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Month: June 2019

6 ways to beat Amazon at its own game

The way we shop is constantly evolving.

And, as it happens, Amazon is the original influencer.

When it comes to commerce, no company has had quite the seismic impact as the Bezos-owned behemoth.

For shoppers and retailers alike, it can sometimes feel like it’s Amazon’s world and we’re just living in it especially when it accounts for 43% of all US online retail sales.

Amazon has impacted our shopping habits at seemingly every turn. Here’s why… and, more importantly, this is how you can join them instead of failing miserably at trying to beat them.

1. Step up your logistics game

Obviously, the bigger Amazon gets, the more they can capitalise on economies of scale.

This means making excellent profit margins on every item you sell isn’t such a big deal when you’re selling a bucket load of stuff at the speed Amazon does.

It’s driven by a phenomenally efficient operations and logistics process that other businesses have struggled to keep up with, although Ocado is an exception to the rule.

Ocado is one company managing to go toe-to-toe with Amazon where logistics are concerned. According to Peel Hunt analysts, Ocado’s warehouse robots perform far more efficiently than those at Amazon.

So how long before Amazon tries to buy Ocado?

 

2. Follow Amazon’s shipping time lead

In the face of Amazon’s impressive market dominance and scale of infrastructure, any and all efforts to compete can quickly seem futile. No one can match their sheer size and scale.

And yet, competing, at least on some level, is necessary.

Look at the arrival of Aldi on British high streets. It was their unassuming and limited range of products sparked a slow-burn doom for profit margins at Tesco and Sainsburys in the early-aughts.

The easiest place to start is on shipping. Thanks to the Amazon influence, customers want faster shipping. And by faster shipping, 96% reportedly means ‘same day delivery’.

So, if you’re still offering 3-5 day shipping for £4.99, customers probably won’t be flocking to your online store.

In short, follow Amazon’s lead and speed up your shipping.

 

3. Offer an experience

This may well be one of the key advantages of operating as a bricks-and-mortar, independent retailer in an Amazon world. Shopping isn’t just about the price anymore, it’s about the experience (especially if Millennials are your target market).

Why? Because Amazon’s abundance of online products has made some shoppers more discerning. When we can buy practically anything we want online, at the swipe of a thumb or click of a mouse, the experience of shopping in-store becomes something of a luxury.

But what about online retailers? Do they stand a cat’s chance in hell of competing against Amazon?

Long story short: yes.

Amazon’s infrastructure may be impressive, and its ease of use is undeniable, but it remains a faceless, corporate entity. If you want to beat Amazon at its own game in the online-only sphere, you have to go above and beyond when it comes to service. Give consumers that experiential vibe they crave from bricks-and-mortar stores.

Simple things like personalised (but not pushy) emails, handwritten notes sent along with orders, speedy customer service, and a willingness to own up to and correct mistakes will go a long way.

And, I cannot stress this enough, make sure your website is as seamless and slick as possible. Invest in excellent copywriters to jazz up your product descriptions (an Amazon weak point) and link between products pages and informative blog posts.

Basically, make sure the buyer has everything they need at their fingertips.

(Related: See what exciting eCommerce, Digital, Marketing & Sales opportunities we have at Vertical Advantage now)

 

4. Build an actually useful brand

As Instagram influencers can attest to, brand is everything. And brands-as-a-culture is also a major trend for 2019.

So, while Amazon’s brand is, uh… everything, make your brand ‘one thing’. In short, do one thing well–while offering high quality and a cohesive brand strategy–instead of many things poorly.

Take a look at Baudoin and Lange. This niche loafer company has successfully tapped into the premium side of the market and they’ve done so without the tangible presence of a bricks-and-mortar retail space.

Follow in the footsteps (ha!) of Baudoin and Lange, then.

Invest in clever advertising and marketing, you can build your brand authentically, and watch your business flourish.

And remember: you’re a business, not an everything bagel.

 

5. Tap into Big (and Small) Data

Amazon is all about that Big Data. And you can be too.

As Jeremy Goldman at Inc. writes, “at this point, all brands need a strong data strategy.”

But tapping into data and making it work for your business doesn’t mean you need to invest in costly AI software. Even something as commonplace as Google Analytics can be of use.

Once you’ve decided what kind of data will be of most use to your business, you should start setting Google Analytics goals.

For example, do you want to know about newsletter signups or are you more interested in seeing who’s visiting what page and for how long?

The information generated by doing so can then inform your long-term decisions. What did you find out about the people signing up for your newsletters? Tailor your copy to them or diversify and personalise your newsletter delivery system based on which page they signed up from. The options are limitless.

Tap into social media too with software like Twilert which helps track mentions of your brand or search terms related to your business. From there, you can boost engagement, nip any emerging problems in the bud, and use the comments you’re generating to inform further business decisions.

Just remember that the data game can be heavily dependent on trial and error though, especially for smaller businesses with limited resources.

While making a data generation and utilisation strategy can be incredibly useful to begin with, be prepared to deviate from the plan if things aren’t working out.

 

6. If you really can’t beat Amazon… join them.

That’s what mega-brand Nike decided to do, despite initially thinking Amazon would devalue their carefully crafted brand. However, they quickly realised they were missing out on massive sales, and, in the process, being undercut by not-so-reputable third-party sellers.

Besides, Amazon is currently pushing for vendors to sign up with Brand Registry. As Digiday reports, this is “a program that lets brand owners and licensees submit proof that they are authorized sellers of a brand’s products”. So, it seems the time is ripe to take control over your company’s Amazon presence.

In reality, beating Amazon would be a long and impressive journey. If you’re there already don’t need to worry about this blog! (And cheers to you!)

But if you’re not quite there yet, my advice is to learn from Amazon’s journey and use their powerful reach to your advantage. After all, if it’s good enough for Nike, then why shouldn’t it be good enough for you?

And remember, I’m always keen to talk to people about this stuff, especially as a lot of you know far more than I do! So, give me a shout on LinkedIn or on andy@vertical-advantage.com if you want to chat.

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Your ultimate guide to CV writing

If you’re looking for a job, you’ll most definitely need a winning CV. Whether you’re writing your first ever CV, or you’re a seasoned professional; it can make or break your chances of securing that ideal job. Therefore, it’s important that you get it right.

A CV is essentially a document that outlines who you are, what relevant experience you have and what you can bring to your next role. It’s most definitely not an autobiography of your life and employers will often spend under 30 seconds skimming through it.

With this in mind, there’s a number of factors to consider when writing your CV. From framing the content in the right way, to including the correct information and tailoring it to the job you’re applying for. If you’re hoping to secure that exciting role then read on for our advice.

Stick to a clear CV structure
Firstly, ensure that you stick to a clear structure. There are plenty of kicking about online; so have a search and decide which is best for you. For example, if you’re straight out of education and have little experience, your focus is going to be more on your studies and skills.

Alternatively, if you’ve been working in your industry for some time, you’ll likely stick to a more traditional format; starting with your personal profile, before moving on to your experience and then your education.

Either way, the top of your CV should always include your name, contact number and email address. You don’t have to state your full address on your CV if you don’t want to, though do try to include the town you live in, especially if it’s close to where the company is based. Also, you may wish to include your professional title, if appropriate.

Perfect your personal profile
The first main section of your CV is your personal profile. Keep this short, no more than three sentences long and provide a brief summary of who you are and what you can bring to the role you’re applying for. Alongside this, if you have any career goals, be sure to include these.

Just remember that the reader wants to know why you’re the best person for the job. So, if you fail to impress them at the top of your CV, they’re unlikely to carry on reading.

Shout about your experience
Next up is your experience section: possibly the most important part! Here, you can highlight any relevant experience you have; whether that’s work experience, an internship or full/part-time employment.

You should state your experience in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent position first. For each section, be sure to include the job title, the dates in which you worked there (month and year is fine) and a short overview of any key skills and achievements. To make it easier for the reader to digest, it’s also best to use bullet points.

Alongside the above, when shouting about your achievements in each role, try using numbers to quantify them. For instance, rather than stating ‘I consistently hit target every month’, try ‘I consistent exceeded my target by 20% each month’. It helps to bring your example to life.

Touch on your education
The next part to focus on when writing your CV is the education section. Again, list your education out in reverse chronological order and include any relevant qualifications. If you’ve only just left education, this section will be your main focus and you can go into detail on any key modules studied at University or grades achieved in school/college.

As you progress throughout your career, employers tend to focus less on your education and more on your experience. So, if you have over 10 years’ experience in the industry, you probably don’t need to include details about school or college.

What else should you include?
Aside from the above, there are a few other sections that some people opt to include in their CV. For example, some wish to shout about their hobbies and interests. Again, if you’re just starting out in your career, this section can be useful to include. However, only do so if you actually have something interesting to say and better still: don’t lie!

At the end of your CV, you may also want to include a reference section. Note that you don’t need to actually include references on your CV; simply stating ‘References available upon request’ will suffice.

Tailor your CV to every role
Hopefully, you’ve got to grips with the basic structure of a CV. It’s definitely worth putting together a ‘skeleton’ document that you can work off of every time you apply to a job. However, it’s very important that you tailor your CV to every different role you apply for.

After all, a generic CV that isn’t relevant to the job won’t impress recruiters. They want to know what you can bring to the business and why you’re interested in the role. So be sure to set aside some time to do this.

Keep it concise
Finally, be sure to keep your CV concise. It’s recommended that you stick to two pages – any longer than this and it definitely won’t get read. Use a clear and easy to read font, such as Arial or Calibri in size 11 or 12. Alongside this, ensure that it’s in a format that’s easy to read. Graphics don’t tend to work well on CVs, especially if the company is using an Applicant Tracking System.

Ready to start writing your CV?
So there you have it; your ultimate guide to CV writing. Hopefully, the above information should be useful to you when you’re looking for work. Remember, stick to a clear format and include only the most relevant information. That way, your CV has a better chance of making it to the ‘yes’ pile; once you’re ready to go, why not register it online and see how you get on – good luck!

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In 5 Minutes, I’ll Give You the Truth About Hiring Someone From An Agency Background

There’s an age-old debate in the marketing world, one which has been pro-ed and con-ed to death in recent years. It goes a little like this:

“Should we bring onboard an experienced in-house marketer or try something new and hire someone with an agency background?”

There are obvious advantages and disadvantages to each, of course. The former will be familiar with traditional in-house business model strategies, while the latter may be able to bring a fresh perspective.

Yet for all the potential advantages that hiring someone with an agency background brings, many clients remain reluctant to consider them for in-house positions.

But…why?

As an advocate of hiring marketing execs with an agency background, let me dispel some of the most persistent myths and, while I’m at it, explain why people with agency experience might be exactly what your company and clients need.

They’re often talented multitaskers
One of the biggest misconceptions about former-agency hires is that they’ll shrivel up with boredom after two days on the job in-house.

I mean, why wouldn’t they? Aren’t they used to working on a variety of projects at once?

Of course, they are.

But that doesn’t mean that working on one project will automatically equal boredom.

They might, like most people, just want a change of pace. Or maybe they prefer the idea of focusing on and dedicating themselves to one brand after honing their talents in a fast-paced agency.

Besides, working in-house doesn’t mean your job narrows its focus that much. From experience, you still have to handle lots of things at once, so it’s not like former-agency hires are going from all to nothing by working in-house.

In fact, their fingers-in-many-pies, multi-tasking past will work in your company’s favour, as they’ll likely be highly efficient and capable of tackling all those things at once!

This is especially valuable if your marketing team is on the smaller side, you can only afford to bring onboard one member of marketing staff for the time being, or you’re trying to get a fledgeling company off the ground.

(Just remember that making one marketing person do everything is not a sustainable model in the long run, though!)

They’re adaptable
Many companies think that one-time marketing agency employees won’t be able to adapt to that in-house marketing life.

But, remember, these are people used to dealing with totally different campaigns from two completely contrasting industries. So if you can handle an 8am meeting with P&G and a 2pm conference call with Shell in just one day, you’ll certainly have the flexibility for in-house marketing.

On the other hand, marketers used to working in-house have likely been moulded and shaped in their former roles.

So, hiring someone from a marketing agency background allows you the chance to shape them to your in-house way of doing things, precisely because they’re not another stuck-in-their-ways marketer used to working in-house.

They’re malleable and, as a result, adaptable, meaning they’ll slot into your marketing team in no time.

They have specialised knowledge and skills
Hiring a marketing exec with years of in-house experience is all well and good. What people assume is they’ve probably got used to the way things work (sometimes a little too used to the way things work–see above!) and they likely have deep and specialised knowledge of their particular industry.

On the flip side, people assume exactly the opposite of former-agency marketers. They assume that they don’t have deeply specialised knowledge.

However, if they come from an agency which focused on, for example, SEO or PR or even data, they absolutely do have more in-depth knowledge and insight into that particular industry. Why? Because they’ll have worked with a range of clients to give detailed business strategies backed up by data.

Furthermore, people with agency backgrounds have to find solutions to business problems that don’t necessarily arise all the time in-house.

This talent for working well under pressure can (obviously) be a huge asset to a business because former-agency marketers will probably approach problems in a distinct way and generally just introduce fresh ideas.

They’ll be an asset when you start working with agencies
A good marketing department should eventually aim to have in-house marketers who can outsource some of the more specialised tasks to an agency. It streamlines the whole process and frees up the in-housers to focus on bigger picture stuff.

So, hiring a former agency marketer can pay dividends when your company starts working with agencies. After all, they can help smooth and improve communication, because they know and understand how agencies work.

This is unlike those used to working only in-house, who typically don’t get truly understand the complexity of the challenges that agencies face.

So, having someone with this background can bridge the gap, improve the relationship and ultimately enhance the quality of work with external agencies, providing better transparency and communication. Basically, a former-agency hire can help make the whole process more efficient.

They’ll relish the chance to see projects through to the end
Something that plagues former agency employees in the marketing sphere–specifically those who previously worked at market research agencies–is the assumption that they can’t see a job through.

In short, clients believe that they lack end-to-end ownership.

For example, if you’re working with a data agency they provide lots of information and insight but, ultimately, it’s the company that decides exactly how to run with it. Which is true.

But, if you were given the chance to see a project you’d put in motion through to the end, in a more hands-on way, wouldn’t you leap at the opportunity?

So would many former market research agency hires.

 

Have you hired a one-time agency marketer?

How did it go?

Or, are you still on the fence about doing so?

Let me know via email at alex@vertical-advantage.com or add me on LinkedIn and we can chat!

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