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06/06/2019
B2B eCommerce platforms are providing the capability for businesses to place their
orders online with the same ease as they would buying from a B2C platform. With the evolution
of the digital age, industries are looking for the quickest, easiest, and most convenient ways to
get the products from their supplier and in the hands of their customers.
So what does this mean for the B2B sales representatives? Should they be worried about being outsourced to an eCommerce platform? The answer is: absolutely not. Sales representatives are still a vital part of a company's structure. However, with an eCommerce platform, their time can be used more efficiently instead of spending their time taking routine orders from existing customers.
All the way back in 2015, Forrester posted a report, titled “Death of a (B2B) Salesman," that said 93% of buyers prefer buying from an online platform rather than a salesman when they've already decided what to buy. Again, this was all the way back in 2015 and here we are, four years later in 2019. We are in the middle of the digital era. The question now is: how can salesman use their time more efficiently? Well, without having to do their routine orders anymore, they have a lot more time to focus on… well… sales. Salesman can now focus on growing the business and reaching potential customers and converting them into new clients.
A company still needs sales representatives, but they don't need them for reorders anymore, and frankly the customer doesn't want them for reorders anymore. Sales representatives are needed to spread the business and increase revenue through new clientele, yet it's hard for them to find the time to do that when they're dealing with simple reorders. A B2B eCommerce platform enables sales representatives to have the time to expand the business while simultaneously creating an easier buying process for the buyers.
Author: E. Sutter
So what does this mean for the B2B sales representatives? Should they be worried about being outsourced to an eCommerce platform? The answer is: absolutely not. Sales representatives are still a vital part of a company's structure. However, with an eCommerce platform, their time can be used more efficiently instead of spending their time taking routine orders from existing customers.
All the way back in 2015, Forrester posted a report, titled “Death of a (B2B) Salesman," that said 93% of buyers prefer buying from an online platform rather than a salesman when they've already decided what to buy. Again, this was all the way back in 2015 and here we are, four years later in 2019. We are in the middle of the digital era. The question now is: how can salesman use their time more efficiently? Well, without having to do their routine orders anymore, they have a lot more time to focus on… well… sales. Salesman can now focus on growing the business and reaching potential customers and converting them into new clients.
A company still needs sales representatives, but they don't need them for reorders anymore, and frankly the customer doesn't want them for reorders anymore. Sales representatives are needed to spread the business and increase revenue through new clientele, yet it's hard for them to find the time to do that when they're dealing with simple reorders. A B2B eCommerce platform enables sales representatives to have the time to expand the business while simultaneously creating an easier buying process for the buyers.
Author: E. Sutter
06/05/2019
According to an article, written by Peter Economy and titled "
The (Millennial)
Workplace of the Future Is Almost Here -- These 3 Things Are About to Change Big Time
,"
from Inc. it's forecasted that by next year (2020), the millennial generation is to comprise half of
the American workforce. The same article goes further and suggests that by 2025, 75% of the
global workforce will be run by millennials.
When we hear the word millennial, we picture the stereotypical generation that is glued to their phones or laptops and consistently updating their social media pages. Well, this is true. Yet, if we look at the bigger picture, this is the generation that has grown up with technology and quite literally, doesn't know how to live without it. Within the next five years, the workforce is going to be filled with the avid technology user, the innovative youth that is looking for the most convenient and easiest way to get their work done and make their company successful.
Moving into the B2B aspect of it all, according to a Demand Gen Report article, written by Klaudia Tirico and titled " Study: 73% Of Millennials Are Involved In B2B Decision-Making ," 73% of working millennials are involved in the technology purchasing process for the companies they work for, and a third of them are the sole decision makers for their business. We already know there has been a huge shift into technology, but now we're facing the realization that these avid users of technology are quickly encompassing the workforce.
It's a crucial time, now more than ever, to get ahead of the game by integrating your company into the new technological developments and all the opportunities that inevitably follow with them. Allow your company to expand and to compete with the uprising of the youth and their technological wisdom. A way to do this is to invest into a B2B eCommerce platform. That's where the world is heading. With the swarm of millennials coming to compete with your business, they're going to have the technology that your current and future customers are looking for. Provide your customers with the technology first, allow your customers to shop with the same ease of a B2C platform on your B2B platform. Enable the B2B eCommerce platform to alleviate this stress of falling behind your competitors and help your business do what's most important… grow.
Author: E. Sutter
When we hear the word millennial, we picture the stereotypical generation that is glued to their phones or laptops and consistently updating their social media pages. Well, this is true. Yet, if we look at the bigger picture, this is the generation that has grown up with technology and quite literally, doesn't know how to live without it. Within the next five years, the workforce is going to be filled with the avid technology user, the innovative youth that is looking for the most convenient and easiest way to get their work done and make their company successful.
Moving into the B2B aspect of it all, according to a Demand Gen Report article, written by Klaudia Tirico and titled " Study: 73% Of Millennials Are Involved In B2B Decision-Making ," 73% of working millennials are involved in the technology purchasing process for the companies they work for, and a third of them are the sole decision makers for their business. We already know there has been a huge shift into technology, but now we're facing the realization that these avid users of technology are quickly encompassing the workforce.
It's a crucial time, now more than ever, to get ahead of the game by integrating your company into the new technological developments and all the opportunities that inevitably follow with them. Allow your company to expand and to compete with the uprising of the youth and their technological wisdom. A way to do this is to invest into a B2B eCommerce platform. That's where the world is heading. With the swarm of millennials coming to compete with your business, they're going to have the technology that your current and future customers are looking for. Provide your customers with the technology first, allow your customers to shop with the same ease of a B2C platform on your B2B platform. Enable the B2B eCommerce platform to alleviate this stress of falling behind your competitors and help your business do what's most important… grow.
Author: E. Sutter
04/10/2018
The most important thing to strive for as an eCommerce company is better conversion rates. It's hard to compare conversion rates between two companies because of different marketability varieties. On average rate is usually around 1-2%.
So what can you improve to increase your conversion rate?
1. Make sure your product images are accurate, appealing, crisp, and clear. It's important to have different angles and zoom-able features. It's also important to be able to show consumers different colors if that's applicable.
2. How is your product copy? The information you provide for your consumers does matter. In this copy, you have the opportunity to give customers information so that they are able to justify or convince themselves to make the purchase. The copy should be concise and should answer any questions the consumer might come up with.
3. A new feature to take advantage of is product videos. Consumers might view your brand as "lagging" if you don't stay up to date with other sites.
4. Shipping is a turn off. It's hard to justify spending an extra ten dollars on a product if you can physically go to the store and buy it yourself. It's a simple question: Is this money for shipping saving me all that much time? If it's not a product they can go physically get themselves, they ask: Do I really need that? Free shipping takes that question out of the equation. Companies that offer free shipping often have higher conversion rates.
5. Don't forget about your abandon shopping carts. Follow up with email and track how well those emails do. You were so close! Don't let those shoppers get away.
So what can you improve to increase your conversion rate?
1. Make sure your product images are accurate, appealing, crisp, and clear. It's important to have different angles and zoom-able features. It's also important to be able to show consumers different colors if that's applicable.
2. How is your product copy? The information you provide for your consumers does matter. In this copy, you have the opportunity to give customers information so that they are able to justify or convince themselves to make the purchase. The copy should be concise and should answer any questions the consumer might come up with.
3. A new feature to take advantage of is product videos. Consumers might view your brand as "lagging" if you don't stay up to date with other sites.
4. Shipping is a turn off. It's hard to justify spending an extra ten dollars on a product if you can physically go to the store and buy it yourself. It's a simple question: Is this money for shipping saving me all that much time? If it's not a product they can go physically get themselves, they ask: Do I really need that? Free shipping takes that question out of the equation. Companies that offer free shipping often have higher conversion rates.
5. Don't forget about your abandon shopping carts. Follow up with email and track how well those emails do. You were so close! Don't let those shoppers get away.
04/05/2018
Google is the leading search engine in the world today. People all across the world use it to get answers to their questions with the click of a button. They are provided instant results with a variety of information, offering an immediate answer to whatever their question may be. It is without a doubt the fastest and most efficient way to obtain information. Google was first introduced to the public ten years ago. The public responded with an immediate interest in the development and existence of this type of search engine.
One of the founders of Google, Larry Page, once stated that he wanted all users of Google to be "out of Google" as quickly as possible. However, today, Page is attempting to accomplish the opposite. He is now providing more information to people in hopes that they stay within the Google browser for longer periods of time. Google now provides better search results that are more tailored and specific to the actual search completed. This demonstrates how Google is continually innovating new technology in order to satisfy their users.
One recent innovation implemented by Google is the use of mobile technology to provide easily accessible information to people on their cell phones. Currently, mobile devices account for nearly half of all Google searches. Mobile use can provide convenience and sense of accessibility to all people who want to use Google. However, mobile is not ideal for many advertisers who use the power of search engine optimization (SEO). The search results displayed over time can will gradually change due to Google's always changing search algorithms. These changes can be risky for some people who use the power of SEO in order to boost their online presence and popularity if they are not constantly adding content to their site.
Most companies that use SEO fear that constant algorithm changes in the system and core results of Google will reduce the number of people who will view their sites and pages. Failure to increase their online search can result in a lack of sales for the company. Because of the mobile changes on Google, the entire value add will be beneficial for Google only. However, Google's mobile concept will affect the larger population of people in a positive manner by providing more accurate results in a timely and more efficient way.
In general, Google's content and mobility cannot eliminate the power and efficiency of SEO. Certain changes have both positive and negative impacts to all people especially to those who use SEO in order to increase their search ranking and their online visibility. SEO is a popular online marketing technique and strategy that is hard to eliminate. The value of SEO has already proven its worth, especially in terms of boosting a site's online saturation. Changes in Google and the concept of mobility will affect SEO results. However, SEO will remain a main stay for those searching online for information because there are many companies and websites who rely on the power of their natural search rankings for traffic to their site.
One of the founders of Google, Larry Page, once stated that he wanted all users of Google to be "out of Google" as quickly as possible. However, today, Page is attempting to accomplish the opposite. He is now providing more information to people in hopes that they stay within the Google browser for longer periods of time. Google now provides better search results that are more tailored and specific to the actual search completed. This demonstrates how Google is continually innovating new technology in order to satisfy their users.
One recent innovation implemented by Google is the use of mobile technology to provide easily accessible information to people on their cell phones. Currently, mobile devices account for nearly half of all Google searches. Mobile use can provide convenience and sense of accessibility to all people who want to use Google. However, mobile is not ideal for many advertisers who use the power of search engine optimization (SEO). The search results displayed over time can will gradually change due to Google's always changing search algorithms. These changes can be risky for some people who use the power of SEO in order to boost their online presence and popularity if they are not constantly adding content to their site.
Most companies that use SEO fear that constant algorithm changes in the system and core results of Google will reduce the number of people who will view their sites and pages. Failure to increase their online search can result in a lack of sales for the company. Because of the mobile changes on Google, the entire value add will be beneficial for Google only. However, Google's mobile concept will affect the larger population of people in a positive manner by providing more accurate results in a timely and more efficient way.
In general, Google's content and mobility cannot eliminate the power and efficiency of SEO. Certain changes have both positive and negative impacts to all people especially to those who use SEO in order to increase their search ranking and their online visibility. SEO is a popular online marketing technique and strategy that is hard to eliminate. The value of SEO has already proven its worth, especially in terms of boosting a site's online saturation. Changes in Google and the concept of mobility will affect SEO results. However, SEO will remain a main stay for those searching online for information because there are many companies and websites who rely on the power of their natural search rankings for traffic to their site.
03/30/2018
As the bard said, "The times, they are a'changin'." Initially, being a niche market was great because you were it, the go-to business for something. Then other companies started disappearing, bought out, acquired being the polite term. Consumed basically defined it. What seemed be the biggest consumer was Amazon. Companies either partnered with them for promotion and delivery of their products and if they took a hit now and then with a sale, "you made it up on volume."Amazon has the warehouses, they're developing more delivery methods; they even famously discussed using drones for door step delivery. Convenient or creepy; it's up to you. Like every business though, someone is up and coming and has an idea about how to do things. Google, the search engine, email, operating system, wearable computers etc. decided they wanted to make a go at this potentially lucrative market. Google Express was born and now in limited markets you can have a very Green friendly Prius pull up and deliver products from companies like Costco, Walgreens and Whole Foods. They don't have the range of Amazon due to their headstart but with their connections into many parts of the increasingly connected digital world, they could make advances with those who either wouldn't or couldn't partner with Amazon.
That leaves you. On a digital battlefield with a major force enjoying the advantage of an early start and an up and comer jockeying for position, what is the best result for your company? There are a variety of factors of course. If geographically, you're the leader or even the sole proprietor, you can build a local base and slowly move out. Of course if your customers find out there are other providers of what they want and can get it cheaper and can look you in the eye walking down the street, you could lose that. You find yourself debating which of the two likely champions of Digital Commerce would either help you the most, or chew you up the least. This is the advantage of a business plan that takes into consideration how long you can tread water or when you should call for help. There are many pluses and minuses to a cooperative mode with a larger company. The question, as the business owner is, what is your business worth? Will you fight to be independent? Join up with a potential ally or get out while someone is willing to write you a check? The times are changing, rapidly. Be prepared and be flexible or be out of business.
That leaves you. On a digital battlefield with a major force enjoying the advantage of an early start and an up and comer jockeying for position, what is the best result for your company? There are a variety of factors of course. If geographically, you're the leader or even the sole proprietor, you can build a local base and slowly move out. Of course if your customers find out there are other providers of what they want and can get it cheaper and can look you in the eye walking down the street, you could lose that. You find yourself debating which of the two likely champions of Digital Commerce would either help you the most, or chew you up the least. This is the advantage of a business plan that takes into consideration how long you can tread water or when you should call for help. There are many pluses and minuses to a cooperative mode with a larger company. The question, as the business owner is, what is your business worth? Will you fight to be independent? Join up with a potential ally or get out while someone is willing to write you a check? The times are changing, rapidly. Be prepared and be flexible or be out of business.
03/28/2018
By 2020, it is predicted that business to business (B2B) eCommerce will completely eliminate the need for sales representatives at manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors, due to the steady rise of online ordering. These sales representatives are essentially becoming useless in the ordering process. In fact, as stated by Forrester's "Death of a (B2B) Salesman," it is predicted that roughly one million B2B sales reps will lose their jobs by 2020.
Based on this, it is nearly inevitable that all industries will embrace B2B eCommerce; it is just a matter of when. And, as industries progressively implement B2B eCommerce, the significance of sales representatives steadily declines. However, just like anything else in business, with every threat comes an opportunity. What if sales representatives were given the ability to seamlessly grant clients access to your company's products and inventory? This would give these sales representatives a purpose and allow them to make commission from the sales that result from this. To top it off, giving customers access to a personalized wholesale shopping experience would make large B2B orders easier than ever.
With DreamingCode's Commerce Platform, each customer that is able to access your inventory will have custom pricing for their specific profiles and accounts. Some customers need more from you, some need less. Regardless, authenticated accounts can simply log in to the B2B portal of the business, check the inventory to see what is available, and place their order based on the custom pricing that you set up for them. In the end, not only does this simplify the ordering process, but it helps combat the rapidly increasing number of sales reps that are losing their jobs.
Based on this, it is nearly inevitable that all industries will embrace B2B eCommerce; it is just a matter of when. And, as industries progressively implement B2B eCommerce, the significance of sales representatives steadily declines. However, just like anything else in business, with every threat comes an opportunity. What if sales representatives were given the ability to seamlessly grant clients access to your company's products and inventory? This would give these sales representatives a purpose and allow them to make commission from the sales that result from this. To top it off, giving customers access to a personalized wholesale shopping experience would make large B2B orders easier than ever.
With DreamingCode's Commerce Platform, each customer that is able to access your inventory will have custom pricing for their specific profiles and accounts. Some customers need more from you, some need less. Regardless, authenticated accounts can simply log in to the B2B portal of the business, check the inventory to see what is available, and place their order based on the custom pricing that you set up for them. In the end, not only does this simplify the ordering process, but it helps combat the rapidly increasing number of sales reps that are losing their jobs.
03/23/2018
Many studies have shown the rise of B2B marketers adopting mobile marketing over the past year. Now, B2B marketers have finally gone all in.
Over the last year US mobile ad spending has risen 77.3%.
"Only a few years ago, mobile's impact was measured by its function as a basic phone, and now it is impossible to envision a world without smartphones and tablets," said Greg Stuart, CEO of the Mobile Marketing Association. "No other media will evolve at this pace, with unforeseen opportunities to reimagine the user experience."
Expenditures include media buys, CRM, internal support, and measurement services.
Along with the vast amount of smartphone users, The Financial Times found that 49% of global business executives say that tablets are replacing computers.
Another study by Constant Contact found 66.0% of small-business owners now use mobile devices for business purposes.
According to B2B Online, marketers have also begun to use mobile marketing as lead generation for target audiences.
If you're business hasn't hopped aboard the mobile marketing train yet, it might be time.
Over the last year US mobile ad spending has risen 77.3%.
"Only a few years ago, mobile's impact was measured by its function as a basic phone, and now it is impossible to envision a world without smartphones and tablets," said Greg Stuart, CEO of the Mobile Marketing Association. "No other media will evolve at this pace, with unforeseen opportunities to reimagine the user experience."
Expenditures include media buys, CRM, internal support, and measurement services.
Along with the vast amount of smartphone users, The Financial Times found that 49% of global business executives say that tablets are replacing computers.
Another study by Constant Contact found 66.0% of small-business owners now use mobile devices for business purposes.
According to B2B Online, marketers have also begun to use mobile marketing as lead generation for target audiences.
If you're business hasn't hopped aboard the mobile marketing train yet, it might be time.
03/16/2018
According to Nielson, 92% of consumers are influenced to purchase based on a friend or relative, someone they trust. As the single most effective marketing tool, many companies attempt to put it at the center of their marketing mix, while others don't know where to start generating the buzz.
Businesses try to control the messages that are being spread to word of mouth through advertising, public relations, and their customer service practices.
For Business-to-Business companies, the best way to utilize effective WOM is by effectively managing relationships with prominent clients, big talkers online, and small business owners in your community.
Word of Mouth is effective when these talkers have something to say or share about your company. WOM campaigns are successful when they offer ways to get involved with your brand.
A few examples would be:
Getting businesses to talk about your business usually starts with current clients and extended by getting involved with like industries on blogs, forums, and social media. Currently the Internet provides the largest opportunity for effective WOM marketing that wasn't available until the past decade.
This old school style of marketing shouldn't be forgotten. In fact, it should be the purpose of all of your marketing efforts.
Businesses try to control the messages that are being spread to word of mouth through advertising, public relations, and their customer service practices.
For Business-to-Business companies, the best way to utilize effective WOM is by effectively managing relationships with prominent clients, big talkers online, and small business owners in your community.
Word of Mouth is effective when these talkers have something to say or share about your company. WOM campaigns are successful when they offer ways to get involved with your brand.
A few examples would be:
- Guerilla marketing
- Special web sites – all online efforts should direct customers to the company web site for immediate action and/or lead generation
- Social Networking
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Marketing (SEM)
- Cause marketing
- Viral email campaigns
- Online forums
- Podcasts and webinars
Getting businesses to talk about your business usually starts with current clients and extended by getting involved with like industries on blogs, forums, and social media. Currently the Internet provides the largest opportunity for effective WOM marketing that wasn't available until the past decade.
This old school style of marketing shouldn't be forgotten. In fact, it should be the purpose of all of your marketing efforts.
03/14/2018
As I've mentioned in many of my previous posts, social media and content creation have taken the lead in budgets and efforts this year for B2B marketers and lead generation. For many companies, the marketing mix has shifted to be composed of social media, email marketing, trade shows, and content creation, like blogs. However, there is still one platform that many marketers are struggling to take advantage of: LinkedIn.
LinkedIn debuted a feature for mentioning companies and connections in posts and conversations in efforts to gain more activity and interaction via businesses.
While this gives a new incentive to use facebook as a business, recent finding by a Lead Formix research report shows that 24% of all visitors from LinkedIn to a B2B website are potential leads, and 45% of the leads coming from LinkedIn are firsttime visitors. These visitors are most likely to spend more than 10 minutes on a company website.
For a B2B company, finding a place to target a segmentation can be difficult, which is why most businesses resort to trade shows and twitter. But, by actively managing your company's LinkedIn page, the entire audience will consist of business professionals.
Using LinkedIn as a Business
Enterprise visitors are most likely to visit because of your profile, news, and groups your company is involved in.
Profile referrals bring in quality leads who want to understand the company. They often click on the contact us page, homepage, or careers page. Through using LinkedIn groups, this segment is often enticed by webinars, careers, and blog posts because they are focused on gather information. Lastly, news followers are interested in blog posts, links to articles, and press releases. These followers are interested in content, and most of the time are first time visitors to the site.
If your company already spends money on online advertising, you most likely use Google AdWords. LinkedIn also offers ads, but at a more expensive price and results in slightly less leads.
Participation in the LinkedIn answers, groups, and your company profile is the best way to generate enterprise driven visits that have a higher chance of turning into a lead.
Main Recommendations:
LinkedIn debuted a feature for mentioning companies and connections in posts and conversations in efforts to gain more activity and interaction via businesses.
While this gives a new incentive to use facebook as a business, recent finding by a Lead Formix research report shows that 24% of all visitors from LinkedIn to a B2B website are potential leads, and 45% of the leads coming from LinkedIn are firsttime visitors. These visitors are most likely to spend more than 10 minutes on a company website.
For a B2B company, finding a place to target a segmentation can be difficult, which is why most businesses resort to trade shows and twitter. But, by actively managing your company's LinkedIn page, the entire audience will consist of business professionals.
Using LinkedIn as a Business
Enterprise visitors are most likely to visit because of your profile, news, and groups your company is involved in.
Profile referrals bring in quality leads who want to understand the company. They often click on the contact us page, homepage, or careers page. Through using LinkedIn groups, this segment is often enticed by webinars, careers, and blog posts because they are focused on gather information. Lastly, news followers are interested in blog posts, links to articles, and press releases. These followers are interested in content, and most of the time are first time visitors to the site.
If your company already spends money on online advertising, you most likely use Google AdWords. LinkedIn also offers ads, but at a more expensive price and results in slightly less leads.
Participation in the LinkedIn answers, groups, and your company profile is the best way to generate enterprise driven visits that have a higher chance of turning into a lead.
Main Recommendations:
- Have a presence on LinkedIn and stay active
- Employee profiles can help with the company's lead generation and should also stay up to date
- LinkedIn answers is a good way to generate new traffic and brand recognition
- LinkedIn groups are the best places to find interested audience members for webinars and whitepaper
03/08/2018
Recent tools and ideas are making it easier to implement plans that build the foundation of relationships to communicate the message of your product without jumping on Twitter and begging consumers to get involved with your brand via ads.
Communicating with consumers is the ultimate goal of marketing. Go back to the basics, before strategy planning, advertising, and trying to stay up to date with the latest studies and apps. While those things make the innovative and competitive marketplace we have today, it's important to take a step back and remember what the essential goal is: communicating a specific message from your trusted company to the consumer.
Effective communication comes from a trusted, well-known, or credible source. For a small or start-up company, reaching these levels of communication usually come after promoting brand promotion, the first round of products reaching the consumer, and after the first marketing initiatives create the hype you need around your product.
Is it naïve to think that perhaps, even in this day and age, natural relationships can be built between the consumer and service provider?
Relationships
Think about the smallest company you're loyal to…
The strongest connection a consumer can have to a company is based on emotion. When a business remembers my name and appreciates my business, I feel that my relationship to the brand is important, and I'm more likely to be loyal. But again, all of this is based on natural exchanges, not coupons or an emotional reaction to an ad. This is the where trust is formed. It tells the consumer that you want to provide them with whatever meets their needs because you care. Alternatively, the consumer may also skip the three part phase of brand recognition because of their experience.
Another example of building this natural relationship can occur through being a credible source. Credibility can be gained from offering exceptional customer service, or for simply tweeting a knowledgeable answer to an industry related question on Twitter.
How do you position your company to properly provide these experiences to consumers?
A Voice
Even though these are ancient ideas of driving commerce, we can apply these situations to our voice online. Whether B2B or B2C, you can create an emotional experience or connection through some of the latest online strategies.
This year B2B/B2C content marketing has taken a larger cut of the marketing budget specifically for these reasons. There has been a massive jump in online initiatives such as blog production, video content, and social media ads because of the interactions it can cause.
One of the latest ideas to drive revenue using your voice on social media is live chatting on Twitter. TweetChat, a new site that allows people to put "blinders" on to monitor a specific chat about one topic, has become a useful tool in creating channels that provide useful information to and from your company. You can use this method to ask questions and stimulate interactions with businesses or individuals in your field.
A company blog is another way to gain credibility and utilize informational support online to create credibility. It's easy to find questions to answer with a blog post, and then tweet back to individuals with similar questions to create an interaction that doesn't feel pushed or advertised,
This is the natural experience of creating a relationship and using a voice to communicate ideas from your company to consumers.
Communicating with consumers is the ultimate goal of marketing. Go back to the basics, before strategy planning, advertising, and trying to stay up to date with the latest studies and apps. While those things make the innovative and competitive marketplace we have today, it's important to take a step back and remember what the essential goal is: communicating a specific message from your trusted company to the consumer.
Effective communication comes from a trusted, well-known, or credible source. For a small or start-up company, reaching these levels of communication usually come after promoting brand promotion, the first round of products reaching the consumer, and after the first marketing initiatives create the hype you need around your product.
Is it naïve to think that perhaps, even in this day and age, natural relationships can be built between the consumer and service provider?
Relationships
Think about the smallest company you're loyal to…
The strongest connection a consumer can have to a company is based on emotion. When a business remembers my name and appreciates my business, I feel that my relationship to the brand is important, and I'm more likely to be loyal. But again, all of this is based on natural exchanges, not coupons or an emotional reaction to an ad. This is the where trust is formed. It tells the consumer that you want to provide them with whatever meets their needs because you care. Alternatively, the consumer may also skip the three part phase of brand recognition because of their experience.
Another example of building this natural relationship can occur through being a credible source. Credibility can be gained from offering exceptional customer service, or for simply tweeting a knowledgeable answer to an industry related question on Twitter.
How do you position your company to properly provide these experiences to consumers?
A Voice
Even though these are ancient ideas of driving commerce, we can apply these situations to our voice online. Whether B2B or B2C, you can create an emotional experience or connection through some of the latest online strategies.
This year B2B/B2C content marketing has taken a larger cut of the marketing budget specifically for these reasons. There has been a massive jump in online initiatives such as blog production, video content, and social media ads because of the interactions it can cause.
One of the latest ideas to drive revenue using your voice on social media is live chatting on Twitter. TweetChat, a new site that allows people to put "blinders" on to monitor a specific chat about one topic, has become a useful tool in creating channels that provide useful information to and from your company. You can use this method to ask questions and stimulate interactions with businesses or individuals in your field.
A company blog is another way to gain credibility and utilize informational support online to create credibility. It's easy to find questions to answer with a blog post, and then tweet back to individuals with similar questions to create an interaction that doesn't feel pushed or advertised,
This is the natural experience of creating a relationship and using a voice to communicate ideas from your company to consumers.
03/05/2018
It wasn't even a decade ago that we carried around novels, textbooks, and other chunky pieces of literature to provide us with entertainment during commutes or in waiting rooms. With the end of each adventure, we closed the cover and passed it on to a friend, coworker, or family member to embark upon the same great read.
With the invention of Kindles, Nooks, and other eReaders, the landscape of reading and boring books has evolved. We are all aware of their pros: portability, accessibility, and also their biggest con: PRICE. With the introduction of the eBook, we lost the ability to borrow, share, and lend books as was previously done for generations. But, it was only a matter of time before technology caught up the consumer's desires, and the libraries of the world caught up to the new technology.
With the introduction of eBook services such as Overdrive, who works with Public Libraries, and eBookFling, who lets individuals share and borrow their personal collections, eReading is finally coming up to speed with the natural way reading has been forever.
We are going to break down three popular services to rent and/or share books, and provide you with all the features, and pros and cons.
Who are the service providers?
Overdrive
What you need to get started:
1. A valid local library ID
2. An eReader or;
a. Any device that you can download the Kindle app on (iPod, iPhone, iPad, Windows Phone or Tablet, etc.)
Functions
Overdrive is the number one supplier of eBooks for loan for Public Libraries worldwide. You can access Overdrive through any web browser to find your local library. Once you pull up your library's specific page, you can input your ID number in order to rent from their collection of eBooks. Once your rental has been selected, your book will download directly to you Kindle, Kindle app or other eReader by accessing your eReader account information.
Features
Availability
ebookfling
What you need to get started:
1. An ebookfling account (free to sign up)
2. An eReader or;
a. Any device that you can download the Kindle app on (iPod, iPhone, iPad, Windows Phone or Tablet, etc.)
Functions
eBook fling is a book sharing program that allows users to lend their eBooks, and borrow from other lenders throughout America. For each book lent, the user receives a credit to borrow any book of their choice. When a book is delivered, you'll receive an email indicating this, with a link to right to the download page at Amazon or at Barnes & Noble for your reading device.
Features
Not only do these options open the pages of many great adventures right on your eReader, but they also bring back the thrifty tradition of passing on a great read. Overdrive and eBook fling are cost effective, have thousands of great reads, and are convenient.
With the invention of Kindles, Nooks, and other eReaders, the landscape of reading and boring books has evolved. We are all aware of their pros: portability, accessibility, and also their biggest con: PRICE. With the introduction of the eBook, we lost the ability to borrow, share, and lend books as was previously done for generations. But, it was only a matter of time before technology caught up the consumer's desires, and the libraries of the world caught up to the new technology.
With the introduction of eBook services such as Overdrive, who works with Public Libraries, and eBookFling, who lets individuals share and borrow their personal collections, eReading is finally coming up to speed with the natural way reading has been forever.
We are going to break down three popular services to rent and/or share books, and provide you with all the features, and pros and cons.
Who are the service providers?
Overdrive
What you need to get started:
1. A valid local library ID
2. An eReader or;
a. Any device that you can download the Kindle app on (iPod, iPhone, iPad, Windows Phone or Tablet, etc.)
Functions
Overdrive is the number one supplier of eBooks for loan for Public Libraries worldwide. You can access Overdrive through any web browser to find your local library. Once you pull up your library's specific page, you can input your ID number in order to rent from their collection of eBooks. Once your rental has been selected, your book will download directly to you Kindle, Kindle app or other eReader by accessing your eReader account information.
Features
- Currently hosts more than 1 million digital titles from more than 1,000 digital publishers
- Digital distribution services used in more than 19,000 libraries, schools, and colleges worldwide
Availability
- Support for iPod®, iPhone®, iPad™, Android™, Sony® Reader, Kindle® (US libraries only), and thousands of other mobile devices
- Largest collection of premium audiobooks, eBooks, music, and video for the library – all available on a single website for browsing, checking out, and downloading.
ebookfling
What you need to get started:
1. An ebookfling account (free to sign up)
2. An eReader or;
a. Any device that you can download the Kindle app on (iPod, iPhone, iPad, Windows Phone or Tablet, etc.)
Functions
eBook fling is a book sharing program that allows users to lend their eBooks, and borrow from other lenders throughout America. For each book lent, the user receives a credit to borrow any book of their choice. When a book is delivered, you'll receive an email indicating this, with a link to right to the download page at Amazon or at Barnes & Noble for your reading device.
Features
- 14-day lending
- 100% safe with books automatically returned within 14 days
- Tens of thousands of books available
- Earn a free rental by lending one of your eBooks
- Pay anywhere from $1.49 (for bulk orders) to $2.99 for rental credits
- Works with Kindle and Nook eReaders
- An owner of a book can only lend it one at a time
Not only do these options open the pages of many great adventures right on your eReader, but they also bring back the thrifty tradition of passing on a great read. Overdrive and eBook fling are cost effective, have thousands of great reads, and are convenient.
02/27/2018
When the rise of smart phones began in 2007 with the release of the iPhone, companies and designers raced to find the best way for websites to function on these new devices. Now, we are often navigated to the mobile version of the site. However, now that new studies are showing that tablets are expected to outsell PCs this year, designers and companies are faced with a new dilemma. How do we provide the best user experience for all platforms?
The main issues with delivering a desktop site to a mobile device or tablet are slower load times, inoperable flash or hover states, and broken images, videos, forms, etc. For these reasons building a mobile site is not an option anymore, but how you decide to build or redirect your site on tablets… the jury is still out.
Your options:
Responsive Web Design
Similarly to the way automatic doors open when they sense your presence, new design techniques have been developed to prevent that extra wait time that comes from transferring to a mobile website. Rather than being redirected and then having to click that hard to find "View Entire Site" button, why not make a website that knows how to be displayed without being redirected or on an app?
We can't just keep making new sites for every device that comes out. Responsive websites identify the screen size, layout and structural elements compatible with each device. By jumping ahead in trends, you'll save time and money by being prepared for the inevitable: an upcoming tablet nation. Consumers will be impressed by the user friendliness and innovation of your company.
Design a site exclusively for tablets
As you should know, Flash does not work on iPad devices and is not reliable on Android tablets. Flash websites can look gorgeous on desktops, but chances are, it doesn't work on tablets or mobile devices. Hover states (anything that needs a mouse to hover over it in order to trigger an action) are also nonexistent on tablets and mobile devices. For example, hovering over a menu to see sub pages. For these, you want a mobile site, but also a tablet site because the screen sizes are so different.
Another reason you might need a tablet version of your site is for more convenient usability. Some mobile sites rely on the way the user interacts with the device. For example, on an iPhone I mostly use my right hand to type or just my right thumb to navigate while holding the phone in my same hand. So how will usability be transferred to a tablet like the BlackBerry Playbook which has been built to be used with both thumbs? A site designed exclusively for users on tablets that are held in all different ways may get you those extra thumbs up.
Don't create a website for tablets
One of the top selling points of the iPad is holding the entire website in the "palm of your hand." Being able to literally touch and interact with a website already makes an impressive customer experience. Unlike smartphones, tablets are designed to function more like a desktop or laptop. Most would agree when I say that viewing a website on a tablet is much easier than trying to navigate through tiny buttons and painstakingly slow load times. If you can browse through your site with a breeze, why invest in something that you don't need?
So how do you decide? Take your site for a test run on a few devices. Pay attention to load time, forms, videos or hover states, and everything else that makes your website a desirable interaction.
The main issues with delivering a desktop site to a mobile device or tablet are slower load times, inoperable flash or hover states, and broken images, videos, forms, etc. For these reasons building a mobile site is not an option anymore, but how you decide to build or redirect your site on tablets… the jury is still out.
Your options:
Responsive Web Design
Similarly to the way automatic doors open when they sense your presence, new design techniques have been developed to prevent that extra wait time that comes from transferring to a mobile website. Rather than being redirected and then having to click that hard to find "View Entire Site" button, why not make a website that knows how to be displayed without being redirected or on an app?
We can't just keep making new sites for every device that comes out. Responsive websites identify the screen size, layout and structural elements compatible with each device. By jumping ahead in trends, you'll save time and money by being prepared for the inevitable: an upcoming tablet nation. Consumers will be impressed by the user friendliness and innovation of your company.
Design a site exclusively for tablets
As you should know, Flash does not work on iPad devices and is not reliable on Android tablets. Flash websites can look gorgeous on desktops, but chances are, it doesn't work on tablets or mobile devices. Hover states (anything that needs a mouse to hover over it in order to trigger an action) are also nonexistent on tablets and mobile devices. For example, hovering over a menu to see sub pages. For these, you want a mobile site, but also a tablet site because the screen sizes are so different.
Another reason you might need a tablet version of your site is for more convenient usability. Some mobile sites rely on the way the user interacts with the device. For example, on an iPhone I mostly use my right hand to type or just my right thumb to navigate while holding the phone in my same hand. So how will usability be transferred to a tablet like the BlackBerry Playbook which has been built to be used with both thumbs? A site designed exclusively for users on tablets that are held in all different ways may get you those extra thumbs up.
Don't create a website for tablets
One of the top selling points of the iPad is holding the entire website in the "palm of your hand." Being able to literally touch and interact with a website already makes an impressive customer experience. Unlike smartphones, tablets are designed to function more like a desktop or laptop. Most would agree when I say that viewing a website on a tablet is much easier than trying to navigate through tiny buttons and painstakingly slow load times. If you can browse through your site with a breeze, why invest in something that you don't need?
So how do you decide? Take your site for a test run on a few devices. Pay attention to load time, forms, videos or hover states, and everything else that makes your website a desirable interaction.
