Sweetmantra: Internet Marketing Advice

The Serious Business of Funny Email

It's no secret that using humour is a powerful marketing strategy that marketers can use to attract and acquire new customers. Every day we're likely to see a whole raft of 'funny' ads, the collective effort of creative teams who have worked very hard to come up with them.

I'm sure that you have, at least once in your life, been attracted to the products or services of a company because their marketing material made you laugh. (The same can be said of marketing material that is intended to make you cry, but that's another blog post...)

But what about using humour to retain customers? Which companies are making their current customers laugh for all the right reasons?

A little company called CD Baby is.

Until a few weeks ago I had never even heard of CD Baby. I stumbled across them while trying to find out where to purchase the debut CD from a Canadian band I admire, Delhi 2 Dublin. It turned out that their CD was available at CD Baby, an online music retailer that calls itself "the little store with the best new independent music."

"Cool," I thought to myself. I quickly found and ordered the CD on CD Baby's Website, and then promptly moved on to the next item on my to do list.

The next day, I got an email from CD Baby confirming that my CD had been shipped. This was no ordinary email, however. While most e-tailers send confirmation emails to customers once a product has been shipped - which is a best practice - this was the funniest and most memorable order confirmation email I have ever received.

Here's an excerpt:

"Your CDs have been gently taken from our CD Baby shelves with sterilized contamination-free gloves and placed onto a satin pillow...

Our packing specialist from Japan lit a candle and a hush fell over the crowd as he put your CDs into the finest gold-lined box that money can buy.

We all had a wonderful celebration afterwards and the whole party marched down the street to the post office where the entire town of Portland waved "Bon Voyage!" to your package..."

So as not to spoil the surprise should you ever become a customer of CD Baby and receive one of these emails, I have left out some of the email's content.

Not only did I laugh out loud when I read this email, but I immediately showed it to my wife (who was sitting near me at the time). "Wow. That makes me want to buy from them," she said. I couldn't agree more.

Thanks to the clever use of humour in their order confirmation email, CD Baby not only forged a tighter bond with me as one of their current customers, but they also motivated me to share my positive experience with prospective customers - first my wife, and now you.

And that's nothing to laugh at.

An Insider's Perspective on the Multi-Billion Dollar Domain Name Industry

As loyal readers of this blog will know, last month I was in Miami, Florida to attend the biggest domain name industry event of them all, TRAFFIC. While I was there, I recorded interviews with several of the domain name industry's major players. Upon my return, I turned these interviews into six special "road trip" versions of my Marketing Martini podcast, four of which have been released so far.

If you'd like a glimpse inside the rather secretive, multi-billion dollar domain name industry, I encourage you to give these episodes a listen. Here are a few highlights...

What's a live domain name auction? Find out from the man who runs the top one in the world.

In Episode #29 of Marketing Martini, I talked with Monte Cahn, Founder and CEO of Moniker.com, about the world's largest live domain name auction. It was only after the interview that I realized Monte also hosts his own podcast, Domain Masters. Such a small world!

Ever looked up the perfect domain name for your business only to discover it wasn't available to register? Don't give up hope just yet; a good domain could still be within reach.

In Episode #31 of Marketing Martini, I chatted with Peter Lamson of NameMedia about the "aftermarket" for domain names. In a stroke of accidental marketing brilliance on my part, this episode was released shortly after NameMedia filed to go public.

Did you know that buying a domain name is no longer the only way you can gain use of it?

In Episode #32 of Marketing Martini, I spoke with Jonathan Boswell of LeaseThis.com about the notion of domain name leasing. Jonathan was such an interesting interview subject that he inspired two episodes.

I have received such amazing feedback from listeners about this special "road trip" series of interviews that I wanted to bring the series to your attention. Enjoy!

TigerDirect's Brilliantly Obvious Video Idea

Sometimes the best ideas are so obvious that you can miss them altogether.

There I am, surfing the Website of Tiger Direct, one of my favourite computer and gadget retailers, when I spot something I've never seen before on a retailer's Website: an embedded video link from something called "TigerTV."

I had been looking at the product detail page for a GPS unit, and this page had all the usual things one would hope to see, including detailed specs, lots of product photos, plus candid customer reviews.

But there, smack-dab in the middle of the page, was a link to a YouTube-hosted video about the GPS unit.

What the heck, I figured, I'll click on the video link and watch a bit of it.

Seven minutes later(!) I realized I'd just watched what was essentially an infomercial for the GPS unit. And you know what? I actually found it helpful. Even though the video was produced on a shoestring and the host was a little over-the-top (OK, a lot over-the-top), I still learned more about the features and benefits of the GPS unit in those seven minutes than I did spending twenty or more minutes reading the written content on the product page.

Why doesn't every online retailer do this? Or at least do this for those 'complicated' products that require that little extra merchandising effort.

Don't say it's "expensive" because you can churn out infomercial-quality videos like the TigerTV one for very little budget. And since Tiger Direct is using YouTube to host and stream the videos, there are no additional storage and bandwidth charges.

Such a smart idea ... and so obvious in hindsight. Yet I'd never seen a retailer do this before. Have you?

Crossing 10,329 Miles with Communication Consultant Lee Hopkins

Last week I had the honour and pleasure of being interviewed by Australia's Lee Hopkins for his provocative Better Communication Results podcast. Despite the fact my Skype connection kept disconnecting us every 6 minutes or so, Lee and I had a lively 30-minute discussion about search engine optimization, business blogs, and social media.

One of the questions Lee asked me triggered me to tell the story of a friend who recently launched an online store and was looking for help with the search engine optimization.

Because my friend's store was created using a database-driven e-commerce solution that was not designed with search engines in mind and would therefore be impossible to properly optimize for search engines, I recommend that my friend focus his efforts instead on creating a blog related to the product he was selling.

I told my friend that this would be a far more effective way to generate targeted traffic than trying to optimize the existing site. Not only would it be good for the search engines, it would also be good for prospective customers. This is not the first time I've made this recommendation to someone, nor will it likely be the last. That's right, yet another great reason to consider launching a blog.

You can download an MP3 file of the full interview (14 MB) or, better yet, subscribe to Lee's podcast feed so you can receive this and future episodes of his Better Communication Results podcast.

Search Engine Strategies Toronto 2007 - Day 1 Highlights

The Search Engine Strategies Toronto conference was held in Toronto, Canada on June 12-13, 2007 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. As always, it was a tightly-run event that was jam-packed with valuable information.

Here are some of the highlights from sessions I attended on Day 1:

Session: The Canadian Search Landscape

• Canadians conducted 12 billion search engine queries in 2006.
• Canadians are now conducting an average of 1.4 billion search engine queries per month.
• 80% of Canadian search queries are for Website content, 18% for images, and the balance are for video content, which is growing fast
• Depending on whose numbers you want to believe, Google currently has approximately 75-80% of the Canadian search engine query share, with Yahoo! and Microsoft evenly split over the remaining 20-25%. Expect Microsoft's share to increase as they continue to invest heavily in search.
• MSN adCenter's a 'bargain' deal for Canadian paid search advertisers because it is still relatively new and there's less competition.
• Only a small percentage of advertisers are taking advantage of the Quebec search engine advertising market; lots of great opportunities to get cheap traffic this way.
• 50% of Canadian search queries are related to finding a product or service.
• 78% of Canadians will turn to search engines to research a product or service.
• Martin Byrne from Yahoo! Search Marketing made the interesting observation that companies who have top ranking organic search results convey a "perception of [brand] leadership."
• Canadian searchers are knowledge seekers not bargain hunters.
• Canadian searchers are engaged: they are very active, will look at more brands, explore more choices, and like to build and share their expertise.
• 82% of Canadian businesses with Websites engage in online advertising, but only 36% of them use search engine advertising or search engine optimization.
• When asked why they weren't using search engine advertising, the number one reason Canadian businesses cited was "too expensive" ... which, of course, is ridiculous.
• Search engine advertising in Canada is now as large as the entire online advertising market was in 2004.
• In general, Canada is a less competitive search engine advertising market, which means there is still a great opportunity for advertisers.

Session: Search User Behaviour

• Searching from the Web browser's toolbar has increased 57% in Canada over the last year.
• Toolbar makes searchers more loyal to a specific search engine, and more engaged with that search engine; they conduct more searches.
• When it comes to having an impact on an online purchase, running search engine advertising alone can have a 20% lift, running online display advertising alone can have a 20% lift, but combining the two can have an 83% lift!
• Google image search is starting to get a significant amount of Canadian search traffic: 2% per month and growing.
• On average, a typical Canadian Website can expect to generate about 80-85% of its search traffic from organic listings versus 15-20% from search engine advertising.
• 1 in 4 searches are triggered by offline advertising. Television and print advertising aren't dead yet!
• Mainstream search engines (i.e., Google, Yahoo!, MSN) are the number one choice for B2B product or service research.
• Of those B2B researchers who want to go directly to a potential vendor's Website, 27% of them will still use a search engine to find that Website.

Stay tuned for highlights from Day 2...

Window Tinting Search Reveals Smart Use of Video

Did you know you can buy and install special tinting film on your home windows to reduce the amount of heat transmitted into your house? It's kind of like tinting the windows of your car, except, well, it's your home windows.

I had no idea such a product existed until about 10 days ago when I Googled "residential window tinting" and quickly found myself at Gila Film Products, makers of window tinting film. Not only was I thrilled to discover there was a solution to my problem (the south-facing rooms on third floor of our house were turning into saunas) but I also stumbled across a great use of video on a corporate Website.

The Gila Film Products Website features a "how to install the window tinting film" page that includes a downloadable 11-minute instructional video that covers topics like the tools you need, preparing the work area, and correcting mistakes. Sure, I read the written instructions (also available on the Gila Website in both HTML and PDF flavours), but it was also extremely helpful to be able to watch the video and see how the professionals apply the window tinting film.

My wife, who helped me with the task (and lived to tell about it), also appreciated watching the video because she's one of those people who prefers to be shown how to do something rather than read an instruction manual. (I believe these are referred to as "normal" people!)

I'm not for one moment suggesting that this is the most groundbreaking use of video on the Internet. It is, however, an incredibly helpful and practical idea, and one that benefits everyday people...in the here and now. I only wish there were more manufacturers like Gila Film Products that offered "how to" videos like this on their Website. It's a smart idea, simply executed, and the world can always use more of these.

Tools I Love: Escrow.com

This is part of an ongoing series dedicated to the tools I regularly use and recommend as an Internet marketer.

What the heck is it?
Escrow.com is, as its name implies, an online escrow service. Think of it as a virtual and impartial transaction middleman who protects both the buyer and seller of real or virtual assets. If you're planning to buy a domain name from a third party, for instance, a service like Escrow.com helps you avoid being ripped off, above and beyond the protection afforded by a contract or letter of agreement. Escrow.com does not release the funds to the seller until you, the buyer, have verified that the domain name transfer has been successfully completed.

Why do I like it?
Although it can be used for assets other than domain names, Escrow.com has a dedicated domain name purchase management service that is very polished and very straightforward to use. Whether you are the buyer or the seller, Escrow.com gives you the confidence to smoothly execute important e-commerce transactions with people around the world.

Where do I get it?
When you are ready to transact, you can open an Escrow.com account at www.escrow.com.

How much does it cost?
Escrow.com charges a service fee on each transaction, which can be paid for by the buyer, the seller, or split between them both. Fees vary depending on the purchase price and level of service, however the fee for a typical domain name sale is approximately 3.25%. This, in my opinion, is a small price to pay for piece of mind.

Insider's Tip:
While Escrow.com conveniently accepts payments through many different means, including credit cards, the best way to make payments into this service is through a bank wire transfer.

iSummit Diary: "Wife Crack" and "Branded Entertainment"

I attended, and was a speaker at, iSummit 2006, March 29-31, 2006 in Toronto, Canada. This entry is the second of two featuring my notes from the sessions I attended.

Xbox 360 Live Arcade

John David, the Lead Program Manager for Xbox Live Arcade, gave attendees a tour of this next generation videogame console's Arcade service and revealed some other interesting factoids about the 360:

• Arcade gives Xbox 360 owners who connect to the Xbox Live service the opportunity to download and sample 'simple' arcade games. All are free to sample, but in most cases a small fee is required to play the full game.
• 50% of Xbox owners so far have connected to the Xbox Live online service.
• According to John, Arcade is a way for Microsoft to get the game console "back into the family room" where it will be used by all members of the family, not just the hardcore gamers.
• 3 million arcade games have been downloaded through Arcade.
• Microsoft had expected an average 8.5% conversion rate of Arcade game trials to purchase, but have been getting a remarkable 20% conversion rate instead.
• I learned a new term; John referred to a few of the Arcade games as "wife crack," meaning a game, usually puzzle based, that is highly addictive to the female spouse of a male gamer. (Of course, lots of women play videogames, but "wife crack" refers to games that appeal to spouses who normally never play videogames.) Microsoft is very interested in these "secondary" gamers (the spouse) because that's where the growth in the videogame market lies. See also "gamer widow."
• While Microsoft's focus is still on making the 360 "an awesome games box" the Xbox 360 console has other capabilities that make it directly competitive with current and future offerings from other major players, including cable and satellite companies.
• Microsoft will soon be adding music videos and song downloads to the Xbox Live Marketplace, some free, some paid. Hello, iTunes? It will be interesting to see what will happen when (not if) Microsoft adds TV shows and movies to the menu. Background downloading of large media files is apparently in the works.
• Xbox Live is also a communications platform: 600,000 text messages a day are exchanged on Xbox Live between its members.

Branded Entertainment: R U 4 Real?

This session provided an overview and examples of "branded entertainment," long-form content that is partially or fully funded by advertisers as an alternative to conventional advertising tactics such as TV commercials. Examples featured during this session included:

• The Ringing: Created by GJP Advertising in Toronto, this three-minute online horror movie spoof is actually an ad for Covad Communications, a VOIP start-up. The movie features staff at a small business being terrorized by their phone system, before being saved by a Covad employee.
• The Swarm: On behalf of M&M Minis, BBDO Worldwide created a custom comic book with Marvel as well as an online "CyberComic." The objective of this campaign was to drive engagement with the brand by tweens. Shawn Zupp, BBDO's Director of New Content, told the audience that branded entertainment was chosen because it was deemed a "less passive and less predictable" media experience for the target market.
• The Adventures of Seinfeld & Superman: These short movies, dating back to 2004 and no longer online, featured comedian Jerry Seinfeld kibitzing with an animated Superman on behalf of American Express. Dave Sylvestre, Group Creative Director at Organic, described these as "opt-in entertainment" and said the goal was to be 95% entertainment, 5% advertising. For the record, I still consider the whole Seinfeld & Superman affair a PR stunt more than anything else.
• Nike Full Ride: Jeff Spriet, President of Chokolat (the "branded entertainment" arm of Taxi Advertising & Design) suggested that "associated entertainment" is a better name for the strategy as its goal is to create brand associations. To address what he called "TV commercial wear-out," Chokolat produced "Full Ride," a series of four 30-minute shows for Nike about up and coming college football players. Broadcast on ESPN last August and also available 24/7 on the Web at www.nikegridiron.com (although not any more, it seems), these 'TV shows' cost less to produce than a typical 30-second television ad and received a 0.2 share of the 18-49 year-old TV audience.

Finally, and as luck would have it, at one point during iSummit I found myself sitting next to Salim Ismail, Co-Founder of PubSub. If you're a blogger, or interested in staying on top of what bloggers are writing about, then you must check out PubSub. It's described as "a matching service that instantly notifies you when new content is created that matches your subscription." Fair enough, but you really have to try it to see its power. If you're familiar with the Google Alerts service, then you will have some idea of the usefulness of PubSub, which 'reads' over 23 million blogs. While not a new service (it's been around since 2004), PubSub isn't that well known among the bloggers and marketing practitioners I have spoken to. I'm on a mission to rectify that! ;+)

For more about iSummit I encourage you to check out the iSummit blog and the iSummit Website.

Could This Be Google's Next Killer App?

This past weekend I went on one of my rare, real world shopping expeditions. I found myself standing in the housewares department of my local large department store. And I was annoyed.

I'd gone there in search of a new humidifier and for the life of me I couldn't figure out where the store kept them. Of course no staff were anywhere to be found, and there was no store directory or useful signage in view. I was about to lose it, and then I got one of my crazy ideas.

I thought to myself, wouldn't it be great if I could simply Google this store and find out where they keep the humidifiers. You know, just whip out my hiptop, type in "humidifiers" and be guided to their exact location in the store. (Forget coupons, I just want to know where the damn things are!)

At first I dismissed my idea as Internet-centric foolishness. Of course you can't Google a bricks and mortar store.

Or can you?

I've started to mull the idea over a bit more. The leading retail stores already offer real-time inventory queries on their Websites. Handheld GPS units are available. Wireless Web devices are available. Plus there's Bluetooth.

This is doable.

What's the business model behind this? I don't know...yet. But I do know that I walked out of the department store frustrated and empty-handed because I couldn't Google the store. They lost a sale, and their brand dropped a notch in my books.

Google, are you listening?

P.S. In case you're wondering, I did end up buying a humidifier - from a store that had them on display right at the front entrance. Couldn't Google that store either, but in their case I didn't need to.

Eight Words that Rocked My World

Since I loathe shopping in the real world, I spend a lot of time shopping online.

Not too long ago I was on Henry's Website in the middle of purchasing some camera gear when I stumbled across a touch of pure e-commerce genius. Right below the section of the shopping cart where I could enter my credit card information was a simple but powerful eight-word sentence that rocked my world. Next to an optional checkbox was written...

"Please call me for my credit card information."

Let's face it, despite the fact that we Internet marketers know transacting online is way safer than transacting offline, there are still lots of people who are skittish about revealing their credit card information over the Internet.

Henry's ingenious answer to this is to give the scaredy cat shopper an alternative way to transact, rather than risk losing the sale. This is a brilliant way for Henry's to reduce their shopping cart abandonment rate and, perhaps, to give them an opportunity to up-sell or cross-sell a highly motivated buyer. (I don't know if they do this because I didn't ask them to "call me," tempting though it was.)

What I love about this tactic is that it's so simple and so perfectly positioned right at the precise moment in time that a prospective buyer might be having second thoughts about providing their credit card details. Cool and sexy tactics have their place, yet sometimes it's seemingly 'mundane' tactics like this one that can make all the difference in increasing e-commerce conversion rates.

Henry's, I salute you!