MarketingSherpa released its 2009 eCommerce Benchmark Survey and reminds us that we should be gearing up for what is projected to be an improved holiday season: up 9% over 2008.  Nearly 1,500 eCommerce marketers rated tactics for improving website conversions.

1.  Perpetual shopping carts

These take many different forms:  from a simple note that there’s a product sitting in the cart to dynamic overlays showing images of the product, price, and estimated shipping costs.  The perpetual shopping cart keeps the purchase in the mind of the customer; that psychological anchor helps guide them back to the purchase.

2.  Website search

Consumer research suggests that almost 50% of shoppers prefer internal search over traditional menu options.  This number naturally rises when they have a specific product or brand in mind. 

The first priority is to test your internal search regularly to ensure that it works effectively. Second, examine the different business factors that can be used to optimize internal search results.  Some marketers use a ‘last in-first out’ method to move inventory, while others use their analytics and database systems to sort products by profit margin.  The choices are as broad as your technology and creativity.

3.  Enhanced display

Consumers are enthusiastic about getting multiple, varied photos of a product.   People want to know as much as they can about a product, and even static images can help.  Showing videos how to use products or explaining complex features can bring products to life for the user.

Definition 6 is an Atlanta ad agency and has extensive experience in building and designing eCommerce websites.  We can improve your Search Engine Optimization.  We are experts in Google Search technology and can implement search at your site.  We can also help you with your interactive advertising campaigns and targeted email marketing.  Do you need a mobile advertising strategy?  We can help!

In a recent Sales Caffeine email newsletter from Jeffrey Gitomer, there is an article by Michelle Joyce on Making Transactions Memorable.  She had a pleasant experience at the McDonald’s drive thru in Huntersville, North Carolina, and summarized what made the transaction memorable.
 
These three simple steps can be considered website redesign tips to improve user experience at your eCommerce websites and in all your interactive marketing efforts.

1.  Start with a smile and engage your prospect in a friendly manner.  Would you do business with someone you didn’t like?  Well, neither would your prospect.  This guy made me like him – immediately.  When he made that connection, the transaction became enjoyable and personal.  It was all about me, not just my order. 

2.  Offer alternative solutions.  People want choices.   Don't assume that your customer is aware of them.  Uncover their needs and help them make a choice.  McDonald's already mastered the upsell technique with their famous line, “Do you want fries with that?”  What kind of additional features and services can you upsell?  What kind of additional revenue are you leaving on the table at every sale?

3.  End the transaction with something memorable.  When is the last time that a fast food worker told you to “drive safely”?  Usually, it is the perfunctory "thank you” and “have a nice day”; but this guy made me feel like he was genuinely concerned about my personal safety.  What are you saying to your customers that make them remember you personally?

Michelle ends by saying:  The reality is that people are still buying products and services in this economy.  The only question is "Will they buy them from you?"

Definition 6 is an interactive marketing agency that can help you make a connection to your users, whether customers or prospective ones.  We are experts in website development and custom application development.  Even though we are an Atlanta Ad Agency, we have clients across the US that we help differentiate themselves from their competition.

Lori Willard, Online Media Specialist here at Def 6, passed along a MediaPost Research Brief that shows that reduced advertising during a recession negatively impacts consumer perception.

According to a new Ad-ology Research study, "Advertising's Impact in a Soft Economy," more than 48% of U.S. adults believe that a lack of advertising by a retail store, bank or auto dealership during a recession indicates the business must be struggling.

Conversly, a vast majority perceives businesses that continue to advertise as being competitive or committed to doing business.
 
Other key findings include:

• 40% of consumers use coupons more now than a year ago

• Most consumers are as willing or more willing to pay more for ‘healthy' or ‘organic' products than they were a year ago

• A ‘deeply discounted price' was the number one factor that would make consumers more likely to purchase a big-ticket item (+$1,000)

• Store websites ranked second only to search engines as the way consumers research products and shop online

Ad-ology summarizes the research by saying:  “It is critical to advertise in the current economic climate, to maintain long-term positive consumer perception of your brand.  Advertising not only assures consumers of a business’ reliability in a soft economy, but it can influence where and what they buy, especially when the ads address concerns about value.”

Definition 6 offers strategy consulting services to help you with your advertising initiatives for the following disciplines: email, SEO, SEM, online media, social media, and mobile.  Don't let your advertising negatively impact consumer perception.

Our CTO, Paul Hernacki, demonstrated Microsoft tags to the internal team here at Def 6.  Tags are great for users on the go who see something in print and want more info than you would want to fit in a small ad space or on a map.
 
Users point their mobile devices at a Tag and instantly jump to a site where they can:
Make a reservation
Look at a menu
Get directions
Download a coupon
Order products
Read a review

The Tag can be location-specific so that directions and promos are relevant.  Tracking tells which tags are scanned, as well as, when and where they were scanned.

See a video at:
http://blogs.gotdotnet.com/bfridley/archive/2009/05/11/microsoft-tag-in-hospitality.aspx

Get free tag app for your phone at:
http://gettag.mobi

Can Microsoft Tags benefit your business?  Let us help you with your strategy by assessing all your marketing efforts.  We'll determine which tags would make the most sense.  We can set them up and deliver them to your marketing group to incorporate in your marketing campaigns.  We specialize in landing pages that convert, too.  Let me know if we can help you!

In 2009, more data will be generated by individuals than in the entire previous history of mankind.  

Andreas Weigend explains how/why at http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/now-new-next/2009/05/the-social-data-revolution.html.  There have been two “data revolutions” in the way consumer data is solicited and collected.

Initially, successful companies gained power by collecting, aggregating, and analyzing the customer data they collected.  But, most companies didn’t fully utilize all the data collected.

Then, companies like Amazon.com realized that users often trusted recommendations by other users more than promotional materials.  Users started to actively contribute explicit data, such as, information about themselves, their friends, or about the items they purchased.  Amazon leveraged this new knowledge to help customers with their purchasing decisions.


Successful firms encourage and reward users who contribute honest data.  Netflix allows users to contribute ratings for movies that they have seen; the incentive to contribute accurate data is to get better recommendations for new movies.  Customers are starting to interact with each other. Knowing that they are not alone has shifted the balance of power from companies back to consumers.


Why spend time on hold with a customer service representative if we can just Google see if someone else has already solved the same problem?  An online user community was likely to be more helpful than a representative employed by the company.


Bottom line:  The online world is beginning to be ruled by the expectations of the users.  Companies that want to stay relevant have no choice but to accept the ideas of the consumer revolution as swiftly as possible and address the higher expectations for customer relationships.

Definition 6 is an interactive media agency that creates marketing initiatives that engage people.  We capture and analyze relevant metrics from web analytics, email marketing, online media, and social media campaigns to continue to test and refine marketing plans.  We’d like to help you meet the challenge of addressing the new expectations of consumers.

Domino's Pizza's response to a video on YouTube is getting good marks for crisis management.  A video on YouTube shows an employee "doing gross things to a Domino's sub sandwich he is making."

Two employees were fired and face felony charges of food tampering.  You can read the USA Today artlcle at www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2009-04-15-kitchen-pr-dominos-pizza_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip.

What I wanted to focus on was key things experts say marketers can do to quickly and effectively respond to similar social-networking attacks.

• First, you have to actively monitor the social media space so that you are even aware of conversations that involve your company or products.  Domino's responded within hours.  

• Domino's first responded on The Consumerist blog and asked for help tracking down the employees involved.  Then, Domino's responded on Twitter where it was a hot topic. 

In summary, the critical factors to success are monitoring and timeliness.

Two other items mentioned in the US Today article shouldn't have to be mentioned:

• Foster a positive culture so that employees and customers aren't the source of negative press.  Duh!

• Set clear guidelines about what is allowed during working hours — and what isn't.  Do you really have to tell employees what NOT to do to food being served to the public?

As a result of the incident, Domino's is looking at banning video cameras in stores.  I think this sends the wrong message.  Customers want assurances that food preparation is safe.  Banning vidoe cameras implies that Domino's doesn't want to know if its happening.  I agree with everything else they've done to manage the crisis but not this.

Definition 6 provides Social Media Marketing Consulting.  We're located in Atlanta, but have clients across the nation.  We'd love to help you optimize your efforts in the social media space.

A client sent me two articles to react to about online advertising.  The title that I chose for this posting states my position:  I'm not sure why people think that advertising alone should support a website.

The first article is from The Economist and is entitled The demise of a popular but unsustainable business model for the Internet now seems inevitable.  This is one of the best articles I've read that explains the reality of Internet business models, whether realistic or not.  Read the entire article at www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13326158.

Great explanation of the dotcom crash…
Firms sprang up to offer content and services online, in the hope that they would eventually be able to “monetise” the resulting millions of “eyeballs” by selling advertising. Things did not work out that way, though, and the result was the dotcom crash.

…and of the Web 2.0 bubble…
Google’s ability to place small, targeted text advertisements next to Internet-search results, and on other websites, meant that many of the business models thought to have been killed by the dotcom bust now rose from the grave.

….and economical realities.
The idea that you can give things away online, and hope that advertising revenue will somehow materialize later on, undoubtedly appeals to users, who enjoy free services as a result.  Ultimately, though, every business needs revenues—and advertising is not going to provide enough.

The second article is a provocative one entitled Why Advertising Is Failing On The Internet and states that advertising cannot fully support the Internet.  Read it at www.techcrunch.com/2009/03/22/why-advertising-is-failing-on-the-internet/.

Websites need to sell real products, services, information or 'access' to information like TripAdvisor.com.  Or, offer an 'experience' like LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, or World of Warcraft.

It's true that most people don't trust ads, online or offline.  They don't 'want' them or 'need' them.  The Internet allows users to get information from a variety of sources and from sources they trust.

But, no company expecting to maintain market share in today's economic environment is going to say "Stop telling potential customers about us." 

Organic search, paid search and display banners can increase awareness and conversions even in today's climate.  Display banner advertising works because it reaches users where they are on the Internet.  You don't advertise just with your name on the building.  You advertise in high traffic areas, too.

How does Definition 6 ensure that online advertising succeeds for our clients?   First, we're big into collaborative strategy.  How can you differentiate yourself?  How can we build synergy with your other initiatives?  Who should you target with banners?  What should the messaging be?

Bottom line:  Appropriate targeting and messaging still works online.  We go beyond traditional banners; we use rich media to make the experience engaging and interactive.

PointRoll hands out nifty little notebooks with the first page filled with Best Practices for Display Banners.  Here's a summary:

1.  Keep the campaign objective and key metrics in mind when designing banners.   Use more than one panel for displaying a lot of info or you want user interaction and engagement.  If direct response is desired, one action-focused panel is most effective.

2.  Banner animation should not be too slow or too fast; the call to action should appear immediately.

3.  Give the user a compelling reason to rollover with a clear, prominent, and relative call to action.

4.  Rollover hot spots should be as large as possible and easy to see.  On most sites, the rollover max spec is 33% of the banner.

5.  All panels should be accessible from any other panel.  Use horizontal hot spots on horizontal ads and vertical hot spots on vertical skyscraper ads.

6.  Ideally, the entire panel should be clickable, and also use a well-defined click button.

7.  Include a "loading" message that appears as the video streams in.  Users with slower connections will know the video is coming.

8.  Use video player controls for optimum usability - pause, play, and volume.

9.  Video should auto play upon user rollover.  Requiring users to "click to play" reduces video plays.

10. After video completes, include compelling, relevant call to action.

More Best Practices for display banner ads are listed at http://www.pointroll.com/best-practices.aspx.

Definition 6 can help you craft your online advertising strategy, whether it is banner ads, organic or paid search, or email marketing.  We negotiate with vendors to maximize your media spend when developing Media Plans that meet your objectives.  We design and build ads and deploy them, working with partners, such as, the search engines and PointRoll.  We do it all!

There is a quote in the book The Truth about Email Marketing:
"Email marketing has been called the original social networking tool..."

Social media does not replace emails.  The advantage continues to be that not everyone has a Facebook or LinkedIn profile, but everyone has an email address.

You can capitalize on your social media campaigns by integrating email marketing:
Capture email addresses on your Facebook page.
Promote your email services on your LinkedIn profile.
Test marketing messages and creative elements on social networking sites.
Use email to drive traffic to your social media initiatives.

Recent stats from EmailStatCenter.com you might find helpful in convincing your management team to continue to invest in email marketing in order to reap the benefits:

"50% of consumers surveyed said they're more likely to buy products from companies who send them email, whether their purchases are online or at a place of business."
- Epsilon "Branding Survey" (Feb 2009)

"80.4% of marketing executives surveyed say email performs strongly as an advertising channel for their companies."
- Datran Media "3rd Annual Marketing & Media Survey Results" (2008)

"While 60% of marketers plan to cut their traditional marketing budgets this year, 47% of marketers plan to boost their email marketing budgets."
- Aberdeen Group, "Recessionary Marketing: How Best-in-Class Companies Are Weathering the Storm," (Jan 2009)

Has social media replaced email marketing?  Hardly!  Has it changed it?  Sure.  It offers a new way to use email marketing.  Email marketing continues to drive relationships, retention, and revenue.

Definition 6 sends out almost 300 million emails on behalf of clients.  We also specialize in social media.  We can help you integrate your interactive marketing initiatives to maximize the benefit.

I am quoted in the book The Truth about Email Marketing in the chapter entitled Getting the ball rolling with your email marketing partner.

"As a client, be prepared to share information about how email addresses are captured, what is stored on each customer or prospect, metrics on all your email campaigns, as well as, offline marketing efforts.  The email strategy vendor may suggest a new look and feel, new language, or more ways to target users.  Continue to test recommended changes in order to optimize email campaigns.

It can be difficult to convince senior management that the email marketing strategy should be given as much thought as the marketing strategy.  There should be dedicated resources, and the strategy needs to continue to evolve.”

Definition 6 sends out almost 300 million emails a year on behalf of clients.  We know how difficult it can be to get started and to improve email campaigns.

We can help you develop an email marketing strategy, segment and target users, design templates, craft language, build HTML templates that content can be dropped into, deploy the emails, and measure the effectiveness.

Email marketing continues to be a cost efficient way to reach customers and build productive relationships.  It is easily measurable.  That's a combination you can't beat.

I had a colleague ask me, “Do you have any examples of particularly successful email solicitations for online surveys?“

It seems like such an easy question.

But, it is akin to asking: Can you show me copies of successful websites? 

As soon as you pull examples, they can say, “Well, that doesn’t apply to my client.”

Some important things to consider from your customers' perspective:
What’s my relationship to the company?  Do I believe the company will act upon what I tell them?  Do I feel comfortable being honest with them?  Do I have a sales rep that I prefer to give feedback to, instead of a written response?

What’s my incentive for filling out a survey?  Do I have a complaint, and I’m dying to give negative comments?  What are they offering me?  A $5 credit to use against my bill?  An accessory that complements the products I buy from them? Or, something that makes by professional life easier?

How long is it going to take?  It better be quick.  It better not require me to think too much.

When are you asking me?  After I’ve looked at your site?  After I’ve purchased something?  Is it event-triggered?  Or, is it out of the blue?  Have I been getting regular emails from you?  If not, then my sales rep should talk to me and tell me that I will be getting an email survey.

Who are they asking?  Everyone?  Or, am I made to feel special? 

The answers to the above questions will help drive the content of the email.  In addition, what other initiatives or customer communications are already scheduled to go out that I can piggyback survey requests on?

Finally, don’t forget a follow-up email telling respondents the “ratings” and what changes I’ve made, based on their feedback.

We are skilled in all aspects of email marketing, including email surveys.  We'll be glad to talk to you about your email content and design, as well as, strategy for segmentation and targeting.

Lessons from Obama’s Presidential campaign
iMedia Connections’s recent article about the lessons from the Presidential campaign can be used to inspire marketers.

Stand for something/Define your value
Obama combined a simple, rational message -- Change -- with an emotional and empowering call-to-action: Yes we can.  Corporations, just like political candidates, increasingly need to define their value in simple, unambiguous terms.

Capture and empower your fan base
Obama used the web to build a database of supporters and to engage them in a conversation, ultimately using his disciples to spread his message.  This is the power of social marketing.

Turn on the videos
YouTube was a vital medium for Obama's campaign and continues after inauguration. The weekly presidential address, traditionally on radio, is now a video released on YouTube and also on the White House website.

Lighten things up
Obama's campaign was notable for its sense of humor, in many cases forcing his opponents onto the late night talk show circuit to their comparative disadvantage.  Encouraging creativity is another way for brands to show that they aren’t stuffy.

Touch your target
Inclusive events and personal conversations were also hallmarks of the Obama campaign.  The sense of one-to-one communication by targeting can be especially powerful for corporations.

Measure green, make green
Clearly the Obama campaign benefited from the support of environmentalists.  Today, every organization is being judged by its sustainability.

Do well by doing good
Obama raised unprecedented sums of money by convincing millions to "give a little money for the cause of change," making people feel they were part of a movement.

Spend it if you've got it
The current economy, while producing fear in most marketers, provides ample opportunity to those with relevant, differentiated positions who are willing to take advantage of retreating competition.

See the entire article and examples of how companies used elements in their branding campaigns at www.imediaconnection.com/content/22044.asp.

We at Definition 6 understand the power of social marketing.  We'll be glad to help you with planning and implementing your marketing plans to help meet your business objectives.

Anne Holland, founder of MarketingSherpa, recently wrote about three new demographic segments.  She states:  Classic demographics, such as, 'Men aged 18-24' just won't cut it anymore.  She's asked her research team to conduct a formal study examining the changing demographics "in the face of this seemingly endless series of economic crises."

Here's three new demographics that can be useful for segmentation.

The New Frugal haven't lost their jobs or their homes, nor do they expect to.   They aren't planning on retiring for another 10 to 20 years and expect the economy to be fine by then.   But, they are currently cutting back on credit card purchases while saving more.   The purchases they would have made without blinking a year ago are now examined closely.   This group is less attracted to "sales" and "buy-it-now"; they are most interested in "value."

The New Cash Rich include both an older and younger segment.  The older ones have pulled funds from stocks and other investments and have cash to put "somewhere safe"  like real estate.  The younger ones have extra cash for entertainment since they either haven't left home yet or moved back recently.

The New Entrepreneurs are those who have been laid off; they are putting money into the basics required to start their own business.

Here is the link to the article Three New Demographic Segments Emerging in Economic Maelstrom:  http://www.marketingsherpa.com/article.php?ident=30866&pop=no

Definition 6 is keeping up with changes in the industry and is adept at connecting the most qualified visitors with your site.

Website Magazine published an article that contained practical tactics for improving the usability of your ecommerce site to increase long-term customer interaction with your products and your brand.

Five Tips For Improving Ecommerce Website Usability can be read at:
http://www.websitemagazine.com/content/blogs/posts/pages/five-tips-for-improving-ecommerce-website-usability.aspx

First, identify users by email address, not username.  Email addresses (even though changed frequently) are easier to remember and are most always unique, so users avoid the problem of someone else already taking their preferred username.

Critical is shortening the (perceived) distance to checkout completion.  Breaking the process up into shorter segments allows users to focus on one step at a time.   There is less to think about at each step and less information to enter and mess up.

Publicize common user issues not only in a comprehensive FAQ section but also throughout the ordering process.  Users might want to know how long delivery is expected to take, or why they have to enter extra information such as their date of birth.

Establish trust with users by thinking about any concerns users might have at each step of the ordering process and addressing them.

Finally, don't overlook a successful confirmation email.  It should be sent immediately, not after the order is processed.  It should be brief and tell users any important tracking information or order number. 

We were discussing a new website with a client the other day.   An important part of the discussion was "What is the brand identify of the website?"  "What is the emotional direction intended by the designer?"

We looked at recent websites that Definition 6 developed to show how images and colors can support the brand identity.

www.nioxin.com conveys that "Beauty and style isn't just about sex appeal; it's about confidence."  Nioxin focuses on innovative products for the scalp to improve the appearance of thinning hair.  The models depicted at the website have strong, solid poses that convey a confident attitude.  Bright colors and skin tones and a glossy sheen indicate health.

We used dark colors to indicate sophistication for www.verifone.com.  Since Verifone provides electronic payment solutions, a close-up of credit card numbers was appropriate to indicate a sharp attention to detail.  The images on the home page are changed frequently to show the breadth of services offered.

For www.gables.com, a leader in the multi-family housing industry, we chose images to depict that the lifestyle you will have at Gables is unforgettable.  The site is designed for a user to spend time at the time and visualize living there.

Our own company website, www.definition6.com, was designed to be very interactive and to show how you can engage users.

We also looked at websites of recognizable brands and commented on the look and feel.

You might think of Wal-Mart as simply a "one-stop shop."  Wal-Mart thinks its consumers make smart buying decisions.

The first thing that comes to your mind when you hear Chevy or Ford may be "true grit American."  Their brand identify says "reliability, strength, durability, endurance, and steadfastness."  They tout that "hard work gets the job done." 

Budweiser isn't just about talking frogs and beer.  They communicate that after a long day of hard work, relax and enjoy yourself.  You earned it.

Definition 6 can help you find your brand identity and ensure that it's accurately depicted at your website.

Most searches performed at search engineers are users looking for local information.  These searches have some influence on what users do offline.

Even people who buy offline do their research online.  There is an acronym for them:  ROBO [research online, buy offline]

Local searches are 100% for categories like trade services, restaurants, and other products where most -- if not all -- conversions happen offline.

Last year, web-influenced retail store sales were almost four times more than retail eCommerce sales.  Therefore, companies need to meet users' expectations of website content, even if most of them purchase offline.

To read more about ROBOs, click here:
http://searchenginewatch.com/showPage.html?page=3629096

Definition 6 keeps these principles in mind when designing websites for clients.

Lynn Moss
Def 6 Client Manager

There's challenges facing every business:  How to break through the clutter, get the word out and build both credibility and attendance at events.

PR, advertising, promotions, and direct mail all play an important role; but for more and more companies, bloggers are becoming a key part of the outreach and promotions strategy.

This generally involves giving a ""press pass"" to a blogger in return for their covering your event.

The real benefit of engaging a social media maven, blogger, or industry evangelist lies in the longer term relationships you are able to form:
- stronger relationships with industry influencers and insiders
- pertinent insight and feedback
- reach, exposure and search engine credibility (over time)

First, invite a blogger to your event.  Hopefully, the relationship progresses so that they are a respected insider.  Ideally, you want them to become a collaborator who helps you create industry events.

It's media relations 101 applied to the blogosphere.
- Identify bloggers, mavens or others whom you respect both their writing and their audience

- Reach out and begin developing direct relationships

- Be clear about expectations and open to input and suggestions

- Actively monitor and participate in conversations as they happen online  

Read the article, entitled The Why and How of Engaging Bloggers at Your Event, at:  http://www.mpdailyfix.com/2008/05/the_why_and_how_of_engaging_bl.html

Lynn Moss
Def 6 Client Manager

A very good article from Marketing Experiments details how to optimize eCommerce websites.  Research shows that the highest performing sites match exactly the motivation of a visitor.

The problem most online retail sites face today?
Their homepages have been developed without a clear understanding of the motivations and sequences of thought in the minds of their visitors.

Hunters already know what they want and are looking for the quickest, easiest, and safest way to find it.

To give Hunters a reason to stop the hunt and buy, the site’s design should answer these questions related to a Hunter’s sequence of thought:
- Is this the place?
- Where is it (the thing that I’m hunting for)?
- Is this really the best price for it?
- Is it safe to buy from this site?

If a visitor is a Hunter, lead them quickly to what they came for and eliminate elements that distract the eye path flow from the objective. Less is more.

Browsers have ideas about a purchase but need more convincing or they’re simply “window shopping.”

To get Browsers to switch to buying mode, a site should answer these questions related to a Browser’s sequence of thought:
- Can you solve my problem or fill my need?
- Why should I buy here instead of from your competitor?
- What incentive are you offering me to buy right now?
- Do I trust you?

If a visitor is a Browser, step up the “appeal factors” and feature products with the highest demand and profit margins. Emphasize selection and related choices.

Read the entire article at:
http://www.marketingexperiments.com/improving-website-conversion/optimizing-ecommerce-websites.html?utm_source=journallist&utm_medium=email&utm_content=html&utm_campaign=JournalMail

Lynn Moss
Def 6 Client Manager

We don't drive clients to use social media because it's the latest craze.  We assess the social media landscape as it relates to each client - their market, their buyers, and their competitors.  

We look carefully at the following for each client to assess the social media landscape:

1.  What's going on in your market?
Identify where your buyers go to learn about new products and services.  What are the destination sites, and who are the influencers in your market?

2.  What are your competitors doing?
It's important to understand what your competitors are doing in relation to social media.  If they're all over the destination sites that your buyers visit, that's a potential competitive threat.  If they're not, that could represent a competitive opportunity.

3.  What activities do your buyers engage in?
Another critical factor to evaluate is what activities your buyers want to engage in.  If your buyer isn't the type to comment on blogs or post ratings or reviews, then it doesn't make sense to put a lot of effort into creating these tools or participation on those types of sites.

On the other hand, if your buyer is already actively engaged in blogs, social-networking sites, or social-bookmarking sites, you can accordingly plan the activities you should focus on.

Finally, each client's readiness to dive in must be assessed.

Link to article:  http://www.marketingprofs.com/8/factors-to-consider-before-jumping-on-social-media-bandwagon-erickson.asp?sp=1

Lynn Moss
Def 6 Client Manager