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How Hointer is Using Tech to Change the Shopping Experience
A few months ago, I took notice of a new shop called Hointer that had popped up near my neighborhood. Recently on the hunt for a new pair of jeans, I popped in to check out what Hointer was all about.
I was immediately met with a “user experience” rep from the store who was quick to talk me through the buying process. First, download the Hointer app. Second, scan the jeans and pick the sizes you want to try on. Third, go to your fitting room and decide if any of your picks work. He then disappeared.
Wait, huh?
I was initially a bit confused as questions popped into my head. You want me to sit here and take precious time to download your app to pick sizes instead of just asking someone? What if I want some cute girl sales rep to affirm or deny my gut pick on style? What if you don’t have my size but you may have it buried in the back somewhere? I have only technology to make this process happen?? This was going to be a tough sell for someone who appreciates the personal touch.
I put my defensive instincts aside and went with the flow. It took all of ten seconds to download the app before I was bouncing around the store scanning various styles and sizes to try on. When I was ready to hit the fitting room, a prompt directed me to a select room where all my jeans were in a bin ready to go. I was immediately convinced that they had world-class sprinters behind the walls making this happen.
My pick was made and in a flash I was swiping my credit card to complete the transaction. The receipt went direct to my app and I was on my way.
In the end, the process did feel a bit impersonal, but was it efficient? Absolutely. Having battled crowded stores and long lines in Chicago and New York, I can quickly see where this model and approach is setting a new standard for a smart mobile-first approach to increasing efficiency in our lives. For those in Seattle, I highly recommend dropping by to give the store a shot. For others, don’t be surprised when you start seeing this shopping experience pop up at some of your favorite retail stores.
How to Not Fail at Content Marketing
Recently, a colleague shared with me the following deck that was created by a member of the Wieden+Kennedy team. My advice? Take three minutes today or this weekend and flip through. Then do it again. And again. And again.
So…
And here’s a great example of a brand doing it right…
The Most Important Content Marketing Step
Content. Overload. We’re there. The data speaks for itself and the numbers will only increase. The quantity of content being created on a daily basis is mind-numbing.
684,478 Facebook shares. 571 new websites created. Over 100,000 tweets. 3,600 new Instagram photos. 347 new blog posts on WordPress. All taking place within a minute each day.
For brands, the challenge of the past has been focused on quantity. Who is going to write the posts to sustain the company blog? Who is going to generate content for your social channels?
Times have changed. Brands are on board with the importance of content marketing and its critical role in brand building as well as lead generation. And while quantity will always play a role in content marketing (namely to properly test and iterate), the ultimate focus for brands today needs to be on generating quality content.
Last month, Velocity Partners created an excellent presentation called “Crap. The Content Marketing Deluge.” While the team framed this up for B2B companies, the learnings are applicable across all companies and orgs that are investing in content marketing.
A highlight in the deck is a slide that breaks down what exactly it means to be a Great Content Brand. Print this out. Pin it to your team members’ walls. Stare it every time you get ready to draft a strategy, plan a blog post series, craft a Facebook status update or create any single piece of content. As the deck author notes, you know when you’re being lazy and creating “O.K” content. Don’t be lazy. Don’t create crap content.
