Workflow, UX, and Marketing Optimization for Local Business
Our client is a bookstore that specializes in children’s books that highlight diversity and promote positive images and stories about African American culture and history. The goal of the store is to increase children’s access to positive role models that look like them. They are also very involved in the local community.
Situation
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a massive shift from in-person to online sales in the bookstore industry. This means a strong digital presence is paramount in order to survive and thrive. The client contacted REM to help tighten up several areas of their digital presence. These included:
- Inventory synchronization between in-person POS and online sales system
- Creating a cohesive and emotionally impactful website experience
- Digital marketing strategies
Most notably, the client wanted to prioritize creating an in-depth marketing strategy for a new monthly book subscription service they are offering to grow his business and create a more reliable stream of income amid sales volatility caused by the pandemic.
Challenge
On the inventory synchronization front, the largest challenge was a lack of integration between their current POS system and Shopify’s API. For updating their website into a more cohesive structure, the biggest challenge laid in their current website design being an accumulation of seven years of various edits and strategies with no documentation of the thought process behind these decisions. Finally, for digital marketing, the client wanted to incorporate data from ads run in the past into the marketing strategy. Unfortunately, much of the data from their previous ad campaigns was lost on an inaccessible Facebook ad account.
Approach
Utilizing a three-pronged approach, we came up with data-driven solutions and completed market research before determining recommendations for each of the three main focus areas. For increasing cohesion with workflow, we recommended to either continue using their current POS and export the data through a CSV file and upload it to Shopify or to switch to a completely different POS system that integrates with Shopify. To improve user experience, we provided specific changes to overhaul the website. We provided an example of a website from a similar company that had an effective layout and detailed how they could
implement many of their design choices in their own website. Additionally, we showed how emotional marketing, staff favorites, and micropayments could be incorporated into the website. For amplifying their marketing efforts, we recommended adding reviews to the website and stressed the importance of incorporating user-generated content into the website and social media posts. We also explained how to use the owner’s already existing Mail-Chimp subscription to create ads for social media and informed him of how he could leverage UGC to create Instagram ads promoting their new book subscription service. Through this process, we learned more about current market trends and how businesses can take advantage of them. Specific examples of this include micropayments and the importance of emotional marketing and providing reviews of products.
Impact
With our recommendations, our client now has a structured approach on how they can improve their digital presence to better compete in the new digital-centric era of bookstores. With our provided implementation priorities and steps, the client has a clear path on how they can easily implement these recommendations with their already busy schedule. Additionally, once implemented, our recommendations will save them time with their current inventory synchronization process and digital marketing efforts.
Team Breakdown
● Team Lead: Aaron Taylor
● Team Lead: Sydney Essler
● Strategist: NaTivia Esson
● Strategist: Ryan Lo
● Strategist: Sara Shepetin
Relevant Background Information
● Business Type: African-American owned Small Business
● Industry: Bookstore
● Location: St. Louis, MO
At Rem and Company, we're on a mission to keep doors open and dreams alive. Rem and Company started as a social impact initiative offering free consulting services to small businesses impacted by COVID-19. Rem and Company has become an information hub and digital community platform for small businesses in need. At Rem and Company, small businesses stay up to date on trends in their industries, learn new approaches from peers, build a network, and develop the capacity to adapt as the world around them changes. Our consulting teams provide small businesses with the opportunity to identify and prioritize issues facing their business, propose innovative strategies and facilitate execution. If you are a small business owner and want to learn more about how we can help, request a free consultation.