TURN BENEFITS INTO SALES WITH RICH MEDIA
By Ronni Rhodes, WBC Imaging
The "Wow" factor that accompanied the introduction of rich media on the Web has long passed, and the technology has now proven itself to marketers. Its' acceptance by advertisers is on the upswing, but it's still not widely used to enhance small to medium sized commercial sites.
Companies trying to do business on the Internet are bombarded with marketing advice. Go to your target market. Promote your brand. Develop a web "community." Publish a Zine. All of it is good advice. But shopping carts are still being abandoned at an alarming rate, and conversion has become the most important web statistic.
In the absence of live salespeople, who know how to listen and focus in on the customers' desires, businesses on the Web must use the technological tools available to replicate that human experience. Rich media provides them with those tools.
Rich media is a natural way to motivate purchasing. It can be integrated into your website as a means to help people get over that “hump” when they haven’t been able to see or touch a product. Use it to calm customers’ nerves, build their trust in your company, and to keep their excitement about your service alive.
When would rich media serve visitors' needs on a commercial or business site? Use it for:
- Product Demonstrations - Visuals are powerful and convey product features difficult to explain only in text. Medical devices are great candidates. Use it to enhance a site devoted to crafts – show them how to do it!
- Installation issues - especially for products geared to personal safety such as child car seats - are expertly handled with video.
- Human Resource professionals can use it to enhance corporate Intranets for remote sales forces and clients. Training programs can be stored and viewed by personnel at their convenience. Both audio and video can be used in conjunction with written materials to explain company policies and procedures.
- Rich media slideshows are an economical method of showcasing vacation facilities, business plants, and real estate properties.
- Demystify the shopping experience - use it to navigate the selling process.
- Teachers and coaches of dance, sports and gym activities can highlight their training methods with short demonstration clips.
Many businesses would like to use rich media but are put off by high production costs. Keep in mind that existing materials might be perfectly suited for current needs. Your rich media vendor should be able to assist you with preparing and, if needed, modifying your material.
Rich media is a very effective and affordable marketing tool. In today's world, where consumers have more purchasing power and choices than ever before, it can be used to make your customers aware of benefits that can't be found elsewhere. And, benefits often turn into sales.
Rich media should not be used arbitrarily, however. Unless your material is relevant to your visitors and adds perceived value to their purchase, don’t waste your time or theirs. When designing your rich media presentation, ask yourself what it will accomplish that your current content doesn’t. Will it complement your existing material? Will it be utilized to enhance your offering? Will it provide additional incentive to make your visitor buy?
If you can answer yes to those questions, rich media should be a strong candidate for your marketing dollars. Use rich media technology wisely, and it will go a long way to making your business site stand out in a very crowded field.
Ronni Rhodes is the owner of WBC Imaging, an Internet company that specializes in web site enhancement utilizing streaming media technology. With her husband, Don, a digital media engineer, they work with companies to incorporate streaming as part of successful and meaningful sales and marketing programs.
Please direct all questions and comments to:
Ronni@wbcimaging.com
http://www.wbcimaging.com
Copyright 2006
