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Everyone’s gone “social” … so are we

Social media is another dimension of omnichannel consumption

Image Credit: KROMKRATHOG

By Chris H. Petersen

I can't believe I started blogging a decade ago … 10 years ago! In some ways, it doesn't seem so long. But in many ways, 10 years is a LONG time. A lot has happened in the last ten years since we started blogging. The word "omnichannel" was not in anybody's vocabulary. Today, omnichannel is one of the top buzzwords in retail. Omnichannel is really all about us as consumers. It is about how we research and shop … anytime and everywhere. In a sense, omnichannel is also about how we consume … everything. We engage and consume from many sources seamlessly, and sometimes simultaneously. As a result, "social media" has become a medium, a channel for engagement, and a huge way we "consume" content. Which is the underlying reason we are also going social.

Why this is important: Patterns have of consumption and engagement have changed dramatically in the last decade. Reaching today's consumers requires multiple media that reach consumers where they are … and where they consume.

5 First-hand lessons for building a business in a social world

Ignorance is not bliss, or profitable in todays connected world

Image Credit: PublicDomainPictures

I've finally decided what I want to be when I grow up … a photographer. No, I don't want to take photos of children or weddings. Been there, done that, and it requires much younger knees. What I want to do is launch a "photo safari" business where I can take small groups of photographers to shoot at great locations around the world. Only one problem, there are a zillion photographers. So, like any new business, I need to standout through marketing online. I am literally living through the realities facing all small businesses today – how do you market to today's consumers who live online in a connected social world?

Why this is important: Marketing "ain't what it used to be". Today's highly connected consumers can be major plus for small businesses, but it requires learning how to connect all of the dots to make the whole greater than the sum of the parts.

Can traditional retail survive the pending FANG attack?

These best of times for consumers could be the worst of times for retail

There have been some absolutely amazing headlines this past week. In case you missed it, based on quarterly earnings of just $92 million, Amazon now has a market cap larger than Walmart! What? Perhaps without realizing it, we are plunging into a new era of "blurred lines" of commerce. A record pace of growth has been recorded by the gang comprising FANG (Facebook, Amazon, Netflix, and Google). But, the story beyond the numbers is far more significant. These are the best of times to be a consumer. And, woe be to the retailers without a strategy to compete with the disruption of the fearsome foursome comprising FANG.

Why this is important: In the unfolding "Clash of the Titans" we are witnessing unprecedented change that will disrupt the very foundations of traditional retail. The "e" in ecommerce today literally means how to connect with consumers everywhere.

#GIVINGTUESDAY – Do we need another holiday this season?

What are your plans for December 2^nd?

In the US, everyone is busy preparing for Thanksgiving. It is the one American holiday where family and friends make the time to gather and simply enjoy time together. Yet, Thanksgiving has also been transformed to become the crossroads of retail shopping. Thanksgiving week headlines and ads are all about Black Friday and Cyber Monday. And now, Cyber Monday is followed by GivingTuesday. What? Another holiday concocted to get us to buy more gifts? On the contrary, this special day is a simple idea that can become one of your most important traditions of the holiday season.

Why this is important: In this frenetic, commercialized world it is easy to lose perspective. We all need reminders that the joy of living is in the giving. #GIVINGTUESDAY is a movement that captures the reason for the season.

Technology is stealing your soul … 5 tips to fight back

Each must find a balance of when to touch, and when to reach out

Image Credit: Stuart Miles; Freedigitalphotos.net

When I grew up, mobile technology was a thing of fantasy. Kids could only dream of what would be like to talk with detective Dick Tracy's famous "watch", or Captain Kirk's mobile communicator. Today, millennials report that they spend 14.5 hours a week with their smartphones. We are now entering the new age of wearing our technology on our wrists and in our clothes. With today's social media, it is possible to be "always on" and in "touch" with anyone in the world. But, what is the price of today's technology? … when do you cross the line and lose your soul?

Why this is important: As with everything in life, technology is neither good nor evil. There is a growing temptation to simply click to connect. Each of us must find a balance of being virtually in touch, versus losing touch with our humanness.

When a KISS is not a kiss

7 Lessons for all marketers in today's omni-channel world

Image Credit: Photoraidz; Freedigitalphotos.net

When people mention social media, Facebook most often comes to mind. But, there are literally hundreds of social media platforms used by consumers today. Some of the fastest growing, like Pinterest and Instagram, are highly visual media. Marketing messages often get amplified via social media in ways that aren't expected or intended. When something goes "viral" it is often on the "Twittersphere," where consumers are just as likely to rant as rave. A lesson learned by Hershey's chocolates is a valuable lesson for all marketers today: there are no separate "channels". Social media are an integral part of today's omni-channel experience, and the consumer controls the conversation … not the marketer.

Why this is important: Social media opens up all kinds of opportunities, as well as vulnerabilities. The rules and connotations of print ads no longer apply. Marketers need to be savvy and conscious of how messages are interpreted across all media.

5 creative retailers actually using Pinterest to grow sales

Pinterest is no longer just fantasy football for women...

Image Credit: Pinterest.com

We have posted previously that Pinterest is the social media that is like "fantasy football for women". And make no mistake about it, the majority of heavy Pinterest users are women. Women seem to like the ease of being able to "pin" (save) visual images of things they find while searching on the web. Like all social media, the power of Pinterest comes from users sharing things with their network. For retailers who are already stretched, the question becomes one of where to invest time and resources. Does Pinterest really help sell anything? The answers lie in understanding the media, its users and how to creatively tap its potential.

Why this is important: Omni-channel consumers are shopping for ideas any time and everywhere, especially on social media. Pinterest is a great case study in how retailers must creatively adapt to both the medium and users in order to make sales.

Is Olapic a vision for the future for multi-channel retailing?

Retailers can now create "look books" from consumer photos real time

Offering a multi-channel experience is no longer optional; it's a requirement for retail success. The challenge for retailers is how to acquire and manage the rich content required to improve the consumer experience. If a picture is worth a thousand words, photos of consumers using the product are worth even more. Olapic is a new platform enabling retailers to harvest consumer generated photos to enrich the shopping experience in all channels. "Selfies" might just be replacing models in product photos as retailers build "look books" to replace catalogs.

Why this is important: Omni-channel is the new normal. To appeal to the mobile consumer will require new ways of engaging consumers with rich content and visually showing how products fit their lifestyle.

Practicing what we preach!

At IMS we test and innovate too.

Submitted By: Heather Lantz

Chris is traveling this week and busy facilitating a high level training workshop in Europe.  So, I thought I would step in and assist him with the weekly blog post. 

If you have followed the IMS blog site you know IMS consistently shares stories about testing and innovating in retail.  We always encourage clients to test and measure.  Retailers should never become stagnant and always be on a path of consistent innovation.

Retailer Social Media Stats … Some Top 10 will surprise you!

Social media is changing the face of retail … and how retailers market

On a personal note, this is my 300^th blog post for Results Count. People often ask me how I find topics to write about in retail. The simple answer is that retail is changing faster than ever before. One of the most significant changes in retail is the changing behavior of consumers, especially in how they shop and connect via social media. Two of the questions I get asked most often are: "should retailers worry about social media" and "which retailers are most engaged in social media"? Some of the retailers most engaged in social media, and most followed, may in fact surprise you as much as did me. Definitely worthy of the 300^th blog post.