After a stern talking to (by myself) last week for publishing the weekend post on a Monday, here it is nice and early on a Friday afternoon (Melbourne time). Hope the ideas, links and suggested posts help you at some stage.
Please, anyone let me know if you’re sick of seeing this poor girl on the beach with her phone..That’s four weeks in a row now but I think I like her…
IF ONLY
I read an article during the week titled ‘Use Social Media to Retain Customers‘ by Jamie Yap and published on ZDNet. I almost put it into this post as a recommendation to read but wanted to take the idea further.
I recently attended a very small retail forum, where a handful of retailers and marketing co-ordinators discussed the state of the industry in Melbourne. Besides a clear request for local councils to improve amenities, the key message was that there is no customer loyalty anymore. The notion was that customers are more worried about price.
Yes, price has become a key determinant in a customer’s value equation, after all the state of the economy, the constant discounting by the big department stores, and obviously the rapid rise of group buying sites has pushed us that way. The thing is, it has to be about providing value and this does not mean price and price alone. The customer will see value in customer service, finding information when they want, where they want it, and they will find value in sharing their experience with others.
Social Media, often overlooked by the small retailer is one way where value can be provided to the retail customer and this value will encourage loyalty.
Where would a small retailer start in social media….Here’s a few ideas:
- Get on Facebook (Page not Group) and promote it instore, have it printed on your shopping bags, have a link from your website and start an initial advertising campaign to spread the word. Publish photos, general info including trading hours and more. Post once a day or a few times a week. Remember you want to provide value so answer any questions promptly (good or bad), provide exclusive specials for your Facebook ‘Likes’, run competitions and more.
- If you don’t think that your customers will engage on Facebook then try a Twitter account. Start following everyone in your local area to build up a network and start tweeting exclusive specials (if they mention Twitter), start communicating with people and again promote it instore and via your website.
- Foursquare is a simple activity even for the smallest retailer and it is specifically designed to encourage loyalty. Claim your venue and encourage your customers to check-in, communicate this instore, via your website, via your Facebook page and even on your front window. Then start introducing specials. Specials can be a discount or free product for either a 10th check-in or let’s even reward the Mayor of your venue (that’s person with most check-ins) I think that will encourage loyalty…(Another update a little later, keep reading)
INFOGRAPHIC OF THE WEEK
Ok, so the subscribe options were going to run out before I got to the end of August, so I thought I would highlight my favourite infographic I came across during the week. This one from Mobclix highlights when Android and iPhone users are engaging in advertisements and apps. It may not change the world you live in but it’s still really interesting. Check it out.
HANDY LINKS/TOOLS
And one for Australian small business…Open Up To Mail, a website that provides a postcode profiling tool. Simply put in the postcode and this tool will give you a profile of the residents within that area.
A POST WORTH READING
- ‘Take Advantage of Two New Facebook Features’ - via Inkling Media
- ‘Now You Can Easily Create a Foursquare Business Page’ - via Mashable
- ‘Top 12 Most Overused Stock Photos’ - via Marketing Profs
DID YOU KNOW
…That the iPhone is NOT the most popular phone in the world, it is in fact the Nokia 1100, check this out along with ’10 Fascinating Facts About Mobile Phones’
…That Apple take a 30% cut of all apps approved in its AppStore? According to the iPhone website this week 425,000 apps and counting. Now not all of them are paid apps but still what a business model by Apple….
If the links have helped or alternatively, if you think I have wasted five minutes of your precious time over the weekend let me know. I hope there is some valuable info in what I have shared and at least, for small business, I hope that you have now claimed your Foursquare venue and started your customised business page.
All the best….