When online retailer Tinyme (formerly Mooo) launched from a young couple’s spare bedroom back in 2006 they never dreamed that within 5 years they’d be shipping globally with a turnover of nearly $3M AUD and a massive following on social technology.
Tinyme – Blog
Now run by 3 dads; Mike Wilson, Nick McLennan and Ben Hare and a team of around 40, Tinyme has grown into a leading Australian online retailer, shipping cute personalised children’s products worldwide with massive success.
So what has made Tinyme so successful that they have been recognised by BRW on their Fast Starters 2011 (as Mooo) and a finalist for the Online Retail Industry Award – Most Innovative in 2014? Being purely online, Tinyme quickly realised clever social technology strategies would enable them to raise brand awareness, communicate better with customers and increase sales.
To achieve this success, Tinyme make great use of their own blog, others blogs (KidsStyleFile, Babyology, The Daily Buzz), Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest to communicate in their own fun style, offer customers free printables, discounts and stay fresh in the minds of their customers (stylish mums and dads of the world).
Tinyme – Facebook
If we analyse Tinyme’s social technologies against McKinsey’s “value levers” we can start to identify how Tinyme get value from these strategies.
I wasn’t able to discover what social tools Tinyme use internally, but just the tools above are an excellent spread across the McKinsey covering at least 7 of the 10 value levers:
Operations & Distribution
3) Leverage social to forecast and monitor
Marketing and Sales
4) Derive customer insights
5) use social technology for marketing communication / interaction
6) Generate and foster sales leads
7) social commerce
Customer Service
8) provide customer care via social technology
So in summary Tinyme have been able to organically leverage social technology as they grow to make great products and keep very happy customers.
Have you used similar strategies to Tinyme or know a better way to engage your customers with social technology?
Comment below and let’s us know what has and hasn’t worked for you!
References
McKinsey Global Institue, July 2012 – The Social Economy: Unlocking Value and Productivity Through Social Technologies
Brad Howarth, 2013 – “We freaked out”: The scary reality of starting a web business
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