Monday, March 17, 2008
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Don’t forget the cents!
If you’re writing copy for a website sale, be sure to mention the cents in your price discount figures; it will make the discount look bigger. Conversely, if you’re just stating prices, try omitting the cents; it will make the price look smaller.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Reducing your suck index
Want to know how many of your customers think you suck? Google “<your company name> sucks” and see what the hit count is. The Wal-Mart number is half a million; chances are yours is lower. Business Week has a suggestion about what to do:
“Now don’t get mad at these people. Instead, help them get even with you. These angry customers are doing you a great favor. They care enough about your product or service to tell you exactly what went wrong. Other customers may just desert you and head to the competition. But these are telling you what to fix. Listen to them. Help them. Respond to them. Ask their advice—and they’ll give it to you.”
Don’t just process them – validate them. Affirm them. Let them hit you with a clue-by-four. In general, if they’re complaining, they still care and want to be engaged. Take advantage of this.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
More catablogging advice
The folks over at E-Commerce Optimization guide you through the process of setting up a cart-centered blog.
Missing the point completely
Without a hint of irony, on the same day, NPR did stories on declining enrollment in computer science and Bill Gates’ efforts to increase the number of H1B outsourcing visas. Uhhh, fellas? There’s actually a correlation here. High school seniors and their parents actually do read the paper.
In related news, proving beyond a doubt how completely disconnected he is from the lives of ordinary Americans, Bill Gates posted the following question on LinkedIn:
“How can we do more to encourage young people to pursue careers in science and technology?”
Gee, I don’t know – how about not outsourcing their parents’ science and technology jobs?
MarketingSherpa’s Email Awards
MarketingSherpa’s 2008 Email Awards Gallery provides a glimpse into the stylish emails top companies are sending as part of their promotions. I was surprised by some of them, such as the Dell followup-up after cart abandonment email.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Zappos’ e-Commerce Strategy
Strategist Matt Stempeck reviews online shoe retailer Zappos.
The day after I found this article, I learned that Tony Hsieh, the CEO of Zappos, recently spoke at SXSW. Here are one attendee’s notes about Tony’s talk.
It’s nice to see an etailer who views customer touchpoints as a branding opportunity instead of a cost.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Writing is the basis of all wealth
Scott the Nametag Guy loves this meme. Want to get rich? Write more.
Finally – SEOs who tell it like it is
Check out the Uber SEOs – they’re straight shooters. Sample writing:
Uber SEO Company has entered into a search engine marketing agreement with Google. In the event of full disclosure we must disclose the agreement is the Adwords TOS.
These boys are very creative. Good job, fellas! 
Monday, March 10, 2008
Key Magento resources
Magento documentation is really building up. Here are a handful of key links.
Wiki: http://www.magentocommerce.com/wiki/
Knowledge Base: http://www.magentocommerce.com/knowledge-base
Design Guide: http://www.magentocommerce.com/design_guide
Magento Architecture: http://www.magentocommerce.com/wiki/doc/magento-architecture
Create new page/custom module: http://www.magentocommerce.com/boards/viewthread/2191
Customization: http://www.magentocommerce.com/wiki/how-to/customize_part_of_configuration
