| Like many online retailers, Justine Kadoche is busy | | | | "There are a number of options but they are |
| sprucing up her store and cranking up promotions to | | | | complex and expensive, she says. "It's difficult to |
| attract as much business as possible this holiday | | | | know upfront how well an option will work. You can |
| season. But marketing an online store has been | | | | learn as much as possible, but eventually you just |
| harder than she expected. | | | | have to jump in." |
| Owner of Gift Basket Super Center, Kadoche has | | | | After reviewing an e-book on marketing gift baskets |
| had to learn strategies unique to the web to reach | | | | by Sharron Senter, a Massachusetts marketing |
| her target market: corporate managers looking for | | | | consultant, Kadoche says she plans to write articles |
| appealing, but convenient gifts to strengthen the | | | | and place ads in e-zines that reach her target |
| bonds with their customers. | | | | customer. |
| So far, she has run an AdWords campaign, optimized | | | | When she first began the market research for her |
| her web site for search engines, and engaged in a | | | | business, Kadoche planned to open a physical store. |
| successful email campaign to reach her prospects. | | | | But her research led her to the intriguing possibility of |
| Kadoche has also tried the typical offline strategies | | | | reaching people anywhere in the country and all over |
| of sending direct mail postcards, putting flyers on | | | | the world. She does not rule out the possibility of |
| cars and promoting her gift baskets at school fairs | | | | someday opening a bricks and mortar location, but |
| and other community events. | | | | believes that creating an online store first made great |
| Which methods worked best? Surprisingly, Kadoche | | | | financial sense. |
| reports that postcards and the email campaigns she | | | | Her business blends the best of the real and virtual |
| runs regularly using Constant Contact, have delivered | | | | worlds by using a drop-shipper to fulfill most orders, |
| the best results. "It's really an excellent program," she | | | | while offering some custom baskets too. |
| says of Constant Contact. Her corporate prospects | | | | "If a customer needs something that is not on the |
| appear to enjoy receiving her visual newsletters by | | | | site, I can make a custom gift basket or candy |
| email promoting colorful baskets filled with chocolate, | | | | creation to fit their gift-giving needs," she says, |
| truffles or popcorn treats. A recent fun campaign | | | | explaining that she even includes a customized gift |
| featured a truck, built around the concept of a | | | | card with the order. |
| "truckload of treats." | | | | Kadoche's advice for others looking to start an online |
| Kadoche gives Adwords mixed reviews, but mostly | | | | store: |
| because she finds it difficult to know if her campaigns | | | | "You have to have a lot of determination," she says, |
| are effective. After running an Adwords campaign | | | | explaining that initially she experienced a lot of |
| for three months, she stopped because of rising | | | | technical problems with her web site. She tried a |
| prices and growing concerns about the effectiveness | | | | couple of other software programs before setting up |
| of her ads. She used the keyword traffic generator | | | | an e-commerce site with And getting traffic to her |
| to select the keywords for her campaign and read all | | | | store took time. |
| the material Google provides, but still found the | | | | It helps to contact other small business owners, |
| material overwhelming, and difficult for the beginning | | | | Kadoche said. She urges people to take advantage |
| advertiser to use. | | | | of small business forums like Intuit's Jump-Up forum |
| It's a terrific tool that has a lot of potential," said | | | | which she joined about six months ago. |
| Kadoche, adding that she hopes to learn moreabout | | | | Would she do it all again? Definitely, says Kadoche, |
| Adwords in the future through Webinars, tele-classes | | | | admitting that she loves running an online store and |
| or other hands-on training. She describes her biggest | | | | finds it very rewarding. |
| marketing challenge as "marketing on a budget." | | | | |