All posts tagged marketing

Popular Call to Action Tactics by Online Retailers

by G.B. Oliver

Online stores use many tactics to get customers to buy, keep them on their site longer, get more information from them, and try to get them coming back. They can also be seen as Call to Actions.

Here are some tactics the top online retailers use that you may want to consider implementing on your site.

Tactics to Upsell Customers More Products

Along the bottom of a product page, you will see retailers use headings such as:

Screen shot 2013-05-21 at 10.08.23 AM

Promotion on BaubleBar.com

  • Related Searches
  • Customers Who Bought This Also Purchased
  • Customers Who Viewed This Also Viewed
  • You May Also Like
  • Complete the Look (show more product photos)
  • Also in this Collection
  • Add to Wish List
  • Favorite ♥
  • Your Recent History
  • Top Rated
  • Email to a Friend
  • Buy any 2 for $25
  • New Arrivals

Tactics to Get Customers’ Information

On the home or landing page, online retailers will use these tactics:

Father's Day Contest on WorldMarket.com

Father’s Day Contest on WorldMarket.com

  • Email Sign-up
  • Exclusive Offers
  • Enter our Contest to Win!
  • Need Help? Live Chat
  • Give Us Feedback
  • Write a Review
  • Join our Points Program
  • Invite friends get $15

Tactics to Get Customers to Buy Today

The home page also typically features sales or other incentives to buy now:

Offer at Gap.com

Offer at Gap.com

  • Today’s is 10% off Tuesday
  • New Reductions
  • Free Shipping Today Only
  • Back in Stock (making it sound like it sells out fast)
  • Ending Soon

Tactics to Encourage Social Media Participation

Getting potential customers to either follow you or promote you on social media:

Screen shot 2013-05-21 at 9.59.04 AM

List all the social media icons

  • Connect with Us (list all the social media icons)
  • Share
  • Tell your Friends on Facebook (the Facebook post box is right there)
  • Pin It ! (not the regular Pin It icon, but their own neon version with an arrow)
  • View our Most Popular Pins
  • View Instagram Pics
  • Submit an Instagram Pic
  • Download our iPhone app

Other Tactics to Keep Customers on Site

Online stores are becoming content driven, with blogs and other information that will facilitate the buying decision:

On the wedding shop, BHDLN.com

On the wedding shop, BHDLN.com

  • Get Inspired with These Ideas!
  • Our Designers Favorite Picks
  • Gift Guide
  • Upcoming Events
  • Stylebook
  • Our Story

As you can see, the days of just putting up a shop and displaying your products is very passé. You need to deploy as many of these tactics as possible to engage your customers, get them to buy, and keep them coming back.

G.B._OliverNeed Help Marketing Your Online Business? I offer a variety of affordable marketing services. Just contact me at attentiongetting@gmail.com or use the contact form below. Also, check out my Ebook Shop for more marketing advice.

© 2013 G.B. Oliver. All rights reserved.

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by Attention Getting Marketing on May 21, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Home, Marketing 101, Trends
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Posted by Attention Getting Marketing on May 21, 2013

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5 Companies Changing The Online Shopping Experience

by G.B. Oliver

On Monday, CNBC published their list of 50 companies that they feel are “disruptors” – companies that are changing the way their industry traditionally operates.

In the retail sector, they chose 5 “disruptors” who are changing how we shop online: Etsy, Pinterest, Shopify, Rent the Runway and Warby Parker. They are interesting choices, because they are all very different types of companies.

etsy-logo-xsokxg

Etsy had sales of $895 million in 2012. Not quite Amazon’s $48 billion in sales, but sales were up 70% from 2011, and 2011 sales were up 70% over 2010, so it is growing quickly. These aren’t designer brands or celebrity endorsed products or the latest in-demand electronics, but handmade artisan goods. Who would have ever thought there would be such demand for these types of products, and that so many worldwide independent sellers (close to 1 million) could sell and operate successfully under one umbrella.

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Shopify is an ecommerce platform that allows individuals and businesses to easily and affordably create their own independent online store. Setting up an ecommerce site use to be a significant financial investment, among other things, and the cost was a deterrent for many. With Shopify, it costs you as little as $14 a month (this is their basic plan; once your shop becomes more successful you will have to upgrade, with the highest rate plan being $179/month) and everything is done for you from SEO to setting up a shopping cart to store design templates. They have really taken down every barrier to entering the online market.

Pinterest-Logo

Pinterest is a social media platform where you pin photos you like to both publicly and privately viewed boards. It wasn’t intended to be a shopping medium, but it has become that as you can essentially window shop through photos, many of which are products, and clicking on the photo takes you to where it is sold on the Internet. This was actually an unusual choice in my opinion, because a variety of things are “pinned” on Pinterest, from recipes to blog posts to DIY videos, and it will bring traffic. But I am not sure yet how it has really changed online shopping unless a store can get potential customers to follow them  in the first place and they constantly inundate their followers with photos of their products.

Screen Shot 2013-05-15 at 4.32.29 PM

At Rent the Runway, you can rent top fashion designer clothes, jewelry and accessories for a special event. Say you need a dress for the prom. You can spend $200 for a dress you will wear once, or you can rent a designer dress that typically costs $800, for just $100. You don’t have to dry clean it, and they include a self-addressed return envelope to send it back the day after your event. This is a concept retailers didn’t consider that women would want to do, even though men have been renting tuxedos for years. It is another way to make sought-after, designer clothes attainable for those on a budget.

Screen Shot 2013-05-15 at 4.32.44 PM

Warby Parker sells designer eyeglasses online, a market that has been essentially dominated by a few companies who have kept prices unreasonably high. Who would think people would trust eyeglasses to an online purchase as you typically need to try on the frames, see them on your face, see if they are too light or too heavy or pinch your nose, plus you have a prescription. Warby Parker addresses all of these concerns by letting you choose 5 designs, try them on in the comfort of your home for 5 days and then return them. You don’t even have to pay for the shipping. When you are ready to buy you just enter the details of your prescription and your new glasses are sent to you for significantly less than you would pay elsewhere, because selling online has allowed them to dramatically cut costs that typically come with a brick and mortar store.

So how can you become a retail disruptor? Take a look at the most successful online businesses. Now, address and correct what their customers don’t like and/or wish they offered, provide unique goods and services as well as the same high quality products for less, and make it very easy for customers to buy from you, and you could have a winning business model.

G.B._OliverNeed Help with Your Small Business? – I offer a variety of affordable services that will help get your shop noticed and your products selling. Ask me a question at attentiongetting@gmail.com or use the contact form below. Also, check out my Ebook Shop for more help.

© 2013 G.B. Oliver. All rights reserved.

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by Attention Getting Marketing on May 16, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Home, Marketing 101, Online Selling Sites
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Posted by Attention Getting Marketing on May 16, 2013

http://attention-getting.com/2013/05/16/5-companies-changing-the-online-shopping-experience/

How to Attract New Customers With “How To” Advice

by G.B. Oliver

I wanted to give an excerpt from my ebooks today, Small Business Marketing Ideas That Work!, because I want to talk about a popular trend in marketing – giving advice your customers are looking for, in order to bring them to your online business.

MalloryHopeDesign_AGMarketing_eBook_HomeProducts

Well, that’s kind of what I do here, but I am going to discuss it from an online retail point of view.

A lot of online retailers will offer sections on their websites or blogs that give expert advice on topics you are searching for on Google. The hope is that page will turn up in search results and bring these potential customers over to their website (and their shop).

A good example is World Market. They are a popular online store selling a variety of goods from all over the globe, and they have a section on their home page this month entitled, “9 Ways to Tie a Scarf” and each of the nine ways shows a different scarf they sell. Each way also includes a 40-second clip on how to do it.

b1

Why is this brilliant? Well, besides showing how to wear their scarves, they are capitalizing on the fact that the phrase, “Ways to Tie a Scarf” is searched over 8,000 times a month on Google. So when someone searches that phrase, there is a good chance their home page will come up.  Plus, visitors can now Pin, Tweet, Facebook this video tutorial (social media loves videos) and World Market can add it to their YouTube channel, spreading this advertorial even further.

Pottery Barn is another online store that knows what its customers are looking for. They have a page called, “How to Hang Curtains” because that phrase is searched about 3,600 times a month on Google. While it is a nice value added service to offer this information to customers, it is also a great hook to bring in new customers who are searching on this, especially when Pottery Barn products are used in the tutorial.

FINAL WORD: What do your potential customers want to know related to what you sell? Be a source of advice for them and they may “accidentally” discover you.

Get More Great Marketing Advice in My Ebooks (because I don’t give away everything here :) )

MalloryHopeDesign_AGMarketing_eBook_Weddings

“Best buy ever!” . . “Cannot recommend this enough!” . .  ”You will not be disappointed!” . . “Incredible!” 

Take your online business to the top, before your competition does. My expert, innovative advice, ideas and tactics will make you an online superstar! Download your copy of Small Business Marketing Ideas That Work!, HERE (versions for selling Home products, Jewelry / Fashion Accessories, Kids & Baby products and Wedding products).

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© 2013 G.B. Oliver. All rights reserved.

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by Attention Getting Marketing on April 3, 2013  •  Permalink
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Posted by Attention Getting Marketing on April 3, 2013

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Make Your Shop’s Title Tag Product-Specific to Do Better in Searches

by G.B. Oliver

Just how important is that title tag for your home page that describes your overall online business? Pretty important if you want search engines to find you. When you click on a website, look at what is written in that line in the top bar above the search box. This is the title tag. What you have here will determine whether you get found in searches.

SEO-Image-300x218

Now, if you are a big online store with a lot of backlinks, you can be quite generic in your home page’s title tag and still turn up on the front page.

Some Examples of Top Online Stores’ Title Tags:

West Elm: “Modern Furniture, Home Decor and Home Accessories”

BaubleBar: ”Women’s Jewelry – Bracelets – Necklaces – Designer Fashion Jewelry”

Pottery Barn Kids: ”Kids’ & Baby Furniture, Kids Bedding & Gifts, Baby Registry”

Amazon: ”Online Shopping for Electronics, Apparel, Computers, Books, DVDs and more” (tend to list their most best selling categories)

Apple Store: ”Buy iPad mini, iPad, iPhone 5, Macbook Pro with Retina display, Mac mini and more” (gets specific with actual product names)

How Small Businesses Can Use Tag Lines to Get to the First Page on Search

Now, if you are a small business, you will need to be more specific in your shop’s home page’s title tag if you want to be noticed. You just won’t be able to compete with the larger retail chains on the more generic, popular keywords, like “designer jewelry”. You have to target in on one of your most prominent products and hope you can upsell other products once buyers are in your shop.

So maybe you want to say, “The Shop for Leather Wrap Bracelets” if these are your top seller, and, depending on how many other people are using that title tag, it has the best chance of getting your business on the first page for that search. (It should be noted that if you don’t want to get overly specific in your shop’s title tag, make sure your product category title tags are very specific, like “leather wrap bracelets”, as these are picked up by search engines as a secondary choice).

For example, I searched the phrase, “Cute iPhone cases“. Well the shop, Lolli Mobile came up on the first page, because sure enough, the shop title tag is, “The Place for Cute iPhone Cases”.

I tried another search, this time for “natural handmade soap”, and the first online store that showed up was the Natural Handcrafted Soap Shop because their title tag is “Pure, Natural, Handmade, Handcrafted Soap”.

FINAL WORD: The big retailers (with the exception of Apple) are not going to get product specific in their shop’s home page’s title tag, so this is where you can compete. This includes the title tag on the landing page of your blog as well. You get 70 characters, so make the most of it.

Want My Very Best Marketing Advice (That I Keep Exclusive to my Ebooks)?

MalloryHopeDesign_AGMarketing_eBook

“Best buy ever!” . . “Cannot recommend this enough!” . .  ”You will not be disappointed!” . . “Incredible!” –  If you want my VERY BEST marketing tactics and advice, I save that exclusively for my Ebooks,  Small Business Marketing Ideas That Work!, available at my Etsy shop.

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© 2013 G.B. Oliver. All rights reserved.

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by Attention Getting Marketing on March 26, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Google Tips, Home, Social Media Marketing
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Posted by Attention Getting Marketing on March 26, 2013

http://attention-getting.com/2013/03/26/the-importance-of-your-online-business-title-tag/

4 Social Media Sites You May Not Be Using … But Should

by G.B. Oliver

★ THIS BLOG POST  MADE THE NY TIMES – THIS WEEK IN SMALL BUSINESS

When you think social media, the top sites always come up Facebook (750 million users), Twitter (250 million users), Linked In (110 million users), Pinterest (85 million users). But there are others that also host millions of users that might be better for your type of business.

Unknown-4

DeviantArt  (26 million users) – if you sell any kind of art, photography, artisan craft, you should profile your business on DeviantArt. They allow you to post your products, include a detailed profile, link to your website, and will actually sell your creations for you. Now, you don’t have to sell on DeviantArt, they will let you link directly to your own shop to purchase.

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BuzzFeed (15 million users) – BuzzFeed was founded by Jonah Peretti, who co-founded the Huffington Post, which is the most-read blog on the Internet. BuzzFeed is a magazine/blog with a variety of articles on different subjects, but there is a celebrity/lifestyle/politics/entertainment focus. You set up a profile and can post an article you write, images you like, products you like, etc. There is content already on the site written by their writers, but if the staff likes your post, they may put it on the main page exposing you to their millions of readers. For example, if you sell baby products could write a post entitled, “10 Crying Baby Santa Photos”. It has to creative and it can’t be blatant advertising. While you can include links to your shop, you cannot include links to your blog.

images-1

Indulgy (3 million users) – Indulgy is a lot like Pinterest. You add photos of things you love and it links right back to the direct source on the Internet. It is a little more streamlined than Pinterest with no categories to search on, just the main board or the popular category. Photos appear here with a board title listed, so you can click on the board to narrow down to something more specific. As I said, it is much more streamlined. Also, the sizing of the photos is more uniform than on Pinterest, making it easier to get noticed. Fashion and decorating photos definitely dominate the popular board, so if you sell these types of products, Indulgy may be for you.

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Metacafe (11 million users) – This is a video channel, an obvious competitor to YouTube. I would definitely recommend it if you have a technie, geeky or gadgety type product as that seems to be the more popular posts. Also, pop culture such as movies, tv and music is big on this channel, so if you have products in that vein, ie. Fashion Inspired by Mad Men, your target market is definitely here.

FINAL WORD: New social media sites are always popping up and will continue to do so. To try and be on all of them isn’t the answer. Pick and choose the ones that are right for your target market and marketing efforts.

Have You Heard About My New Marketing Ebooks?

MalloryHopeDesign_AGMarketing_eBook_Kids

“Best buy ever!” . . “Cannot recommend this enough!” . .  ”You will not be disappointed!” . . . “Incredible!” – just some of the customer reviews of my new ebooks, Small Business Marketing Ideas That Work!, available at my Etsy shop.

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© 2013 G.B. Oliver. All rights reserved.

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by Attention Getting Marketing on March 22, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Home, Social Media Marketing
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Posted by Attention Getting Marketing on March 22, 2013

http://attention-getting.com/2013/03/22/social-media-sites-you-may-not-be-using/

Be Careful About Sharing Your “Success” Tips – Your Competition is Listening

by G.B. Oliver

I was on one a popular online store’s forums the other day where sellers talk to each other and share information. Here, I frequently see sellers who make grand declarations such as they’ve made 500 sales in a month and here is how they did it. And I scratch my head and think to myself, BIG MISTAKE!

I realize that a lot of these online marketplaces like to foster a sense of community, but, at the end of the day this is still business and many of these sellers are your direct competition. Why on earth would you want to tell them your success secrets?

That is the problem when your ego takes over from your business sense. You have a bit of success and you want to tell everyone. But now realize, you are telling everyone, including your competition, and that’s not good.

It is NEVER a good idea to share your secrets with competitors. I dare anyone to find me a business book that says to do that. Would Coca-Cola email Pepsi and say, “Here is everything we did last year that worked. Good luck”. You would be sabotaging your own business. You don’t have any control over who reads your posts or your blog or tweets, so why put information out there that can hurt you? You want customers to notice you, but quite frankly, when it comes to your competition, you want to fly under their radar.

I have marketing professionals follow me all the time on Twitter. They don’t need my services, obviously. They are keeping tabs on me, which is what the competition does. If I do something they think works, let’s be honest, they will probably “borrow” it.

This is just good seasoned business advice. Remember the saying, Loose Lips Sink Ships. If you have an amazing secret that you stumbled upon that is causing your sales to skyrocket – KEEP IT TO YOURSELF (but tell me, of course).

Now, luckily for you I share my marketing secrets that will help your online business, in my ebooks, Small Business Marketing Ideas That Work!, plus find other helpful marketing tools in my Etsy shop.

PLEASE Tweet, Post to Facebook, Stumple, PIN & more this post using the SHARE button below. Thanks!

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© 2013 G.B. Oliver. All rights reserved.

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by Attention Getting Marketing on March 6, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Home, Marketing 101
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Posted by Attention Getting Marketing on March 6, 2013

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Outsell Your Competition With This Checklist

by G.B. Oliver

I often have customers complain to me that they have too much competition. In all honesty, everyone does. But you can actually learn from your competition to make your products and services better, and that could put your business on top.

Unknown

Your Competition Checklist

Take a look at your competitors (just the successful ones) and compare to see where you falter and they succeed and vice versa. Then make the necessary changes.

√ Features – Are your products identical in every way? If not, you need to emphasize the benefits your products have that their doesn’t, and remember features are not always benefits if they are of no use to the customer. If you don’t have any benefits that your competition doesn’t, then you better add some. And the best way to do that is to ask your current customers for a wish list.

√ Services – What services do you offer that your competitors don’t? Again, these advantages you need to emphasize in your product copy to help your potential customer decide. Do you offer free shipping, discounts on multiple purchases, customization, etc.? Again, if you don’t have any advantages in terms of service, you need to get some. You’ve got to match the top players tit for tat.

√ Target Market – I am going to be writing about this more tomorrow, but more than likely you are targeting the same market, otherwise they are not really your competition. But does your competition have additional markets that they are selling to that you are not?

√ Price – Believe it or not, price is not always a deal breaker. You want to be in the same ball park, but a few dollars isn’t going to make a difference so don’t price yourself below your competition. What you want to do is show the value that comes with your price, and that is why you have to detail what you offer in #1 and #2 above.

√ Reputation – Have you won business awards, gotten amazing reviews, been in business a long time – all of these factors can give you an advantage over your competition in the mind of the consumer.

√ Branding – Do you look professional? Do you have a company logo, a positioning statement, professional-looking photos, well-written, grammatically correct product copy, contact information, etc. You’ve got to look legitimate, especially if your competition does, and it is worth it to make the investment to do so.

√ Promotion – Are you finding your competition everywhere? Are they on Facebook, Twitter, running ads on Google, hosting a blog, appearing in editorial… this list goes on. Take note of what they are doing and try to be everywhere they are (and aren’t).

Competition doesn’t have to be a bad thing if you choose to learn from it. It’s what fosters innovation.

If you liked this article, YOU’LL LOVE my marketing guides, with all my tactics and secrets to take your online business to the top. Click here for more information.

PLEASE Tweet, Post to Facebook, Stumple, PIN & more this post using the SHARE button below. Thanks!

Marketing_Ideas_Etsy_Baby

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by Attention Getting Marketing on February 19, 2013  •  Permalink
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Posted by Attention Getting Marketing on February 19, 2013

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Why Quirky Products Always Sell – February Edition

by G.B. Oliver

I love quirky products. To me they show innovation and creativity and are so inspiring in terms of product ideas. Plus, as I’ve said many times, quirky products always sell and always get publicity!

So, I went over to my favorite online shopping site, Outblush – who loves quirky products – and found some of their finds that I think show really creative design.

Kate Spade “Say the Word” Word Search Dish

Word Search Crystal Dish by Kate Spade New York

Word Search Crystal Dish by Kate Spade New York

I love this crystal dish by Kate Spade. There are also matching mugs with crossword patterns as well. It is fun, colorful and conversational, which is perfect when you are using a dish like this to serve to guests.

BFF Pendant Set

Zelda and Becky Play Telephone from Flapper Doodle on Storenvy

Zelda and Becky Play Telephone from Flapper Doodle on Storenvy

Just when you thought there were no more ways to do a BFF necklace (Best Friends Forever), Flapper Doodle on Storenvy comes out with this adorable pendant set. What I love about this is the originality. No heart divided in two that has to fit together or one pendant says “Best” and the other says “Friend”. Instead they really did something fresh and eye catching.

Skeleton Shirt

Skeleton Shirt by Romwe

Skeleton Shirt by Romwe

What I like about this Skeleton shirt from Romwe, is that it is definitely not something you would normally see on a traditional white shirt. Now, it is made to be street fashion, but you could probably get away with wearing it to work on Halloween.

Office Chair Cell Phone Holders

Office Chair Cell Phone Holders from the Lakeside Collection

Office Chair Cell Phone Holders from the Lakeside Collection

Cell phones have created quite the cottage industry, and unusual holders have been one of the most popular products to result. This set of 3 office chair holders from the Lakeside Collection is pretty whimsical if your daughter doesn’t steal them for her Barbies.

Grey Cat iPhone Case

Grey Wool iPhone Case from TokyoInspired on Etsy

Grey Wool iPhone Case from TokyoInspired on Etsy

There are so many creative iPhone cases out there, but you have to love this one from TokyoInspired on Etsy, especially for the cat lady in your life. Really creative design by incorporating the zipper as the mouth and using wool fabric. Love it!

My marketing guides will tell you everything you need to do to successfully sell online, including how to create products the market wants. The early reviews have been great! Click here for more information.

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Click the image to order

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© 2013 G.B. Oliver. All rights reserved.

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by Attention Getting Marketing on February 14, 2013  •  Permalink
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Posted by Attention Getting Marketing on February 14, 2013

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Storenvy, Another Player in the Online Marketplace

by G.B. Oliver

You know Etsy, Artfire, Lilyshop, Fab, but do you know Storenvy?

Storenvy touts itself as the only store builder and marketplace in one. They allow merchants to create an online storefront, for free, and then uses their social marketplace to reach customers. It is hoping to be the Tumblr for e-commerce.

Storenvy started in 2008, and in the last two years has grown from 2,800 stores to over 30,000.

Online Sellers Can Get a Customized Storefront for Free at Storenvy

Online Sellers Can Get a Customized Storefront for Free at Storenvy

The Facts about Storenvy:

  • Free – no listing fees, no commissions on sales, no monthly fees (however, on the site they talk about introducing a “Market Revenue Share” in the future, so not sure what that entails).
  • Independence – Here you can have a customized Storefront as well as a Storenvy store, so you have more control over the look and feel of your store.
  • Community – The Storenvy community promotes your products by “envying” them or buying them.
  • Promotion – Products appear on the front page in real-time based on their popularity (“Envys” and purchases).
  • Email Promotion – Storenvy emails their customers regularly with picks based on their likes, previous purchases, etc.
  • Connected – Storefronts include direct hyperlinks to a seller’s website, Pinterest, Wanelo, Tumblr, Facebook and Twitter pages.
  • Social Media – The Storenvy Facebook app gives merchants a free store on their Facebook page.
  • Followers – People can become a “Watcher” of your store. Basically this means they will get instant updates when you add new things to your store.
  • Extras – For $4.99 you can secure your own domain name, and there are fees such as $2.99 to use discount codes, but they do promote your discounts for you.
  • One Checkout – Customers can buy from a variety of stores on the Marketplace and they all appear in one shopping cart and one checkout.

As the online marketplace continues to be a billion dollar one, you will see more players and eventually it will shake out who stays and who goes. But, as as online seller, you have a lot of options!

Whatever marketplace you choose, you still have to promote!… My new guides that will tell you everything you need to do to successfully sell online, whether you are established or just starting out. The early reviews have been great! Click here for more information.

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by Attention Getting Marketing on February 11, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Home, Online Selling Sites
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Posted by Attention Getting Marketing on February 11, 2013

http://attention-getting.com/2013/02/11/storenvy-another-player-in-the-online-marketplace/

Product Photography I Love – February 2013

by G.B. Oliver

There are some photos that just make you want to have the product. Usually, it is when the product is shown in use, because then you can really visualize why you need it and how you would use it. Plus, with the popularity of Pinterest and Tumblr, great photos are really getting noticed. Here are some examples of what I think works and why.

Dancing Candy Garland from Modcloth

Dancing Candy Garland from Modcloth

Why It Works: This garland from Modcloth is shot it on an all-white background, so it really makes the colors pop. Also, they show it in use, so not only do you get an idea of how to use it, but you also get a better perspective of the size. Nothing worse that buying something online and when you receive it, it is much smaller than you thought.

Driftwood Candelabra from VivaTerra

Driftwood Candelabra from VivaTerra

Why It Works: I love this product shot from VivaTerra for a few reasons. They blurred out the background and objects to the side of the candelabra. As such, it really draws the eye to the piece and makes for a more artistic photo. Plus they show it in use. If I saw this candelabra, without the candles, not on the table, and not in a rustic setting, I probably wouldn’t know what to do with it. They really sold me on the whole look it could create.

Kate Spade Necklace at Nordstrom

Kate Spade Necklace at Nordstrom

Why It Works: When I first saw this Kate Spade necklace on its own, I had no idea what I could wear it with, and I also thought it was much larger, until I saw this shot. By showing it on a model, and giving a suggestion on how it can be worn, now I want it!

Fruit and Berry Bread from Harry & David

Fruit and Berry Bread from Harry & David

Why It Works: Foods products are so difficult to photograph, but Harry & David does it so well. I love when food products are shown in a kitchen-like setting, makes me think they were just made. I also love how the color of the tabletop and the plates compliment the food, don’t overshadow it, along with the soft lighting. More than anything it is the close-up that really show the texture of the bread – definitely makes you want to taste!

Drinking Straws from ButterCreamDream Shop on Etsy

Drinking Straws from ButterCreamDream Shop on Etsy

Why It Works: This photo is a good example of a product shot that will get pinned to Pinterest, because it doesn’t look like a product shot. What I love about this photo at Butter Cream Dream Shop is how the various colors of the straws have been pulled out by the lemons and the green in the flowers. Plus, it is shot from a different perspective, making it more interesting. Visually, you just like looking at this image. And, it shows the product in action on a lemon stand. Pretty cute.

Remember, great product photos can never hurt your business, so it is worth the investment.

I HAVE A LOT MORE MARKETING ADVICE… in my new guides that will tell you everything you need to do to successfully sell online, whether you are established or just starting out. The early reviews have been great! Click here for more information.

Just one of my Marketing Guides – Guides also available for Home, Kids & Baby and Wedding Products

Just one of my Marketing Guides – Guides also available for Home, Kids & Baby and Wedding Products

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by Attention Getting Marketing on February 8, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Home, Marketing I Love
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Posted by Attention Getting Marketing on February 8, 2013

http://attention-getting.com/2013/02/08/product-photography-i-love/

Examples of Product Copy That Sells –Williams-Sonoma

by G.B. Oliver

When ever I come across effective product copy, I have to share. It is a skill, but if you can tell your product’s benefits, create a need and convince the reader to buy, all in just a few sentences, you’ve done your job. Williams-Sonoma is great at doing all of these things, so I thought I would show you a few examples from their website.

Carving Board at Williams-Sonoma

Carving Board at Williams-Sonoma

Monogrammed Carving Board

Personalized with one carved initial, our board makes a welcomed gift for your favorite barbecue chef. Handsome enough to double as a serving platter, it’s crafted in Vermont of solid maple. $150

  • Crafted from sustainably harvested North American maple, durable enough to withstand daily use yet gentle on knife edges.
  • Deep perimeter well collects flavorful juices.
  • Integral handles make the board easy to lift and carry.
  • Doubles as an impressive presentation piece for turkeys and roasts.
  • Made by the venerable J.K. Adams Co. of Vermont, specialists in finely made wooden kitchen wares.
  • May be monogrammed with a single initial.

Why It Works: First of all, they have positioned it as a Carving board, not a Cutting board. So this is the big strong board you need for carving meat, not some whimpy board for chopping vegetables, and therefore justifies the high price tag. They have sold me on the features of it being solid maple (a strong wood), told me what that perimeter was for (who knew?), given me multiple uses as it doubles as a serving platter, and the fact that it can be monogrammed suddenly turns it into a gift!

Valentine's Day Petit-Fours from Williams-Sonoma

Valentine’s Day Petit-Fours from Williams-Sonoma

Dragon Fly Cakes Valentine’s Day Petit-Fours

An exquisite treat for sharing on Valentine’s Day, our petits-fours are adorned with hand-cut hearts. Prepared for us by Dragonfly Cakes in Sausalito, California, each is hand made with three layers of light, moist sponge cake and three layers of buttercream, topped with a thin layer of marzipan and then draped in chocolate. Delightful with dessert wines, afternoon tea or after-dinner coffee, our assortment includes three flavors: Raspberry: Layered with raspberry jam and raspberry buttercream; Chocolate: Layered with chocolate ganache filling and chocolate buttercream; Vanilla: layered with white chocolate ganache and vanilla buttercream. $45

  • 12 petits fours (4 of each flavor); 10 oz. total.
  • Shipped frozen.
  • Made in USA.
  • A Williams-Sonoma exclusive

Why It Works: They definitely described in detail what I am going to get taste-wise if I buy these petit-fours. They also remind us they are handmade (better quality), and the different ways to serve them in case we have never had petit-fours before. The words exclusive and exquisite, again, are to justify the higher price. If you’ve noticed that they do repeat features from the main paragraph in the bullet points, it is to cover off the fact that some people will only read the bullets.

Baked Loaf Pan from Williams-Sonoma

Baked Loaf Pan from Williams-Sonoma

Baked Loaf Pan

We partnered with legendary New York sweet shop Baked NYC to create a ceramic pan that turns out perfectly tender quick breads – and goes from oven to table with panache. The stoneware’s dark exterior glaze absorbs heat quickly, and the clay retains its temperature for even baking and a golden finish. $43

  • High-fired stoneware is exceptionally strong and ensures even heating for sweet or savory baking.
  • Safe for oven or microwave use and fits our Breville countertop convection oven.
  • Glazed with a chocolate exterior and a vibrant orange interior.
  • Angled handles offer a steady grip.
  • Will not absorb odors or flavors.
  • Pair with one of our Baked NYC mixes to create a sweet gift.
  • Dishwasher safe.
  • 40-oz. cap.
  • Interior: 8” x 4″ x 2 1/2″ deep; 10″ x 4 1/2″ x 3″ high overall.
  • Made in China.
  • A Williams-Sonoma exclusive.

Why It Works: They have quickly answered any question I could have about a baking pan. The design of this loaf pan was overseen by a legendary bakery, so this is top of the line design. I can serve right from the pan it looks so good. Even I can’t screw up a recipe using this pan due to the clay allowing for even baking and a golden finish. Can I find a better pan out there? And this can also become a gift by simply throwing in one of their bake mixes (nice up-sell of their other products!).

So find the unique value in your products, show how you are the best out there, create a need and get them to buy!

IF YOU ARE NOT MAKING SALES, I can help! My new marketing guides will tell you everything you need to do to successfully sell online, whether you are established or just starting out. The early reviews have been great! Click here for more information.

My Marketing Ebooks

My Marketing Ebooks

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© 2013 G.B. Oliver. All rights reserved.

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by Attention Getting Marketing on February 5, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Home, Marketing I Love
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Posted by Attention Getting Marketing on February 5, 2013

http://attention-getting.com/2013/02/05/examples-of-product-copy-that-sells-williams-sonoma/

New Product Ideas for Art Prints and Photography

by G.B. Oliver

Art and photography can be a tough sell these days. Thanks to the online marketplace, it is becoming even more saturated and as a result, prices have dropped. It is a wonder that artists can make any money any more.

But that is when you have to get creative! Just like any product that is in a saturated market, you need to find new ways to repurpose your art for different markets in a manner you don’t feel hurts your artistic integrity.

Everyone has gone in an art museum gift shop and seen Van Gogh’s The Starry Night, among others, repurposed onto umbrellas, note cards, coasters, you name it. Now, I have found a few other unique ways art and photography have been “repurposed” that may inspire the artists out there.
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A Photograph is Actually the Frame

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This frame is based on New York Skyline, an original gelatin silver print by Irving Browning. The photo was put onto brushed aluminum frame and is sold at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Definitely a cool way to find new life for your art photos.
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Embossing Makeup with Fashion Sketches

Christian_Dior _Tailleur_Bar_Palette
I thought that this eyeshadow palette from Christian Dior, called Tailleur Bar Palette, was such a clever way to reuse vintage fashion art. The make-up is embossed with the iconic New Look sketch by Dior artistic director Rene Gruau done back in 1947. This is a limited edition product (which is already on back order) making it a great collector’s piece.
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Add Some Class to Your Cell Phone
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These iPhone cases were done in collaboration by British mobile phone case company, Proporta and the National Gallery London to bring some iconic museum pieces to cases for iPhones, iPads and other tablet and readers cases. A little more classier than rhinestones.
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Wear Your Art 
02072013082749
These leather booties, from Free People, gets their design from a great abstract print. We’ve seen art on silk scarves and tees, but now it go even be worn on the feet!
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So all you artists out there, do not get discouraged if your work is not selling. Instead, try to find new, exciting ways to bring it to customers. See more ideas for new product ideas for art prints and photography at my Pinterest board.

Have You Heard About My New Marketing Ebooks?

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“Best buy ever!” . . “Cannot recommend this enough!” . .  ”You will not be disappointed!” . . “Incredible!” –  just some of the customer reviews of my new ebooks, Small Business Marketing Ideas That Work!, available at my Etsy shop.

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© 2013 G.B. Oliver. All rights reserved.

 

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by Attention Getting Marketing on February 5, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Home, Trends
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Posted by Attention Getting Marketing on February 5, 2013

http://attention-getting.com/2013/02/05/new-product-ideas-for-art-prints-and-photography/

How Getting People To Ask You a Question Increases the Chance of a Sale

by G.B. Oliver

Have you heard the phrase “Engaging Your Customers?” The feeling is that once you make some sort of personal contact with a potential customer, the greater chance you have of selling to them. That is much easier when you are selling face to face, so how do you engage someone when you are selling online?

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Encourage People to Ask You a Question

Social media pundits will always say engage your audience by asking them a question. My theory is a little different. Engage potential customers by getting them to ask you a question.

The other day I was looking at the product copy of an online seller. For each of her products she had written a very long, detailed description. So detailed, in fact, that she answered every question I could possibly have if I had decided to read everything she wrote. So absolutely no reason for me to contact her unless I was going to buy. Now, this, in my opinion, is kind of a mistake.

Sometimes, not giving all the information, leaves the door open for communication. But you have to ask for it. Simply state, “If I have forgotten any details you need to know, please feel free to contact me (no obligation, I answer questions all the time!)”. When they do contact you, here is your opportunity to make the sale and close the deal with a friendly, helpful conversation similar to face to face selling.

Why do you think real estate agents never put the price of a house on the For Sale sign? So you’ll call them and ask.

Now, it can be time consuming answering people’s questions, but if you are just starting out and need those initial sales, it is a good way to get them.

Questions Help Create a Dialogue

When you answer a question, your customers can see that you are a real person that does exist and not just some online entity. Plus, it proves you know what you are talking about, which assures them that you are not just getting all your information from somewhere else. Plus, if you get back to them right away, they will see that you are serious about your customers.

So try to get your visitors to ask you a question, that will open up a dialogue, that can lead to a sale.

By the way, feel free to ask me a question at attentiongetting {at} gmail.com, but you can always get my very best marketing advice (I don’t put all my secrets on my blog!) in my new marketing guides that will tell you EVERYTHING you need to do to successfully sell online, whether you are established or just starting out. Click here for more information.

My Marketing Ebooks

My Marketing Ebooks

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© 2013 G.B. Oliver. All rights reserved.

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by Attention Getting Marketing on February 1, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Home, Marketing 101
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Posted by Attention Getting Marketing on February 1, 2013

http://attention-getting.com/2013/02/01/how-getting-people-to-ask-you-a-question-increases-the-chance-of-a-sale/

The Importance of Labelling Your Products So Future Buyers Can Find You

by G.B. Oliver

In November we had a family photo taken and one of the primary reasons was to use it as a Christmas card. After we got the card back and I was about to send it out to people, I realized that our wonderful photographer missed out on a great opportunity.

The photo we were using for the card could have easily included a line below, “Photo by Starmark Photography” because I am sure that some of our friends and family are always on the lookout for a good photographer. Free advertising.

How do you make sure that people, who did not buy your product but may see it in a customer’s home, at a wedding, wearing it, etc., know that it’s from your shop? Sometimes when you are a small vendor, you forget to label your work.

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Labels from HobbyTime on Etsy

Ways to Label Your Products

  • If you do greeting cards, or essentially any type of paper product, it is easy to include text on the back, “made by XYZ company”.
  • If you make clothing, hats or scarves, you can easily attach a fabric label.
  • If you make ceramic or wood products, you can imprint your company name on a part of the product that isn’t clearly visible (like the bottom of a vase) but there if people are looking for it.
  • My husband bought this great iPad cover on Fab.com, and luckily the vendor was smart enough to include a label with his company name sewn on the inside flap, because we just remember that we bought it on Fab, not who from.
  • A lot of people sell iPhone covers, where are you putting your label?
  • Sometimes you have to get creative about how to sneak your name in. Maybe if you sell soap or candles, insert a small plastic disc (the size of a quarter) with your name on it into the middle of the bar of soap or candle that will appear when it starts to run down so they know to buy more (and where from!). This is really helpful if the item was given as a gift.

Now some products are not that easy to label, such as jewelry (unless you put a small metal tag on the clasp of a necklace) smaller scale products and edible products. That is when you need to include your business/calling card (please see my post, Why Including Your Business Card is NEVER a Bad Idea).

My point is, are you remembering to label your products? If you haven’t, start now to get that referral business and repeat customers.

Marketing_Ideas_Etsy_Wedding

★ GET ALL MY SECRETS (the ones I don’t put on my blog!) in my new marketing guides that will tell you EVERYTHING you need to do to successfully sell online. Click here for more information.

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by Attention Getting Marketing on January 30, 2013  •  Permalink
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Posted by Attention Getting Marketing on January 30, 2013

http://attention-getting.com/2013/01/30/the-importance-of-labelling-your-products-so-future-buyers-can-find-you/

When a Photo Does Your Selling

by G.B. Oliver

I want you to take a look at the photo below. It is from a wedding blog called Style Me Pretty. The photographer (Kristin Vining) took a photograph of the bride holding a variety of clutch purses, which are obviously gifts for her attendants. This photo caught my eye because I actually thought it was an ad for the shop selling the purses. It wasn’t, just a good photographer capturing every detail of a wedding.

Photograph by Kristin Vining Photography at www.kristinvining.com

Photograph by Kristin Vining Photography at http://www.kristinvining.com

Now, if I was selling clutch purses, I would add a photo like this to my shop. Why? Because with one photo I just gave a visitor another reason to buy that they may not have thought about.

Show Who the Product May Be For

What if a bride is visiting my purse shop, but just looking for one for herself. She sees a photo like this and it automatically registers that, yes, these purses would make a great attendant gift. Much more effective then just putting it in the product description because photos convey the idea so much faster than words.

While you need photos that are strictly of the product (as these are the ones that tend to get picked up for editorial) you also need photos that quickly tell visitors the need and uses for your product.

Show Uses for the Product

Another example. I saw a lot of baby onesies online with a Santa or Christmas motif. Every shop just had a photo of the onesie, or the onesie on a baby. However, I thought why doesn’t anyone have a photo of the baby wearing the onesie sitting on Santa’s knee? Wouldn’t it be the perfect thing to wear for baby’s first photo with Santa? A visitor to your shop would see a photo like this and think, I will get more use out of this than just Christmas morning. Therefore the product now has more value, therefore I am more likely to buy.

So think of all the people who would buy your product, or all the reasons someone would buy your product, and see if you can come up with a photo that conveys this to visitors. It may do your selling for you.

★ FOR MORE MARKETING IDEAS on photos that will sell your products, plus so many other secrets for selling online, my new ebooks will tell you everything you need to do to sell more products, with ebooks specifically for shops selling Jewelry & Fashion Accessories, Wedding Products, Home Products and Baby & Kids Products. Click here for more information.

Marketing_Ideas_Etsy_Wedding

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© 2013 G.B. Oliver. All rights reserved.

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by Attention Getting Marketing on January 24, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Home, Marketing 101
Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by Attention Getting Marketing on January 24, 2013

http://attention-getting.com/2013/01/24/when-a-photo-does-your-selling/

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