Omnichannel: BaubleBar

Give this little ditty a read (click here), about BaubleBar opening up pop-up shops in Nordstrom stores.

I know, I know, I'm biased because I once worked at Nordstrom.

Our definition of what "omnichannel" is ... is way, way too narrow, isn't it? We're on the third step of a thousand step journey. So yes, omnichannel is real, don't get me wrong, but it is not what we're being told it is.

I'm hard on words like "omnichannel" and "engagement", largely because they are words that are defined to make consultants and vendors money. But the words are very real for our businesses, especially if we view the words in context.

• Redefine "omnichannel" as "innovative selling".
• Redefine "engagement" as "entertainment".

Back to BaubleBar. I talk about "innovative selling. Here's an example ... click on this link, where BaubleBar explains how, on Friday and Monday, they secretly mark down an item and you have the opportunity to subscribe via email to get clues delivered to your mailbox. That's a clever marketing tactic, isn't it? They created a reason for customers to visit the website twice a week. That's innovative selling. Opening pop-up shops in Nordstrom stores is also considered "innovative selling". Will it work? Who knows? At least they're willing to take a risk.

Engagement is a byproduct of innovation. If we innovate, then our customers interact with us. We shouldn't strive to manufacture engagement, we should strive to entertain our customers so that they spend money with us (important) and so they are willing to communicate with us and about us (engagement).