3 Tips a Marketer Need to Know to leverage the mobile devices to increase sales

Mobile commerce is the trend that no retailers can afford to ignore.  Industry analysts predict that the mobile commerce will increase to 31% of total digital purchase and generate $109 billion of revenue in 2017. As an IMC graduate student in Medill School in Northwestern University, I have done research on how the m-commerce trend affect the fashion retailers, and two articles explaining the industry future integrating the mobile devices catches I attention.

Dylan Richard, co-founder and CTO of a mobile-only e-commerce company, discusses the different consumer purchasing behaviors on mobile platforms, with computers and in stores. Dylan points out that when consumers shopping on mobile devices, like all online shopping experience, they are driven by fear on whether they make the right choice. Unlike shopping with computers, however, they are looking for easier and quicker shopping experience when they shop on their mobile devices, as they tend to shift between different apps and activities fast on their phone or tablets. 

Source: www.ohlalapps.com/wp-content/uploads/header_shopping.jpg

The Guardian article emphasizes on the importance of social networks and apps in m-commerce. While the trend helps small luxury brand to be more cost efficient, it also requires brands to provide a seamless service from seeing a picture on social media app to purchase the product. 

As the previous two articles mentioned, while the m-commerce trend is a great opportunity for fashion retailers, the retailers need to understand the different consumer purchasing behaviors on mobile device and adjust the shopping experience accordingly to generate new revenue. Based on my experience in the IMC program, here are three actions I would recommend to all fashion retailers:

• Optimize your mobile sites: optimize the mobile shopping experience is not just about a larger button. The customers need to be able to find essential information/graphics they need in the small screens and make purchases within several touches.

• Link your site with your social media accounts: always provide the links of the product with the pictures you post on social media (or use hyperlink) so consumers can access your mobile site from their social media apps easily. If you are looking for a more creative way to do it, IKEA Russion innovatively use Instagram as a catalog to increase consumers’ engagement and lead them to their website. 

• Integrate the mobile device into your store: QR code, Geo-fencing etc. are all great way to enhance your consumers’ store shopping experience while leading them to your mobile apps or sites.  

   

Cindy Du is Master of a Master of Science Candidate in Integrated Marketing Communication at the Medill School in Northwestern University. Cindy has studied and worked in Boston for four year in communication and public relations. Cindy now dedicates in delivering actionable digital marketing strategies for fashion retail brands through data-driven methods. Connect Cindy via @Cindy_SiyingDu.

Business Owners: Increase Profits using Hyperlocal Technology

As a business owner, I'm sure that you've come to find that new technology and e-commerce is making it difficult for you to keep up. As a graduate student in Integrated Marketing Communications at Northwestern University, I have focused my research on tech marketing and have found two articles which will give you insights into how to use hyperlocal technologies to grow your business.

          

According to "How Hyperlocal Tech Is Reviving Brick-and-Mortar Sales" by Allan Haims of Street Fight Magazine, hyperlocal technology is revitalizing physical retail locations. He suggests that the ubiquity of smartphone use has opened the door to direct digital marketing. Haims also discusses the various  ways in which new marketing technologies are affecting the hyperlocal retail market. First, he talks about the ability to monitor in-store traffic patterns to improve the store and sales and mentions the expanded use of different payment types that allow brands to be more connected with the consumer. Second, Haims touches on beacon technology and the use of social media to target customers with discount deals. Lastly, he calls on retailers to improve the efficiency of their inventories using new marketing technologies.

The second article, titled "Apple Watch will support hyper-local ads urging users to flash the cash", by John McCarthy of The Drum, surrounds the highly-anticipated release of the Apple iWatch and its tie-in with Hyperlocal Technology. McCarthy is reporting that the upcoming Apple iWatch will have the ability to receive ads pushed to it, hyperlocally, from nearby stores. Also, the fact that the smartwatch will be Apple Pay compatible means that these ads will be able to be redeemed and paid for just by touching your watch. The rest of the article is comprised of quotes regarding the potential magnitude of the Apple iWatch.

                

Based on my insight gained from Northwestern's IMC program and the information from these two articles, there are three actionable tactics that I recommend you as a marketer should do:

• Invest Hyperlocally. Start to consider options for investing in hyperlocal beacon technology. If you fail to get ahead of the trend, your competitors will leave you in their digital dust.

• Accept Digital Currency. Create the ability to use Apply Pay and Google Wallet in your retailer locations so that customers’ purchases are as simple as touching their wrists.

• Prep your Team. Develop hyperlocal campaigns and financial strategies that would be most profitable and implement these campaigns/strategies using beacon technology.

As a marketing executive, it is crucial that you stay abreast of technologies like hyperlocal and beacon technologies that have the potential to be the “next big thing” in marketing tech. Follow these three steps in order to stay ahead of the curve and eclipse your competitors.

Brandon Duran, originally from Los Angeles, CA, is
pursuing a Master’s in Integrated Marketing
Communications from Northwestern University’s Medill.
Currently on the Brandy Strategy and Data Analytics
specialization tracks, Brandon is interested in using data
analytics to improve the equity of brands in the tech industry.

Connect with Brandon on Twitter and LinkedIn. 

Beauty Marketers: 3 Tips to Create Exceptional Digital Programs

As the CMO of a beauty and cosmetics company, it is not surprising that the customers are moving towards the digital and mobile commerce platform. Have worked for a Fortune 500 company with direct contact with customers, I shift my focus to brand strategy and digital marketing. During my time as a student in Integrated Marketing Communications program at Northwestern, I found two useful articles for you as your company want to consider to create distinctive digital programs for your brands. 

The article Mirror,mirror on your app…The cosmetics industry embraces digital written by Emilie Jones and Simon Frankel, it discussed the launch of L’Oreal new mobile app which act as a virtual make-up mirror and the trend of digitalization in cosmetics industry. It also examined the risks of moving towards digital platform: lack of employee customer service and expert advice, trying on virtual mirror is different from trying on actual skin.

Source: http://modiface.com/news/490/im.jpg

In another article Mobile apps: opportunity or risk for beauty brands? written by Lucy Whitehouse, it looked at the proliferation of mobile apps of beauty products and analyzes some opportunities and risks involved for brands. It talks about the more informed consumers who can search anything online about product reviews and information, mobile apps that developed for beauty product reviews, or private virtual communities for beauty expert and enthusiasts all pose challenges for companies that want to develop strategies to go into digital platform.

Based on these two articles and my graduate learning in Medill IMC program, here are three action items I recommend:

• Develop Multi-Channel Experiences- Digital sites allow consumers to see, interact and experience your products in a new and better way

• Monitor and Respond- carefully monitor people’s activity about your company in social media platform, especially on private virtual communities.

• Act as an expert, offer solutions- establish expertise in the mind of consumers when they are having skin problem or wonders will help your company to build long-term relationship with the consumers.

It is clear that as consumers shift their purchases from traditional retail to e-commerce, it is not surprising that beauty and cosmetics companies also want to follow the trend and capture the benefit of proliferation of digital platform. 

Lisa Hu is current a full-time student at IMC program in Medill at Northwestern graduating in December 2015, she specializes in brand strategy and digital interactive marketing and pursue a marketing career in beauty and cosmetics industry. Two years of experience working in retail industry, have worked in China and the U.S gives her a more global perspective when looking at consumers behavior and trends.

Contact Lisa via Linkedin or Twitter 

Destination Marketers: Be On Board or Be Left Behind

As a DMO, social media is proving to be the most cost effective ways to reach consumers and their performance can revitalize your business. As an Integrated Marketing Communications student at Northwestern University and previous experience in tourism marketing, I found 2 articles worth sharing.

As tourism consultant Frederic Gonzalo has pointed out in “Why The Destination Marketing Model Is Broken”, destinations are facing a much different reality, where traveler behaviors and their decision-making processes are shifting like never before. One of the most important disruptors is the rising importance of social platforms and mobile. According to his research, social media and the rising use of smartphones and tablets have made the information-seeking process much faster and complex. At the same time, today’s travelers trust peer reviews or reviews from strangers more than those from friends or colleagues. Yet, few destinations have developed tactical plans with social media as part of their digital marketing strategy.

(Source: “These Are The Six Most-Discussed Topics On Social Media”)

On the other hand, based on the article “Social Media Best Practices For Destination Marketing”, travel is one of the most sought after topics on social media, second to technology. Today’s travelers are using social media channels more frequently, and it is important for DMOs to be there to capture their attention before they decide to visit another destination. In general, there are 4 ways to get most use of social media: Direct booking, Create engaging posts, Conduct researches and Provide customer service. It is also important to always focus on your audience more than yourself by simply following the 5-3-2 Rule, which means out of 10 Twitter Tweets, LinkedIn updates, or Facebook posts: Five should be content from others, relevant to the audience. Three should be content from you, relevant to the audience. Two should be personal, something non-work related to help humanize the brand.

Based on the 2 articles and my graduate learning at Northwestern University, there are 3 steps that I suggest you to consider:

• Create Awesome. Try to focus on your audience’s core needs to create relatable, engaging and comfortable content. It can start easily by applying the 5-3-2 Rule.

• Manage WOM. Give your consumers a chance to voice their concerns and always get prepared to fix the problem through a strong online presence.

• Generate ROI. Incorporate e-commerce to social media tools to sell products on behalf of destination partners. Remember, social media presence without generating ROI is not going to last long.

Establishing and maintaining social media accounts can take lots of time and effort. However, get on board of social media can be the turning point of the stopping or even dying DMOs. Some changes are always better than nothing.

The author, Kai Teng is an MS candidate in Integrated Marketing Communication at Northwestern University. She is particular interested in tourism marketing and consulting. You may contact the author via Twitter @KaiTeng2015 or LinkedIn.