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Digital gurus offer advice

Digital gurus offer advice

ATLANTA - When Atlanta-based provider Chris Malcom hired an expert to boost his digital marketing, he quickly saw double digit increases to his online sales. Malcom attributes that to targeted e-mail campaigns that offer rewards programs similar to grocery card promotions.

Dave Henderson from EZ-Access has partnered with Malcom. He agrees that e-mail marketing works, but he warns to not overdo it.

“One offer could be to come back a third time and get 10% off,” he said. “The fourth time a 15% discount. Offer incentives for automatic reorders. However, you don't want to slam customers with e-mails once a day—perhaps once every 10 days.”

Malcom and Henderson, along with Lisa Wells, founder of Get Social, and Christina Throndson of VGM Forbin, offered these tidbits and more at day one of Medtrade at the Georgia World Congress Center. Panelists agreed that it's not too late to start digital marketing, but Throndson cautions that providers need a strategy.

“Plan before you start,” she said. “In the case of improving your website, you must have a 'shopping cart' that works. Know what you want the site to do for you. Use directories such as Yelp and Bing.”

Wells points out that using the many digital channels—Internet, e-mail, and text messages—can all be part of an integrated marketing strategy that includes old school print and phone efforts.

“In the cash market, you must also know how many people are looking at your site,” said Wells. “Look at the analytics. You know cash is where it's at, so listen to your customers. Jan to March is deductible season, and that's the best time to survey your audience as to what they are buying.”

All panelists agreed that new digital verbiage, and even different photos if possible, could help avoid Google identifying duplicate content—which could hamper a company's visibility in the search engine. “Ask manufacturers for different content,” advised Henderson.

“Rewrite copy based on your company and your expertise,” added Thronson. “When you provide your own photos, at your own angles, you can brand them and it gives you brand recognition.”

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