Paper Catalogs to E-Catalogs…

The National Mail Order Association indicates that Benjamin Franklin is believed to be the first cataloguer in the United States. In 1744, he formulated the basics of mail order catalogs, where he sold scientific and academic books. Perhaps the first, more well-known catalogue was sent out in 1872 by Montgomery Ward. Since then, we have seen catalogs from retailers of all sorts, large and small. We can purchase clothes, underwear, appliances, make-up, toys, electronics and even food through the use of catalogs. Catalogs have become so popular that we often refer to catalogs as junk mail and are often left with stacks of catalogs we rarely look at or purchase items from. Thanks to technology, you may just be able to forgo the large stacks of traditional mail and view your favorite catalogs via your iPad or other tablet devices and smartphones.

If you are a small business owner making a catalog for the first time or a seasoned professional looking to make a change, mobile catalog browsing may just be for you. Mobile cataloging gives your customers a never-before-seen look at your products. Forget the traditional flip through the pages catalog and opt for a catalog that fits with modern technology. Books have turn to e-books and a majority of magazines and newspapers are now being enjoyed online – on tablets and smartphones. Why not add a 2011 spin on your catalog? Stay ahead of your competition with the most up-to-date marketing techniques.

At Preface Media, we can make your mobile catalog a reality. We’ll guide you through the process and help you to make a seamless transition from paper catalog to mobile catalog. With Preface Media’s Rich Media Platform, we can turn your print images into high-quality catalog pages that you can zoom, pan and spin to view each and every angle of a product – something never before possible with a traditional print catalog. The virtual shopping experience will become very life-like. We’ll help you to create a mobile application that works with the iPad, iPhone and other smartphones. Zooming, panning and spinning have never been easier with touch-screen technology. Your customers will have your entire catalog at the tip of their fingers.

Top Marketing Strategies for New Media

Print ads, direct ads, newspapers and possibly even television and radio advertisements are becoming a thing of the past. Technology-savvy customers are looking for intriguing new ways to be introduced to new products and services. As a result the marketing departments of small and large businesses are working overtime to embrace the needs and wants of the customer when it comes to using new media.

First and foremost, get social by using social networking sites. It has been said before and it will be said again and again. Social media is an extremely powerful tool in reaching mass audiences and connecting with individuals in a way that was never possible before. Videos, photos, links and status updates can give customers an inside look at your company. Customers can also obtain information on sales, promotions and give-aways.

Make your website interactive. A vast majority of customers would rather logon to their personal computers or to the mobile web in order to connect with your business. Blogs, pods cast, product information, high-quality photography that allow users to zoom, pan and view ever angle of a product are important in keeping users coming back for more.

Text your customers. Texting is not just an adolescent obsession, it is also a business tool. Use text messages to send customers promotional codes, information on sales, polls and any small bit of information you would like your customers to know. Virtually all cell phone carries offer unlimited texting plans, so there is no concern of your customers being charged for your text message communication.

The key to staying on top of new marketing techniques is to look at what your customers want and the types of technology they are using. Most new media is free to use and easy to understand. You can place yourself in the middle of a marketing phenomena with just a little man power.

What is Rich Media?

Rich media is a term that is synonymous with interactive media. Interactive media generally refers to products or services that are found on digital computer-based system, which responses to the actions of users by presenting content such as text, animation, graphics, audio, video, etc.

Rich media is a welcome change from the older, more mainstream media solutions. By using rich media, companies can create one of a kind ways to draw consumers in. Rich media can be used online or even through mobile devices.

Rich media can be a streaming video with a scene from a movie or television show, an imaged mouse cursor, a bannered ad that captures the user’s filled-in person information, ads that change when a user scrolls over them. Simply put, rich media is a means of interacting with the user. The possibilities for interaction are endless. Companies have more creative freedom and the power to make their advertisements pop out to the user.

Rich media advertisements drive and measure the engagement of their users. Rich media can send a targeted message to specific users paged on demographics and other online habits. By using rich media, companies are able to decide what works and does not work as an advertising or marketing method.

Rich Media can include:

• High quality images.
• Multiple streaming videos.
• Videos recorded from a webcam or smartphone.
• The use of Twitter.
• Using Facebook to post images and video.
• Information collection from the user.

Rich media platforms (such as offered by Preface Media) can:

• Improve the overall online of experience of customers.
• Aid in boosting sales.
• Provide a defined company image.

Rich media is a powerful advertising tool. Companies, large and small, should not be afraid to explore their rich media options. Rich media is effective, creative, engaging, and the results can easily be measured.

Need help creating a rich media campaign? Contact Preface Media. Let Preface Media create your rich media solution.

Testing Rich Media

Testing your rich media site is a great way to gain invaluable feedback and insights into what potential consumers want. What better way to test the functionality of your rich media than allowing actual consumers to access the beta version of your site?

By allowing actual consumers to test the beta version of your rich media site, feedback and insights are 100% accurate. Additionally, using actual or potential customers to test of the functionality of a rich media pages costs a company nothing.

A great way to get customers involved in testing a beta site is to use social media. Twitter followers and Facebook fans make for great test markets. Social media is free and will provide you with a large number of individuals from diverse backgrounds to partake in your test. Keep in mind that just because someone is your friend or follower on a social media site, it does not mean that they have actually used your products before. This is also a great way to get potential customers interested in purchasing from you. Place a link on your social media page to your beta site. This will direct fans and followers to take a look at the beta site. Encourage users to post comments about your rich media beta site. Ask them what they like, what they don’t like, and what they feel could be approved upon.

Here’s one example. Javis Davis offered Facebook users the opportunity to test their beta site. By providing users with a secret and important duty of testing their beta site, Javis Davis got quit the response. This small Alabama bedding store had fans engaged and excited to be participating. Javis Davis treated fans to a preview of it’s new collection and allowed them to use a design configurator to experiment with different fabrics and styles.

Testing rich media sites using social media is an effective and affordable means of getting the job done. Don’t have a rich media page? Visit Preface Media’s Rich Media Solutions.