Tips and Concerns for Holiday Shopping and Online Marketing

As the election nears and everyone is looking and hoping that bottom has been found in the marketplace we find it imperative to keep topics alive to help you make the right decisions to keep your business thriving.

One question we are asked everyday is, "Will online sales continue to grow in the face of the economic downturn?" If so how much and will it be across the board. Our expectation is that online sales will be up, but there will be winner and losers. Not everyone will show an increase even past stars may very well stumble.

The word form the experts varies. Here is one analysis that states "Good but not great"

http://blog.shop.org/2008/10/24/holiday-08-good-but-not-great/

Now on the email front with increase cost of direct mail more and more marketers are using email more often. The tendency is to send more Q4. Will this strategy help or hurt? What are the costs long terms vs short term gain? See this analysis. While during the holiday stretch there is more tolerance for increased frequency, one must segment, personalize and target. Mass batch and blast over time erodes your brand and business loyalty. This is a time to stand out and spend time making sure your campaigns have relevance and speak to the needs and wants of your audience.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/retail/2008-10-24-online-discounts_N.htm

Email, video & Social networks

With Social networks and video still all the rage, where does email fit? As we have proposed to
clients, use email to drive customers to video and social networks. Coordinate all three elements together in a synchronized fashion to truly drive results and interactivity. Contests and then celebration of the winners and their user generated content that engages and tells your story for you will ensure success on all three fronts and a larger aggregate share of market and brand awareness.

http://www.clickz.com/showPage.html?page=3631272

Tell us your thoughts and let us know what is working for you.


October 28, 2008