Interview with Lisa Bell, Digital Entrepreneur

Meet Lisa Bell, writer, editor, author, and Director at The Word Architect. She is also the founder of The Organic Shop, an online health shop providing a range of natural and cruelty-free products for men, women, children, babies, and even furry family members. She loves to talk about all things marketing, copywriting, digital marketing, and social media.

Time to leverage AI’s capabilities in your digital strategy (if you haven’t already)

According to the US Digital Marketing Institute, 49% of the value of the NASDAQ and 25% of the US stock market consists of just six companies, and they’re all AI companies. So what does this mean for marketers?

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 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

Raising the bar

Raising the bar There are those who say perfection doesn’t exist. Some even argue that it can be the greatest stopper. Achieving perfection can seam so unattainable at times that we become afraid and then chose to do nothing instead. High expectations on oneself and one’s team however can be a positive driver. The higher we aim the closer we will come to achieving excellence, and that should after all be the end goal in all our endeavours. Whether as an advertiser, merchant or publisher, running and building a business has its challenges. It isn’t always exciting or rewarding or even fun, but it can be if we know when to recognise small achievements along the way since these happen far more often than greater ones. By setting high standards and expectations for ourselves and our stakeholders, we avoid settling in the comfort zone where there is little opportunity for growth or change. It doesn’t mean we don’t make mistakes, but we learn from them and we move on. As the saying goes, making mistakes is far better than faking perfections. Equally there is no such thing as a perfect marketing strategy. It is mostly a case of combining well-researched facts and stats with educated guesses, intuition, experience and creativity. Then testing and tweaking it as you go, constantly aiming for improvement, for perfection. And if one is consistent enough in that process it will eventually lead to excellence. It is neither quickly nor easily done and it does require a lot of hard work and organisation. Of course some mistakes can easily be avoided, which is why we dedicated the next article to highlighting some of the most common mistakes digital marketers make. I trust you will find it useful and in the very least thought provoking. As always I appreciate feedback that can help us improve our offering and have a positive impact on our industry. I wish you a productive week further. Onwards and upwards! Daniel Gross – CEO All Interviews and Insights Industry News CEO's Thoughts 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

Marketing psychology in digital

Tom Fishburne, the famous creator of Marketoonist cartoons, once said: “The best marketing doesn’t feel like marketing.” Today’s consumers are innundated with content. The competition for attention, interest and wallets of audiences can be brutal. As a marketer you need a secret weapon to cut through the clutter. One that reaches deep into the hearts and minds of your customers. Marketing psychology attempts to understand the way that consumers think, feel, reason, and make decisions. The goal of marketing is to convince people, and making a calculated emotional appeal can be just what you need to land a lasting customer. Regardless of what you sell, there is a high likelihood that the marketplace is overcrowded. The purpose of marketing psychology is to gain an edge over the competition. It’s always important to remember that you’re dealing with people. People are emotional. Marketers who understand psychology can use it for their company’s benefit. By capturing analytics of their buying behavior and delivering engaging content that plays along with the mindset of the customer. Here are a few triggers that can help you connect with your consumers on a deeper level and build loyalty over the long term: Trust – One of the most important components in any relationship, trust is the glue which binds people to brands. If you trust an organisation, you are more likely to interact, engage and consume content by the brand. Ultimately, this drives purchase decisions. Examples of this could me customer testimonials, security badges and third-party certifications and displaying these clearly on your site and other digital channels. Give, give, give, then ask – The point here is reciprocation, or the principle of repeatedly giving value to your communities before asking for the sale. One way of doing this is of course through useful content. Giving your readers or customers access to useful, free content, will make them more likely to make a purchase later on when you ask for it. This could be ‘how-to’ tips, insights, data trends etc. So start giving. Authority – Humans naturally gravitate towards figures of authority. In today’s digital world, the number of likes a brand has can help it be perceived as authoritative in its field, as do comments and engagement. Showcasing innovations, reports and ground-breaking research are all powerful triggers that will make consumers see your brand as the authority in its field. Loss-aversion – Perceived scarcity or FOMO (fear of losing out) is one of the oldest marketing tricks in the book. For example, saying offers are available for a “limited time only” encourages sales. Tribalism – People love to associate with those they can identify with i.e. form a tribe with like-minded individuals. Social media has made this much easier. Make it easy for your followers to connect with you, and with each other. Hope you find these tips useful. Happy selling! The Publisher Management Team

Connecting with the people behind the data

According to psychologists, we have genetically evolved to experience the tangible benefits of human connection and studies across all mammals show that our well-being depends on our connections with others. It is therefor not surprising that the modern consumer increasingly cares about personalization. Now more than ever, digital marketers need to find ways to connect with the people behind the data. We live in a data-driven marketplace, no matter the industry you’re in. Many of the interactions you have with customers are online, and data is now a part of every transaction. At the same time, modern consumers increasingly care about personalization. An Accenture report showed that 91% of consumers are more likely to buy from brands who “recognize, remember, and provide relevant offers and recommendations.” Marketers are faced with what is becoming almost a universal truth: Personalization helps advance customer relationships. But when dealing with so much data, and with so much pressure to make things personal, how do you connect the two? The first step is to recognise that there are actual humans clicking through your website or liking your social media posts, not just targets. Campaigns should therefor be centered around building relationships with people, not just metrics and optimization. When customers feel understood by brands, and when they begin to trust those brands, they’re more likely to provide their personal information. But how do you go about it? It all comes down to the assumptions you make about the data you’re analyzing. For example if your sales numbers changed drastically from one week to the next, and impacted one age range in your audience the most, what could be impacting that change that’s external to your brand message? Looking at the data this way means seeing the bigger picture, recognizing that there are many factors that drive a person to engage with a brand or make a purchase. Finding patterns is another part of analyzing data effectively. But to do so while keeping the focus on the human behind the data requires that you’re acknowledging the thought process behind the patterns of behavior. Data is powerful in this way. In addition to gathering metrics and tracking effectiveness, marketers can use data to better understand the intent and motivation behind the action. By following these intuitive steps, digital marketers might uncover, and be able to address, questions their customers have about their products that aren’t answered by their marketing.

Interview with Ryan Vermaak, new Digital Account Manager

Meet Ryan Vermaak, newest team member at AdMarula. Ryan joins us in the role of Digital Account Manager and will be working on new media accounts, as well as with existing clients and their marketing teams to optimize their campaigns and ensure the best execution of their digital strategies. Ryan is a Marketing Graduate from the AAA school of Advertising and recently relocated from Johannesburg to the Western Cape. Describe yourself in 3 words. Driven, honest & passionate. Tell us a bit about what you’ve been doing since you graduated? After graduating from university, I co-founded a small business in Johannesburg (operating within the motor industry) which was specifically field-service driven and mainly serving the industrial sector. I mainly focused on the day-to-day running of the business and took charge of all marketing responsibilities. After countless visits to the Western Cape, my heart had been stolen and so I sold my share in the company and decided to relocate down the beautiful coast. I then joined a leather manufacturing company in Stellenbosch as the Marketing and Sales Manager for a short stint, before being fortunate enough to join the AdMarula team. What do you love most about working in Digital? I love the ever-changing environment which digital presents and the challenges which come along with it, it keeps me on my toes and feeds my desire to continuously keep learning. I feel as though we are only at the tip of the iceberg and there is so much more to come within the digital space. What will your key responsibilities be in your new role? I will be building strong relationships with AdMarula’s media clients to continue growing their paid media accounts across a host of different channels. I will take the time to understand each client’s specific needs and find the best solutions to deliver the best possible results through paid media. With AdMarula’s tried and tested technology I will be able to provide and suggest new ways of achieving success for each client. The most important lesson you’ve learnt in your career so far? Be teachable! Each and every business/industry is different and so I find it important to keep an open mind when listening to what it is a client is aiming to achieve. This will also open you up to learning something new on a daily basis and keep you on a constant learning curve. Where do you believe the Digital industry is heading in South Africa? Being a developing market, I believe that South Africa will soon see an influx of users in the digital space and so the room for growth and development is endless. With a growing middle class and the availability of smartphones becoming easily accessible I also see a boost of new users consuming digital media in the near future. Any advice for aspiring digital marketers? Position yourself within an agency that has a proven track record for success. Here you will learn a lot and hone in on your skills to become a master of the trade. When I’m not working, I’m… Spending time on the beach, walking my two doggies, and the odd picnic with my girlfriend. I enjoy playing around with recipes and having friends over to enjoy a weekend braai while watching the sport of the day.

Two sides

There is a famous quote by American comedian, Daniel Tosh that goes: “No matter how flat you make your pancakes, they still have two sides”. This does indeed seem to be the case for the South African retail industry at the moment- if you believe the latest reports from experts and research houses. While the brick-and-mortar retail industry is predicted to basically show 0% growth in 2020, the e-commerce industry is expected to continue to grow at a a healthy rate. So, does this mean South Africans are finally catching on to the online shopping trend? Perhaps. It is generally believed that the busier your shopping malls are, the healthier your economy. This is probably true to some extent, but let’s not forget that many South Africans are heavily indebted, so while the malls may be filled with shoppers, it doesn’t necessarily spell good news for the economy. The growth in e-commerce is likely to be a result of shoppers moving their budgets from malls to online, as many buyers use the internet to search for discounts and deals – which will be even more apparent when the economy is slow. Personally I’m excited about 2020. When the economy is tough it forces digital marketers to be more focused and deliver tangible results for each Rand spent – which is after all AdMarula’s core strength. It is seldom that a client will actually cut a budget. In most cases it’s a matter of moving it around to find the channel mix that works best for their business or product. Our on-site remarketing and mobile traffic optimitsation products have been in high demand due to its transparent an performance-based nature, and I believe this trend will continue in the coming months. On a different note, we are currently looking for a Digital Account Manager and an SEO Marketing expert to join our team. If you think you fit either of those roles, feel free to send us your CV and a brief cover letter to careers@admarula.com. We’d love to hear from you. Onwards and upwards! Daniel Gross – CEO