Ready. Set. Shop. Online.

by Judy Haveson, VOLLMER New York

‘Tis the Season: Readying Your Retail Site Ready for the Holiday Rush

Remember when the official kick-off to the holiday shopping season started as soon as you saw Santa and his reindeer floating down Broadway in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade? Now retailers decorate their stores in hopes of getting people in the “holiday buying” mood as early as October.

Shop.org, a division of the National Retail Federation, coined the term Cyber Monday, referring to the Monday after Thanksgiving when many retailers saw spikes in sales and traffic as consumers went back to work after the Thanksgiving Day holiday weekend.

According to comScore, a leader in measuring the digital world, in 2007, $733 million was spent online during Cyber Monday and overall holiday sales during the months of November and December surpassed $29 billion. ‘Tis the season to get your site ready for the mad holiday rush or miss out on serious sales.

The following are promotable tips and advice for online retailers to consider while getting their “stores” ready for the holiday shopping season:

• Decorate the store – Prepare to alter your logo with a holiday theme after Thanksgiving and include holiday-inspired copy to help generate sales. Word of caution – don’t follow the patterns of the traditional retailer and start pushing holiday shopping after Labor Day! It could turn off customers and make you appear overzealous, not to mention tacky.


• Give Gift Recommendations – Create a section on the homepage that helps shoppers decide what to buy. Drill down to specific suggestions by price, gender, age, gift type, staff recommendations, etc. Provide a broad range of items for each category and include off-the-wall recommendations to keep it fun!


• Create a “Holiday Helper” section – Dedicate a section on the site that gives details on all policies including: purchasing, returns and exchanges, shipping, delivery, etc. Special tips: if you have and brick-and-mortar retail location, make it easy for shoppers to make returns and exchanges in the store. If affordable, cut shipping costs in half or offer free shipping. Also, many online retailers are offering “early shopper” discounts and “first time buyer” discounts in order to convert new buyers.


• Gift Cards & Online Certificates – Great for stocking stuffers and last minute shoppers! Allow shoppers to choose from an array of customized gift boxes and sleeves. Also, for the procrastinators, develop a colorful template to download and print to include something inside a card or stocking.


• Gift Wrapping – Provide a wide selection of standard holiday-themed gift wrap paper for free. Give shoppers a sneak peek so they are able to see what their gift will look like when it arrives. For additional fees, showcase fancier wrapping paper, bags, accessories and cards. For customers that want to wrap the gift themselves, provide them the option of purchasing a gift wrap box kit including paper or gift bags, ribbons, tape and other wrapping accessories.


• Keep your Online Store Safe – You don’t need to hire extra holiday security if you’re already taking the necessary precautions to keep your customer’s information safe. Be sure to have all your safety measures in place and see about joining organizations such as the BBB Online to make your customers feel like they’re always in a good neighborhood when buying on your site!


• Stock Up! – Nothing turns off potential buyers then the words, “Not available to ship until after December 25.” If it’s the hot item of the year, be sure to have enough in stock or at least make recommendations for the next best thing!

Following these tips will help you and your online store be prepared for the best retail time of the year.

Happy Shopping!

Trick, Treat or Transparency – No Financial Tricks This 4th Quarter

by Darren Horwitz, VOLLMER Dallas

Kids, put your costumes on and rush out to get your candy now; it is going to be a long, lean fourth quarter void of tricks and treats.

In the past few weeks we have seen our financial markets crumble as companies like Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch became prey to their own financial hocus pocus. Having purchased investments backed by suspect loans, these institutions lacked the cash to withstand the drop in mortgage investments when the housing market began its downward spiral.

To make matters worse, in just one week, the global markets saw stock losses of $3 trillion and the SEC placed a temporary ban on short selling. Hedge funds and investors have been spooked as government watchdogs are on high alert.
Economists believe that the housing and credit crisis could continue for at least two more years, and the government is struggling to keep our economy from falling into the abyss.

This is no trick.

Dracula has taken a big bite out of Wall Street and threatens to bite even deeper.

Now if that isn’t enough to scare you as we approach Halloween, nothing will.

Here is the quick take. Now is not a time for financial trickery and hocus pocus.

• Financial trickery leads to mistrust
• Mistrust leads to unrest
• Unrest leads to a loss in confidence
• A loss in confidence leads to…

While most organizations will take a wait and see approach, lock their doors, break out the holy water and pray that evil passes them by, thoughtful organizations will take a different path.

As retail and institutional shareholders, employees and clients now live with the specter of lies and mistrust in the financial markets, organizations that communicate consistently and effectively will survive the scare.

Companies that practice true transparency using vehicles to provide investors with greater access and availability to information have a unique opportunity to strengthen shareholder loyalty, when loyalty is hard to come by.

Here are a few things you can do keep your investors happy while you survive the scare.

• Create a perception survey to determine what your biggest institutional investors are thinking. You will be surprised what concerns may exist about your business and your ability to grow.
• Develop metrics and proof points to ensure your company’s strategy and performance are highly visible and accessible to investors.
• Take a proactive approach as we move from GAAP to international financial reporting standards (IFRS). IFRS promises to be the largest change in reporting since Sarbanes Oxley. Asking questions and preparing for these new standards will demonstrate an openness to these new requirements that will support customers, employees and shareholders.

Lost in Translation

by Ceci Loup, VOLLMER Houston

Does cooler weather + the changing of leaves + Halloween = Fall?

Growing up along the sandy Caribbean coast of South America, there were no seasons. What’s more, the idea of a ghostly Halloween holiday or la Noche de las Brujas was not customary. So one can imagine how delighted my little brother and I were once we moved to the United States and learned the intricacies of this new holiday. One was supposed to dress up in costume, go around the neighborhood and collect as much candy as possible.

Naturally, our peers often asked about how Halloween was celebrated in our country, and they alluded to the fact that we probably called it el Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).

Huh?

A bit confused at first, we’d explain that these are two separate holidays – the former pagan and the latter one religious. They are held on different days and are also celebrated differently throughout all Spanish speaking countries and territories across the Americas. We did not really observe either one of them in our upbringing. It was a rather entertaining cultural exchange for our young minds. Little did I know then that it would shed light on approaching business opportunities in my adult life.

Crossing the Border

To cross cultural barriers, today's PR professionals should strive to develop cultural competency to complement their technical skills. Cultural competency means understanding local cultures and appreciating their importance.

For instance, let us say a large company has plans to launch a product line in Dubai, Mexico and Argentina. As the company develops its strategy, it should learn all it can about each separate market. This includes what makes consumers tick, its media landscape and any other relevant cultural piece of information available.

The differences will be very obvious for Dubai vs. the American countries. Although Spanish is spoken in both Argentina and Mexico, it is important to remember that one size does not fit all. Changes in dialect and culture among countries of the same language can significantly impact the focus and meaning of the campaign. So do not assume anything.

Here are some simple tips to remember as you are planning your targeted global campaigns:

• Remember your mother’s words and “be polite”


• Value the differences in languages, accents and dialects


• When entering unchartered territory, learn as much as you can from people of that ethnic group


• Make sure that any materials developed are culturally sensitive

Entering New Markets

Those who have dealt in international relations know that it can be both an exciting and intimidating experience. The secret to making them work: BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS. Keep those contacts warm! A sincere e-mail or a phone call from time to time goes a long way.

Finally, another great way to succeed in international relations is by employing knowledgeable team members who are multi-lingual and already familiar with a particular market. It will make relationship building more effective for the company, thus yielding higher long-term returns on investment.

Ceci, a native Venezuelan, has a focus on and a passion for international relations.

The Gifts That Keep On Giving

by Allen Caudle, Shelton & Caudle
VOLLMER Communication Training & Crisis Counsel Division

Ahhh, the autumnal solstice: a cooling of the air, a shortening of the day, color appearing in the leaves, cheering of the football crowds and it's not too early to start your holiday shopping for your executives.

Here are a few unexpected gifts you could give your company before the year is out:

• A great early holiday gift for the executive who has everything - Media Training



• Prepare for all those holiday parties with a Key Messaging Session



• Looking to give a gift that keeps on giving, a Crisis Communication Plan



• And for those whose state's legislative season opens in January, get prepared with Legislative Testimony Training

Whether it's an interview with a reporter, an encounter with a group of concerned citizens, response to an industrial accident, dealing with unwanted attention online or speaking with prospects at a trade show - it's a gift you'll be glad you bought!

*Please note: Gift wrapping not available

Meet VOLLMER Client Dr E...

Clinical Psychologist and Author, Erik A. Fisher, Ph. D (AKA Dr. E…), runs a private practice in Atlanta, GA and has helped many adults, children and families develop healthy life perspectives and relationships.

His latest book, The Art of Empowered Parenting: The Manual You Wish Your Kids Came With, explains the importance of equity-based parenting for raising healthy and happy children, and outlines the advantages of this approach over the more traditional "hierarchy-based" family model. Along with his unique therapy techniques and topics for discussion, Dr. E… can comment on every day battles, including those happening in the home between parents and children, in the workplace, in the sporting and political arena, etc.

Dr. Fisher’s comments have appeared in many national publications including, Parenting Magazine, First for Women, and Education.com. He has appeared on CNN, FOX and NBC and is a "pro-blogger" for the parenting website, parentsociety.com. For more information about Dr. Fisher, you can visit his website, http://www.erikfisher.com.