As you’ve (hopefully) already seen, Mobvoi has been there, done it, and got the wearables to prove it – so, what advice would they offer to e-commerce companies looking to conquer the world? We spoke to the tech giant’s Head of International PR, Jason Zheng, to find out his top tips for brands looking to go global.
If you haven't heard of Mobvoi, there's a chance you will sometime soon. It's the fast-growing Chinese tech brand that's setting the world alight with its sleekly designed wireless audio products and smart devices. It's barely six years old, but it's already established itself as an expert in AI, voice recognition and now premium consumer hardware.
The Mobvoi story really took off in 2016, when it launched the TicWatch 2 smartwatch on Kickstarter. Today it ships products to over 30 countries, with help from logistics partner DHL Express. So what can you learn from Mobvoi's success? Here, Mobvoi's PR guru, Jason Zheng, gives us his top ten e-commerce tips. For more of Jason's insights, watch the video – it might kickstart your own e-commerce success story.
10. Have a vision
Direction is critical. Every successful company has a clear vision of what they're trying to achieve and the benefit they deliver to their customers. "Our mission statement is to define the future of human-machine interaction" says Jason – and Mobvoi's example could be the inspiration for your own e-commerce success story.
9. Do it online
Small companies have a tough time. Costs are high, stock needs to be bought, products need to be designed and staff need to be paid – and that can happen before you've made a dime. It's tough to get your voice heard and your products known, so use online channels as fully as you can.
8. Find your niche
Your job is to find out exactly who your customers are. Work out how to appeal to them, and you'll unlock online success. "A lot of people go into e-commerce thinking 'I get to sell to the world'. No you don't. You're marketing to the small group of people who will find your product useful and who can afford it."
7. Choose your platform
Mobvoi used Kickstarter to boost sales and reach a global audience. Crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter, Indiegogo, and GoFundMe appeal to Mobvoi's target market: forward-looking, innovative people – "We wanted to get the interest of early adopters," says Jason.
6. Know your customers
Kickstarter helped Mobvoi get off the ground, but it also acted as a kind of beta testing. "The Kickstarter audience understood what we were saying, but they also gave us advice and suggestions on how to make our product even better."
5. Deliver customer satisfaction
"Make sure your customers know you're there, that you're listening and responding," says Jason. Effective customer service needs to be fast, responsive, and in real-time.
4. Love your website
Your website is your store front. "It's your first branding vehicle, it's your PR vehicle. The beauty of your website is that you get to control the story that you're telling." You can quickly and easily test different options to see what works best. That's not something you can easily do with a bricks-and-mortar store front.
3. Optimize for mobile
With 67% of global e-commerce sales happening on mobile devices (and rising each year), it's clear where to set your focus. Unless your own site metrics show otherwise, you need to be mobile-friendly and mobile-first. Desktop is still important, but today SEO is vital – and you could be marked down if your site isn't mobile-friendly.
2. Get your logistics right
You've got a kickass website, an awesome PR campaign, and a world-beating product, but it can all be for nothing if your logistics lets you down. Delays, wrong addresses, and goods damaged in transit can all undo your carefully planned brand building work. "They're the easiest killer of a young company,"says Jason.
1. Choose great partners
Mobvoi needed a logistics partner that matched its own global ambitions, so DHL Express was the perfect partner. Jason has the last word: "DHL is really the most international courier company in the world, connecting Asia, Europe, the Americas. It's all about connections – intelligent connections – and we've got a great connection with DHL."
Want to use the logistics partner trusted by thousands of businesses across the world? Get access to preferential shipping rates and trusted advice by signing up for a DHL Express business account today.
