« November 2008 | Back to the main page...

Everyone wants to try new an innovative ways to market and communicate with their customers but one of the most effective methods, if done correctly,  is a well crafted 'old school' email. The Mississauga News runs a very successful auction site (http://www.mississauganewsauction.com/) where they auction off products and services from their local advertisers. They wanted to create a simple way to let registered auction users know about new listings and unique items. They had never done any direct emails or correspondence to their end users. Last month, they started a weekly email campaign. It was an immediate success with direct and measurable results for both traffic and revenue. Some interesting stats include:

• Site Visits up 125% on the first day of email campaign
• Site visits up on average over 50% for the following 3 days after launch of email campaign
• 35% open rate

What are the reasons for the great response - trusted source - valuable information - well presented/timely offers and reasonable frequency.

Make it easy for your holiday shoppers by creating a key link from your home page (or on the home page itself) for “Holiday Season Gift Ideas".  Of course the products you place here can also be found in their traditional departments, but anticipating your customers’ requirements for the Season adds to their interest in your online store.   This is particularly helpful to the numerous shoppers who aren't clear on what they're after.  They'll want to come in and look at your ideas for inspiration.  As the retailer, you know what the best sellers are likely to be for the holidays, and placing them in this holiday section eases the effort for your buyers who may be running around with shopping lists 'til they drop!   You can also use this concept to take advantage of after-Holiday buyers with a "Holiday Gift Clearance" section.

The first reminder to a shopper that it's time to think of holiday buying is festive decorations.  As soon as Halloween has passed, the festive lights and sounds of the holidays pop up in store windows and mall hallways.   Perhaps now more than ever, it is important to help put your customers in a festive mood.  Decorate your masthead, and jazz up your logo to reflect your store's holiday spirit.  Entice customers to come in and shop with captivating images such as delighted children standing in the snow peering through toy store windows, or delivering presents.