You read that right. At the impressive age of 26, Rio was in charge of the creative direction for all the advertising, merchandising and publishing for the Star Wars trilogy of films. Now, she co-owns a branding and marketing agency and expresses three crucial steps to securing success in creating and maintaining an ecommerce site.
1) ECOMMERCE—THE E IS FOR EMOTION
As Rio says, a Return on Emotion yields a Return on Investment. Why? Emotion is the most powerful force driving our decision-making. Think about it—it’s certainly not just intellect that makes you want to eat a cupcake, join a gym or buy a wedding ring. Or for me, to don a pair of new, hopefully lucky underwear — and as an avid wearer of lucky underwear — I can attest that this spiritual bond to a piece of undergarment is purely emotional.
Think about how content can create an emotional appeal for customers to engage them with your ecommerce site. How it makes them feel? Not about the product or service, but about themselves. Stronger? Healthier? Happier? More secure? Empowered?
2) ALWAYS USE THE BUDDY SYSTEM
Your website should never be left isolated in the giant Inter-network! Use cross-platform marketing to reach your audience through all appropriate mediums available: mobile, broadcast, social media and direct mail, to name a few.
3) AS THE INTERNET EVOLVES, DON’T LET NATURAL SELECTION FILTER YOU OUT
This is best exemplified in a clever back and forth between Rio Phior and Star Trek character, Spock:
“Change is only immutable force in the universe.” – Spock
Rio Phior – “So why fight it? It’s one of my favorite lines from the original Star Trek series. It’s a brilliant paradox. Even more brilliant, are those who recognize, that with change, also comes opportunity.”
