My Favorite Online Retail Marketing Ploys
Tis the season! I’ve been bitten by the shopping bug and as a result been driven to participate in shopping even more than normal. Since it is my last semester in school and I’m vigorously working on all of my assignments I haven’t had much time to hit the mall. Enter online shopping. Normally I’m not a huge fan of shopping online. Not only do you have to deal with shipping costs, lost items, or being disappointed in the item you purchased but it takes away the in-store experience. I suppose it is the whole thought of not being able to use my senses of touch, sight, smell, etc. when choosing my clothes. With all of this online shopping I’ve been signed up for numerous email lists. Normally I delete emails on the spot if the subject line bores me but there has been an increase in my click through rate with these new marketing ploys.
Online retailers are utilizing contests and giveaways to let their fans do their social media marketing for them! While many companies are partaking in this I’m going to focus my attention to one site in particular, MissKL.com. A few weeks ago I was on a popular fashion blog (IHATEBLONDE) and noticed that in her latest post there was a link to MissKL. The blogger posted her favorite looks from the website which are up for grabs as a giveaway! All you need to do is enter your name and email address to be placed in the drawing. The catch? Being added to their email list. Not too bad. The second contest they are holding is for a trip for 2 to Paris France along with a $500 MissKL shopping spree. While I consider the best part of this marketing effort the trip to Paris my business side of my brain was tickled by the method used to enter. It’s simple really, sign into your Pinterest account, create a board entitled “Springtime in Paris: Miss KL Style” and start pinning your favorite MissKL items that inspire you and will tell your Paris story. Not only is this a great way for people to get involved on your website but products that are pinned by contestants are now seen by their followers who can re-pin and be displayed for their followers… the story goes on. Ultimately the great part about Pinterest is that with every top, dress, or accessory you post you are providing a direct link back to your website. For those influential pinners out there your product can be seen by their thousand or so followers!
It’s all about engagement, if your customers are getting excited about your product offerings they will pass it on to their friends, followers, or fans. This makes marketers jobs a lot easier, all they must do is keep the influential consumers interested and engaged. I’d like to think that when I start my own online retailer or clothing company this would be a big way to spread word of mouth. Leave it to social media people, it’s not that hard if you have the right creative mind.