Dan Spellman ( My Two Cents )

Focusing On The Customer's Experience

    

Throughout the course of my career I have been fortunate enough to work for a handful of extremely large etailers.  As a result, I have had the opportunity to see first hand the differences that various organizational structures can have on the development, usability and overall customer satisfaction of a website. 

    

In some instances, the strategic vision has been crystal clear and therefore, the site evolved along a predictable path.  Other times the vision has been blurred and therefore, the design elements and functionality within the site have not been not consistent. 

    

While allowing multiple leaders within a company to provide strategic guidance ensures that you will be less likely to create fatal flaws and/or miss out on developing trends, it tends to lead to a confusing shopping experience for your customer.  Imagine if the graphical treatment and navigational elements on your home page (and landing pages) were not consistent throughout the browse and checkout portions of your site.  How would this effect your conversion?

    

Unfortunately, poor website navigation is a common occurance for both small and large sites alike.  “Don’t confuse your site browsers”, writes Rian Schoeman, “because it will only frustrate them and they will click away!”  Let’s face it, no matter what business you are in – you’re not the only game in town.  Customers have options and if you don’t deliver the content or products they need quickly and easily, their gone.

    

This is why you need a single vision for your website’s design.  While you should be open to input from your Usability Group, Web Designers, Information Technology Team, Marketing and Merchandising Departments, you need to have a central vision for what your site should be.  That way, everyone involved with the day to day development of content on your site can remain focused and productive.

    

Until next time,

    

Dan

    

    

    

This Is Only A Test. Had This Been A Real Subject Line . . .

    

Read any good emails lately?  It is a loaded question that companies ask in the hopes that you will answer “yes – I read your emails all the time!”  Unfortunately, we don't always get the answer we want.  In fact, it is not uncommon for a vast majority of emails to remain un-opened.

    

People like Jeanniey Mullen will tell you that “the average person spends three seconds looking at her inbox to decide what to open and only four seconds reading your e-mail”.  That is why your subject line must be interesting, enticing and relevant.  “If your subject line isn’t working right”, adds Ivan Levison, “your e-mail will never get opened and your campaign will be a failure.”

    

So why don’t companies spend more time focusing on this important aspect of web marketing?  Certainly it’s not from a lack of awareness.  No matter what marketing blogs you’re reading, eventually the importance of “Subject Line Testing” will come up.  ( Not wanting to be left out, I offer this as my contribution to the discussion. )

    

Apparently we are not spending enough time focusing on the opening sales pitch to our customers.  Even if we write a pithy intro, trying to entice customers to spend that four seconds with us, seldom have taken the time to lay the groundwork for success.  How can we be certain that we are offering the best marketing copy?  Ryan Buchanan believes that most of us can’t answer that question.  “Only 25 percent of marketers are testing subject lines on a regular basis?  If you’re not constantly testing, you’re missing opportunities to find our which ones maximize opens and conversions.”  Buchanan’s encourages us to “test it and tune it”.

    

“Subject lines”, offers Loren McDonald, “are the easiest component of email marketing to test.  Split your list in half, thirds or even quarters and test a different type of subject line in each split.”  But that’s just the start.  Once you have found a successful recipe for creating great subject lines, you have only enticed customers to open your email.  Getting the order will require additional focus on your email’s content, your site’s landing page, your browse path, and your cart conversion. . . but we’ll save those for another blog post.

    

Until next time,

    

Dan

    

    

    

It's The Right Thing To Do

       

Over Spring Break we made the annual pilgrimage to Kansas.  Traveling from Chicago to our childhood homes in Prairie Village and Clay Center, Kansas generally takes us through Des Moines, Iowa.  There you are able to choose between two paths – one that heads to Kansas City via I-35 or the other that continues West on I-80 and eventually turns South after Omaha, Nebraska.

 

    

Since our last trip took us through Kansas City, it had been over a year since we traveled West through the entire state of Iowa.  This year we stayed the course and enjoyed an interesting surprise.  Just outside of Anita, Iowa, you will find a different kind of crop.  Here the farmers are not just harvesting corn, they are also harvesting wind.

     

T. Boone Pickens has said that “America is blessed with the world’s greatest wind power corridor” and I would have to agree.  We lived in Omaha for a little over two years and I can assure you – Omaha blows.  

    

No, honestly.  It’s really windy there.

    

My kids were impressed to see the vast number of wind turbines here in the Mid-West.  As it turns out, “Iowa is the third largest producer of wind energy in the US, just behind California and Texas”, reports the Iowa Energy Center.  

    

While it’s great to see these efforts on a large scale, many people may question what we can do, as individuals, that would really make a difference.  The success of such events as Earth Hour, show that people are eager to become actively involved.  “No matter what your individual beliefs are about climate change,” states Darron Collins, WWF Managing Director, “energy efficiency is something everyone can understand in this economic environment.”  

      

Home Depot apparently gets it.  In today’s newspaper we found an ad for Eco Options, Home Depot’s new marketing effort to speak directly to consumers who feel passionate about this issue.  Their “Save Green. Live Green” promotion helps people feel good about spending their dollars at Home Depot.  We certainly did.  Our list of weekend projects included a trip to their garden store to pick up tomato plants and our free CFL light bulb.

     

More companies need to embrace the green economy like Home Depot and take advantage of the growing public desire for environmentally friendly products.  This became apparent when we completed another weekend project and visited an auto dealership.  As our kids and our cars grow older, it has become necessary for us to purchase a new car. 

Unfortunately, the salesman seemed to have the same short-sighted perspective as the auto manufacturers in Detroit.  When we asked to see their hybrid models, he asked why we were interested in purchasing a hybrid.  After a moment of pondering how to answer this question, my wife simply stated “because it’s the right thing to do.”

    

Until next time,

   

Dan

   

Your SEO Ranking Just Changed

     

You may not have realized it, but your ranking on Google just changed.  Actually, Aaron Wall told us about this back in February.  (By the way, if you are not reading Aaron’s blog, SEOBook, you are missing out.)

    

It seems that back in February, Google changed the algorithm it uses to determine their Natural Search rankings.  In the process, it began providing additional weight to the “brand value” of a company, which in turn, helped the established players and hindered the smaller pure-players. 

    

If you feel a little “in the dark” about how Google’s algorithm works, you’re not alone.  “The algorithms have got so complex on some fronts that Google engineers do not even know about some of the filters/penelties/bugs”, writes Wall. 

    

In fact, it has been my experience that because Google has kept their method of determining search page results under wraps, an entire industry has been born.  Every SEO / SEM vendor owes their livelihood to Google’ secret sauce.  As I hear vendor after vendor speak about their tight connection with the Google Executive Team, I am in awe of who must be on Google’s corporate speed dial.  It seems that every Search Vendor must play golf with Larry and Sergey.  However, if you are looking to play a quick 18 holes but can’t get on their schedule, try giving Matt Cutts a call. 

      

     

If you’re a small player competing among the established brands, now is the time to invest in your SEO rankings.  As the economy continues to struggle, it is imperative to optimize your marketing spend.  Simple steps such as creating new content, developing a site map and managing your title tags are great ways to improve your results on Google, Yahoo and MSN.

    

Until next time,

    

Dan

    

    

   

Get Off The Grid - Saturday March 28th

    

It’s time again for Earth Hour.  This Saturday, March 28^th, you will have the opportunity to participate in a worldwide experiment.  All across the planet, people will be turning off the electricity from 8:30 p.m. (local time) to 9:30 in an effort to raise awareness about global warming.

    

My family participated last year and we had a great time.  While Earth Hour is officially sponsored by the WWF (no not the World Wrestling Federation but rather the World Wildlife Fund) it might as well be sponsored by Parker Brothers.  With the electricity turned off, we decided to light a few candle and play some board games.

    

    

    

    

“Earth Hour began in Sydney in 2007”, reports the official website, “when 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour. In 2008 the message had grown into a global sustainability movement, with 50 million people switching off their lights. Global landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Rome’s Colosseum, the Sydney Opera House and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square all stood in darkness.”

           

This year the target is 1 Billion people.

    

Obviously, it’s not hard to participate and you have the opportunity to be part of a global event.  Give it a try – and get off the grid.

    

Until next time,

    

Dan

    

    

    

 

Five Blogging Tips

    

Recently a friend of mine asked for a few tips on blogging.  As you know, I have been writing the My Two Cents blog for a while now.  At times it has come easily and I have created posts each week.  At other times, it has come slowly and I let a few weeks slip by between contributions.  But I have always found it to be a learning experience and a great way to share ideas.  After giving it some thought, I would offer these five tips.

    

Crank It Out.  Writing a blog is an easy way to start a conversation and share your ideas.  You don’t have to be the next Great American Writer – you just need a point of view on a topic of interest.  It could be about your community, your career or your mother-in-law’s cooking.  Once you have identified something you feel passionate about, it’s easy to share it with others around you as well as others around the world.

    

Set It Up.  Once you’ve decided to start sharing your ideas, the first step is to choose a blogging platform.  There are a number of services available.  Three major platforms you should investigate are Typepad, WordPress and Blogger.  Each platform offers different formats and benefits.  By taking a look at Technorati’s Top 100 Blogs, you can get an idea of the number of different platforms and styles available and decide which one might be best for you.

Write It Down.  In order to “hit the ground running” you need to create a list of topics to get you started.  Make a quick list of ten ideas for your first set of blog posts.  If you can’t think of ten, do a little research on Google and Technorati and discover what other people saying about your topic?  While the most enjoyable part of blogging is having the opportunity to share your ideas with others, don’t be afraid to select a few topics that require a little research on your part. 

    

Make It Fun.  Set yourself up for success by making it enjoyable.  I remember being told once to “smile when you speak on the phone.  People can hear your enthusiasm.”  The same goes for your writing.  If writing your blog becomes a chore, you simply won’t be able to create interesting blogs posts on a regular basis.  Remember, the whole point of writing a blog is to start a conversation with like-minded people.  If you don’t find it enjoyable, your readers won’t either.

    

Promote It Now.   With each post, you will want to set up the correct tags to allow Technorati and Google to find your blog.  Your blogging platform will help you with this.  However, you already have a great source for readers – your friends.  Promoting your blog on your Facebook page and to your email contacts is a great first step.  Once you have done that, you can find new readers by visiting similar blogs and writing comments.  As you do so, add a link back to your blog.  That way, you will be able to include your blog posts in the conversation.

    

It’s not hard to get started.  In as little as 5 minutes, you can create your own blog and begin sharing your ideas with the world.

    

Until next time,

    

Dan

    

    

    

Ask Quill Video

    

My son and I are enjoying a hot chocolate at Graham’s 318, our local coffee shop, on this cold Winter’s day – and it occurs to me that I have been remised in writing for this blog over the past few weeks.  So, I’m going to take advantage of this time (and the free wi-fi) to update you on the latest video series that we have been working on at Quill.com.

    

Over the past 18 months I have been writing about how businesses can leverage eMarketing techniques to drive business online.  As more customer interaction moves online, companies are finding that they are interacting with their customers less than before. . .  but this doesn’t need to be the case.  In fact, by leveraging various social media techniques, you can actually strengthen your relationship with your customers.

    

We have begun a new video series at Quill.com called Ask Quill.  Through this effort, we are able to put a face (and persona) to our company.  While we will be rolling this out on our site and in or blog over the next few months, it is currently on our YouTube page.  Take a look and let me know what you think – I’d appreciate your thoughts and feedback.

    

    

    

    

My son’s done with his hot chocolate and his magazine, so it’s back out into the cold.  I hope you are staying warm this Winter and I hope you are finding ways to leverage your Web 2.0 rich media.

    

Until next time,

    

Dan

    

    

15 Minutes

    

I been thinking about the power of video recently and when I had the opportunity to read a Forrester white paper by Laura Ramos that outlined the “Five Approaches for Creating Online Video Value” and I knew it was something I wanted to share.  Here are five great reasons to add video to your marketing efforts.

    

1)  Use video to extend the marketing message.

    

Making cold-calls is a difficult way to begin any business relationship.  However, innovative marketers are finding value in leveraging videos to create a positive first impression.  By strategically placing a video on your web site or embedding it in an email, Ramos explains that you have the opportunity to “put a face on the new sales person”.

    

2)  Incorporate customer feedback into videos on your web site.

    

There has been a great deal of discussion about how adding customer reviews can help you sell more online.  The same can be said for customer testimonials when you are trying to sell complex products.  “Stories”, states Ramos, “unlike data or fact sheets, appeal to business buyers’ emotions and motivations, particularly when the tales mention the stumbles and detours that can occur en route to a successful implementation.”  Every customer wants reassurance that they are making the right purchase and Oracle is a great example of a company that has used video to help “capture interviews with customer engineers and software developers to validate [their] technical claims and product capability.”

     

3)  Turn corporate spokespeople into video stars.

 

Andy Warhol told us that “In the future, everyone will be famous for 15 minutes” and with video, the future may be today.  “Product designers and technical experts” says Ramos, “are the best people to shed light on the journey that brought a new product to market or on the subtle differences between offerings.  Top marketers turn the video spotlight on these internal experts and, as a result, broaden their marketing team.”    

    

4)  Extend live events to larger audiences.

    

Let’s face it, with the economy struggling right now, we all have to cut costs and Travel is the first thing to go.  So if you’re seeing a decrease in the number of people attending your seminars, you should seriously consider using video to take your message to your customers.

    

5)  Build brand and generate new interest with a viral component.

    

“As the cost of video production drops, B2B marketers eye viral video as a way to build awareness or generate interest without incurring the high price of broadcast advertising,” states Ramos.  However, “few B2B videos make the viral cut, but those that do combine entertainment with education.”  An example of video content that does make the cut is Greg The Architect.  Here you will find a light hearted view of the software industry as Greg tries to understand Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) . . . yep, I have no idea what SOA is either – but if your not an I.T. Geek, you’ll find this video fun and interesting.

    

The point of any branding exercise is to build an appropriate image with your customer base.  Your marketing efforts should build upon that image and generate a relationship with each customer.  Whether you are building a brand or building a relationship, don’t underestimate the power of video in today’s marketplace.

    

Until next time,

    

Dan

    

    

    

 

Searching for Green Jobs

    

I walked upstairs today and found my son replacing a burnt out light bulb. 

    

This blog post could end right here – the fact that I found one of my kids doing work around the house seems impressive and noteworthy enough.  But he was on a mission.  He wanted to replace it with a low energy CFL bulb. 

    

It appears that he is not alone in his quest to do what is right for the environment.  While researching vacation plans this last week, I read a blog post by Thomas Berger about Travelocity’s Green Directory.  “There are about 250 hotels on the list”, reports Berger, “including some affordable chain options like Fairfield Inns, so being green need not be just for the well-off.  If you’re interested in making your travels a little greener, Travelocity might be able to help you out.”

    

The public’s awareness of environmental issues continues to grow.  On March 28^th we will all have the opportunity to participate in another Earth Hour where the aim is to “reach more than one billion people in 1,000 cities around the world, inviting communities, business and governments to switch off lights for one hour”.  Soon after that, we will be celebrating our 39^th annual Earth Day on April 22^nd.

    

    

    

    

With this increased awareness comes an increased demand for environmentally responsible products and services and the Federal government hopes to help with the upcoming stimulus package.  “To accelerate the creation of a clean energy economy, we will double our capacity to generate alternative sources of energy like wind, solar, and biofuels over the next three years”, stated President Obama in his first weekly address today.  “We’ll begin to build a new electricity grid that lay down more than 3,000 miles of transmission lines to convey this new energy from coast to coast. We’ll save taxpayers $2 billion a year by making 75% of federal buildings more energy efficient, and save the average working family $350 on their energy bills by weatherizing 2.5 million homes.”

    

Ambitious plans, and some say, plans that can’t start soon enough.  “Unless quick action is taken, the U.S. risks losing millions of green jobs to other nations that offer a more serious and sustained commitment to growing its green economy”, fears Neal Lurie.  “For the U.S. to be competitive in a carbon-constrained world, the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries must be a critical economic driver.”  

         

It’s time to change the economy, one light bulb at a time.

    

Until next time,

    

Dan

    

    

    

Some People Just Don't Get It

     

A colleague of mine recently showed me an email he received from Wal-mart that touted a new customer benefit they are offering:  Site-to-Store Express.

    

We all know that the most powerful word in marketing is “FREE” – but Wal-mart just doesn’t get it.  Their new offer allows customers to pay only $29 and receive a year’s worth of benefits.  You might ask “what are these benefits?”  The answer is “not much”.

         

The terms and conditions for this offer state, “We estimate that S2S Express customers will generally be able to pick up S2S Express eligible products from the store within three to five business days (plus processing time) from the date the order is placed. Walmart.com does not guarantee delivery of S2S Express products within the estimated time or by an estimated delivery date.”

    

A few questions:

    

·        3 to 5 business days . . . really?

·        How long is “plus processing time”?

·        “Walmart.com does not guarantee delivery . . . within the estimated time”?

     

Let’s face it, free shipping (on qualifying orders) is becoming the standard on the internet.  I think it’s safe to assume that customers would expect a company the size of Wal-mart to not only offer this service, but to also deliver it faster than 5+ days.

    

Why not just swing by your local Wal-mart store and walk down the aisle and save yourself the $29 annual fee?

    

Until next time,

     

Dan