My sister knew I was going to get something for my niece, so when she got an email from Toy World that everything would be 50% off on Black Friday she forwarded it to me to let me know. I was thrilled. I had done some searching for good toys this year and had some ideas. While I normally would shop online, the Toy World coupon said the 50% off was in-store only so I braved the crowds for a good deal.

Unfortunately, when I got there I learned that the email was wrong – only select items were 50% off and others were buy one, get one 50% off. I was pretty upset because the hottest toys were the ones excluded from the deal. I came all that way based on the email. I wound up getting a gift, but I could have saved myself the hassle and long lines, especially since I didn’t get a deal that was different from any other day.

That was a rough start to the shopping weekend, but, no worries, things improved. I have to tell you about my best shopping experience – I’ve been telling everyone! This year I used Pinterest to see what my mom has had her eye on lately. One of her pins is a food processor and I think that’s a perfect gift for her. I’m a card holder and reward member at Aaron’s department store and I know they carry some really nice kitchen appliances. They also happened to send me great Cyber Monday coupons in the mail – it was perfect timing. I went online on Cyber Monday, used the promo codes from the coupons and not only got great deals, but got free shipping too! How easy was that?! They also sent me shipping notifications so I knew exactly when to expect the package.

I am really happy that I got something great for everyone on my list and now have time to enjoy the rest of 2012. I hope you enjoy it too!

XOXO,

Dana

Editor’s note: You can tell that Aaron’s knows Dana. They used their direct mail piece to send her online offers because they know that’s her preferred purchase method. They’ve won her over once again and created a brand advocate. Learn where your company stands in your marketing efforts today, and how you can help move efforts forward to ensure your customers have good experiences like Dana had with Aaron’s, and avoid bad ones like her trip to Toy World.

My mom is usually tricky to buy for, but now that she’s on Pinterest all I have to do is check her boards to see the home décor, cook books or crafting tools she’s got her eye on. It’s like I have access to her virtual wish list – love it! My dad is all about the gadgets. He just got the iPhone 5 so I know any accessories would be great. I’ll do a quick search to see what’s out there that he would enjoy.

Collette is by far the easiest to buy for. We live together and like a lot of the same things. I’ll make a trip to Evolution. I love that store and Collette will love something from there too. Also, the fall dress I got there would transition to winter if I had the right blazer or scarf – why shouldn’t I give myself a little holiday cheer too!

Since signing up for their email loyalty program earlier in the fall, I’ve been getting great offers from ShoeSparkle. Just this week they emailed suggesting I surprise the man in my life with new shoes. I didn’t even realize they sold men’s shoes! It’s perfect though, because Dean’s been talking about these neon tennis shoes he wants. While I wouldn’t normally buy a guy shoes, I know he’ll love them – plus, their return policy is superb if he doesn’t.

So that leaves little Sienna. I don’t normally shop for toys, so this one might be tricky. I’ll probably do some online searching for gift ideas. There’s got to be toy gift guides out there to help me know what’s popular for the kiddies. While I’m at it I’ll search for homemade gift ideas too. I’m sure to find something fairly easy and super cute.

I’m planning to do most of my shopping this weekend to take advantage of all the great Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. Most likely I’ll do the majority of my buying online – it’ll be cozier shopping from my couch. It sure seems like shopping this year will be a lot less stressful than years past!

Happy Thanksgiving and happy shopping!

XOXO,

Dana

Note from the editor: Holiday shopping really is getting easier for customers because savvy marketers are more customer obsessed than ever.

Dana is resourceful, using technology to save time and money this holiday – and she’s not alone. Rather than roaming from store to store, a quick online search for gift ideas can point her in the right direction for what she’s looking for. In order to reach people like Dana as they search for ideas, marketers need to make sure they have content on their site to attract people looking for recommendations. Here’s a quick look at search terms that include the word “gift.” “Unique Christmas gifts” and “homemade Christmas gifts” top the list.

^{Source: Experian Hitwise}

Homemade gifts – something Dana is looking for ideas about – appeared in several variations. If we look at what sites are receiving traffic from homemade gift terms, we see that Pinterest is number five on the list, with an increase of search clicks from the same time last year.

^{Source: Experian Hitwise}

Homemade gifts aren’t the only thing on Pinterest. Similar to Dana searching her mom’s board for gift ideas, many consumers are actually creating “holiday wish list” boards specifically so friends and family know what they want or need. Adding “pin it” buttons to your emails and website can help get products on those boards and in front of buyers. With the varied ways people use Pinterest, marketers are seeing the value – a recent EMS survey revealed that 71% of marketers are investing in Pinterest this holiday.

Like ShoeSparkle, many marketers are also touting their gift guides via email. One trend is highlighting specific categories, like “for her,” “for him” or “for the home.” This is a great way to remind recipients of the different people they need to buy gifts for during the holiday season. In addition, remarketing emails could also be sent based on what categories were clicked by recipients. Experian Marketing Services recommends testing this method when sending gift guides – in general, more targeted emails perform better.

It’s hard to be back in reality, but it’s nice to come home to fall. I love fall: pumpkin lattes, football, boots – mostly the boots. I got some great ones from ShoeSparkle. I’d never bought from them before, but I did a quick search and saw they had free shipping and returns – obsessed! I signed up for their email loyalty program and snagged some great riding boots.

I also got a new dress from Evolution. I saw it while searching for cruise-wear. It is perfect for transitioning to fall, just not quite right for a cruise. I put it in my cart, but got a text from my boss about my presentation and had to jump on a call. Anyway, I’m so glad I saw Evolution’s ad for it later because I’ve gotten so many compliments and it looks great with my boots!

I don’t know how they do it, but these brands are ah-mazing!

XOXO,
Dana

Editor’s note: We know how they do it! Get a glimpse of Dana’s workspace. Click image for a better view.

To help you know and understand Dana better, she’ll be guest blogging from time to time, and she’ll share both her good and bad experiences with brands. We want to be sure your brand lines up with the good experiences so stay tuned to future blog posts for ideas on how to enchant and delight your customers. We’ll continue to share must-know stats, tips and trends you can use to connect, engage and empower customers like Dana.

Key take-aways:
Facebook is the top social network displayed or promoted in email, followed by Twitter, YouTube and Pinterest respectively.

On average, emails promoting Pinterest get 24.7% more unique clicks than other non-social-promotion emails. The new kid on the block creates a lot of buzz in email. Check out this case study for specifics on how Ballard Designs boosts engagement with Pinterest.

Unique open rates for Twitter “follow-us” mailings are 9.5% higher than those for other mailings.

60% of brands that sent emails with “Facebook” in the subject line averaged a 27% increase in traffic to their website from Facebook the week following deployment.

Key take-aways:

Here is what customers want from any brand or company they do business with, and what customer obsessed businesses can do give it to them:

To belong – Initiate a sense of belonging, such as utilizing a “Welcome” program

To be known – Treat customers as individuals by employing personalization methods

To feel special – Reward customers for their loyalty and continued engagement with your brand

To be treated well – Offer assistance through customer service, such as sending out “Thank you” emails

Key take-aways:

• Including the word “exclusive” in email subject lines boosts unique open rates by 14% in promotional mailings
• Emails asking customers to rate and review items they’ve purchased have 32% higher revenue per email
• 85% of real-time welcome emails get opened and have a click rate of 29%
• 91% of online adults are using social media regularly
• Pinterest is the third most visited U.S. social networking site behind Facebook and Twitter
• 28% of 6-11 year olds own a cell phone
• Paid search and banner ads will garner nearly 73% of all U.S. online ad spending in 2012

Dana knows what she likes, but warned marketers that they’d have to work very hard to earn her brand loyalty.

View the Dana video here.

Dana is Experian Marketing Services’ representation of today’s empowered consumers. She expects and demands that her favorite brands deliver a seamless experience that is coordinated throughout her busy day.

Matt Seeley, President of Experian Marketing Services, advised the audience to keep Dana, and others like her, at the center of everything they do. He stated that marketers must “adopt a focus on having all marketing channels work together – across email, mobile, direct and social….. Dana’s not just a data-point, she’s an individual who wants to be treated special by having us respect her preferences and her interests.”

We’re sure to be seeing a lot more of Dana in the future.

Stay tuned!