What service do you want to get when you purchase something? Maybe a separate service. Be serviced personally! But that is so difficult for a company to do so individually. However, the chatbot makes this dream come true! So let’s talk about chatbots!

What are chatbots?

A chatbot is artificial intelligence (AI) software that can simulate a conversation (or a chat) with a user in natural language through messaging applications, websites, mobile apps or through the telephone. In simple terms, the chatbot is a kind of robot that could communicate with customers online.

Why are chatbots important?

A chatbot is often described as one of the most advanced and promising expressions of interaction between humans and machines. However, from a technological point of view, a chatbot only represents the natural evolution of a Question Answering system leveraging Natural Language Processing (NLP). Formulating responses to questions in a native language is one of the most typical Examples of Natural Language Processing applied in various enterprises’ end-use applications.

Do not make chatbots bother!

How will you feel if the chatbot box keeps out the button you want to press and you can not close the dialog? Agitated! Angry! And that is the real experience I had a few days ago when I searched for apartment renting. At first, I found chatbot is very pleasing that answered my questions and transferred to a real sale person when I wanted detailed information. I was very pleased until the chatbot kept out the button I tried to press. And the more annoying thing is that I could not close it! The only thing I did is to close the apartment website and turned to its competitors’ websites. Oh oh, you lost a customer! Also, there is another case. The chatbot repeats the same sentence again and again. How does it feel that you face with a fool? That bothers customers, too!

So, if you decide to use chatbots in your business, you have to consider the question of how to make your business benefit from chatbots.

Should you use chatbots?

Chatbots is the future of marketing. But the answer to the question above is: it depends!

Like any marketing strategy and technology, it needs to make sense for you and your customers.

“A brand needs a sound strategy before investing in a ‘new’ method of speaking directly to their consumers,” said Brooke Robinson.

She further recommends:

“Brands looking to leverage chatbots need to sit down with their agencies and/or colleagues and discuss the real objective behind undertaking a chatbot build. The objective should be deeply rooted in adding value to the consumer and/or driving efficiencies for your business.

Customer service is a no-brainer – a chatbot will decrease the time it takes for a human operator to get down to the real issue.

However, as a brand who is ready to invest in the development of a chatbot, you need to consider if the build will enhance the consumer experience and/or drive business efficiencies.

Do you have anything to share with me about chatbots? Leave your message!

Digital marketing contains a various of components, which will confuse marketers when they develop a strategy. Here are the 5 components that I think are the most important for a digital strategy.

What is the population now? 7.7 billion! This is not a hard question at all. Google it, and you will get the real-time number. Look, we are surrounded by data or big data.

What is big data?

As the conception is saying, big data is a term that describes the large volume of data – both structured and unstructured – that inundates a business on a day-to-day basis. But it’s not the amount of data that’s important. It’s what organizations do with the data that matters. Big data can be analyzed for insights that lead to better decisions and strategic business moves.

In a word, big data is a large amount of number that can be analyzed to make business decisions.

What does big data mean for marketing?

Two weeks before, I discussed the relationship between big data and privacy. But as a future marketer, I care more about what can big data do for marketing.

Big data is providing insights into which content is the most effective at each stage of a sales cycle, how Investments in Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems can be improved, in addition to strategies for increasing conversion rates, prospect engagement, conversion rates, revenue and customer lifetime value. For cloud-based enterprise software companies, big data provides insights into how to lower the Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC), Customer Lifetime Value (CLTV), and manage many other customer-driven metrics essential to running a cloud-based business. Big data triggers marketing decisions telltale signs.

However, big data is not the almighty God!

Although the big data brings great convenience to marketers, it has several limitations as follows:

1. User Data Is Fundamentally Biased. Does every data tell the truth? NO! Customers’ footprints are hard to track. Additionally, even some of the customers’ behaviors do not show their exact preference, then how can marketers analysis use information from biased data
2. User-Level Execution Only Exists In Select Channels. Not every channel could  apply user data. Take offline channels and premium display as examples, user-level data cannot be applied to execution at all.
3. User-Level Results Cannot Be Presented Directly. This limitation means that big data analysis is professional work, and this work tends to be incomprehensible to all but domain experts.
4. User-Level Algorithms Have Difficulty Answering “Why.”Big data anlysis and and logical analysis are different from each other. Sometimes, average marketers tend to have difficulty answering “why” questions.
5. User Data Is Not Suited For Producing Learnings.Not everything that big data reveals will work out in marketing area.
6. User-Level Data Is Subject To More Noise. Sometimes, the data makes marketers confused. How to deal with the data is a difficulty needed to be solved. For example, a particular cookie received – for whatever reason – a hundred display impressions in a row from the same website within an hour (happens much more often than you might think). Should this be treated as a hundred impressions or just one, and how will it affect your analysis results?
7. User Data Is Not Easily Accessible Or Transferable.Because of security consciousness, it is impossible that people could visit the database that they want to access, which makes it difficult for team members to conduct follow-up analyses and validation.

Overall, as a marketer, using big data analysis as a tool for decisions making, also putting yourself in the market environment are both critical. Hope big data make you a good marketer!

If you are a marketer, you shouldn’t ignore the power of email marketing! That is an effective way for business growth! Some people may ask: why email? For every $1 you spent, email marketing generates $38 in ROI! Additionally, there are various benefits that email marketing brings, including widely reach, conversions driven and so on.

More importantly, compared to the social media platform, which marketers think is the right place to promote business, email marketing offers a more pretty return. 90% of email gets delivered to the intended recipient’s inbox, whereas only 2% of your Facebook fans see your posts in their News Feed.  The average click-through rate of an email campaign is around 3% (of total recipients), whereas the average click-through rate from a tweet is about 0.5%. So how can you give up email marketing?

After realizing the effectiveness of email marketing, the question of how to create a good email marketing comes up. If the timing is right and the content is relevant, your subscribers are ready to listen. Here are what can you do.

• 

Do you have any other tips for email marketing? Share your opinions with me!

I solemnly swear that I am certainly up to good! –Adapted from Harry Potter classic lines by ME.☺ And I am sure that is what big data age would say to all Internet users on the first day it appeared.

Big data makes life easier!

The relation between big data and individuals is mutually beneficial cooperation at the very beginning. And it is indeed that the new age of Internet brings convenience. As for me, a customer, I find online shopping is a process of magic. After glancing over some makeups, I will discover pictures of my preference when I use Instagram. This process is called retargeting in the marketing area. In this way, companies could offer more effective promotion. Also, big data is useful in other companies’ procedure such as innovation and distribution. So, you see, big data not only makes an individual’s life more comfortable but also do good for companies.

Does big data make people “naked”?

Certainly yes! Take me as an example. In the big data age, data knows me better than I do. Sephora knows my every purchase, what, where and how much. Sleep monitoring app knows when I fall asleep, when I woke up, and even what I say when I am sleeping. Everyone has less privacy as long as he or she uses the Internet.

Can companies make money on individual’s data？

Standing in the companies’ shoe, the individual’s data is where most of the profit comes from. Companies are willing to use it to make money. However, I think NO!! Companies could not make money using an individual’s data!

Since last Spring when Cambridge Analytica misused data that Facebook made available to them as an advertiser on the network became public, privacy online is something that everyone concerns about. And Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg admits responsibility for data misuse. Customers have rights to aware where their data goes and what their data is used for. I only permit a particular company to access my information when I trust it. That does not mean I trust every company on the friend list of that specific company. The permission does not mean that my information is the companies’ property. Right to use is different from ownership.

So, it is high time for the regulation of the Internet. I expect the government could do something. Additionally, companies should be ethical. To companies, the loss of credit outweighs the gain of making money.

Finally, I hope everyone read the privacy term carefully before sign up for an account. Especially now, when the government does not come up with specific Internet regulation.

What do you think of Internet privacy? Share your opinion with me!

What’s the best way for a global luxury brand to promote itself to a country that has an estimated one-third of the world’s luxury market customers? Wildly racist videos? Good news! ‘Dolce & Gabbana would like you to join its marketing team.

What happened?

One of the biggest news that happened among luxury brands is Dolce & Gabbana’s racist videos in November 2018. In the videos, an Asian woman in a lavish Dolce & Gabbana dresses attempting to eat pizza, spaghetti, and cannoli. With Chinese folk music playing in the background, a Mandarin-speaking voiceover kicks in: ‘Welcome to the first episode of ‘Eating with Chopsticks’by Dolce & Gabbana’ — pronounced incorrectly on purpose in a way that mocks Chinese speech. The awkward behavior of the model provoked Chinese.

When someone pointed out the improper expression in the video to its designer, he rejected to admit the mistake and respond with more improper expressions. And because of the evil influence, Dolce & Gabbana could only withdraw ” The Great Show.”

How does Dolce & Gabbana respond?

I was so so so so angry when I saw the videos and the response as a Chinese citizen. Not until this event had a widely bad influence in China that brand spokespeople terminated contracts and many Chinese actors and actress absented for the Shanghai Show, Dolce & Gabbana yanked the video and apologized.

However, what’s a lousy apology they gave! According to Chinese social media users, although they also apologized in Chinese, when they watched the video closely, their way of speaking was very stiff, and their eyes often glanced to the other side, just like primary school students reciting the text.

And the more ridiculous thing is that Stefano Gabbana said the one on Instagram is not him. The Instagram account was hacked. Whatever the truth is, Chinese customers do not believe what he said.

Chinese customers thought DG would make an apology for such a wrong behavior, but what the netizens got instead was another cold statement saying that it was unfortunate to cancel the “brand show.” It’s a feeling that it’s not them, it’s the people who love their brand that has suffered the most because the show was canceled, and it’s infuriating.

So, DG does not have the sincerity to apologize; perhaps its brand influence will also be significantly reduced in the Chinese mind.

Who responsible to brand social media crisis?

As a future marketer, I have something to say about social media crisis. A brand will not be successful if it makes a mistake, correct it and repeat this process over and over again.

Firstly, marketers are supposed to show respect content to their customers when doing promotion, especially global brands. Secondly, if a social media crisis appear, what should the company do? Just publish a PR article or hold a press conference and apologize? No!!! Marketing and PR are all needed to handle the event. Not only PR person should stand up and save the brand image, but the project director should admit the mistake in front of the public. Also, everyone in the company should have an attitude of excuse.

Finally, DO NOT LEARN FROM DOLCE & GABBANA!

Could Dolce & Gabbana win its Chinese customers’ hearts back? That depends on what it does in the future. What do you think? Share your opinion with me!

Are messaging and payment services the future of social media platform? I think so. But could facebook find a proper way to catch this trend? After viewing the article that Shan Li wrote, I think it is a long way for Facebook to go.

How does WeChat work?

Different from the social media platforms in the U.S., WeChat is an app for friends to chat online, while Facebook is a public place that even strangers could find each other. As time goes by, WeChat developed several different functions such as payment services, small apps attached in WeChat and WeChat stories. In a ward, WeChat is like an app that gathers all advantages of other social media. For the friend circle, users could share pictures or no more than 10 seconds of video. Additionally, users can choose the group of people who can see that piece of friend circle. Another wise function is small app inside the WeChat. Once the users open the app, they could find the app in a particular place in WeChat. That is simpler than download an app on the mobile phone, especially when you want to play small games. What’s more, the payment services in the WeChat makes WeChat payment one of the most used payment methods of the two in China; the other is Alipay.

What is Facebook facing?

Maybe what WeChat did in China does not work out on Facebook. Just as what Shan Li wrote in the article, the Chinese government protects the development of WeChat. Facebook and Instagram could not be used in China because of Chinese policy. However, Facebook is in a more complex market. Youtube, Instagram, and Twitter have different and distinctive functions from others. What’s more, nowadays 98% of Facebook revenue is gained from advertising, and it wants to find some other ways to make money.

What are some questions that Facebook has to consider?

Now, the millennial generation will occupy society. But what social media millennial likes most? I think it is Instagram. Not Facebook. Youths do not want to use the same social media as their parents do. No matter what service Facebook wants to add in its app, how to appeal to younger users is the first question that Zuckerberg needs to think.

To make more revenues, Facebook has several choices such as payment services and e-commerce, and they are good choices. However, users in America are used to use a credit card or visa card to pay in stores. Most of Apple users also use Apple Pay. Mobile pay has a long way to go in the U.S. to let users accept it. Facebook could be the first one to try this function. But there is a high risk. Zuckerberg should think twice about this option.

My suggestion is that Facebook could introduce some little changes into it. Step by step, big changes could be taken into account.

Overall, Zuckerberg needs to think over before the final decision. What new functions do you expect from Facebook? Share your opinions with me!

As I mentioned in the last blog, eating organic and healthy food is one of the hot topics in today’s world. Fitness is another. As for me, whenever I want salad for a meal, I turn to Sweetgreen. I did not download it until this week. Then, I fall in love with this app!

I am surprised that the rating is 4.9. That’s a pretty good performance. The design of the icon is highly recognizable since everyone knows that sg is the shorter form of sweetgreen. And they use sg as the logo on their boards, tissues and so on. Also, green is the symbol color for this brand. Users will find it easy to open it on their smartphones even it is the first day they download it.

The essential function of this app is saving time by ordering in advance rather than stand in line. So, let’s dive into the app though. Is this app as useful as what they promise?

It has everything needed in an order app.

In my opinion, an ordering app is a wise platform that not only let customers order food in advance but also order wherever they are. Simple and clean are what apps need. In the first page of sweetgreen app, clear arrangements make it easy for me to use. The cute smile and the greeting delight me. There is a loyalty program in this app, CREDIT + REWARDS. Users earn $9 for every $99 they spent. What’s more, I could tap MY ORDERS to see my order history and quickly reorder my favorite items. Also, I can add a saved item to a new order, mark it as a favorite or share with a friend.

Convenient payment.

In China, everyone use Alipay and payment in the WeChat, which means we do not have to take wallets along with us. Sweetgreen app makes it the same for me to not carry my visa card with me. Once I’ve set up my account, tap PAY IN STORE on my dashboard or shake my phone to pull up my unique code, I can scan to pay and get on with my day. Want no cash and card with me? Sweetgreen app makes it happen.

GPS within the app.

If one wants to use an app to order a meal and then pick it up in stores, the first step is to choose a store nearby. Compared with other order apps, sweetgreen offers a more distinct suggerstion. Click each sg flag, and I can know the distance of every store and times walk or drive to that store.

Overall, sweetgreen does an excellent job as an ordering app, and it worth the space in my smartphone. However, I think only people who always order sweetgreen will consider to download it.

WILL YOU DOWNLOAD THIS APP？

Organic is one of the hot button topics in today’s world. Concern over health has made its way into many different industries. When choosing organic desserts, how often do we think of Foodstirs?

According to its website, foodstirs is a baking company founded by three longtime friends who used the unbeatable way baking to help them connect with their children. They use biodynamic cane sugar, identity preserved flour, and chemical-free colors to make cookies, cakes, bars and so on. With nearly 1million followers on the social media platform, foodstirs has created a substantial baking community. In order to stir up the food industry with a revolutionary baking line and win customers’ heart, foodstirs has improved its online shopping experience by combining functional and engaging content to create a funny digital customer experience across all platforms.

By first glance, I was delighted by the light colors such as blue, pink and orange on the home page. Desserts could bring people joy, and so do foodstirs’ website. The colorful website matches its colorful products very well. Engaging contents with the sense of design lettering prompt me to be touched by the passion of this brand. Additional, this website is well considered about its users’ needs. The clear title on the top makes me feel easy to find their products, blog, location, messages of connection and so on. Customers who shop at foodstirs for the first time do not have to panic. Foodstirs provide detailed introductions and gift ideas to its users. Also, reviews under each product give credible suggestions. Another detail on its website I love is ” Spin to win”, a differentiated interesting way to give its users rewards.

Interestingly, I recognize that foodstirs provides amazon pay. While a few websites have this choice. That offers a number of people convenience to check out, although I do not have amazon pay.

Generally, the website on the mobile phone is similar to the one on the desktop. While I feel comfortable just because of a small change- overall arrangement. Using images instead of words saves a lot of spaces and makes the page is more simple. Also, the appropriate arrangement of product images and the pop-up window of turnplate makes the website more clear and tidy.

In a word, this is an entertaining, unique, and innovative website. The elements included perfectly reflect the personality of foodstirs. I feel like I am a little girl that never grow up when I search on this website.

However, foodstirs still has room for improvement in its customers UX. Firstly, foodstirs exhibits too much various information on the first page. Putting products, brand video, ingredients, the invitation to the community on the same page makes me confused about what to focus on. Secondly, I’m sure I will get a more pleasant experience is there is an online service window that lets me contact with its employees directly rather than leave my message waiting for the reply. Last but not least, it does not have its own app. As more and more “foodstirs” join in the baking community, a mobile app is a good and easy way for its members to use.

Would you shop from foodstirs after a user experience like this? Share your opion with me!

Who wants to be fascinated? A man who wants to date with a beautiful girl. A marketer…… Almost everyone! However, as humans, we only have a 7-9 second attention span? That’s lower or about the same as an attention span of a goldfish! So, how can we be fascinated? Sally Hogshead shared her opinion in her Ted Talk. And, a test called FASCINATION ADVANTAGE ASSESSMENT will help you to know more about your strengths.

What is the Fascination advantage assessment?

Fascination advantage assessment is discovered by Sally Hogshead. Unlike other personality tests, the Fascination Advantage helps describe how the world sees you. You will learn the skills that help you make a good impression from the results.

After answering 28 questions, the test taker will get a result of primary and secondary advantages. Each advantage has 7 different types, including innovation, passion, power, prestige, trust, mystique, and alert. According to the explanation, people with innovation tend to be innovative problem solvers, while people with passions are likely to become relationship-builders with strong people skills. A leader who makes decisions needs power and an overachiever with higher standards always requires prestige. Trust leads a person to become a stable, reliable partner. Last but not least, mystique makes a good solo intellect behind-the-scenes and an alert guy could become a precise detail manager. With the effect of primary and secondary results, we can obtain the conclusion in the picture above.

Who am I?

This week, I took this test and got my result. At first, I did not believe in it. After sharing this experience with my friends, I found that the result is totally a description of how I performed in front of people. So, who am I? Or what are my advantages?

Mystique is my first advantage, and alert is my second. I am the archer archetype. An archer has analytical skills and requests hard data in an argument. That is me. I prefer to work with data rather than conceptual things and have a strong sense about analytic. When I work in a group project, I always listen to others opinions first and then share my idea based on facts and data. Also, I know that I have to make progress on my technical ability since an archer needs to be professional in order to choose solutions precise and sharp. The Fascination advantage assessment not only points out what my strengths are but also gives me a direction to become better.

Marketing using the idea of fascination!

Let’s go back to the beginning of this blog. Marketing is similar to online dating. Especially marketing oneself as a brand. Being fascinated is the first step to the success of marketing. we only have a 7-9 second attention span. Only 7-9 second! Without understanding the psychology of your brand and how customers view you, you’ll fail to fascinate them. So, I highly recommend everyone to take this fascination test. Only 5 minutes, you will know how to catch others eyes using your advantages. Even he or she is the one you love or your target customer.

If you have something share with me after knowing the result of the test, contact me. I’m looking forward to hearing from you!