How to leverage QR codes to join the contactless revolution

Since QR codes were created in 1994, they've shown up just about everywhere. Marketers used them on drink labels, business cards, and even billboards.

But no matter how trendy they were, many consumers saw QR codes as a gimmick rather than a useful tool. What was in it for them? Why should they visit a company's website to get information, and why would they want to download a separate app to scan a code just to do so? It was a clunky user experience that didn't demonstrate a...

4 May 2021 | Advertising Technology

Why adding intrinsic incentives for eCommerce and social is key amid heightened consumer demands

Raise your hand if you have a wallet bursting with so-called “customer loyalty” cards. You likely have one for each supermarket, your favourite coffee chain, and maybe for the bookstore. With some brands upgrading to an app, you probably also have a smartphone screen full of their colourful icons. But how often do those loyalty schemes actually influence you to make a purchase? More importantly, do they keep you loyal to the brand?

The problem with most loyalty programmes is...

30 April 2021 | Best Practice

How microsites are the surprising weapon for in-store customer engagement

Point-of-purchase displays were once all the rage in marketing. The same can be said for print, radio, catalogue, and TV, but those too have all cooled in their ability to drive awareness and sales — at least when compared to digital. Social media, websites, influencer marketing, and the like are where you’ll find the sizzle today, resonating even more than the good old in-store channel with consumers.

But microsites — something the average consumer is probably already...

28 April 2021 | Commerce

Data privacy and digital trust: A balancing act which hinges on the customer

Protecting data privacy and preserving brand integrity can bring about a whole host of unwelcome processes for businesses, with added layers of complexity evolving from the increasingly stringent regulations and heightened expectations that come with leveraging large data lakes of personal data. However, instead of steering data strategy to react to regulations, brands need to proactively pivot in the direction of their primary purpose: satisfying customer expectations. With an...

27 April 2021 | Commerce

Salesforce Digital 360 for Industries looks further to a cloud-controlled marketing approach

You may have heard of the concept of an 'industry cloud'; a solution which has been customised to fit operatory and regulatory requirements for a specific vertical. Salesforce has looked to this for software as a service (SaaS) and digital experiences with the release of Digital 360 for Industries.

The company's latest offering mixes industry apps, developer tools, websites, portals and best practices purpose-built for the financial services, grocery, healthcare and non-profit...

22 April 2021 | Commerce

Never underestimate AI: How retailers can predict the unpredictable

From hoarding toilet paper to shops shutting their doors, it’s fair to say 2020 was one of the most disruptive years for retailers. According to the ONS, online sales grew by 46% in 2020, compared to the previous year. With consumer behaviour changing rapidly in response to the pandemic, retailers have had to adapt and keep pace with demand. This has been the perfect use case for automation, which has proved invaluable as retailers navigate a path through disruption.

The...

16 April 2021 | Automation

Why direct-to-consumer depends on digital transformation: Key brand examples

Stay-at-home rules, imposed during the global Covid-19 pandemic, have put digitalisation into turbo drive. According to McKinsey and Company, the growth in the USA’s e-commerce in the first six months of 2020 equalled that of the previous decade.

The accelerated adoption of eCommerce has introduced existential threats for many traditional retailers, while creating fresh opportunities for brands that are comfortable with using digital channels to develop a personalised...

8 April 2021 | Branding

Two key marketing automation tools you may be missing for your eCommerce clients

More and more, eCommerce companies and online shops are tapping digital marketing agencies to help them advertise their products online - on not just one, but multiple marketplaces. Whether you are adding eCommerce clients to the agency portfolio for the first time or working with these clients - there is a need to break through the noise by advertising on marketplaces.

Successful ad campaigns for eCommerce call for high-quality PPC ads, banner ads, text ads (expanded and simple),...

26 March 2021 | Automation

Analysing the haves and have nots for sales enablement: How can you become better?

If you want to be part of the C-suite at a visionary company, then you need a strategic, cyclical approach to the customer lifecycle. But where should sales enablement fit in?

This is the keynote of a new report issued by Seismic (landing page, email required). Not overly surprisingly, 'sales enablement platform provider says sales enablement is key' is not going to get tongues wagging. Yet while, as one would expect, the report says companies are applying sales enablement to...

22 March 2021 | Advertising

Gartner: How is digital commerce changing the face of customer experience?

There was a time when digital commerce meant static storefronts. Back then, if you were to purchase from a business, you’d almost definitely have spoken to someone along the way – either face-to-face or over the phone. Perhaps it was the cashier at your local grocery or the account manager at your local bank. You might have even known their name. Even if you didn’t, you’d expect that staff would be trained in a variation of the phrase, ‘the customer is always right’ as a...

16 March 2021 | Best Practice