My guess is that by the time the November Presidential election is over we will have an excellent case study of the true power of an integrated on-line marketing strategy. Both Senators Obama and McCain are creating a digital dialogue with their supporters. Read the rest of this entry »
It’s always good to stop and reflect on what it is we’re all trying to achieve through our marketing efforts. Often is easy to become so entrenched in the effort that we lose our way and neglect the basics. Have you been exposed to the four steps of selling? Read the rest of this entry »
This entitled video, “Ball Girl“, is an excellent example of viral marketing. By sharing it in this post I am a participant in the intended process.
I was sent this by someone earlier today. I then sent it to ten friends and colleagues. Someone I forwarded it to sent me back the reply he received with a news story embedded about the video being a staged event.
The news story revealed it is a viral video from Gatorade. Look closely at the end of the video for the product. So far there have been about 350,000 page views on YouTube.
Because I am stickler for marketing ROI, I am now searching for information about its performance against anticipated impact.
Have you noticed how many people are adding a “green reminder” to their e-mails? Here’s an example of one I receive regularly: Before printing, think ENVIRONMENTAL responsibility. While I don’t print many e-mails, it always gets my attention when I see the reminder in their signature block.
I see plenty of companies that are “green aware” in their marketing efforts. The question is whether it resonates with their target. Read the rest of this entry »
It’s been almost 45 years since Mick Jagger lamented, “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” and sang, When I’m drivin’ in my car and some man comes on the radio he’s telling me more and more about some useless information supposed to fire my imagination. That’s still the problem with many of today’s marketing approaches. Read the rest of this entry »
Many companies have disparate databases making it almost impossible to fully understand customer behaviors, value, etc. These legacy systems were brought on-line at varying points as operational enhancements. Most often, forethought was absent regarding how this information could be leveraged to grow the enterprise. Read the rest of this entry »
Do you remember the scene in “Blazing Saddles” where Mel Brooks’ character says, “we’ve got to protect our phony-baloney jobs gentlemen”? If you know someone who is hesitant to establish metrics for their marketing initiatives and then measure the results, they could be viewed similar to that character.
If you understand that customers need different things at different times for different reasons, you have a good chance of realizing greater value from that customer. But that’s only half the battle. The other challenge is to recognize and acknowledge where they are within a lifetime cycle and then communicate with them appropriately.
McDonalds, other national fast food/casual dining chains, and supermarkets acted swiftly on the news that roma and red round tomatoes tainted with salmonella had entered the food chain. This kind of response strengthens the loyalty between brands and their customers.
I had occasion recently to recommend an appliance store to a friend in need of a new refrigerator. She told me she had been shopping at all the traditional “big box” stores and lamenting that she felt like her questions were never answered adequately or that the salesperson even knew enough to provide an informed answer. She was also “miffed” by their take it or leave attitudes and pressure to buy the “extended” warranty.
