This entry showed up in Google Reader this morning.
Obviously, I'm not the "target market" for this item.
But the look and feel of this blog post reads like it was created by a person with a background in cataloging. It certainly isn't a cold, sterile, template-based e-mail marketing campaign.
It's a shame Neiman Marcus doesn't allow loyal customers to leave comments. Good or bad, imagine what the corporate merchandise buyer might learn from the feedback she obtains from a conversation with her customers?
For the rest of us, this blog represents a starting point. How does this format, this medium, this style of selling, apply to the businesses we manage? Catalogers, how do you apply your craft to this medium?
At first pass, my head tells me retail blogging would work for & appeal to the 20 + 30 somethings out there. Experience tells me otherwise. Many of my catalog clients work with average ages of between 38 - 50 & most often female. This group of customer appears to respond extraordinarily well when an attempt to make a deeper with them is offered. Short stories contests, feedback sections & most recently blogging. While participation rates are still growing, I believe this is a wonderful opportunity to gain valuable feedback for marketing & merchandising like you pointed out. The other side of that coin is the positive customer reaction. Allowing the customer to feel empowered and a part of the future direction of a brand they care about... sounds like a great way to deepen the relationships to me.
ReplyDeleteOne last point: With consumers today surfing blogs and review sites before shopping anywhere new, a corporate blog with positive feedback indexed high in their initial search will lead to higher initial conversion, right? It's 5am, I hope that all made sense :)
"Many of my catalog clients work with average ages of between 38 - 50 & most often female." Is it true?
ReplyDeleteThat is true for many catalogers. Still other catalogers have many customers age 50 to 80.
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