Archives for Oct, 2011
Aurawoman
Meet Aurawoman, a group of fabulous concept stores dressing Perth in style
Aura Woman was born 7 years ago when sisters Anastasia Brotherson and Tara Fowles opened their Subiaco store in 2004 – incredibly the company went from concept to reality in five weeks! The sisters recognised a niche in the boutique fashion scene and were quick to capture this specialised market, aiming to bring the women of Perth unique and flattering clothing to suit all shapes and sizes. Catering for petite to plus size clothing, maternity wear and beyond, the Aura Woman philosophy for creating innovative fashion for individual women has remained a key brand statement over the past seven years, and since opening their second store in Applecross in early 2007.
The team at Aura aim to provide the best shopping experience for the fashion conscious women of Perth, with extra care taken from the buying stage (every style bought for the stores is hand selected and tried on numerous body shapes to ensure the best and most flattering fit – emphasis is put on buying pieces that are flattering, made in the best quality fabrications and that are unique) right through to the personal customer service given by the staff in store including one on one styling for each and every woman.
We run VIP launches for new season ranges, styling sessions by our in-house stylists and have a brilliant loyalty program to that rewards our regular clients and keeps them up to date with the latest news and sales – all aimed at providing a shopping experience that is enjoyable from beginning to end…because we believe that every woman has the right to look and feel beautiful, no matter what shape or stage in her life she may be.
Stocked at Aurawoman
The new direct marketing: Clever or manipulative?
When does direct marketing to your networks cross the line from clever marketing to sneaky manipulation?
Occasionally I receive advertising in the form of an email or direct message from business people in the outer reaches of my network that I have not met. This doesn’t bother me too much as I know the importance of spreading the word about a product, service or event and the value of connecting with those around you.
Wow, just for me?
But I do get annoyed when I begin reading what looks like a personal note to find it’s just a sneaky form of advertising – more than that, it’s almost like the wording is trying to suck you in deeper and deeper. It’s paragraphs and paragraphs of introduction, dropping comments about how many people they’ve helped and how good they feel solving other people’s problems. It might even include some specifics about your own business, so that when you do get to the point (that they’re trying to sell you something generic that you actually don’t want and have heard of a million times before anyway), you have already wasted 5 precious minutes of your day and worse, fractured your focus on something more important.
The worst, the absolute worst, is when it appears the sender has thought about what it is you actually do, but then you find hasn’t bothered to really find out anything about you because they’re a little off the mark. In my case, the classic is assuming I do weddings or that I own a portrait studio because they see the word ‘photography’.
A twisted message
Ok, I know that advertising is about persuasion. I know you need to think about your target market and push their emotional buttons. And I know that I should be suspicious of what looks like a personal letter when it’s from someone I don’t recall meeting. I just wonder, isn’t there a way to be effective with your message without hiding it among layers of pretending-to-care? The ‘I really want to help you’s and the ‘I know how you feel but here is the answer’s just turn my stomach.
Isn’t there such thing as coming from a position of ACTUALLY wanting to solve someone’s problem or meet a need, WHILE clearly demonstrating something for sale? Isn’t that just win-win?
R-E-S-P-E-C-T… you know how it goes
Do we have to be sneaky and manipulative about it, and to our direct contacts too? Maybe it’s time to step away from the marketing books and just think for a minute… these strategies must be used carefully, sensitively, and with RESPECT.
I’m no marketing expert, I just believe people are smart and can see through manipulative tactics. You can spot a phoney person a mile away. If you and your product or service holds integrity, surely people will be attracted to that?
It’s a tough market but this business lady won’t be resorting to direct marketing that isn’t anything but ‘direct’!
