As a new or small business, one of your biggest marketing resources is the world around you - particularly other businesses who are good (and sometimes not) at the marketing they do. You can learn a lot.
I’m a big fan of Ocado as a business. That’s because I love efficiency. Businesses that do a job fantastically well. How many businesses do you know that have a prebookable by the hour delivery slot? And then actually manage to deliver within that time? And send a driver that smiles, and even manages to look as though he enjoys his/her job? Whatever you do as a business, do it brilliantly. Better than your competitors. And I mean, not just a little better, MUCH better. To do that, you need to know what your competitors are offering, and if possible, what their customers think about what they are offering. Its too easy to offer a mediocre product or service that is marginally better than your competitors. The source of a long term competitive advantage is in outdistancing your competitors.
Ocado’s email campaigns are inspirational. Highly targeted - the right messages are sent to the right customers, and topical. When its going to be a heat wave, they will send you an email offering you something relevant - fantastic offers just for you - and they really are. Offering a good deal on a product they know you buy (with a little thought for the occasion - heatwave, spring, Halloween, whatever) encourages you to buy the other things you were meaning to get. When the credit crunch anvil suddenly had us all in its sights, Ocado seemed to be the first that would suffer. But no - a little thought - and all of a sudden the relevant email offers began anew, chunky vouchers for spending minimum amounts, new ways for saving money (sign up for Ocado on demand to save your delivery costs), and I cannot fail to mention the ‘Tesco price match’ invention. What a way to dispel the perception that you are a pricey alternative! If you are matching the cheaper competitor, and still offering the same fantastic customer experience - why would you buy from anyone else? Who cares if Asda is cheaper on 500 products this week, if the ones in MY basket are the same price as Tesco, but delivered by the lovely Ocado?
Apply it to your business:
- Learn from Ocado: Email campaign: make it targeted, relevant, useful, short and nice to look at.
- How good are you at doing what you do as a business? When last did you compare yourself to your competitors?
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