Conversions are a result of demand, pricing, shopability and ease of checkout. It’s the topic of my next course at Practical eCommerce: Converting Visitors to Buyers.

Thanks to the powers that be, I’m giving away two seats for Thursday (Nov. 10) at 11 a.m. EST.

How do you get the freebie? Simple… Just leave a comment below telling me why you need the class (i.e. Traffic is good, sales suck).

On Wednesday afternoon, I’ll pick the two storeowners at random and will post the results, and send you an email.

To be fair, all entrants must be the store owner or an employee of the store’s company. The store must be live and must actually receive traffic, so post the URL.

© Pamela Hazelton, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Originally published on 2011/11/07.
| Permalink | Be the first to Comment!
|Add to del.icio.us|
Post tags: contests, conversions, Ecommerce, shopability

Determining which platform to use for business can be a daunting task. I’ve seen small, little-known brands take off like wildfire via Facebook campaigns, while some large companies struggle to make their presence known. Just compare Squishable, a small company out of NYC that has created a very niche market – they have more than 280,000 fans on Facebook and they engage their customers. Yet Staples has less than 200,000 and many of their posts garner less than 8 responses.

Choosing which networks to leverage takes time and requires some key research. There is a place to start, however.

CMO.com (Digital Marketing Insights for CMOs) created a simple chart that tells us which primary outlets are better for the engagement we seek. It’s from 2010, so Google+ isn’t included, but the information overall hasn’t changed.

Use this guide to decide which outlets are best for communication, exposure, promote incoming traffic and increase presence in search engines (branding).

 View full-size PDF CMO.com’s Social Media Landscape

It’s important to realize and remember that there is no cookie-cutter method to using social media to better your business. Little known brands have a much bigger hurdle to jump, but if they listen to their customer base, they can stand to gain a higher percentage of wealth in the long run.

What’s your industry? And what tools have you found to be best for increasing recognition of your brand/company and, ultimately, increasing sales?

© Pamela Hazelton, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Originally published on 2011/10/23.
| Permalink | 2 comments
|Add to del.icio.us|
Post tags: conversion, facebook, marketing, social media, twitter

My mother is an avid crocheter and quilter. She’s also a mean knitter, sewer and maker of a killer Mac and Cheese (as a meal). She crocheted me a ’70s-style hat and scarf to take back to Florida, where the needle’s already tipping into the 50s.

My mom has a knack for making stylish gifts that please.

How does my new gift relate to business success? Mom’s actions were similar to any company wanting to reach the goal of supplying something in demand. Here’s how:

• She identified the problem: It’s getting chilly.
• She identified the need: I will need to stay warm when I walk the dog.
• She identified the want: I could get a low-end, non-stylish hat just about anywhere, but I’d prefer something fashionable.
• She identified what I was willing to pay: Okay, in this case it was nothing, but only because my mother would never even let me reimburse her for supplies.
• She identified what’s popular: Similar handmade cotton hat and scarf sets go for $30 to $60 on Etsy.
• She played the scarcity card: She only made a few in this particular color, which is a unique blend of greens and white (variegated).(For those crafty types, she used BERNAT handicrafter cotton.)
• She addressed long-term use issues: It’s made of cotton, so I can wash it on a gentle cycle. If I take care of the set, it should last for many years.

There are other accomplishments which weren’t necessarily part of her goals:

• She’s built a loyal customer base: Not only do family and friends appreciate her work, fellow crafters and visitors to local craft shows admire her work.
• She gets people to talk about her: My sharing photos of her quilts and other crafts across my social media channels (which garners re-posts) proves it!
• She’s established a brand: In her neck of the woods people recognize her name.
• She’s created demand: Despite the fact she doesn’t take orders (she uses her own discretion), she is often asked to create specific items using specific patterns.

If my mother were a business, she’d set a great example of how to engage consumers, make people talk, and build a loyal customer base.

The most compelling reason she’d be a true success, however, is because she simply loves what she does. And those of us who benefit from her work do, too.

© Pamela Hazelton, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Originally published on 2011/10/22.
| Permalink | Be the first to Comment!
|Add to del.icio.us|
Post tags: business, Ecommerce, marketing

Shoppers are quickly reminded that Christmas is less than 10 weeks away, and they’ll be combing online resources and stores to find the best deals. Key decision-making offers include free or discounted shipping, bonus gifts, per-item specials and return policies.

Your goal, however, shouldn’t solely be focused on selling to the largest number of people. More items per order garners higher profits.

Multi-item purchasing means less time spent processing and shipping orders, providing maximum benefits per transaction.

Read article at Practical eCommerce >>

© Pamela Hazelton, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Originally published on 2011/10/21.
| Permalink | Be the first to Comment!
|Add to del.icio.us|
Post tags: Ecommerce, marketing, practical ecommerce

More so, people wanted to know what I thought about HP waving the white flag.

I’ve had difficulty getting all my thoughts together. Partly because I’m in mourning. Partly because there are so many “what ifs” running through my mind I can’t get them sorted.

Do I feel dissed over HP’s decision? You bet. After all, like many here, I’m not just a Palm/webOS user, but a loyal advocate. I grew my business with many tools, including Palm products. I’ve used webOS to further streamline small business consulting operations. This, despite the fact that nearly 75% of my clients and colleagues use iOS, and the remaining use Android. I’ve been the lone webOS user at many small conferences, at Starbucks, even at the local bar. I’m the one who tells my husband to wait in the frozen foods aisle for a minute because, “I just saw someone texting on a Pre!”

Over the past few days I’ve received several messages, and one in particular sums them all up:

“It looks like it is time for you to join the iPad team! What are you waiting for?”

Well, I’m waiting for plenty of things…

• Disposable money. $600 worth.
• True multitasking.
• Flash. I’ve heard all the arguments, but if you had to incur the cost hundreds of thousands of small business and band sites do in order to have Flash content converted properly, you’d understand why it’s an important feature to have – at least today – on mobile devices.
• The ability to do what I want, how I want. iOS5 is going to be slick as heck. But, you know what? I want all those syncing features they tout sans cloud.

But there’s another key reason I’m not switching any time soon…

I don’t have to.

My devices work. Why spend money needlessly?

Despite the TouchPad being discontinued, it will still talk to wireless printers, still run Flash components and sync data.

Even if webOS itself is nixed, there are loyal developers and the Homebrew community who – unlike big business – will stick around until it gasps its last breath. These guys have never been paid the recognition they’re truly worth. They do what they do because they love the platform and have an affinity for making the rest of our experiences better. To them, jumping off the ship even while sinking is cowardice. Rather, they play the captain, stay with the ship and bail water as best they are able.

HP says the company will continue webOS software development, and hopes to partner with a hardware manufacturer. Some speculate it’s too late for that, and, perhaps it is. But this webOS user will keep forging onward until the powers-that-be, or her devices, just totally give out.

For those freaking out over the madness that is HP and webOS, I can only offer this one piece of advice. It comes from my husband – who’s said it to me hundreds of times as I’ve often (and, quite excitedly) try to make webOS the topic of conversation:

“Hon, it is just a device. It’s not like you couldn’t manage your life before it existed.”

© Pamela Hazelton, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Originally published on 2011/08/24.
| Permalink | 5 comments
|Add to del.icio.us|
Post tags: HP TouchPad, smartphone, Technology, webOS

Consumers needed only to transfer Jonathan’s card image to their smartphones and display it on the screen for scanning. Hundreds used the card’s fluctuating balance to buy themselves coffee. Many also put money on the card (reportedly more than $8,000 was deposited – read Mashable’s story). It quickly became a share and pay-it-forward system – proof that most people are honest, appreciative and giving.

Starbucks loved the experiment and hoped for its true success. But, when a San Francisco hacker wrote a script to transfer funds off Jonathan’s Card and onto his own, the coffee giant pulled the plug. Late yesterday, Starbucks canceled the card for use.

Sam Odio also published his method for stealing coffee money and posted the script for anyone to grab and use. His reason? He didn’t like yuppies buying coffee for other yuppies. Odio admittedly transferred more than $600 from the card, and encouraged others to do the same in his post, “How to use Jonathan’s card to buy yourself an iPad“.

Soonafter, Odio’s Twitter account was flooded with tweets, the majority bashing him for ruining the experiment. Some argue, however, that Odio was simply proving a point – that not only are corporate systems vulnerable, but so is social “goodness”.

Odio, who’s been pretty mum about the ordeal, explained Stark need only ask for the card money to be returned. He’s trying to justify his hack by auctioning off his Starbucks cards for charity.

It’s funny, because I am a loyal Starbucks customer, and yet I drive a ’96 vehicle approaching 145,000 miles. There’s nothing else about me that screams “yuppie”… but, if that’s how Odio sees it…

Does anything, however, justify Odio’s actions?

In my book, Odio is a thief. While you can argue Stark made the card vulnerable by including the account number on the snapshot, nothing changes the intent – for users to take a coffee, give a coffee… Look deeper, though, and you’ll realize that this wasn’t Odio just taking money from someone else – he actually hacked one or more of Starbucks’ systems to obtain information on balances and transfer funds.

Odio can pride himself on saying he’s donating the money to charity. That doesn’t change the fact he stole from one cause to give to another. Some call him a modern-day Robin Hood, but it’s clear Odio took action to gain attention and punish those who have good taste in coffee.

Does Stark, Starbucks or even those who funded the card have a legal leg to stand on? Could any of them press criminal charges against Odio? I’m sure an attorney could answer those questions. Morality, however, tells me that Odio isn’t worthy of respect. If anything, he needs to realize something quite important…

The simple act of kindness of, say, buying a stranger a cup of coffee can and has “done good”. Years ago, after an emotional ordeal, I ordered a burger at a drive through. The server could tell I’d been crying for some time. She handed me my order, then handed me a slice of pie in a box and said, “This is on me. I hope it sweetens up your day”. I’ll never forget that experience. And, you know what? It did make me feel better and made me remember that the little things can make huge differences.

Fortunately, there’s something good that arises from the negative. Today, I walked into a convenience store, walked up to the cashier, and said, “See that guy over there? I’d like to buy his coffee.” I paid, and left.

© Pamela Hazelton, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Originally published on 2011/08/13.
| Permalink | Be the first to Comment!
|Add to del.icio.us|
Post tags:

When HP announced the launch of the TouchPad, I was eager to get my hands on the device. Not that I saw it as an absolute necessity, but rather a great add-on to my productivity suite of gadgets and software. Most of my friends and colleagues tote around iPads and Android devices, but I don’t like the restrictions set forth by Apple, nor the security issues with Google’s OS. Still, laying out hundreds of dollars for a device that would – for now – merely accompany my webOS smartphone was difficult to justify.

Then HP offered to send me a 32GB TouchPad to put to good, small business use. The only agreement was that I would write about the device from time to time. Who was I to refuse?

Rest assured, no promises of “praise only” comments were made.

With that, I’m declaring Wednesdays “webOS Wednesday” – whether posting here or at other outlets, I’ll be sharing my findings each week.

If you’re looking for ways to increase productivity and streamline communications, I invite you to come along for the ride. If you currently use another tablet, that’s fine – you’ll still gain some ideas on working more seamlessly.

To kick things off, I’ll share the #1 feature of webOS and the TouchPad: Multitasking. You can run multiple apps in pure form. That means web sites will load while you’re playing a game or writing an email.

Just how many apps can you run at once? I run 7-10 simultaneously (which I think would be the tops for many), but this video created by webOSroundup.com hits 31 (many HD) before the device poops out.

Oh, and that netbook? For now, it’s on standby as I get to know my new TouchPad. So far, I’ve been able to do everything I need while on-the-go.

You can follow all my posts on the HP TouchPad at the webOS Wednesday page.

Disclaimer: HP has provided me with a 32GB TouchPad and wireless keyboard for personal and business use, with the agreement that I will share my experience with the devices.

© Pamela Hazelton, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Originally published on 2011/08/10.
| Permalink | 3 comments
|Add to del.icio.us|
Post tags: android, iPad, productivity, Technology, webOS

PayPal later became the norm for eBay and large etailers because it allowed people without credit cards to shop online.

Today, more and more online consumers are flocking to payment methods they feel provide the most security. Ideally, this includes methods that rely on users logging into third-party sites they trust, which, in turn, provide merchants with only a transaction number.

Read full article at Practical eCommerce

Pamela Hazelton is a senior contributor to Practical eCommerce.

© Pamela Hazelton, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Originally published on 2011/06/24.
| Permalink | Be the first to Comment!
|Add to del.icio.us|
Post tags: conversion, Ecommerce, practical ecommerce

I am not alone…

Read full article at Practical eCommerce

Pamela Hazelton is a senior contributor to Practical eCommerce.

© Pamela Hazelton, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Originally published on 2011/05/27.
| Permalink | Be the first to Comment!
|Add to del.icio.us|
Post tags: conversion, Ecommerce, mobile commerce, practical ecommerce, smartphone

Your return policy can make or break a sale all on its own. Consumers want to feel comfortable about their purchases, and part of that comfort is knowing they can reach out to you if there’s a problem.

Read full article at Practical eCommerce

Pamela Hazelton is a senior contributor to Practical eCommerce.

© Pamela Hazelton, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Originally published on 2011/05/19.
| Permalink | Be the first to Comment!
|Add to del.icio.us|
Post tags: conversion, Ecommerce, practical ecommerce