Industry Eye: Prospecting - Crutcheze.com, OfficeMax, Sears, J.C. Penney
Crutcheze.com Leans on Search
for Growth
• Leveraging search engine optimization (SEO) driven by a keyword-heavy website, Crutcheze.com's prospecting efforts have taken a decidedly cost-effective approach, yet yielded strong return on
investment. The niche retailer of durable medical equipment — performance and comfort gear for crutches — launched its site in January and has been in growth mode ever since.
The Westminster, Colo.-based company prospects for new customers in three ways:
- SEO powered by the small business web platform provider OnlyBusiness.com;
- 25 independent retail dealers who sell Crutcheze.com goods; and
- social media, most notably via YouTube.
Crutcheze.com has devoted even more attention to the cost effectiveness and ROI of its prospecting efforts due to the down economy. "You're looking at inexpensive marketing techniques that we're using online," says Amy Vicioso, founder/president of Zoetic Technologies, the parent company of Crutcheze.com. "We focus on our keywords and drive business based on that." —Joe Keenan
OfficeMax Targets Women With New Catalogs, Campaign
• Driven by research that shows women either control or influence more than 85 percent of purchases in retail and B-to-B channels, office supply giant OfficeMax has begun targeting women in earnest.
As part of the national "Life is Beautiful, Work Can Be Too" campaign launched earlier this year to focus on women, OfficeMax has overhauled its Maxi Catalog.
The 1,100-page tome has been revamped into a stylish, magazine-like publication featuring tabbed stickers (similar to Lucky magazine) to mark favorite items; bright and colorful section tabs; and flower, vine and butterfly designs among an assorted array of product pages. It also contains ideas from Peter Walsh, a professional workspace organizer.
OfficeMax also has published another women-focused catalog called Occupation with Style (see image on top). This 32-page catalog features OfficeMax's private label products and has a stylish, professional female on the cover. —Melissa Campanelli
Sears, Penney
Ramp Up Diverse, Seasonal Campaigns
• Sears Holdings has become more aggressive this year in its use of event-sensitive prospecting promotions across channels. In March, the multichannel retailer, which also owns Lands' End and Kmart, launched an email campaign called "Midnight Madness," which ran 12 hours overnight March 15-16. It was a play on the NCAA basketball tournament commonly referred to as "March Madness." Then in July, Sears' email promo, "All-Star Sale," coincided with Major League Baseball's All-Star game.
Sears and rival J.C. Penney also have focused heavily on specific seasons. Sears has begun promoting "Christmas Lane" sections on its website, touting discounts on toys purchased as gifts for Christmas 2009. In July, Penney launched a "Schooled in Style: Smart Looks for Less" integrated marketing campaign for the back-to-school season. The campaign combined digital, social and mobile media with traditional media, as well as special events and promotions. Among Penney's digital efforts are a customized, teen-oriented Facebook page and a microsite, jcp.com/teen. —Paul Miller
