I have always been fascinated by the term "Local is the new Global" and thought if there was a way where the small and medium sized businesses could engage and build a great relationship with the consumers whom they interact on a frequent basis.
Market to me better:
I spend maximum time of my life at home and at the office. It would be great if I could get offers from the shops in the local area based on my preferences and the messages I would like to see from the merchants. I don't have time to spend, going through the coupons that I need to pick at the shop entrance. I would love to see offer email messages from the coffee, grocery, and beauty shops around me as those are places I visit the most frequently.
Discover and Encourage Hidden talent in my local area:
Its amazing how you discover talents in your local areas like a solopreneurs in your around you makes awesome cup cakes or you have been trying to find a good Yoga trainer and your friend tells you the person was only like a couple blocks from where you live. There are products out there letting me find them, I don't get suggestions. I would love to encourage them and at the same time get I need served.
How can I better engage with my merchants:
Lets say I keep buying candy and nuts from the a small shop near my office. It would be wonderful if that shop takes a small 30 second survey from me about my likes and dislikes at the shop and then reach out to me appropriately. It just encourages me to keep going to that shop as I feel take care off then the shop owner will start offering me the right things and receive right offers.
Win win situation for all:
By getting more personalized service from the merchants, I am obviously gonna get better service from the provider and the same time I could have other advantages like saving time, less clutter and I could go on and on.
Obviously the merchants generates more revenue from their existing customers as the customers are going to automatically spread the word for through their social graph, word of mouth etc.
Using email marketing:
Earlier this year(2013) when I was planning to start a new venture in this space. I met my co-founders who were planning an email marketing tool called Optyn specifically catering to the needs of small businesses.
Its is so simple to use one could create a marketing messages in 2 minutes or less. No getting lost in templates. Write the content that matters the most.
Market to me better:
I spend maximum time of my life at home and at the office. It would be great if I could get offers from the shops in the local area based on my preferences and the messages I would like to see from the merchants. I don't have time to spend, going through the coupons that I need to pick at the shop entrance. I would love to see offer email messages from the coffee, grocery, and beauty shops around me as those are places I visit the most frequently.
Discover and Encourage Hidden talent in my local area:
Its amazing how you discover talents in your local areas like a solopreneurs in your around you makes awesome cup cakes or you have been trying to find a good Yoga trainer and your friend tells you the person was only like a couple blocks from where you live. There are products out there letting me find them, I don't get suggestions. I would love to encourage them and at the same time get I need served.
How can I better engage with my merchants:
Lets say I keep buying candy and nuts from the a small shop near my office. It would be wonderful if that shop takes a small 30 second survey from me about my likes and dislikes at the shop and then reach out to me appropriately. It just encourages me to keep going to that shop as I feel take care off then the shop owner will start offering me the right things and receive right offers.
Win win situation for all:
By getting more personalized service from the merchants, I am obviously gonna get better service from the provider and the same time I could have other advantages like saving time, less clutter and I could go on and on.
Obviously the merchants generates more revenue from their existing customers as the customers are going to automatically spread the word for through their social graph, word of mouth etc.
Using email marketing:
Earlier this year(2013) when I was planning to start a new venture in this space. I met my co-founders who were planning an email marketing tool called Optyn specifically catering to the needs of small businesses.
Its is so simple to use one could create a marketing messages in 2 minutes or less. No getting lost in templates. Write the content that matters the most.
