Marketing Eye

Tuesday, 31 July 2012 18:10

Why do people visit your website?

Have you ever thought about what your website is really used for? Why people are visiting it in the hundreds, thousands, ten's of thousands?

One of my clients yesterday said to me that they Google searched an obscure term, and Marketing Eye came up. He was surprised, but I guess, not as surprised as I was.

A website, if it is search engine optimized, comes up on search engines. That is the purpose. Right? You invest all of this money, time and effort into ensuring that your website comes up trumps when prospects, clients and stakeholders are looking for your company or a company that provides your products or services.

But who else visits your website and why?
Sunday, 29 July 2012 19:54

What the Olympics is doing for brands

There were 9.66m tweet in the first day of the London 2012 Olympics, surpassing the Beijing 2008 Olympics total in just 24 hours.

In fairness, Twitter was just a startup then, so our timelines were not flooded as they are today and there was no colossal 340 million tweet per day. But this microblogging site is mammoth when it comes to bringing us the news faster and and more efficiently than any other medium in sound bites that most of us can understand. It also gives us choice as to whether we wish to read more or not.
Wednesday, 25 July 2012 23:48

Things about life we should always remember

Sometimes, life doesn't go as planned. And that is ok.

As we continue to embark on the journey of life, we will experience it in it's enormity. Sometimes we will be so happy, we will literally want to pinch ourselves. Other times, we will be grateful and know that we are lucky to be in the position in life that we are in. There will be times where we will be sad and disheartened, but those, we hope will be few and far between. They will only help us build character and learn what we want out of life and what we do not.

I have had a few days of being disappointed by someone else's actions. But that's ok. They are living their life and I am living mine and at the end of the day, it's their life to live and we can only choose our own paths and learn the lessons we need to learn from our own experiences.

Published in Mellissah Smith
Wednesday, 25 July 2012 00:17

Prada Eyewear Has Really Become Fashionable

This super sexy Prada Eyewear Billboard in the Milan Airport was literally overcome with admirers. I watched for 10 minutes, as hundreds of people looked up and stared. Having travelled from Atlanta through to Milan, I was overcome with the number of quality billboards on display at the airport. Definately the capital of fashion in Italy!

It really is a knockout. What do you think?
Published in Marketing
Travelling through Milan Airport from Atlanta the other day, I noticed this billboard. It reminded me of the movie, Step Mom, with Julia Roberts in the 90's where she was a photographer taking an impromptu shot of catering guy with a bunch of super glamorous models.

As always, Dolce and Gabbana is as stylish as ever in every aspect of their marketing. I really love this billboard and would love to look that good in that dress! Wouldn't you?
Published in Marketing
It's an interesting concept. Does your lack of trust hold you back in business? You may ask me "what do you mean by that?"
Ever wondered why people soak up every word that a truly successful person says? Or why, they seem to do less talking than the person engaging with them in conversation?

Successful people are unique. They don't need to buy a Ferrari (I am not a car enthusiast so not sure what car to put here)  to show that they have money, nor will they order the most expensive wine in a restaurant. They typically do not wear obvious designer briefs and they never tell you how good they are or what accomplishments they have made.

Instead, they listen attentively, ask questions and put the spotlight on others.
Sunday, 22 July 2012 23:08

Blogs that get you to buy

Retailers that have not adopted a strategic social media strategy that has as much weighing in their marketing budget as their traditional media spend, are at risk of not only losing marketshare but also staying alive as a business.

Retailers were slower to discover the benefits of using bloggers and affiliate sites to reach their target audience, but those who have taken seriously the trend that has absorbed the world in the past five years of social media engagement are seeing a lower cost marketing platform that is complemented by a more loyal and trusted customer base.
Sunday, 22 July 2012 02:14

50 Shades of Marketing

I have a conspiracy theory relating to the latest blockbuster novel "50 Shades of Grey".

If you have spent any time at all reading any of the three novels in the series, you would realize that other than a basic storyline, it is all about porn. Albeit soft.

1.5 million people have already read this book. I have read it. My friends have read it. It is addictive and completely trashy, but let's face it - women love this type of stuff. Look at how successful Mills and Boons was and still is.

My theory though, having read two of the New York Times Bestseller Trilogy series, that the book was commissioned by a large chain or perhaps online sex store. Bare with me as I explain...
Thursday, 12 July 2012 16:34

A personal account of business expansion

It's been a windy road to get to where I am today. Sitting in front of my computer, going through literally hundreds of emails and sending off replies like I am in some kind of maniac rush.

Expansion isn't easy. Don't get me wrong - everyone has been supportive, but I have had to pull inner strength from places I never knew existed. You see, when you start a business at 25, there is no such thing as fear. You have nothing to lose. I had nothing to lose to be more precise. Blessed with a wonderful partner at home at the time, I was fully supported and encouraged to go out there and give it my best. And that I did.
A moment to spare between meeetings and a laptop in hand, there is only one place to go.

Caribou Coffee Shop on Peachtree Street in Buckhead Atlanta.

As I ask for a coffee with skim milk, they ask my name. Not too dissimilar to a Starbucks Coffee shop but for some reason, I like the coffee more and I love that it is conveniently located near where I am staying.
After a highly successful trip to AT & T for a new mobile phone, I ventured towards the car through the shopping mall Lennox in Buckhead Atlanta.

My eyes were captivated by the lights and colours that shine so brightly from Victoria Secret that my one year ban from going into the store, became a distant memory.