High-end sewing machine manufacturer Bernina of America Inc. has had a web site since 1996, but since it boosted site functionality with new applications from Blue Martini Software Inc., web site traffic is up 15%, says the company. The site isn’t transactional, but supports the company’s marketing strategy by driving visitors to the 550 U.S. Bernina dealers and attracting customers back to the site repeatedly with content such as the upcoming scheduled webcast of a major quilt show and free embroidery templates available only online, says Internet manger Sylvain Bergeron.
“One of the main goals of the site was to build consumer brand awareness and then to direct people to the stores with features such as the wish list and dealer locator,” Bergeron says. Bernina dealers began to see the lift in store traffic within six months of the site’s re-launch. “Consumers are walking into store with online brochures they’ve printed from the web, having already done some prequalification,” he adds – a significant boost to sales of the specification-heavy machines, some of which have as many as 150 different technical attributes.
Bernina also is gathering information about its customers via the web, doubling its e-mail list since the re-launch. Using Blue Martini software, it's currently building analytics that within three months will be able to create reports that will give it a window on the behavior of different customer segments on the site, Bergeron says. “From there, we have the ability to create rules to leverage Blue Martini’s personalization technology,” he adds. The reports also will allow the company to target customer segments for future e-mail campaigns including promotions and event.
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