Prioritising Mobile Strategy in 2013

Posted on July 26, 2013 by RFM

Mobile commerce is all about having a strategy for accessibility from  mobile devices, using analytics to recognise which devices users have  the strongest intent to purchase.

A recent IBM study published online, has identified new concepts and  trends in online shopping. “The iPad Factor” recognises the dominance of tablets in driving retail traffic, reaching nearly 10% of online shopping in 2012.

The major countries around the world currently embracing Mcommerce are South Africa, Australia and Brazil. With such an explosion in smart phone usage this is changing shopping habits of consumers and retailers have to adapt or face losing out on missed sales.

Questions to ask of your website?

Is your website Mobile optimised, tablet or smart-phone optimised?
Are you measuring website page load speed? Slow loading websites and particularly slow checkouts can lead to high basket abandonment
Have you checked mobile traffic reports in Google Analytics to  identify which devices are most commonly used to access your website?
We are living in a fast moving world, and shoppers are becoming tech web savvy. Online consumers are less patient and unforgiving, if your website isn’t mobile responsive, or prices aren’t competitive then the competition is just a click away.

For more information, contact russ@rfm.co.uk

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Strategic Marketing / Small Business Communication Marketing

Posted on July 26, 2013 by RFM

So What is the Difference?

The start point in marketing for many business is often communication whereas a little bit of time spent on strategic implications is key to the success of the business.

When we look at a business at the start, we look across all the elements (p’s) of the marketing mix as they relate to each target market.

This generally comes up with some really thought provoking ideas on pricing structures, routes and channels to market, as well as online and offline promotion.  What we call marketing should often be called the ‘plan for business’, driving the business from the viewpoint of the customer.

For more information on both the strategic and practical elements of marketing, contact russ@rfm.co.uk.

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Our Sharing Habits Explored

Posted on July 26, 2013 by RFM

Social sharing site, ShareThis has released a study on social behaviour across various devices. Some really useful trends have come out of this study to help inform on a social media marketing strategy that can gain maximum reach.

Users are three times more likely to share via their iPhone than on desktop.
Users are 1.5 times more likely to share on their iPhone versus all other devices.
Facebook accounts for 60% of sharing on mobile.
Pinterest is nearly more than three times more represented on mobile than on a desktop.
iPhone users share more on Facebook.
iPad users share more on Pinterest.

It’s worth varying your social media updates to learn where, when and how your audience are consuming the information. By dominating newsfeeds at peak flow times it can increase popularity and win an army of new followers on popular social networking sites.

For more information on social media contact russ@rfm.co.uk

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Whitbread

Posted on July 19, 2013 by RFM

A brand that is always evolving and looking at the product development element of strategic marketing based on understanding of consumers and where the next trend is going.  Their latest concept being rolled out is a new budget hotel called HUB with smaller rooms that will focus on price, design and location over space.  Hub will provide 40 “ television screens, pre selection of lighting and room temperature and allow for quality accommodation at a lower price in the heart of our cities.  Sounds a great idea and probably based on understanding customers and how they think and act.

For more information on developing products based on in depth understanding of customer requirements and wishes for the future, contact Gayle@rfm.co.uk

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Raving Fans

Posted on July 19, 2013 by RFM

The element of customer service that will allow you to create a range of repeat business

There are 3 good reasons to encourage raving fans:

They will tell others and encourage them to buy from you based on their confidence and recommendations
Raving fans means you spend less on marketing because raving fan customers are doing the work for you and you do not need to pay
Raving fans and the people they recommend are less price sensitive and so your profitability increases

Good reasons to find these valuable people.  So what can you do to build raving fans for your business?  The steps are simple and easy to implement and every business should work to strive to create excellence in customer satisfaction.

For more information on how to create excellence in customer service contact russ@rfm.co.uk

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New Research into Social Media and Brands

Posted on July 19, 2013 by RFM

Internet Advertising Bureau has found some interesting stats on the value and return on social media activity.  Apparently 4 out of 5 of us would be more inclined to try out a brand, having had some exposure to conversation and interaction with the brand on social media of some type.  83% of us would be happy to trial the product on this basis.

To me this is like repetition, repeating the hits of the brand in a never ending stream to embed the brand in the mind of the customer, quite a basic lesson in promotion.   The difference with social of course is that by interacting with customers on a human level, we create more emotive links to the brand.

For those more concerned with the figures, it is estimated that £1 spent on social media activity can generate £3.34 in revenue.  Certainly worth a look.

For information on marketing activity that generates returns, contact russ@rfm.co.uk

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Reinventing your Brand Time after Time after Time

Posted on July 5, 2013 by RFM

Check out House of Swan website.  A basic match company offering a whole range of product offerings and a new digital strategy to engage with the new generation of consumers.  The promotion is a Pub quiz, online, promoted in major publications linking customers to the Swan website.  This  brand is 130 years old and still forging ahead.

Young brands need to have a plan to create awareness and become a talking point in key target markets using formats that are directly related to the target audience,

Older brands need to have a plan to create awareness and become a talking point in key target markets using formats that are directly related to the target audience.   Get the message?

Any company whether business to consumers or business to business will give themselves a greater chance of growth if they allocate time, effort and an appropriate budget investment to promote their product.

For some great ideas on new ways to position and engage with customers, contact russ@rfm.co.uk

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Googles Penguin 2.0 Has Waddled Out!

Posted on July 5, 2013 by RFM

Read an interesting article on Google in the Levy McCallum online blog/news magazine this week, announcing the arrival of this new search engine update, which may or may not affect rankings.  Seems it is all change again at Google, in the quest to find the most engaging and relevant contest for us the users.  Key phrase overstuffing, bad links and over optimised content seem to be the latest traps.   So companies need to check this out, or get it checked out, particularly when so many businesses are reliant on being found on the web.

For more information contact russ@rfm.co.uk

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Wimbledon – A Real Lesson in Customer Service

Posted on July 5, 2013 by RFM

If you want to understand customer service that brings customers back in a never ending stream, take yourself off to Wimbledon for a day!

Missing is the ‘fridge’ process approach to customer service – ‘How did I do? – Can you give me feedback? –  How satisfied are you? – having held on the phone for 5 long minutes, being told your call is important and then being passed to another continent!

Present is the ‘friendly’ approach to customer service, – understanding that customers are there to be looked after, to spend money, to tell their friends and return. ‘Let me help you, – ‘let’s see what we can do for you’, – ‘would you mind just standing over here please’.

The genuine smiles and little quips from the teams that are made up of volunteers, youngsters and from staff who are standing all day behind counters all day serving coffees, burgers, and of course Pimms at ‘eye watering’ prices!!

It may seem old fashioned but this event has been a world beater decade after decade, so it is traditional and also contemporary.  Lots of companies could learn a lot and see that excellence in customer service adds to revenue and the customer does not mind paying a little extra for a warm and friendly welcome.  Hope Andy does it today!!!!

For more information on customer service contacts e mail russ@rfm.co.uk

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The Secret of Smiling Success.

Posted on June 28, 2013 by RFM

In this wonderful corporate world we live in with processes, automation etc, do we really know the superb value in a big smile and a good greeting?   It sets the scene, it makes the customer feel wanted and puts the customer in a good mood.  It has to be genuine of course.  This does not cost and it encourages positive feelings in the customer and immediately creates warmth and competitive edge. 

Customer service is often seen as ‘have a nice day’ and in the larger corporations, is part of a process we as customers are put through or in many occasions subjected to.  Genuine customer service comes from a passion for the business and the feeling that if someone walks through the door, that is a buying signal- they want to speak with us., we are all lucky if we have customers.  Getting your team to deliver this time after time after time is a big ask but it can be done.

 For more information customer programmes, contact russ@rfm.co.uk

 

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