Tantalizing Tips on E-Commerce

If you’ve already begun e-commerce on your website or are just toying with the idea, these tantalizing tips will help you build a successful e-commerce solution and most importantly, close the sale online.

If you’re just starting out, choose a database driven e-commerce solution. Unlike inexpensive e-commerce software packages found in stores and installed on your PC, a database driven e-commerce solution allows you to update your store in real-time wherever you are in the world via the convenience of a web browser. Once you’ve chosen a solution, slowly build your e-commerce functions. Make sure to focus your time on e-commerce basics in order to make sales on the same day you implement online selling capabilities. You can always add more functions and convenience as you progress in your understanding of e-commerce. Source: Small Business

When incorporating e-commerce to a website, everyone is brought back to the basics of website design, website copy, company (service or product) branding, and perceived online community. All of these basics affect the purchasing decisions of customers online. And don’t forget, customers are comparing you against your competitors. Just the other day I was working with a florist to improve her website. The first action I took was to compare her website against her competitors. How did the most successful florists design their websites? What made these websites unique? Then, I searched through my client’s website and other information and identified points that differentiated her business from her competitors. When revising her website, we incorporated the best of her competitors and highlighted her company’s points of differentiation. For a small business and any business, creating a sharp looking website that can rival the “best of the best,” will establish authority and lessen online purchasing anxieties of the risk averse marketplace.

Also, building perceived online community on your website is important. Customers will feel more at home and relaxed on your website persuading them to not only spend time on your website, but also to purchase with you. For the same florist, we spent time revising her website copy to reflect her company’s personality. Instead of an About Us page with just text, we made the text into a letter and included a Meet Your Florist section. On her homepage, we linked to blogs discussing flowers and included more creative text under the descriptions of flower arrangements. All of these small changes reflect company personality. People feel like they are meeting a person and building a relationship rather than being asked to spend money by a company. Ultimately, you must have a website that is already high on functionality and trust in order to implement those concepts into your e-commerce solution and get the most bang for your buck.

Simply focusing on your e-commerce solution, what can you add besides the core basics that will make you more successful at closing the online sale? Taking a page from Amazon, encourage impulse buying by suggesting related products or services. For example, if you are purchasing the X-Men 3 DVD, Amazon may also suggest the Spiderman 2 DVD. Sometimes Amazon will couple two items together offering a special deal if you purchase both. Another way to encourage impulse buying is to associate linked products. If a customer is buying a battery-operated toy, why not offer him batteries too. Also, you can advertise limited time offers on select products or services. All of these techniques increase sales as well as visibility of your online products or services. Source: got www? As you learn more about your customers, you will be able to offer more customized specials and recommendations.

Other tips to persuade online purchasing include specials only occurring online and shipping larger orders for free. Honesty goes a long way with customers so make sure to be upfront about pricing including shipping costs. Source: got www? Don’t forget cost cutting strategies, but remember there will always be companies who can lower their price. Make sure to identify your strengths and unique points in order to differentiate you from your competitors. As always, customer service is key. Many customers are willing to pay more for better customer service. For example, I was willing to break my family plan cell phone contract and pay a cancellation fee of $300 in order to get away from poor customer service. Never underestimate how you treat your customers!

Most importantly, seek out advice from those who have expertise on e-commerce. You don’t want to work with someone for just one time. Choose a web design company that will see you through the different stages of e-commerce as well as market changes and upgrades to your online solutions. Ultimately, you want to find a partner to help you make the most out of your website and e-commerce capabilities.

I hope these tantalizing e-commerce tips help point you in the right direction. If you have any questions or comments, please post and I will respond. At Ripley Designs, Inc., we view all clients as partners and our job is to make you successful. If you would like to re-design your website, your e-commerce solution, or would simply like to start e-commerce capabilities, contact us and we’ll be happy to work with you!

Passionate Blogging is Contagious

“The most powerful thing about blogging isn’t the technology; it’s the massive community driving the blogosphere.”¹

A blogosphere … what a cool concept! Communities once existing purely in the physical are now thriving and growing on the Internet. Now there are so many voices banding together to drive the marketplace. Like in any community, leaders emerge, and in the blogosphere, leaders can be individuals with big ideas.

Do you have big ideas for your company? Your employees? Your industry? Your passion – the passion that drives your company is contagious and blogging is an exciting way to share your passion, gain followers, and lead an industry into the future. The size of your company doesn’t matter because online, it’s the “size” of your ideas and they way you communicate them that makes you a thought leader. Jeremy Wright, author of Blog Marketing, said “Act like you’re small by talking, but think big by not forgetting that real opportunities for growth exist.” You have a power that did not exist for smaller companies in the past, and an important thing to remember is that whether or not you choose to blog, bloggers will continue to blog. The show will go on! By not participating, you choose to forgo your piece of the virtual community that for many companies turns into engaging customer relationships and an increase in physical sales.

If you create a pro, con list of why to and why not to blog, you’ll see that blogging pros far outweighs the cons.

To Blog, or (Pros)

Not to Blog (Cons)

· Helps improve SEO (Search Engine Optimization) on your website · Provides direct communication with customers at little to no cost · Builds your brand and adds visibility · Builds customer relationships · Differentiates you from your competitors · Provides your company the opportunity to be an industry thought leader · Helps identify and exploit niches · Provides another avenue for media/PR · Allows you to manage your reputation as well as address customer concerns · Allows you to communicate better internally, empowering employees to take pride in your company · Streamlines internal intranet and project management functions

· Not enough time in the day? · Fear of writing on the Internet? · Start-up costs? Comparing the pros and cons lists, I want you to figure out how much your company is losing by not blogging. If you set small goals and do a little research on blogging before you start, you will see a return on your investment. When done well, blogging connects you with your customers. As we all know, a better relationship with your customers equals a bigger return on your investments! So, why aren’t you blogging?

Be a passionate leader and start your blogging research today. At Ripley Designs, Inc., we want to see your voice on the Internet! If you are thinking of starting a blog, do not hesitate to contact us. We can help you through the process of becoming an industry thought leader. Make your voice heard today!

¹ Wright, Jeremy. Blog Marketing: The Revolutionary New Way to Increase Sales, Build

Your Brand, and Get Exceptional Results. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2006.

Age of the Six Keys of Marketing

Swimming around in my head has been the dawning of a new era (that is already upon us) in which consumers want to integrate the 6 keys of marketing to purchasing decisions. Below are the 6 keys of marketing and how companies in this new era must respond:

Choice – To provide options among quality products or services that best meets consumer’s wants or needs as they see their wants or needs to be. What choices do you provide? Having choices is not enough. They must be the right choices. (4Ps: Product/Price)

Creativity – To speak to consumers in a way that says, “You are unique and this product or service will compliment your uniqueness” or “You haven’t seen this before and it will enhance your life.” Consumers want to be dazzled. Is your creativity dazzling? (4Ps: Product/Promotion/Placement)

Contribution – To be socially responsible, and successfully market those efforts. Consumers want to give back through purchasing. They say, “I may indulge myself, but also, I’m giving back to those who have not.” Also, they care about how their purchasing decisions affect other issues. Is your company socially responsible … enough? And do I really have to say enough? Consumers are drawn to passions that lead to corporate responsibility. Is it time for a face-lift? (The Heart)

Customization – To create a perfect product or service for the customer. Customers say, “I want this and you better give it to me this way.” Are you ready to respond? How do you know your customers? (4Ps: Product/Price)

Socialization – To create products or services that “fit in.” Does your product or service match the culture? Will friends, peers, and/or colleagues of the consumer also want to purchase the product or service? Does it look, feel, and function like the targeted audience in their environment? (4Ps: Product/Promotion/Placement)

Validation – To assure consumers that they made the right decision. Ties in the other five keys and also includes product or service features such as price, quality, and design. Don’t forget communication! Companies must communicate to their consumers that they have made the best decision by providing superior customer service. (4Ps: Product/Price/Promotion/Placement)

Source: Media Post

Hidden within the six keys of marketing are the same old, same old 4Ps of marketing and rightfully so. Sometimes you throw out the old for the new, but you learn from the old and apply it to the new. So now, instead of marketers being concerned with the 4 Ps of marketing (Price, Product, Promotion, and Placement) alone, they should be primarily concerned with how the 4Ps of marketing integrate into the six keys of marketing. Companies can no longer be distant; like the new kid on the block, they need to have personalities and guts to integrate into the new neighborhood. We want to see our companies alive, making good decisions, and making conversation at our level (whatever level that might be). How will the majority of companies face this new dawning and will it make a difference?

Like everything else marketing is evolving and changing, but have you changed too? Ask yourselves the questions above, even if it seems silly. Have you identified areas that could use some revitalization or increased relevance in the changing market? Would you be drawn to your product or service and why? Are you able to communicate your passion to your target audience? The aura of the six keys of marketing revolves around the basic principles of listening and responding in order to discover the language of your target audience (Source: Web Development Community). Equipped with the same language, create marketing strategies that will best reflect those whom you serve, and have those reflections be consistent throughout all of your marketing methods.

Just last week, we were helping a client improve the creative aspect of his brochures to better link the marketing message between his brochures and his website. It’s what we are here for, to help you listen and respond with creativity. If you have any questions about how to begin the revitalization process, don’t hesitate to contact us at Ripley Designs, Inc. Our marketing expertise is waiting for you!

GET YOUR SMILE ON AT 19TH STREET DENTAL

Atlantic Station’s Premier Dental Center

Atlanta, GA (April 18, 2007) – Dr. Trushar Patel has just launched his new website, www.19thstreetdental.com, to enhance the hallmarks of his dental practice, convenience and comfort. Through the website, potential patients and patients alike will be able to access information on various procedures and address any pressing dental concerns.

Whether your interested in cosmetic dentistry, whitening, veneers, crowns, bridges, bonding, dental implants, children’s dentistry, general preventative dentistry, complex restorative dentistry, or dentures, 19^th Street Dental is equipped with the latest technologies and techniques to restore natural looking teeth and deliver optimum care. Uniquely, in order to expedite the check-in process, the practice provides a Fast Check-in Kiosk computer in the waiting lounge. At 19^th Street Dental, you will notice the extra ways in which Dr. Patel provides superior care and convenience for his patients.

During your first visit, Dr. Patel will make sure you receive special attention and you will develop a specific treatment plan to address your unique Oral Health. He says, “A beautiful smile is one of your greatest assets and is a reflection of happiness, confidence, high self-esteem, and good health.” To learn more about Dr. Patel and his practice, check out his new website, www.19thstreetdental.com, and don’t forget to get your smile on!

19^th Street Dental is located in Atlantic Station, an environmentally friendly live-work-play village situated at the crossroads of I-75 and I-85 in Atlanta, GA. Visit 19^th Street Dental at www.19thstreetdental.com or 19th Street, Suite 7200, Atlanta, GA 30363. Call 19th Street Dental at (404) 567-8900!

Ripley Designs, Inc. was the happy creator of www.19thstreetdental.com. Check out our services at www.ripleydesigns.com.

Get 'Em Done Right

With the rise of the Internet, marketers have had a field day. Now, we can implement e-mail marketing campaigns that allow us to reach numerous customers over and over again without nearly the cost it would take to implement a direct mail campaign. Just think about it … no more do we have to pay for paper, printing, or distribution. Marketers everywhere should be squealing with delight! Of course, like any hot item out there, there are still pros and cons about e-mail marketing. Most of the time e-mail marketing campaigns are a hassle for small and medium-sized companies. I learned this very quickly in my first job, promoting a small community program. I wanted to reach my target audience and I wasn’t sure how. I put together an e-mail marketing campaign and began distribution through Outlook Express. What I didn’t realize was the amount of time and effort it would take to measure the effectiveness of my e-mails against SPAM as well as just organizing e-mails that bounced back or weren’t read, etc. (And, yes, my Outlook Express got jammed with incoming and outgoing messages). With so many variables, it’s easy to get confused! So really, the cons of e-mail marketing are consequences of the inexperienced trying to hold on to and maintain their own e-mail marketing campaigns without any advice or assistance. No matter how small the e-mail marketing campaign, you must delegate somebody to maintain the information full-time; otherwise, you run the risk of management errors that will most likely cost your company customers and efficiency ($$).

We create e-mail marketing campaigns to increase our company’s visibility, attract new customers, and increase sales. In order for companies to get their money’s worth, you must make sure that your e-mail marketing campaigns are done correctly, and also, that your company implements an e-mail marketing campaign that works for you. In order to pull yourself away from the I’ll-do-it-myself mentality, you should check out the services at Constant Contact.

Constant Contact will help you manage your e-mail marketing campaign through a series of wonderful tools. Your company can choose from numerous templates to make professional and personalized e-mails and then, download unlimited contact lists for distribution. The reporting function is by the far the most exciting! Right before your eyes, you can watch the information soar in and find out who opened your e-mails and what they clicked on. Other features include SafeUnsubscribe^TM and bounce management. Depending on your contact list, you can afford Constant Contact for as low as $15/month. It’s worth looking into for both small and medium-sized businesses! Source: Constant Contact

Click here to check out another Constant Contact review.

So if you’re not sure what kind of marketing campaign to implement, remember that e-mail marketing campaigns are: inexpensive, effective at driving traffic and increasing sales, immediate, targeted, and easy (with management programs like Constant Contact). At Ripley Designs, Inc., we can lead you through the process of e-mail marketing and manage your Constant Contact account for you. Whatever you choose to do, you should feel in control of your e-mail marketing campaigns even if that means giving control to those you trust who will get the job done right.

Trumpets? You Have Trumpets?

How does your company celebrate when you welcome a new player to the team? Do you throw a party? Send a card or flowers? Treat the entire staff to a day at Six Flags? Well, at Ripley Designs, Inc., we roll out the red carpet and sound the trumpets (Yes, we have trumpets.) Today, we welcome a talented player to our creative Ripley Designs, Inc. Team. As the new Director of Business Development, Bethany Thompson is eager to learn more about you and your company.

Bethany found her way to us from the Central Valley of California with a mission to strengthen your marketing strategy and improve your bottom-line through print and web marketing. She can help with marketing content whether in brochures, (e-) newsletters, websites, etc. Or, if you are interested in upgrading your current marketing strategy, Bethany will analyze your current strategies and provide recommendations for improving your position within your targeted audience. She has a rich history of working with both small and large companies to improve their community image as well as spread the word about their products or services. As a member of our team, Bethany looks forward to new challenges and new solutions working for your organization.

Already, Ripley Designs provides search engine optimization, search engine submission, web marketing, web design, web hosting, e-commerce, corporate blogging, e-mail marketing, database development and more! Bethany will be able to enhance our bottom-line by adding more marketing expertise to our services. No matter what your marketing dilemma might be Ripley Designs, Inc. is in position to effectively guide you through the marketing process. We welcome her to our company and we are ready to roll out the red carpet and sound the trumpets to welcome you as a new customer!

More about our new team player:

Bethany graduated from the University of Maryland – College Park in 2005 with a double Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing and Logistics, Transportation and Supply Chain Management. Shortly after graduation, she married her favorite Naval Officer and moved to Valdosta, GA where she worked as a Starbucks Shift Supervisor. Upon moving to Corpus Christi, TX (for her husband’s third phase of flight training), Bethany secured the position of Director of Industry Outreach Program at the Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce. In this role, she managed a newly awarded workforce development contract between the Chamber and the local workforce development board. She developed a vital position and built a community program to address industrial and technical workforce shortages in the 12-county Coastal Bend region. Her duties included: project and partnership development/management, business and program consultation, marketing development and issue awareness, research, survey coordination, and analysis, and website structure development and maintenance.

Bethany was born in Bridgeport, CT; however, she was born to a nomadic family and left the northeast after 5 years. Throughout childhood, she lived in Texas, Florida, California, and Georgia – moving to some states twice at different times. Living in a constant state of transition, Bethany learned to be flexible. Along the way, she interacted with many types of people, developing in her an effective, but adaptable management style. Her past experiences dedicate her to building long-lasting partnerships in order to make a difference in organizations and communities.

Excuse Me ... May I Have Your Permission?

Traditional mass-media marketing has met its match in the marketplace. And who or what has thrown the gauntlet? The answer is you … consumers who have had enough with annoying interruptions. Gone are the days when mass marketing alone would imprint company brands into the minds of consumers and lead to a sustainable consumer-company relationship. No, because consumers are bombarded every day by approximately 3,000 marketing messages on television, t-shirts, magazines, newspapers, the Internet, billboards, buses, etc. we are fighting back by opting-out. We ignore mass-media marketing and each day companies waste millions to billions of dollars on messages that are not taking root.

Marketers everywhere, there must be another way to break through the opt-out frenzy! Seth Godin, author of Permission Marketing and Founder and CEO of Yoyodyne, the industry’s leading interactive direct marketing company (acquired by Yahoo! in late 1998), pioneered a new way of marketing that builds brands and relationships between consumers and companies (http://www.sethgodin.com/sg/bio.html). Godin writes, “You tell consumers a little something about your company and its products, they tell you a little something about themselves, you tell them a little more, they tell you a little more – and over time, you create a mutually beneficial learning relationship” (http://www.fastcompany.com/online/14/permission.html). By definition permission marketing (also known as opt-in marketing) is “centered around obtaining customer consent to receive information from a company” (www.marketingterms.com). So, how do companies persuade consumers to give consent to marketing messages much less seek out opportunities to opt-in?

As Godin continues, “the first rule of permission marketing is that it’s based on selfishness.” Companies have to give a little to get a little and also, make the getting fun and interactive for consumers. Therefore, permission marketing is coupled with game shows, contests, or sweepstakes. For example, Yoyodyne created an online game centered on Carter-Wallace’s Arrid XX “Get a Little Closer” campaign. Traditional print and Web banners marketed the chance to win a trip to the Caribbean and more than 30,000 people responded. During the course of the game, the average player received 24 e-mails. Players were required to read the e-mails to stay in the game, and after 700,000 e-mails, Yoyodyne did some research. They found out that the likelihood of purchase had doubled, from 24% to 49%, and amazingly, 25% of players had already bought Arid XX during the game. (http://www.fastcompany.com/online/14/permission.html) Through permission marketing, Carter-Wallace was able to build a relationship with game players forming trust and a thirst for more chances to win.

Of course, once you have consumers’ attention, it’s important to have developed your message and method of delivery, something Godin calls marketing curriculum. Companies must be ready to dazzle their opt-in consumers in order to build trust and make the most from their online relationships. However, permission marketing does not stop at “game players.” From there, it creates dedicated consumers who continue to penetrate the untapped market and push through the background noise.

Now that we’ve seen how a large company conducts permission marketing, how is it relevant to small businesses? Most consumers will give when they have been given too. We must remember what Godin says, “The first rule in permission marketing is that it’s based on selfishness.” What can your company give in order to build relationships with new customers? For smaller companies, permission marketing may even be easier because these companies tend to know their customers better and it is through these relationships that they continue to thrive. One way to conduct permission marketing as a small company is to offer a discount on services or products in return for an e-blast response opting-in for the company e-newsletter. On the e-newsletter include a Q&A section where consumers can ask questions and get answers. The possibilities for permission marketing are limitless. Companies need only be creative, and say “Excuse me … may I have your permission?

Why Hire a Graphic Designer?

First impressions are EVERYTHING, especially in business. The moment you meet a prospective client, you are judged in every category: hair, accessories, clothes, shoes, your handshake, the expression on your face, and your business card.

Your business card is the first piece of information you give to your new potential client, and it says a lot about who you are as a professional businessperson. However, your logo identity and business card can either make or break that new deal with your prospective client.

Frequently, many new business entrepreneurs try to do everything themselves, even create their own logo identity, business card and business stationary on their own personal PC. However, many fail to realize the importance of hiring a professional graphic designer to do the job for them. They cut corners to save money by doing the work themselves, instead of hiring a graphic designer first, who will not only save them money, but time as well.

Many graphic designers are extremely knowledgeable and talented when it comes to creating your company image. They understand the use and importance of fonts, color, weight, balance, style, contrast, paper, printing, etc…and they have the education and experience to create an identity that reflects your company image. They know the rules, and they know how to break the rules.

As a creative director myself, I have run into many new business entrepreneurs who have created their own company identity, and I cringe each time I get a business card that was printed on perforated paper from a desktop printer. Is this the impression you want for your business?

I try to talk to those clients and recommend that we sit down and have a meeting to discuss how I can help them brand their company image, but many shrug at my suggestion leaving me to wonder, “Are they really attracting the clients they want for their business?”

If you’re a business entrepreneur and you either created your own company image or are in the process of creating your company image, ask yourself the following questions, “ Why? Are you able to get the project finished on time with the exact look you want? Do you know how to prepare your artwork for a printer (Microsoft Word, Publisher and Power Point does not count)? Can you talk the talk when you speak to a printer? Does your current image project the identity you want for your company? “

If not, then why aren’t you looking for a graphic designer?