to keep the sales floor neat and tidy. They are not just cleaning, they are organizing the inventory. Face it: shoppers are expected to play with the merchandise. They move things around and leave them in places where they are not supposed to be. Don’t let </span><span style="font-size: 18.66px; line-height: 28px;">misplaced</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"> items account for lost sales or the repurchasing of something you already own.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Adopt KIZER & BENDER's Dot System</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Have you ever been on the sales floor, looking for a certain product, only to find that that merchandise has sold out and has been for weeks? Or maybe that shelf on the sales floor is empty, but there’s a load of what’s supposed to be there in the stockroom. Aside from those bin tickets that tell you what’s supposed to be in that empty spot, you need a </span><span style="font-size: 18.66px; line-height: 28px;">backup</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"> plan. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Adopt the <b>Dot </b></span><span style="font-size: 18.66px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 28px;">System</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold; line-height: 150%;">! </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Stop by your favorite office supply store and buy a bunch of small red and green adhesive dots. (Avery Labels makes the perfect size.) Place a green dot on the bin ticket if there is more of this product in the stockroom; add a red dot if there is no more of this product available in the stockroom. Instruct your associates to check the stockroom when they come across an empty shelf, and a bin ticket with a green dot </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 18.66px; line-height: 28px;">–</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"> they need to refill that product ASAP. Once there is nothing left in the stockroom they can replace that green dot to a red one. The Dot System will quickly alert you to areas on your sales floor that need your attention.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Okay, we know what you’re thinking: <i>“Why do I need to do this? My point-of-sales system tells me all I need to know.”</i> Now honestly, if you scan your POS reports on a weekly basis then you're good to go. But there’s a BUT coming here, and it’s a big one: You still need to do physical cycle counts to further control your inventory. This is important because non-selling products are expensive to stock; they tie up dollars that you could re-invest in merchandise that <i>will</i> turn (sell).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Let’s say you have $500 at retail in items that have sat on the shelf for a year with no sales, throwing off zero profit. Nothing. Nada. <i>Zilch.</i> If you sell these items by taking a 30 percent markdown you would get back 70 percent of those inventory dollars or $350. Now, if you reinvest that $350 in new and in-demand merchandise (that’s $750 at retail markup) and then turn this merchandise two times in one year, your sales would be $1500. Those bin tickets and little sticky dots will make you a better investor of your own money.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Encourage Sales with Daily Goals</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Having a daily goal will help your keep your associates focused on selling. Set aside a few minutes each morning to complete a <b>Pre-Opening Checklist</b> that outlines everything that’s planned for the store that particular day. This checklist should include the daily overall store sales goal, departmental goals, item of the day, in-store specials, classes, sales events and promotions </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 18.66px; line-height: 28px;">–</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">anything and everything associates need to know about what’s going on in the store that day.</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"> The closing manager can fill out a </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Store Closing Checklist</b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"> of tasks that need to be completed before the store reopens the next day. Drop us an email and we’ll be happy to send you customizable templates for both checklists.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Hold a Daily 10 Minute Meeting</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Call it your <b>Daily 10. </b>Gather associates on the sales floor each morning for a short meeting before you open for business. Take 10 minutes to talk about what you expect form them that particular day. Talk about product, techniques, applications, customer requests, policies, trade shows, industry news, associate experiences, and upcoming events – whatever makes sense that particular morning. Clear and consistent communication will keep everyone in the loop and on their toes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Everyone Needs to Add On<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">We call it <b>Gimme 5!</b>, a daily exercise that’s geared to increase sales. Hold up an item and ask associates to call out five items that could be added-on to this item to increase the sale. Add-on selling is good for you and it’s good for customers – you’ll up your average sale and customers won’t have to return to the store to pick up the additional items they needed to complete their project, but forgot to buy. And if you come across the rare item that had no add-on potential, recommend whatever is on special that week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Manage Your Markdowns<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Now, about those markdowns… Do you take markdowns in a timely manner? Kick the dogs to the curb before it’s too late? Good for you! Remember, as tough as it sometimes is, <b>the first markdown, the one that makes merchandise more appealing to customers, is almost always the cheapest one to take.</b> Be vigilant about keeping a close eye on your sales floor. If you wait too long you’ll start eating into the real money you have invested and your profit margin dollars will disappear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">You are in business to make money.</span></i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"> Smart inventory control, plus a focus on selling, keeps your cash less tied up and opens opportunities to keep your assortment fresh. There are many schools of thought on inventory control, how to determine turn rates, flow of items and more – so many that we could never cover them in just one post. But no matter how the calculations are made, remember that the most devastating damage is caused by a lack of inventory management.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">ToViewOriginalArticle: <a href="http://www.retailadventuresblog.com/2015/10/quick-whats-your-inventory-turn.html">http://www.retailadventuresblog.com/2015/10/quick-whats-your-inventory-turn.html</a><br /><br />To View Original Website: <a href="http://www.kizerandbender.com/">http://www.kizerandbender.com/</a><br />ToViewKizerandBender'sBio: <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1U5HAdsik2dzbykqW4LtIehOanBXmTa3t_BKy2PO6fLI/edit?usp=sharing">https://docs.google.com/document/d/1U5HAdsik2dzbykqW4LtIehOanBXmTa3t_BKy2PO6fLI/edit?usp=sharing</a></span></div>
One Step Retail Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276319508840587863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-340544981974837072.post-15984008503337530672015-11-02T16:00:00.000-08:002015-11-04T11:54:40.691-08:00Bringing E-Commerce Features to the Storefront<div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
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One of the most interesting observations about the retail sector over the recent past is the adaptation of online features at brick-and-mortar stores. Only two years ago, it seems, retailers were anxious about holiday receipts due to the practice of showrooming, and the social capabilities of online shopping seemed to threaten brick and mortar sales. But then, it seemed to click (excuse the pun): What is more social than going out and physically being seen? Price matching is as old as retailing itself. And nothing beats experiencing a product before buying it. Put the best feature of e-commerce — its ability to be everywhere at once — to work in a brick and mortar, and you’ve created an enormous competitive advantage.<br />
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A great example of that trend is the newest UGG footwear store that opened this month outside of Washington, D.C. Deckers Brands, which owns the brand, has opened one other, similar “UGG Innovation Lab” in Santa Barbara, CA. Like that location, the Tysons Corner, Va., store uses technology to create a customized, customer-centric atmosphere.<br />
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“Omni-Channel isn’t just a catchphrase for Deckers; it’s an integral part of our culture of innovation and our retail strategy – one that we’ve made investments in for more than five years now – to engage with our consumers with respect to their preferred shopping channel” said Dave Powers, president of omni-channel for Deckers Brands, in a release. “That strategy is on full display at the UGG store, where we are merging the best of digital and physical shopping experiences, and setting the foundation for future Omni capabilities across our brands.”</div>
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By integrating online features into the in-store experience, shoppers can make selections from almost<br />
230,000 SKUs. But if a customer just can’t find that perfect pair, UGGs offers customization. The “UGG By You” program gives buyers control of the design process to make their mark on five classic UGG styles. And for those fancying a bolder approach, the “Bling it on Program” lets customers use Swarovski crystals to personalize their looks. In addition, the store has installed technology that reports on products that are tried on, and offers feedback to the consumer on suggested additional products. That’s very similar to an e-commerce site’s “Recommended for You” or “Shoppers Who Have Bought This Item Also Like…”<br />
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To enable that, Deckers is implementing radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology that lets shoppers who are trying on merchandise to view digitally triggered content on four 65-inch HD touchscreens throughout the store. That content comprises product information and options, style tips, videos, related marketing campaigns, and suggested complementary products. Shoppers can send themselves SMS texts with a product link directly from the HD screens.</div>
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Of course, customer associates are out from behind the cash wrap, using handheld devices to search inventory, answer customer questions and finalize sales as well. But these days, that’s old hat at many specialty retailers, which took the cue from the Apple Store.<br />
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Whether you are a retailer specializing in products from footware or home goods, keeping tabs on inventory is mission critical. Technology can provide retailers with data that initially only was captured by e-commerce stores. Now brick and mortars can know who’s trying on what, how long they engage with the product before purchasing (or not) and can make suggestions for add-on sales before the shopper even reaches an associate.<br />
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Retail Pro offers retailers a highly competitive solution that helps track inventory. In addition, our software can be used to monitor fast-selling products, keep tabs on slow sellers and otherwise help their purchasing decisions — something that’s vital in today’s borderless e-conomy.<br />
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To View Original Article: <a href="http://www.retailpro.com/News/blog/index.php/2014/11/19/bringing-e-commerce-features-to-the-storefront/">http://www.retailpro.com/News/blog/index.php/2014/11/19/bringing-e-commerce-features-to-the-storefront/</a><br />
<br />One Step Retail Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276319508840587863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-340544981974837072.post-61625201347924150402015-11-01T15:00:00.000-08:002015-11-01T15:00:04.882-08:00The Thrill of the Old By Jon Bird<br />
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Retail has rushed to embrace technology in recent years. Just as consumers have armed themselves with a dazzling array of devices (I sit now with a laptop perched on my knees, a smartphone in my pocket, and a tablet in my bag), merchants have kitted out their stores and staff with tech. Done right, that’s a good thing. Technology can augment and improve the shopping experience immeasurably.<br />
But we should never forget the power of human connection in retail, the strength of a story well told, and the lasting impression of great visual merchandising brought to life in good old-fashioned three dimensions.<br />
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All of that hit home to me when walking through New York last night. What seemed most magnetic to the people in the streets and stores that I observed was not the touch-screen Amazon digital poster (“Tap Screen to Shop”), or the massive screens in H&M, but the physical magic of Rockefeller Center, and the traditional imagery and retail techniques employed in the surrounding stores.<br />
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<a href="http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2014-12-10-RockefellerCenter.jpg"><img alt="2014-12-10-RockefellerCenter.jpg" height="570" src="http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2014-12-10-RockefellerCenter-thumb.jpg" width="427" /></a><br />
<br /> Standing majestically at the heart of Rockefeller Center is the Christmas tree. This year, it is an 85-foot (25 meter), 90 year-old spruce, harvested from the front yard of a century-old farmhouse three hours west of New York City (Great story).<br />
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<a href="http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2014-12-10-SkatingatRockefellerCenter.JPG"><img alt="2014-12-10-SkatingatRockefellerCenter.JPG" height="299" src="http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2014-12-10-SkatingatRockefellerCenter-thumb.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<br /> Below the tree, skaters glide around the iconic ice rink; bit players in their own private New York movie scene.<br />
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<a href="http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2014-12-10-SaksFifthAvenue.JPG"><img alt="2014-12-10-SaksFifthAvenue.JPG" height="299" src="http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2014-12-10-SaksFifthAvenue-thumb.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<br /> Across the street is Saks Fifth Avenue, with its elegant holiday windows, and a storefront bedecked with 71,000 lights.<br />
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<a href="http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2014-12-10-AnthropologieWindow1.JPG"><img alt="2014-12-10-AnthropologieWindow1.JPG" height="299" src="http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2014-12-10-AnthropologieWindow1-thumb.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<br /> Around the corner is lifestyle store Anthropologie, with some of the most beautiful, meticulously crafted displays you will see anywhere. This is retail art at its finest, with intricate scenes of birds perched on trees and New York buildings.<br />
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It’s not all technology-free. One of the highlights is Saks’ all-singing, all-dancing <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cn9U85h4u34" target="_blank"><span style="color: #00baff;">3-D video projection show</span></a>. But for the most part, the experience in and around Rockefeller Center is traditional and physical, not digital.<br />
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<a href="http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2014-12-10-TiffanyChristmasCampaignGrandCentral.JPG"><img alt="2014-12-10-TiffanyChristmasCampaignGrandCentral.JPG" height="299" src="http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2014-12-10-TiffanyChristmasCampaignGrandCentral-thumb.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<br /> Perhaps this is the time of year when the classic captivates consumers, and we all buy into a vision of times past. (Tiffany’s Christmas campaign this year is very nostalgic.) I do think though it’s also a reminder that the “thrill of the old” can match the pull of the new, and that a retail “experience” doesn’t have to be technology-driven.<br />
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Happy Christmas.<br />
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To View Original Article: <a href="http://www.newretailblog.com/the-thrill-of-the-old/">http://www.newretailblog.com/the-thrill-of-the-old/</a>One Step Retail Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276319508840587863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-340544981974837072.post-8918946568999418342015-11-01T12:00:00.000-08:002015-11-01T12:00:01.581-08:00 Sound solutions for dealing with overstocked seasonal goods and the people who love them <em>By Donald Clark</em><br />
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Timing is everything when it comes to seasonal merchandise. One day after the holiday, it’s not going to sell for much more than 50% of the full retail price. When I owned my shop, this was a constant struggle that impacted not just holiday-specific merchandise, but also the larger inventory of regular merchandise that was brought in for the fourth quarter. I recently was asked by a beginning retailer, “How did you handle this? How did you deal with having to lower prices?” My answer was: “I did it smartly and strategically.”<br />
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<strong>Timing and Tracking</strong><br />
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I always found that determining when to discount—and what to reduce—was a project for a calendar. I used large monthly pages taped to the wall so I could think quarterly. I could see the flow of the weeks and establish a countdown and decide when to put goods out, when to emphasize specific products, and when to plan on a clearance sale.<br />
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Each year, the big players push holiday displays forward. At this point, Christmas and Halloween actually collide. We “creative types” know that orange and red and green are not great together. We shouldn’t have a mechanical wicked witch flying on her broomstick, narrowly missing Santa in his reindeer sleigh. It’s just not right! (Plus, the witch and her nasty bats really scare the elves.)<br />
My personal preference is for a smart retailer to have Christmas and holiday products on the floor two weeks before Thanksgiving. Put your Christmas merchandise out in mid November. This allows you to familiarize your staff with the new goods and to tweak displays, as needed. You’ll be able to gauge what has caught your customers’ eyes and (hopefully) their wallets as well.<br />
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With this advance placement, you all will be ready to go the weekend after Thanksgiving when the buying fever typically sets in. By doing this, you will also be able to engage browsers, and they’re really active this time of year too. I’m talking about the people who come out to stroll through shops and rubberneck enthusiastically rather than buy. Hopefully, they’ll see things in your store and they will return to purchase in the weeks leading up to December 25.<br />
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<a href="http://smart-retailer.com/wp-content/uploads/holiday-sale.jpg" rel="prettyPhoto" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="holiday sale" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-978 no-display appear" height="200" src="http://smart-retailer.com/wp-content/uploads/holiday-sale-300x200.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
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<strong>Start Spreading the News</strong><br />
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Awareness of buying patterns in general and specifically your customers’ buying patterns will let you tailor your promotional plan to insure the most profitable season. You’ll want to use digital, print, and perhaps even radio to get the word out. You’ll have to tailor this to best fit your perception of your customers’ use of the media.<br />
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Use your wall calendar to determine when to talk about what in the media. Don’t forget to use signage in the shop to promote items and to announce what’s coming up. Hopefully, you use a Point of Purchase system that will record all sales by department. If not, perhaps your register has enough departments so you can ring items into the department you have assigned them.<br />
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This information will be invaluable when it’s time to establish “open to buys” for the next season. Actually, as you accumulate this information, you can use it to establish your buying budget for the year.<br />
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<strong>Marking Their Territory</strong><br />
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There is definitely a pattern to the holiday-buying cycles. At the outset, you’ll see the above-mentioned serious browsers. They have to see everything available before making decisions. Gift buying begins early, as does the purchase of greeting cards. Stationery and cards with a holiday theme are bought in earnest during the Thanksgiving weekend and the week right after that. These holiday greeting cards have to be written out, addressed, stamped, and mailed by customers. Keep this in mind if you are setting up displays of Christmas and Hanukkah boxed cards. Depending on how many you have ordered and displayed, they have a shot of selling out before the holiday begins.<br />
Sales of decorations, ornaments, wrapping paper, and other merchandise kick in as the holiday draws closer. A few days before the holiday, you’ll get the last-minute crew. This is heavily weighted toward men, who will purchase nearly anything to get it over with. This is a sad fact of life—it’s not just a “wacky” stereotype established in sitcoms or TV commercials.<br />
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On the first open-for-business day after the holiday, the bargain hunters are out in force. It was always profitable for us to have the markdowns ready on that day. We knew that within a day or two, the big push would be over. People sometimes wait all year for these reductions and discounts. Many times they use their recently received holiday cash for swooping up sales items, or they use their gift cards for your store to buy these items they longed to acquire during the past months.<br />
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<strong>Final Word to the Wise</strong><br />
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My last bit of sound advice—and it might be the most pungent—if you feel you may have too much holiday merchandise, or general merchandise that hasn’t sold well, consider reducing it for the last few days BEFORE the holiday. Taking 20% and 25% off sure beats 50%.<br />
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To View Original Article: <a href="http://smart-retailer.com/growyourbiz/holiday-headaches-sound-solutions-for-dealing-with-overstocked-seasonal-goods-and-the-people-who-love-them/">http://smart-retailer.com/growyourbiz/holiday-headaches-sound-solutions-for-dealing-with-overstocked-seasonal-goods-and-the-people-who-love-them/</a>One Step Retail Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276319508840587863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-340544981974837072.post-69440377799967812832015-10-31T15:00:00.000-07:002015-11-04T15:36:32.484-08:00Make Your Website Research Ready with a Brands Page<div class="fusion-two-fifth fusion-layout-column fusion-spacing-yes" style="margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 0px;">
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<strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">By Brian Ewing </span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to </span><a href="https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/infographics/5-holiday-shopping-trends-to-watch-in-2015.html"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="color: #6790a0;">a recent study</span></span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, <strong>78% of shoppers used the internet for research</strong> during the holiday season last year. Your customers are making their lists and checking them twice…<strong>online</strong>. Even if your business isn’t e-commerce, you have an opportunity to make an impact on sales with an online presence. </span></strong></div>
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What Are Consumers Researching on Store Websites?</h2>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Shopping during the holiday season is stressful. Not only are consumers trying to find the perfect gifts for loved ones, they’re fighting the crowds and calendar.</span><br />
<strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">Planning is key to make the most of shopping trips. Customers plot out their course ahead of time, based on what gifts are available where. As a small business, it’s crucial to let customers know the brands and products you carry to become part of their shopping schedule.</span></strong><br />
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Your Store Website & the Importance of a Brands Page</h2>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">A dedicated brands page on your website is the best way to give consumers and search engines an idea of what you carry in-store. This is critical for SEO ranking and holiday research. Start by listing your most popular brands and continue expanding until you have a complete collection. A great way to organize the page is to display your brands’ logos alphabetically. See this </span><a href="http://www.pizazzstudio.com/our-brands"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="color: #6790a0;">perfect example</span></span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> from our subscriber, Pizazz Studio.</span><br />
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Beyond the Brands Page</h2>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">If you’d like to take your website a step further, create separate pages for each of your major brands. Display the most popular items for the season, so consumers can quickly see you not only carry the brand, but the product they want. If you’re not selling online, make sure to place a CTA (call-to-action) message on each page asking the customer to contact the store for up-to-date inventory information. Lastly, make the logos on your brands page click-through links to the new product pages for an easy navigation experience.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Use your website to drive more sales, even if you don’t have e-commerce!</strong> Create a brands page to showcase your products and let holiday shoppers find you! </span><br />
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To View Original Article: <a href="http://www.snapretail.com/make-your-website-research-ready-with-a-brands-page/">http://www.snapretail.com/make-your-website-research-ready-with-a-brands-page/</a>One Step Retail Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276319508840587863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-340544981974837072.post-14588313345950749652015-10-31T12:00:00.000-07:002015-10-31T12:00:03.195-07:00How the “Internet of Things” Will Reinvent RetailBy Natalie Bruins <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz66H8j0eDzNZfweaoDt1JXMofAeTkk2sLkTFp7c_hiUXLfP8YDPtpWDvehea0TbNtrRXq22eUGMuYIJBgtfHeU_hgM7BwgW0xoBHdaxWts5pFjqHhFQ8W7xo1TvCGIIp7s0prxniuxCxB/s1600/IoT-%25E2%2580%2593-Apple-store.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz66H8j0eDzNZfweaoDt1JXMofAeTkk2sLkTFp7c_hiUXLfP8YDPtpWDvehea0TbNtrRXq22eUGMuYIJBgtfHeU_hgM7BwgW0xoBHdaxWts5pFjqHhFQ8W7xo1TvCGIIp7s0prxniuxCxB/s400/IoT-%25E2%2580%2593-Apple-store.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Technology doesn’t wait for retailers to catch up. Consumers embrace new technology and aren’t impressed by retailers who don’t. This year, smart retailers are creating ‘smarter’ stores with the Internet of Things (IoT) reinventing the way they think about retail.<br />
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With IoT, a huge number of devices can be connected – with everything from Point of Sale systems to dressing rooms doors, able to connect. Microsoft have already tried to add a human touch to this phrase – describing it as <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/server-cloud/internet-of-things/default.aspx#whitepaper" target="_blank"><span style="color: #e4a71a;">‘the internet of <em>your </em>things’</span></a> – and it’s this personalised approach which sums up how IoT should be for consumers.<br />
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Plus, for retailers, it’s about how your ‘things’, or in other words, technology, can connect to provide a better experience for your customers.<br />
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One example of how IoT is already providing a better experience for customers and better data for a brand is Disney. The park has RFID-enabled MagicBand wristbands that provide theme park access, entry to hotel rooms, and cash and card-free payment for food and any merchandise. Disney is able to track this activity to build an accurate picture of how each guest uses their services.<br />
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From Disneyland to high-tech highstreets, here’s how this new technology will reinvent retail.<br />
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<li><strong>RFID (Radio-frequency identification) tagging </strong></li>
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RFID is probably the most well-known example of IoT and according to <a href="http://blog.atlasrfidstore.com/retail-rfid-bill-hardgrave" target="_blank"><span style="color: #e4a71a;">Bill Hardgrave of Auburn University</span></a>, the technology can have huge benefits for retailers. RFID involves tracking and counting products automatically and can give retailers 99% inventory accuracy, a 50% reduction in out-of-stocks, a 70% reduction in shrinkage, and sales lifts from 2% to 7%.<br />
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<li><strong>Connecting home automation to ecommerce sites </strong></li>
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There are certain products, which we all need to buy – from fridge essentials such as butter and milk to bathroom basics such as toilet roll and shower gel. IoT could allow consumers to press a button in their home to automatically order the product they need from their favourite store, delivered to their door. This innovation would connect ecommerce to the way we interact with our homes, and has the potential to allow brands to develop a more meaningful connection with consumers.<br />
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<li><strong>Wearable technology – for retailers and consumers</strong></li>
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From giving shop assistants the information they need on-the-go, to giving shoppers a more personalised experience, wearable technology is a branch of IoT, which could transform retail.<br />
In store, both shop assistants and consumers will have the information they need. Shop assistants could have access to further product information, stock levels, as well as customer data. Shoppers, on the other hand, could have an enriched in-store browsing experience, with extra information, navigation and promotional offers.<br />
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<li><strong>In-store sensors</strong></li>
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Whether you want to attract shoppers through your doors or tempt people to browse your new collection when in-store, sensors, such as Bluetooth beacons, are an IoT technology which can help you do just that.<br />
Picture the scene – an existing shoppers walks past your store, your in-store sensors would allow you to send that customer a personalised message about a promotional offer you are running in store. Once inside the shop, you can target shoppers based on their shopping and browsing history. This could not only enhance the customer’s experience and boost a retailer’s marketing efforts, but provide a wealth of path-to-purchase data, which can be used to optimise store layouts.<br />
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<li><strong>Smart mirrors in fashion retail</strong></li>
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As an extension on RFID tagging, various parts of the store could connect with the products themselves. For instance ‘smart’ mirrors could recognise which products a shoppers was wearing and then suggest other items which could be paired with that garment – allowing the shopping to visualise some fashion pairings in the mirror.<br />
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Overall, IoT looks set to begin a new, more data-driven age for retail. With connected devices, retailers can analyse shopper behaviour, as well as their own performance with greater accuracy and offer a more responsive and personalised service. Find out how we can help you prepare for a world of connected shoppers and devices on our <a href="http://k3retail.com/what-we-do/multichannel" target="_blank"><span style="color: #e4a71a;">omnichannel page</span></a>.<br />
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To View Original Article: <a href="http://k3retail.com/blog/smarter-stores-how-the-internet-of-things-will-reinvent-retail/">http://k3retail.com/blog/smarter-stores-how-the-internet-of-things-will-reinvent-retail/</a>One Step Retail Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276319508840587863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-340544981974837072.post-4872557928702342902015-10-30T12:00:00.000-07:002015-10-30T12:00:01.623-07:00Stop Trying to Speedily Close the Sale. Slow Down when selling Retail or You're Toast <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
By Bob Phibbs (<em>The Retail Doctor</em>)</div>
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<br />
Steve was a very good salesman. <br />
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">He had enthusiasm; he had product know</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">ledge, and he had a swagger to his presentations. </span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">He wanted to help as many people as possible - </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">to</span></em> <em><span style="font-weight: 400;">get ‘em in and quickly get ‘em out</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> when closing a sale, so he could then go onto the next customer.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">About half the shoppers who encountered him thought he was fun and a bit outrageous.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">But he had a finite time he’d given himself to wait on someone. If the customer wanted to bond a bit and enjoy his company...dicey.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Once their allotted time was up, Steve would try to close the sale before the customer had been convinced of the worth of the item with some of those awful </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">closing techniques</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">. </span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Remember these 60’s closing techniques?</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;"><a name='more'></a></span><br />
<strong>The Alternative of Choice Close</strong><br />
<em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Would you like to put it on layaway or take it today?</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">...implying they can only say </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">yes</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to buying it.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span><br />
<strong>The Porcupine Close</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">… assuming when they say </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">yes</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, the sale is as good as done.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Customer: </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Does this come in black?</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Steve: </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Would you like it in black?</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></em><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">I always hoped someone would counter, “I’ll play your silly game. Why would I have asked if I didn’t want it?”</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span><br />
<strong>The Assumptive Close</strong><br />
<em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Would you like this in a box or a bag?</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">...implying it's a done deal which gives customers the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">bum’s rush.</span></em><br />
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Those are awful ways to provide customer service or sell something.</span></h2>
But I get it...<br />
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<strong>There can be so much frustration when you can’t close a sale quickly.</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Your customer might finally reveal, “We were just killing time today to see how low a price you’d go.” Ugh!</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Or while you were with your customer, you might have seen a customer you helped earlier come back and simply say, “I’ll take it,</span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">”</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to another employee.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Or you might have seen other salespeople ring up big sales. And if you work on commission, you know it only takes </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">one</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> of those sales to dine at Morton’s instead of McDonald’s.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">When it gets right down to, “</span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Will they buy it from me today?”</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> you have to have built up the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">value</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> of you as a salesperson </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">and</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> the value of the product or you will lose the sale.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">That’s because...</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Customers are wondering if your widget, your service, or your product they are about to spend a big old pile of money on is going to do what they want and need it to do.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;">And they’ll safeguard their wallet - either physical or digital - until they feel safe.</span><br />
<h2>
<strong>How do you build that safety, that <em>value</em>?</strong></h2>
<strong>By slowing the heck down…</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
A recent WSJ article, <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-slower-you-shop-the-more-you-spend-1445359614" target="_blank"><strong><em>The Slower You Shop, the More You Spend </em></strong></a>revealed <span style="font-weight: 400;">stores that slow the shopper down and involve more storytelling saw a 20-40% rise in sales. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Let that sink in...20-40%.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Candace Corlett, president of WSL Strategic Retail said, “The core of slow shopping is to make it interesting and engaging, versus online shopping, which is quick and easy.”</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span> </div>
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<strong>Contrast that with retailers pushing for ways to get customers in and out fast. </strong></div>
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<strong></strong> </div>
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That might be a holdover from most marketing programs which are designed for the <em>quick and easy</em>. They try to acquire and attract new customers with discounts versus spending the time and money to retain those who shopped with them prior.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">A 2014 Econsultancy <a href="http://www.retailwire.com/discussion/18614/stop-chasing-loyalty-program-members-you-have-enough-already" target="_blank">survey</a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> bears this out. While 47 percent of retailers indicated they would spend equally on both acquiring and retaining customers; 34 percent would invest more in acquiring new customers, while only 18 percent would spend more on retention. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Here's the real kicker to that...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span> </div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Some programs, in fact, spend up to </span><strong>75 percent</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> of their time and money solely on acquisition.</span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span> </h3>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<em><span style="font-weight: 400;">They’re like Steve running around trying to get every sale.</span></em></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<em><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></em> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Yet as the study showed, existing customers are far more likely to spend more money and spend more frequently. They are also more likely to try new products, and refer new customers which contribute more to your profitability than just acquiring new customers.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<em><span style="font-weight: 400;">But it takes time to get customers, whether new or existing, to buy.</span></em></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<em><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></em> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">When done right however, you build up enough <em>value</em> when selling that you are trustworthy.</span></div>
<h2>
<strong>8 Ways You Build Value While Selling:</strong></h2>
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Greet the customer as if they are making </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">your</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> day, not like you are making </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">theirs</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></div>
</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400; text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Find something in common with what you see about them.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400; text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Welcome their stories and share your own.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400; text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Modulate your personality so the stranger can hear you in the way they want to hear you.<br /><em>See also, <a href="http://www.retaildoc.com/blog/how-using-personality-styles-helps-you-make-more-retail-sales" target="_blank"><strong>How Using Personality Styles Helps You Make More Retail Sales</strong></a></em></span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400; text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Listen, really </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">listen</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to what is important to the shopper. Rarely is it price alone. They want to look better, feel better, brag, gain forgiveness...you name it.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400; text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Confirm what you think you’ve heard them say before ever trying to fix or answer their needs.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400; text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Point out <em>only</em> the benefits the shopper was looking for, and never vomit endless features that some rep told you were really interesting. <em>They are never universal.</em></span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Encourage the customer to share with you how the gift was received, how the project finished up, how the big night went...and then remember </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">them</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<strong><em>That all takes time.</em></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<strong><em></em></strong> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">And generally it takes time you already have....</span></div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Instead of hanging out at the register bitching about how you have to work late or about what some </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">nobody</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> did on Facebook or how slow it is, take the time to spend time with a customer.</span></h2>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">You may only get four people in today who will buy from you.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Even if you’re lucky and more people come in...remember, you </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">have</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> the time.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Remember too, customer shopping habits have changed. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<strong>No one goes on a leisurely walk through the mall just for kicks and giggles.</strong></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<strong></strong> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">They are more likely to want to <em>buy something</em> as a reward for their effort of researching online, driving to a brick and mortar store, having to find a place to park, and then walking in when they could have stayed home and clicked a mouse.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">But I get it, most retailers have given employees only cursory retail sales training at best, so employees are left on their own to take the quick route and try to make a sale…and that’s why "<em>T</em></span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">his is on SALE today" </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">becomes their default closing technique</span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></em></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<em><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></em> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">They’ll never highlight why a product's value is worth consideration or try to overcome price objections. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">They’ll just be happy the customer leaves them alone long enough so they can get back to Planet Facebook or Planet Snapchat.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">And slowing down with others allows us to slow down for ourselves. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Instead of running to the next shiny object or app to distract our own culpability for being bored and disinterested, we can listen with our hearts to how we are treating ourselves. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">And from that self-knowledge choose to change that with the next person walking in.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></em> </div>
<h2>
<strong>In Sum</strong></h2>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">When everything is price, price, price, <em>nothing</em> has value.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">While your marketing department may tout how <em>quick</em> someone can get in and get out or how low your prices are, to profitably sell your merchandise, you have to get out of the desire for a speedy close and concentrate on providing </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">value</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> at every level of your customer’s journey in your store.</span><strong><strong><br /></strong></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Don't allow your rush of trying to close every sale make you impatient or you’ll be stuck selling on price </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">forever</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">...and <em>never</em> on the value you offer.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: 400;">To View Original Article: <a href="http://www.retaildoc.com/blog/stop-trying-to-speedily-closing-a-sale-slow-down-selling-retail-or-you-are-toast">http://www.retaildoc.com/blog/stop-trying-to-speedily-closing-a-sale-slow-down-selling-retail-or-you-are-toast</a></span></div>
One Step Retail Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276319508840587863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-340544981974837072.post-78688750741169261452015-10-29T13:54:00.000-07:002015-10-29T13:54:54.705-07:00Kit and Ace Clothing Traces Routes to Vancouver and Lululemon <span class="byline__by">By</span> <span class="byline__author"> Guy Saddy </span> <time class="basic-article__dateline" datetime="
October 29, 2015"> October 29, 2015 </time> <br />
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<a class="icon-email social-share-list__icon" href="mailto:?subject=From Travel and Leisure: Kit and Ace Clothing Traces Routes to Vancouver and Lululemon &body=Craving a good getaway? Check out this story from Travel and Leisure: %0Ahttp://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/kit-and-ace-clothing-lululemon-vancouver%0A%0A More from T+L: %0A Best Places to Travel in 2015 - http://www.travelandleisure.com/slideshows/best-places-to-travel-in-2015 %0A It List 2015: World’s Best New Hotels - http://www.travelandleisure.com/slideshows/it-list-the-best-new-hotels %0A T+L’s Best New Restaurants : 2015 Edition - http://www.travelandleisure.com/slideshows/tls-best-new-restaurants-2015-edition"></a> </div>
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<img alt="Expansion of Kit and Ace Stores" height="249" src="http://www.travelandleisure.com/sites/default/files/styles/tnl_redesign_article_landing_page/public/ace-stores-kit1015.jpg?itok=jxXwLBC1" width="400" /> </div>
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</figure><span style="font-size: large;">The pioneer of "technical cashmere" is a famed Canadian export.</span><br />
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Lululemon founder and former CEO Chip Wilson has left his mark on Vancouver—and on the backsides of yoga wear devotees who have made the brand a global success. But locally, his influence doesn’t, er, “end” with stretchy pants. From giving $8 million to kickstart the <a href="http://www.kpu.ca/design" target="_blank">Chip and Shannon Wilson School of Design at Vancouver’s Kwantlen Polytechnic University</a>, to donating the “<a href="http://www.vancouverbiennale.com/artworks/a-maze-ing-laughter/" target="_blank">laughing men</a>” statues—a much-loved sculptural installation by Chinese artist Yue Minjun which, thanks to the Wilsons, now has a permanent home near Vancouver’s English Bay—the Wilson’s philanthropic imprint has been as significant as their fashion legacy.<br />
<br />
Chip Wilson changed the way we work out. (Or at least the way we dress when we pretend we’re going to work out.) But now, Wilson’s wife, Shannon, and son J.J. want to change the way we work—and kick back—with their new fashion venture, <a href="http://www.kitandace.com/" target="_blank">Kit and Ace</a>.<br />
<br />
Launched in the summer of 2014, the first Kit and Ace opened in Vancouver’s Gastown. Occupying a premiere berth on Water Street, their flagship space is hard to ignore: from the exterior’s green painted facade with its stylized white “A,” to its clean, uncluttered interior, the space is defined by a slick yet casual aesthetic, one which is mirrored in the company’s clothing line.<br />
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Using what Kit and Ace calls “technical cashmere”—generally, a blend of Mongolian cashmere, cotton, and synthetic fabrics—their aim is to produce streetwear that is elegant, luxurious, and easy to care for. (The fabrics are preshrunk and machine washable.) Although perhaps best known for their men’s and women’s tees, the line includes everything from dresses, skirts, and scarves, to pants, hoodies, and bombers, at price points that are far from prohibitive: tee shirts start at just over $50, while the wraps top out around $300.</div>
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Expansion has been rapid, and the brand currently has retail stores across Canada and the U.S., as well as in Australia and Britain—it’s latest Vancouver outpost opened in Kitsilano this summer. As with Lululemon, Kit and Ace are committed to giving back; <a href="http://imagine1dayusa.org/" target="_blank">imagine1day</a>, an organization founded by the Wilsons to help give Ethiopians access to education, is a prominent side project.<br />
<br />
Ultimately, though, it’s the clothes that will make or break the brand. Like the laughing man statues at English Bay, we are … optimistic.<br />
<em></em><br />
<em>Guy Saddy covers the Vancouver and other beats for </em>Travel + Leisure<em>. </em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>View the original article here: <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/kit-and-ace-clothing-lululemon-vancouver">http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/kit-and-ace-clothing-lululemon-vancouver</a></em>One Step Retail Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276319508840587863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-340544981974837072.post-90526002043470187272015-10-29T12:00:00.000-07:002015-10-29T12:00:02.022-07:007 Tricks to Increasing Your Conversion Rate on Your Website<div class="addthis_bar addthis_bar_spacer addthis_bar_top at-topBottom-animateOut">
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<span class="s1">If you’ve been receiving a high volume of site traffic but aren’t seeing an increase in new subscribers or interested customers, you may have a conversion problem. If that’s the case, focusing on conversions could actually be more beneficial than trying to increase traffic any further.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">After all, if you’re sending new traffic to a website that isn’t fully optimized, you’re letting potential business leads slip through the cracks. </span><span id="more-7982"></span></div>
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<span class="s1">Optimizing your website doesn’t have to be an incredibly time-consuming affair either. By implementing a few of seven simple tricks below, you can make your website more attractive to your visitors, boost conversion rates and profit as a result.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">1. Use Simple Language</span></h2>
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<span class="s1">Clarity is king when you’re looking to persuade. If your website copy is stuffed with jargon, you’re not doing your visitors any favors. </span></div>
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Don’t write for companies. Don’t write for experts in your field. Don’t write to show off your expertise. Write for customers who are going to buy your product. Write for real people.</div>
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<span class="s1">A good rule of thumb is to write as if you’re writing to a five year old. This has nothing to do with intelligence or comprehension levels, it’s simply a useful trick that forces you to break things down in a clear and coherent manner. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">If you wouldn’t use a certain word or phrase in regular conversation, cut it out or reword the sentence. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">2. Make Your Value Proposition Clear</span></h2>
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<span class="s1">Your value proposition is the main reason your customers are going to buy from you. It’s what differentiates you from your competition and is the key element that persuades your customers to take action.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">To craft a good value proposition you need to be clear about what your company offers and how it’s unique. This must be woven together with a clear description of the value you’re going to deliver to your visitor.</span></div>
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Itunes has an incredible value proposition that immediately makes you understand their offer.</div>
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<span class="s1">It’s important to utilize split-testing (mentioned below) to really nail down your value proposition and ensure you’re speaking directly to the heart of your customers’ needs. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">3. Perform Simple Split-Testing</span></h2>
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Google Content Experiments enables you to test and track different variations of your website.</div>
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<span class="s1">One of the best ways of increasing your conversion rate is to split-test aspects of your website to see what’s actually working. You can play the guessing game all you want but it’s hard to beat data.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">To split test certain pages on your website, you can use a tool like <a href="https://support.google.com/analytics/topic/1745146" target="_blank">Google Content Experiments</a> (found inside <a href="http://www.google.com/analytics/" target="_blank">Google Analytics</a>). This allows you to create two different versions of your page, one with a slightly modified element. The tool will direct 50% of the traffic to one page and the other 50% to the second page. The page with the higher conversion wins!</span></div>
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<span class="s1">The most important elements of your website you’ll want to test are: your page headline, the layout of your website, your call-to-action, any colors that are used, any media used, and overall layout of your content.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">4. Ensure You Have an Active Sales Funnel</span></h2>
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<span class="s1">You need to be sure you’re asking for the sale at the right phase of the buying cycle. Sometimes, when a visitor lands on your website they aren’t ready to buy from you yet. When you push for the sale too soon, you risk making potential purchasers uncomfortable and driving them away from your site.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Many sales processes benefit from slowing things down a touch, providing value and building trust before you ask customers to put money on the line.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">The best way to build trust and showcase your expertise is by implementing the repeatable process below:</span></div>
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<li class="li1">Create consistently valuable advice <a href="http://www.clickx.io/blogging-beginners-blog-using-seo-best-practices/" target="_blank">through your blog</a> and other forms of content.</li>
<li class="li1">Offer a <a href="http://www.clickx.io/recharge/" target="_blank">free report</a>, or other valuable offer, in exchange for an email address.</li>
<li class="li1">Give users valuable content via email over time.</li>
<li class="li1">Ask for the sale.</li>
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<span class="s1">5. Build a Higher Degree of Trust</span></h2>
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<span class="s1">We only buy things from people we trust. </span><span class="s1">By incorporating specific “trust builders” into your website, you’ll increase your chances<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>of your customers taking the desired action. Here are some evergreen options:</span></div>
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<li class="li1">Showcase customer support in the form of testimonials, social proof, and case studies.</li>
<li class="li1">Highlight your expertise by linking to any third-party organizations, local groups or relevant publications that have vouched for your company in the past.</li>
<li class="li1">Include an <a href="http://www.clickx.io/why-choose-us/" target="_blank">About page</a> and provide multiple means of <a href="http://www.clickx.io/contact-us/" target="_blank">contacting</a> your company directly.</li>
<li class="li1">Show visitors you’re approachable with realistic company and staff photos and make sure your site projects a professional air.</li>
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<span class="s1"><b>6. Simplify the Decision Making Process</b></span></h2>
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<span class="s1">Your goal should be to make taking action as simple for your visitor as possible. The highest converting websites are those which are the most intuitive and easy to use. Could someone with very little technical knowledge sign up for your newsletter? Or schedule a free consultation? Use the tips below to nudge your website in the right direction:</span></div>
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<ul>
<li class="p1"><strong>Hold your visitor’s hand:</strong> Always guide your users towards the action you want them to take. Leave nothing up to chance. Make the next step the easiest and most logical step to take.</li>
<li class="p1"><strong>Make it easy to sign up:</strong> The less fields you require from your visitor, the better the chances of them filling in a sign-up form. When you’re asking users to fill out an opt-in form, try to reduce required form data to the absolute essentials.</li>
<li class="p1"><strong>Minimize your visitor’s options:</strong> <span class="s1">The more choices you ask your users to make, the more likely it is they’ll do nothing at all. Make it easy on your visitors by limiting the number of options put before them at any given time. </span></li>
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<span class="s1">7. Utilize Proof Wherever Possible</span></h2>
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<span class="s1">Whenever you make a claim about a product or service you need to back it up with some kind of proof. The larger the request you’re making, the more proof you’re going to need.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">For instance, if you’re trying to get a user to part with their email address, a simple testimonial from an authority or past customer will do. If you’re looking for them to purchase, more might be required.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">When you’re trying to get your visitor to take a higher-level action, you’re going to need to provide more evidence. Some solid methods of doing this include:</span></div>
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<ul class="ul1">
<li class="li1">Testimonials from past customers who’ve already achieved stellar results using your product or service.</li>
<li class="li1">Before-and-after case studies from customers.</li>
<li class="li1">Results from studies which support your claims.</li>
<li class="li1">Number of followers or subscribers (if the numbers are large enough).</li>
</ul>
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<span class="s1">8. (Bonus) Remove All Distractions</span></h2>
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<span class="s1">If you’re distracting users with pop-ups, sidebars and too many requests, your visitor won’t be able to focus. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">The more visual distractions you have, the harder it is for someone to make a decision. If your website<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>utilizes any landing pages, or special consulting or service pages, then consider removing the following elements:</span></div>
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<li class="li1">Unnecessary navigation menus.</li>
<li class="li1">Any sidebars or distracting headers.</li>
<li class="li1">Images and videos that aren’t associated with your product.</li>
</ul>
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<span class="s1">If it’s not directly related to the topic of the page, remove it.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">In Closing</span></h2>
Increasing your conversions doesn’t have to be difficult. However, it does require an in-depth understanding of your customer and the ability to consistently experiment.<br />
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Remember, optimizing your conversion rate is a long-term game. Over time, you’ll learn more about your market and you’ll be able to react ever more swiftly to better serve your customers’ needs.<br />
By implementing a few of the tricks above, you’ll be able to create an optimization strategy that evolves with your business over time and substantially boost profits.<br />
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<strong>Any conversion tips we missed? Share your favorite ones in the comments below! </strong><br />
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<img alt="" src="" style="display: none;" /><img alt="" src="" style="display: none;" /></span>One Step Retail Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276319508840587863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-340544981974837072.post-16035980696482444862015-10-28T12:00:00.000-07:002015-10-28T12:00:00.071-07:006 Social Media Strategies Every Small Business Should Try <div class="scrolled" id="main">
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All businesses, especially small businesses, must endeavor to understand and maximize their use of social media to grow their business.<br />
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While many business owners may be quick to dismiss social media as part of their marketing, social media offers almost many possibilities for engaging with customers – both existing and new.<br />
Here are six ideas to get you started on maximizing your use of social media.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh98LexdK2WWjJxg2LaCqNgHt4UxiqgHx9WKRJQsaZ5ttyRGm_ubughhOp4aet5xWpHHqGlHZscLt9IqrhXalVRfbRk2KZgexoWUeF-nnxsPpNb_lidCapJzfxwRB4ADuFinKf_7rSPYvvG/s1600/Clickx-Blog-6SocialStrats.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh98LexdK2WWjJxg2LaCqNgHt4UxiqgHx9WKRJQsaZ5ttyRGm_ubughhOp4aet5xWpHHqGlHZscLt9IqrhXalVRfbRk2KZgexoWUeF-nnxsPpNb_lidCapJzfxwRB4ADuFinKf_7rSPYvvG/s400/Clickx-Blog-6SocialStrats.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<ol>
<li><strong> Run a Contest </strong></li>
</ol>
One of the easiest ways to create buzz around your business is to run a contest on your social channels. Are you a restaurant? Ask your followers to choose the next dessert you add to your menu and offer the winner a free dinner. If you’re a local dog grooming business, ask for submissions for the cutest dog – winner gets a month’s worth of grooming services!<br />
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Running a contest will give you instant popularity on social channels among your already loyal fans <em>and </em>their friends. You don’t have to give away much and you stand to gain a lot by getting people excited about your business and the potential of winning.<br />
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<li><strong> Get Reviews </strong></li>
</ol>
Positive reviews are crucial for small businesses. Local businesses such as restaurants, coffee shops and auto shops can benefit from the endorsement of happy customers.<br />
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Encourage your customers to leave positive reviews about your business on social platforms like Yelp, Google+ or Facebook. Reviews will go a long way in helping you gain new business. It even matters when it comes to ranking for local searches.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieiewgAxq4ToSvSsbiOJfs7FAbHB3eSwgfARxOM7ooXUjL8dW3KpMUjAXtK6d_xaNZZrTdayDpHkJgCNnrdh_5fi04gc0nRbfhXhqhnRXOnaVMhGC_07OE2SFUQlPC4M7jRiqsuRJOVW70/s1600/Screen-Shot-2015-10-15-at-5_00_20-PM_censored.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieiewgAxq4ToSvSsbiOJfs7FAbHB3eSwgfARxOM7ooXUjL8dW3KpMUjAXtK6d_xaNZZrTdayDpHkJgCNnrdh_5fi04gc0nRbfhXhqhnRXOnaVMhGC_07OE2SFUQlPC4M7jRiqsuRJOVW70/s400/Screen-Shot-2015-10-15-at-5_00_20-PM_censored.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<li><strong> Give Something Away </strong></li>
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Everyone loves freebies. An easy way to get people in the door is to give something away. We’re not saying give the house away – just something to get people to get excited about your business.<br />
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If you’re a local yogurt shop give free yogurt to the first 25 people who show up for a special event or date. If it’s a holiday, give something away for those showing true holiday spirit. A restaurant or bar? Free appetizer with drink purchase.<br />
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The opportunities are endless. A small giveaway will get people in the door and get them to spend.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMtvZWyLYLxn5VryvbHx1vrSssQelS-dwwi0GJY3vexO2KqSSQrUTEsrB3kEonEy-KuRV2d7ZtT163bfEMhgY1Zbe9_j7SXeiv9KhYLcFh3ciSSu2KYhX4btGHcpIBki7Jf73ByjB-Nqng/s1600/Screen-Shot-2015-10-15-at-4_20_38-PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMtvZWyLYLxn5VryvbHx1vrSssQelS-dwwi0GJY3vexO2KqSSQrUTEsrB3kEonEy-KuRV2d7ZtT163bfEMhgY1Zbe9_j7SXeiv9KhYLcFh3ciSSu2KYhX4btGHcpIBki7Jf73ByjB-Nqng/s400/Screen-Shot-2015-10-15-at-4_20_38-PM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<li><strong> Provide Exclusive Offers </strong></li>
</ol>
A great way to keep your followers and fans engaged is to provide them a reason to keep coming back to your website or social profiles. Providing exclusive offers for Facebook fans or the like is an instant way to reward your fans and followers. Not only will they continue to be loyal, but they will continue to be long-time customers.<br />
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Offer special coupon codes or products just for your social followers and you’ll soon start growing your reach on social platforms.<strong> </strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg98B4GxioFLQ5ptvhJri92dUIrH1YvshVuGeavol8IIk5CiD8xBZ3e9bUblF2deteU6UJ3YwfoCcVBLhUR5qEUxyaKIg7dEIaQg6ivykIHgosfKosoYwMWX9sG9V5hta1A8vkdJCaiH2Wu/s1600/Screen-Shot-2015-10-15-at-4_37_37-PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg98B4GxioFLQ5ptvhJri92dUIrH1YvshVuGeavol8IIk5CiD8xBZ3e9bUblF2deteU6UJ3YwfoCcVBLhUR5qEUxyaKIg7dEIaQg6ivykIHgosfKosoYwMWX9sG9V5hta1A8vkdJCaiH2Wu/s400/Screen-Shot-2015-10-15-at-4_37_37-PM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<li><strong> Encourage Sharing </strong></li>
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There’s no better testimonial than a happy customer enjoying your product or service. Encourage your customers to share their experience with your business or product on social media<br />
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If you’re a local shoe boutique, encourage your customers to share photos of their new purchases. A hair salon? How about that great new haircut? A restaurant? How about that awesome burger photo?<br />
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Great engagement with your existing customers is a great way to let other potential customers know just how much your customers love your service or product.<br />
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<li><strong> Say Thanks </strong></li>
</ol>
Your customers are the reason you’re in business. Thank them every opportunity you can! Share handwritten thank you notes or say thanks to your customers for an anniversary or successful event.<br />
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Show customers you appreciate them thanking them when they leave a positive review about your business or products or when they share their satisfaction with your services or products with friends. Not only will they feel great about doing business with you, but everyone on social media will see it too!<br />
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<strong>Social Media for Business – Unlimited Possibilities </strong><br />
Social media offers business owners a multitude of opportunities to engage, endorse, and encourage future purchases and customers. Rather than shying away from social media, small businesses should embrace social media as one of the greatest and most inexpensive tools for reaching new customers and building loyalty.<br />
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These six strategies are just the beginning of what you can do with social media!</div>
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<img alt="" src="" style="display: none;" /><img alt="" src="" style="display: none;" />To View Original Article: <a href="http://www.clickx.io/6-social-media-strategies-every-small-business-try/?utm_content=buffer85d2d&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer">http://www.clickx.io/6-social-media-strategies-every-small-business-try/?utm_content=buffer85d2d&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer</a>One Step Retail Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04276319508840587863noreply@blogger.com