Interview with Alexander Leibner, Digital Media Entrepreneur
Meet Alexander Leibner, digital media entrepreneur, radio host, global speaker, creative mind and founder of The Sandton Media Group, which includes The Sandton Times.
What ChatGPT means for Digital Marketers
What ChatGPT means for Digital Marketers If you’ve recently heard people talk about ChatGPT you may be wondering what all the hype is about. ChatGPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) is an artificial intelligence chatbot developed by OpenAI and released in November 2022. It is built on top of OpenAI’s GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 foundational large language models and has been fine-tuned using both supervised and reinforcement learning techniques. The potential applications for ChatGPT are huge, from understanding and responding to customer queries, personalized support and assistance to conducting research in super-fast time. But what does ChatGPT mean for digital marketers? Why is ChatGPT important to Digital Marketers? ChatGPT is important in digital marketing because it can help businesses to create content that is relevant, engaging, and personalized. By using ChatGPT, businesses can automate many of their marketing processes and save time and resources. Additionally, ChatGPT can help businesses to improve their customer service and increase customer satisfaction. ChatGPT is also important because it can help businesses to stay ahead of the competition. By using advanced artificial intelligence technology, businesses can create content that is more engaging and relevant than their competitors. This can help them to stand out in a crowded market and attract more customers. Potential Applications of ChatGPT in Digital Marketing Content creation: One of the most significant challenges in digital marketing is creating content that resonates with consumers and effectively communicates a brand’s message. This is where ChatGPT shines. ChatGPT can generate high-quality content that is engaging and relevant to the audience. By inputting keywords and topics it can create blogs, articles, social media posts, and even product descriptions that are optimized for search engines and tailored to the target audience – without human input. Improved personalization: It costs five times as much to attract a new customer than to keep an existing one. ChatGPT can analyze customer data and create personalized recommendations for products and services. By analyzing the customer’s previous interactions with the brand, ChatGPT can suggest products or services that the customer is likely to be interested in thereby upselling and improving customer retention. Email marketing: ChatGPT can be used to generate personalized email content that is tailored to the individual recipient. By analyzing the recipient’s previous interactions with the brand, ChatGPT can suggest products or services that are likely to be of interest. Customer service: Many businesses are already using chatbots to automate customer service, but ChatGPT will personalise the experience even further, which in turn can help businesses improve their customer service and increase customer satisfaction. Social media marketing: ChatGPT can be used to generate social media posts that are engaging and relevant to the target audience. By analyzing social media trends and topics, ChatGPT can generate posts that are likely to go viral and reach a wider audience. Of course, there are two sides to each story. While the applications mentioned above are clearly beneficial and can assist greatly in businesses streamlining their processes and being more efficient, ChatGPT has been criticised in a number of areas. A security breach in March 2023 meant some users on ChatGPT saw conversation headings in the sidebar that didn’t belong to them. Accidentally sharing users’ chat histories is a serious concern for any tech company, but it’s especially bad considering how many people use the popular chatbot. The lack of transparency is also an issue. We simply don’t know the details about how ChatGPT is trained, what data was used, where the data comes from, or what the system’s architecture looks like in detail. Like humans, no technology is without errors. ChatGPT has failed at basic math, can’t seem to answer simple logic questions, and will even go as far as to argue completely incorrect facts. There is also a certain bias built into the system since ChapGPT was trained on the collective writing of humans across the world. Unfortunately, this means that the same biases that exist in the real world can also appear in the model. But perhaps the most controversial topic that has been raised since the public launch of ChatGPT is the fact that it will most certainly take jobs from humans. Among the apps which have integrated GPT-4 are Duolingo and Khan Academy. This could be just the beginning of AI holding human jobs. Among the other jobs that could likely be affected are paralegals, lawyers, copywriters, journalists, and programmers. In conclusion, as digital marketers, it is crucial to be aware of both the risks and the opportunities ChatGPT offers in order to make the most of this new technology as well as mitigate potential problems, while also retaining integrity. Happy selling! Your AdMarula Team All CEO’s Thoughts Interviews and Insights Industry News CEO’s Thoughts Upskill your digital team or get left behind – the new reality 22 May 2023 Finding skilled people in the digital marketing space is a global problem, with some reports citing that most businesses’ digital skills are at 35% of what it should… Read More Interviews and Insights What ChatGPT means for Digital Marketers 18 May 2023 What ChatGPT means for Digital Marketers If you’ve recently heard people talk about ChatGPT you may be wondering what all the hype is about. ChatGPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer)… Read More CEO’s Thoughts Never stop marketing 26 Oct 2022 Never stop marketing There’s a LOT going on in the world right now. This is not a political piece, yet it is diffiult to ignore the world-shaping events… Read More Prev123Next
Why Black Friday 2022 will differ from before
Why Black Friday 2022 will differ from before Despite current downturns in the economy, evidence shows that the e-commerce industry is picking up and going back to pre-pandemic levels. The real question then is how to achieve profitable growth and for many businesses, Black Friday sales make up as much as 20% or more of annual sales. Although the trend seems to be going ‘back to normal, Black Friday 2022 will be different from previous years. Here’s how: Sales will be stretched out over a longer period – This is partly due to retailers having so much inventory. It’s also been a trend in recent years for retailers to start their sales much earlier, in some cases as soon as October or early November, and run those sales later. That’s very likely to continue this year. Brick-and-mortar stores will drive growth – Online shopping remains a convenient option for most shoppers. But buying journey is no longer a linear physical vs. digital experience. Buyers interact at multiple touchpoints before completing their purchase. As you prepare to offer competitive prices on your website, buckle up to fulfil this demand in-store by: Using the latest technology to enable digital payment solutions and self-service will help you mitigate health concerns and offer a better shopping experience. Adding signage for sanitation and social distancing instructions and updating customers about any major changes to your store’s flow on the website, social media, and mobile app. Customers will expect value – The early pandemic years saw buyers’ marked preference for a frictionless experience. They gravitated towards online shopping and curbside pickup, but in 2022, they will go a step ahead. Alongside comfort and convenience, shoppers will look for lower prices. In fact, according to Salesforce, nearly half of all shoppers will ditch their regular brands for a lower-priced competitor. Consumers will choose sustainable options – Modern shoppers won’t buy from you if there’s a value mismatch. This Black Friday, ensure you are honest about your carbon footprint and account for emissions. Share your sustainability initiatives and regularly promote sustainable practices. User experience and trust will matter more than ever – Shoppers no longer believe the best prices are on those days. Trust has increasingly become a factor and the best way to fix that is to offer genuinely good prices that aren’t just overly exaggerated sales pitches. In other words, if you promise that these are the best prices of the year, deliver on that promise. Happy selling! All CEO's Thoughts Interviews and Insights Industry News CEO's Thoughts Never stop marketing 26 Oct 2022 Never stop marketing There’s a LOT going on in the world right now. This is not a political piece, yet it is diffiult to ignore the world-shaping events… Read More Interviews and Insights Interview with Sandra Jardim, Blogger/Founder of MammaBearLove 26 Oct 2022 Interview with Sandra Jardim, Blogger/Founder of MammaBearLove Our October profile is Sandra Jardim, mom to twins Gisela and Alaia and blogger/owner of MammaBearLove. She uses her blog as… Read More Interviews and Insights Interview with Kristin Weixelbaumer, Black Betty Design 14 Sep 2022 Interview with Kristin Weixelbaumer, Black Betty Design Our September profile is Kirstin Weixelbaumer, designer and owner of BlackBettyDesign.com. Founded in 2012, Black Betty aims to create unique and… Read More Prev123Next
Interview with Sandra Jardim, Blogger/Founder of MammaBearLove
Interview with Sandra Jardim, Blogger/Founder of MammaBearLove Our October profile is Sandra Jardim, mom to twins Gisela and Alaia and blogger/owner of MammaBearLove. She uses her blog as a platform to share useful parenting advice with her readers, ranging from going through the challenges of an IVF pregnancy to navigating the topsy-turvy life as a parent of twins. Her candid and honest articles give readers a glimpse into what parenthood is really like, with all the beauty, challenges, smiles, tears and unforgettable moments that come with it. Describe yourself in 3 wordsMy immediate response is Mom, Mamma and Mommy, but then I take a minute and know as much as I am all of that I am also so much more. So I would say determined, passionate and patient. When I was little I wanted to be…A teacher. I have been fortunate enough to grow up with so many cousins and growing up I always played ‘School-School’ and was always the teacher. I went as far as doing activities and stickers for when we all met and played. All these years later still something I always wished I had pursued. What made you decide to start a blog?The day I found out we weren’t going to be able to conceive naturally and we needed to look at IVF I wanted to read every article, every experience from other moms to get as much knowledge and info as I could. I then really just wanted to share my experience with everyone – I think we so often feel alone in what we are going through and reading other moms’ experiences help make you not feel so alone. Tell us more about the name? (MammaBearLove)After the girls were born I become instinctively fierce and protective of my babies. My Hubby and Mom would tease and call me Mamma Bear so just felt it was perfectly suited. How do you decide what topics to write about?I try not to over think it so much and force content. I share experiences and thoughts that really affect me and that I feel aren’t spoken of enough. How do you attract new readers?This is truly something I need to focus on more. I aim to manage my ‘mom working life’ better to allow me more time to share more experiences and thoughts. By posting more regularly and engaging more with my following I always see an increase in not only the engagement with existing followers, but also new followers. I love blogging because…I really do believe there is magic in sharing your vulnerability sometimes. Seeing how just sharing my experience can impact someone else reading it is truly everything and why I love this so much. Getting a message from a follower saying how reading the post made them not feel so alone is why I want to keep sharing. Some of your favourite blogs that you read regularly?I love Just A Mamma, she is my all-time favourite blog to read. My 1st choice for a weekend family activity isTotal cliché, but to be together. Gosh, making time for anything is hard, but having those days where we are all together and just having fun is my all-time favourite thing. Follow Sandra’s blog at https://twinmammabear.wixsite.com/mammabearlove All CEO's Thoughts Interviews and Insights Industry News Interviews and Insights Why Black Friday 2022 will differ from before 26 Oct 2022 Why Black Friday 2022 will differ from before Despite current downturns in the economy, evidence shows that the e-commerce industry is picking up and going back to pre-pandemic… Read More CEO's Thoughts Never stop marketing 26 Oct 2022 Never stop marketing There’s a LOT going on in the world right now. This is not a political piece, yet it is diffiult to ignore the world-shaping events… Read More Interviews and Insights Interview with Kristin Weixelbaumer, Black Betty Design 14 Sep 2022 Interview with Kristin Weixelbaumer, Black Betty Design Our September profile is Kirstin Weixelbaumer, designer and owner of BlackBettyDesign.com. Founded in 2012, Black Betty aims to create unique and… Read More Prev123Next
Interview with Kristin Weixelbaumer, Black Betty Design
Interview with Kristin Weixelbaumer, Black Betty Design Our September profile is Kirstin Weixelbaumer, designer and owner of BlackBettyDesign.com. Founded in 2012, Black Betty aims to create unique and distinctive pieces for those who are drawn to striking jewellery, with an emotional connection. Black Betty believes that gemstones and jewels have a mysterious way of finding their owners. Using natural hand-cut gemstones and precious metals, they create pieces that play with the boundaries between contemporary style and ancient beauty. Describe yourself in 3 words Passionate, bold & energetic What inspired you to start your own business? Many things inspired me; my creative design background, a trip to India that connected me to crystal healing and gemstones, and my entrepreneurial blood that runs thick in my family. All this, along with my passion for jewellery of course. Where does the name ‘Black Betty’ come from? ‘Betty’ is a term we use to encompass all women and all that we are: our strength, femininity and unstoppable force. For us, the term ‘Black’ represents her inner force. There is nothing more beautiful and powerful than when a woman owns and rocks her black. She is at her most confident self. She is sexy, courageous, positive, captivating and happy. You can see it a mile away and feel it when she enters a room. Her energy is felt by all. For a woman to be this, she needs to have accepted all of herself, the dark and light. Women empowerment is fundamental to Black Betty. We want women to be their best, true selves- flaws and all. The stones we work with are naturally flawed, because this is what makes us unique, this is where our power lies. Where do you find inspiration for your designs? This is always changing, it’s the most exciting part of my job and of the business. I started the journey through being inspired by gemstones, notably the polki diamond gemstone that gets its magic from its flaws and imperfections. I also find inspiration from exploring the beautiful darker side of things such as snakes and skulls. Along with these core foundations, I always allow myself to be inspired by my surroundings- by the earth, by the people I interact with including my wonderful team, by inspiring stories and people. Storytelling is a core of our jewellery making process, each piece of jewellery needs to have a story to tell. What role does Digital Marketing play in growing your business? Digital marketing has played a massive part of Black Betty’s growth. Covid-19 really showed us that the digital space and the online experience is such an important part of the business that we cannot ignore. It’s what got us through those hard times, and it’s what has allowed us to grow further. What are the main differences between customers who walk into your shop and those who purchase online? The main difference is the locations of our clientele, obviously! But it has been absolutely interesting to see all the far and wide destinations customers are buying our jewellery from in South Africa. It definitely gives us ideas about extending our store branches to other cities in SA. At AdMarula we are privileged to meet and work with so many amazingly creative women doing their thing and making a name for themselves in all different industries. What advice do you have for aspiring female entrepreneurs? My advice is to passionately and fiercely go after your passions and goals. There will be setbacks and there will be difficulties, especially being a woman in business, but allow these times to be lessons that only allow you to grow stronger. When I’m not working I’m… Exploring mountains and seas and spending time with my beautiful famiglia. Follow Black Betty! On Facebook On Instagram All CEO's Thoughts Interviews and Insights Industry News Interviews and Insights Why Black Friday 2022 will differ from before 26 Oct 2022 Why Black Friday 2022 will differ from before Despite current downturns in the economy, evidence shows that the e-commerce industry is picking up and going back to pre-pandemic… Read More CEO's Thoughts Never stop marketing 26 Oct 2022 Never stop marketing There’s a LOT going on in the world right now. This is not a political piece, yet it is diffiult to ignore the world-shaping events… Read More Interviews and Insights Interview with Sandra Jardim, Blogger/Founder of MammaBearLove 26 Oct 2022 Interview with Sandra Jardim, Blogger/Founder of MammaBearLove Our October profile is Sandra Jardim, mom to twins Gisela and Alaia and blogger/owner of MammaBearLove. She uses her blog as… Read More Prev123Next
Ratings and Product Reviews – what you need to know
Ratings and Product Reviews – what you need to know According to research conducted by Deloitte, 75% of shoppers use reviews to discover and evaluate products. From food and beverage and apparel to health and beauty and hardware, to everything in between, reviews play a crucial role in the buying process. Not only can reviews increase your sales and profits, but they can also help increase brand loyalty. While ratings and reviews are the main online features shoppers rely on when making informed product decisions, they do not just use reviews online. The vast majority of shoppers research products online before going in-store, and over a third read a product’s reviews on their mobile phones while looking at the same product in-store. Reviews are also proven to improve your brand’s trustworthiness, but it’s not enough to display your reviews. You need to make sure they are authentic. If shoppers suspect that a review is fake you will end up doing more damage to your brand. The age-old saying “if something seems too good to be true, it usually is”, especially applies here. So where do you start? Google Business Profile, previously known as Google My Business (GMB), is the starting point for any online review marketing strategy. Reviews submitted to your Google Business Profile determine your star rating that customers see in Google Search & Maps results. The total number of customer reviews, and overall star rating, is a critical factor in ranking your Google Business Profile in the local pack within search results. But knowing that your Google profile needs reviews and actually earning them are two different things. It should go without saying that an excellent product and superb customer service are a must here. An emphasis on customer service should be part of your company culture. Customers are likelier to leave a review after a bad experience than a good one. Here are a few suggestions for collecting reviews: Include a link in your email signature. Send follow-up emails after a purchase is made. Add a widget to your website. Run a contest or giveaway. Use social media platforms, such as Twitter, Google or Facebook. Give discount codes to customers who leave a review. Happy selling! The Publisher Management Team All CEO's Thoughts Interviews and Insights Industry News Interviews and Insights Why Black Friday 2022 will differ from before 26 Oct 2022 Why Black Friday 2022 will differ from before Despite current downturns in the economy, evidence shows that the e-commerce industry is picking up and going back to pre-pandemic… Read More CEO's Thoughts Never stop marketing 26 Oct 2022 Never stop marketing There’s a LOT going on in the world right now. This is not a political piece, yet it is diffiult to ignore the world-shaping events… Read More Interviews and Insights Interview with Sandra Jardim, Blogger/Founder of MammaBearLove 26 Oct 2022 Interview with Sandra Jardim, Blogger/Founder of MammaBearLove Our October profile is Sandra Jardim, mom to twins Gisela and Alaia and blogger/owner of MammaBearLove. She uses her blog as… Read More Prev123Next
Interview with Bianca Huber, Blogger & Founder of Heyboo.co.za
Interview with Bianca Huber, Blogger & Founder of Heyboo.co.za August is women’s month in which we celebrate women from all walks of life, making their difference, doing their thing. Our August profile is Bianca Huber. As Founder of Heyboo.co.za, “a blog of inspiring women, inspiring women“ as she phrases it, she aims to encourage women by providing a platform where they can share and read experiences of influential women in all industries. The blog also features posts about travel, beauty, business, events and more. Describe yourself in 3 words Ambitious, passionate, sassy What inspired you to start Heyboo? I have always wanted to create an “online magazine” but never found the time or resources. Then, in 2020 I decided during the national lockdown when I couldn’t work, to start a blog showcasing women within different industries that were making an impact. My goal was to inspire more women to start their own companies or gain better knowledge about a specific field. Enter: HEYBOO. How do you find and keep your readers? We try to find readers by interviewing women who are making noise in their career, or just being plain awesome – by doing this, we reach the interviewee’s followers and hope they join our community. Once we have gained these followers, we try to keep them coming back for more with interesting blogs, giveaways, and more relevant content. What is the best and worst thing about running your own blog? The best thing I would say is being able to have freedom with how you write, who you chat too, and the connections you make. The difficult part is monetising the blog and little nitty-gritty things like keeping up with trends 24/7 – it’s very tiring. What advice do you have for aspiring bloggers and social marketers? Always take any and every opportunity you have to market yourself/your blog to your target audience. Another thing is to just start. Take the leap. It is very daunting and very time-consuming, but if you put in the work, it is very rewarding. Who in your opinion is the ultimate Boss Babe? I couldn’t say just one person. To me, a boss babe is anyone who is putting their hat in the ring. Anyone who is joining the fight to follow their dreams. Which women have had a profound influence on your life so far? My mom has definitely had a huge influence on me, and is my biggest cheerleader. I also have many friends who are so encouraging and are always around when I need advice – which I’m so grateful for. One other person to mention is pro surfer Carissa Moore, she is so dedicated in what she does and pushes the boundaries in a male-dominated sport – and that is so incredible to me. If you could make 3 changes in the world to help uplift women, what would that be? Place women as leaders and give them decision-making roles. Pay equality throughout every industry. More investments in women’s entrepreneurial ideas. How did you celebrate Women’s Day? I took the day for myself to do exactly what I wanted to do. No disturbances from social networks, just me and my cat. Follow Heyboo! On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heyboo.co.za On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyboo.co.za/ All CEO's Thoughts Interviews and Insights Industry News Interviews and Insights Why Black Friday 2022 will differ from before 26 Oct 2022 Why Black Friday 2022 will differ from before Despite current downturns in the economy, evidence shows that the e-commerce industry is picking up and going back to pre-pandemic… Read More CEO's Thoughts Never stop marketing 26 Oct 2022 Never stop marketing There’s a LOT going on in the world right now. This is not a political piece, yet it is diffiult to ignore the world-shaping events… Read More Interviews and Insights Interview with Sandra Jardim, Blogger/Founder of MammaBearLove 26 Oct 2022 Interview with Sandra Jardim, Blogger/Founder of MammaBearLove Our October profile is Sandra Jardim, mom to twins Gisela and Alaia and blogger/owner of MammaBearLove. She uses her blog as… Read More Prev123Next
Why less is usually more in Digital
Why less is usually more in Digital I often tell clients/marketers/start-ups: “Rather do a few channels well than all of them poorly”. While this statement applies to all areas of life, it is particularly relevant to internet marketing. Of course, if you have an unlimited budget and time, then definitely go ahead and design a new site, set up a pay-per-click (PPC) campaign, search engine optimization (SEO) campaign, content campaign, and blast everything on social media. However, most companies have a finite amount of money and time. Therefore, it is better to grow your marketing plan by starting small and adding on elements. Start with a website and then add-on core social media accounts your users actively use. Then, build your content up and begin to rank higher on search engine results pages. Once you have nailed search, expand to PPC and Affiliate Marketing. Finally, once you have mastered all of this, expand to newsletters, podcasts and videos. If you have a small marketing team, spreading resources thinly across several channels will unlikely yield the results you are looking for and will leave your team feeling frustrated and demotivated. From the user experience point of view, the less-is-more approach is also becoming more and more appealing as users are inundated with messages, ads, videos and emails. Marketers have been going full steam ahead, pressured by C-suite, high customer expectations, and the daunting selection of new innovations and tech tools, to adopt and master more channels in order to reach more customers and to create a more sophisticated multi-channel explosion. Yet research shows that we are seeing a shift towards the compact and minimal in everything from lifestyle to home building. It’s the backlash from too much screen time, always being plugged in, and the personal device addiction. As a result, more people are unplugging, embracing minimalism, and decluttering their life. LESS OVERWHELMING IS IN. So, if your customers are simplifying and downsizing their lives, your marketing messaging will more likely come off as appealing if it is presented in a cleaner, simpler box. For example, instead of creating 20 marketing videos a month to keep your social media channels active and your brand relevant, what if you created 2 really amazing videos that are more likely to go viral. Better quality video, better quality content. Finally, with August being Women’s Month, I would like to take the opportunity to thank the women who have been a part of AdMarula’s journey the past decade and who have made their mark on our business in more ways than I can say. These include our clients, publishers, industry friends, suppliers and of course our staff, from the very first day we pushed the ‘go live’ button up till now. I have been privileged to work with some incredibly talented and smart women and have learned many valuable lessons from our interactions. May you all be celebrated as you deserve to be. Onwards and upwards! Daniel Gross – CEO All CEO's Thoughts Interviews and Insights Industry News Interviews and Insights Why Black Friday 2022 will differ from before 26 Oct 2022 Why Black Friday 2022 will differ from before Despite current downturns in the economy, evidence shows that the e-commerce industry is picking up and going back to pre-pandemic… Read More CEO's Thoughts Never stop marketing 26 Oct 2022 Never stop marketing There’s a LOT going on in the world right now. This is not a political piece, yet it is diffiult to ignore the world-shaping events… Read More Interviews and Insights Interview with Sandra Jardim, Blogger/Founder of MammaBearLove 26 Oct 2022 Interview with Sandra Jardim, Blogger/Founder of MammaBearLove Our October profile is Sandra Jardim, mom to twins Gisela and Alaia and blogger/owner of MammaBearLove. She uses her blog as… Read More Prev123Next
Interview with Jeffrey Galbraith from GarageGuys.co.za
Interview with Jeffrey Galbraith from GarageGuys.co.za This month we chat with Jeffrey Galbraith, serial entrepreneur, family man and Marketing Manager at Garage Guys, a proudly South African business specialising in DIY home and office shelving and storage solutions. With their bold branding, clear no-nonsense messaging, visually appealing ads and clever solutions, Garage Guys are taking their place in the DIY e-tailer space and making happy customers as they go. Describe yourself in 3 wordsDedicated, Passionate and Relentless Where did the idea to start ‘Garage Guys’ come from?The Garage Guys installed its shelving in my home a few years back. I loved the concept so much and immediately saw the enormous opportunity for growth. I just knew I had to be a part of it, so I joined the team and have loved it since. Was the plan always to just go online? i.e. did you ever consider opening a store?Before I joined, online meant lead generation via a Facebook form, just accepting the norm, while e-commerce wasn’t a focus and contributed under 10% of turnover. Today over 60 % of our income is from e-commerce and it is rapidly growing :). What are the biggest challenges in starting an online business at these times?You cannot do it alone. There are so many platforms, publishers and applications that it is near impossible to master them all. Join support groups, partner with experts, cough, wink, nudge like AdMarula which allows you to work ON and not IN your business. How did the past two years (and the pandemic) affect the home improvement industry?Our custom work decreased as people are still awkward about strangers in their homes, but we are very blessed and have seen over 300% growth in our e-commerce division, so we can’t complain. How does Garage Guys differentiate/position itself from already established, brick-and-mortar builder stores?We make DIY Fun, Easy & Affordable. What are the key ingredients for a successful digital marketing strategy?KISS… Keep it Simple Stupid. We found that less is more. Ensure you are marketing what your audience wants and not what you think they need. The most important skills digital marketing managers need nowadays.Patience and forgiveness, as often we first need to learn what NOT to do in order to know what to DO. Mistakes are not the opposite of success, but part of it. How would you describe your management style?In truth, aggressive. I am results driven. I expect the best as I give the best and I will pull my team until we reach our goal. What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt in your career so far?Partner with the right people. Just because you’re thirsty doesn’t mean you should drink poison. Follow Garage Guys! On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/garageguys.co.za On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/garageguys.co.za/ All CEO's Thoughts Interviews and Insights Industry News Interviews and Insights Why Black Friday 2022 will differ from before 26 Oct 2022 Why Black Friday 2022 will differ from before Despite current downturns in the economy, evidence shows that the e-commerce industry is picking up and going back to pre-pandemic… Read More CEO's Thoughts Never stop marketing 26 Oct 2022 Never stop marketing There’s a LOT going on in the world right now. This is not a political piece, yet it is diffiult to ignore the world-shaping events… Read More Interviews and Insights Interview with Sandra Jardim, Blogger/Founder of MammaBearLove 26 Oct 2022 Interview with Sandra Jardim, Blogger/Founder of MammaBearLove Our October profile is Sandra Jardim, mom to twins Gisela and Alaia and blogger/owner of MammaBearLove. She uses her blog as… Read More Prev123Next
Interview with James MacDonald, Digital Marketing Manager at Homechoice
Interview with James MacDonald, Digital Marketing Manager at Homechoice Describe yourself in 3 wordsGeeky, stubborn & relaxed. Tell us a bit about your journey the past few years working in the digital team at Homechoice? It has been an incredible journey of rapid learning, both personally and for the business. We had to adapt at a rapid rate when lockdown was announced, but we managed to pivot to serve our customers via digital channels quite successfully. Talk about a steep learning curve, but we are really proud of the digital transformation and how quickly we could accelerate our timeline. Digital transformation seems to be the buzz word these days – what does it mean for you in your current role? I used it above before reading this question! Most people just think it is about transforming a sales channel to be digitally enabled. At homechoice we rather use the term to mean how can we put technology first to service our customers through a truly omnichannel experience. Technology is rooted in that and how can we transform our systems to provide longevity as the rate of technological acceleration continues at a rapid pace. How do you and your team stay up to date with the ever-changing technology available to digital marketers nowadays? Fortunately, we have a great relationship with both Google & Meta who offer incredible resources and learning sessions to the broader community, but there are also a few special goodies that get shared with priority businesses like ours. There are also loads of great resources out on the internet, with a lot of them being free. It is remarkable how one can build skillsets across a range of verticals in the digital space without having to attend formal education. What sets Homechoice apart from other online homeware retailers? We really do provide a full offering that is customer focused. The last few years have been tough financially for many but our blend of truly quality products on our range of payment terms mean that we can help you create the home you love without breaking the bank. Everyone thinks a blanket is just a blanket until you touch our faux mink blankets – then you realize what luxury and warmth REALLY is. What were the biggest challenges Homechoice faced in going from a catalogue service to an online retailer? I think it was changing our mindset and adapting rapidly to the changing needs of our consumers. Customers loved receiving their catalogue every month and ordering via either calling in to the call centre, walking in to a showroom, or purchasing through our digital channels. Lockdown suddenly stripped those options away from them and we had to adapt just like our customers. Support used to largely be handled by a call as that was the easiest way for the customer to communicate a range of questions, but during the pandemic, we had to give them the same personalized attention, just through digital channels. This was new to the customers and ahead of our digital transformation roadmap, but we were really chuffed how quickly we could adapt and continue to serve our customers when we were one of the few businesses that could trade during level 5 lockdown to bring them their essentials like bedding & blankets during winter. Which digital channels have you found to be most effective in attracting new customers and building brand awareness? I can’t share all of our secrets, but I would advise digging into marketing automation through product feeds, email campaigns and dynamic remarketing. With digital, there are numerous new channels that help you reach certain audiences. The trick is to ensure that you have the correct objective per channel and have sufficient reporting to help you understand whether that channel is meeting your objectives or not. Sounds easy, but can be really challenging with privacy concerns, different attribution methods and ever-changing platform tweaks such as Performance Max from Google, and reduced audience segmentation from Facebook. You recently spoke at the Meta VC Acceleration program webinar. Can you tell us a bit about that? It was really fun to showcase some of the results that we have achieved working with Meta as an In-Market client. This means that we are one of their priority customers and work very closely with a very talented team to help us succeed on the various Meta platforms. It was nice to show new businesses that they can succeed if they find the right partners. Your favourite thing to do in Cape Town when you are not working? When you live in a beautiful city like Cape Town, it feels criminal not to take advantage of the incredible views on offer and if you can through in some exercise at the same time then even better. My favourite is to unwind on the weekend with a round of golf – have you seen how many picturesque courses we have in the Mother City? If only my golf was as good as the views… Follow Homechoice! Shop online: https://www.homechoice.co.za On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/homechoice On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/homechoice.co.za/?hl=en All CEO's Thoughts Interviews and Insights Industry News Interviews and Insights Why Black Friday 2022 will differ from before 26 Oct 2022 Why Black Friday 2022 will differ from before Despite current downturns in the economy, evidence shows that the e-commerce industry is picking up and going back to pre-pandemic… Read More CEO's Thoughts Never stop marketing 26 Oct 2022 Never stop marketing There’s a LOT going on in the world right now. This is not a political piece, yet it is diffiult to ignore the world-shaping events… Read More Interviews and Insights Interview with Sandra Jardim, Blogger/Founder of MammaBearLove 26 Oct 2022 Interview with Sandra Jardim, Blogger/Founder of MammaBearLove Our October profile is Sandra Jardim, mom to twins Gisela and Alaia and blogger/owner of MammaBearLove. She uses her blog as… Read More Prev123Next
