Challenge
The University of Arkansas Bookstore had two primary online goals they wanted to accomplish. The first was to increase their online sales. Since the bookstore operates primarily in a specific geographic region, they knew they had to find a cost-effective way to better reach out to students, alumni, and any consumer looking to purchase Arkansas memorabilia and other related merchandise. Secondly, they also wanted to increase their name recognition and presence on the web. This would help expand their reach. Knowledge Marketing listened carefully to their business goals and soon identified a proven strategy to accomplish their objectives. The Bookstore was excited to get started.
Solution
The Bookstore traditionally had marketed to students through the use of merchandise catalogs and local radio. Knowledge Marketing and the bookstore identified the web as another distribution channel for their merchandise. “There were students and consumers searching the web from all over the world and we knew with the right help that we could profit from that.” After identifying exactly what merchandise and products the bookstore wanted to promote, Knowledge Marketing went to work. Knowledge Marketing used their expertise in search engine placement to set up both local and national campaigns to the bookstore’s targeted audience. The campaigns were listed on high traffic search engines including: Google, Yahoo and several others. Knowledge Marketing knew the search needed to include not only the search term, but the ad copy was just as critical. After some research in the University of Arkansas Bookstore’s market and their competition, they then wrote effective ad copy that would entice the bookstore’s targeted audience to click to their “online store.” After launching the search engine campaigns, the results were immediate.
Results
“We began to see an increase in orders the very next day and throughout the week,” Sadeghi said. The increase in revenue has continued for the duration of the program. In just two months from mid-August until October 2005, the bookstore has saw a 25% increase in revenue over the same period last year, according to Sadeghi. “Knowledge Marketing has been incredibly easy to work with and have provided us with great results. I would recommend them to anyone!”
