The Jaz Drive. Solid State Memory.

After recently purchasing a new external hard drive and being amazed by the advances in technology with respect to cost, I ran across the following infographic and it immediately caught my attention. This infographic shows the evolution of storage media, from the original record players to the latest flash drives and hard drives.

The old rule of thumb has been that every six months technology will double in size or speed and half in price. Well, that may not always be true, but if you haven’t been shopping lately for technology, you’ll be amazed by the current prices.

Last night here in Denver, while listening to Steve Hayden’s talk From Big Ideas to Big IdeaLs… (that’s an entirely another blog on another day)…Steve talked about a campaign for Shreddies, the Canadian version of Shreaded Wheat here in the U.S., that used a focus group to learn more about the new Shreadies product, DIAMOND SHREADIES. As you’ll see, people in focus groups are very polite people and will provide the desired response even if obviously wrong. This “focus group” video was then posted on YouTube and was viewed by almost a million people, that’s a lot in Canada, and sales ‘went way up beyond expectations’ after this and the new “Diamond Shreadies” campaign broke. I agree with Steve. It is silly to use focus groups to gain insight into the effectiveness of an ad or when your questions in the focus group lead the people to the answers you want to hear.

See for yourself.

Focus Group Video

Shreddies Commercial

Also, 81 Facebook pages and over 280 discussion groups have been started on this topic of Diamond vs. Square.

Steve Hayden is one of the most revered advertising copy writers since the mid 1970’s. He’s most respected for his “1984″ commercial for the introduction of Apple’s Macintosh computers… an ad that only ran once during the 1984 Super Bowl, and most recently the “Real Beauty” campaign for Dove.

In my last post I mentioned that there are two main types of business relationship the internet has enhanced with the development of e-commerce. Having already covered the first kind, I will write today about the second kind –business to consumer relationships. As opposed to business to business relationships, which I covered in my last post; business to consumer relationships are those in which goods, products or services are provided by businesses to individual consumers.

Typically conducted through an online shop or auction site, using e-commerce to buy or sell online a brilliant way to establish a national or international customer base. With the ability to browse through your products online, instead of having to call in at a physical shop; consumers can view a range of your products from the comfort of their own home, no matter where they live! Although you will need a merchant account that supports online purchases, the added cost of this service will be more than covered by lack of staffing costs and increased sales that e-commerce allows.

For businesses looking to push themselves, the online market is just the place to do it. With a huge range of products available from a massive variety of vendors; you really have to step-up your game to make it big in the world of e-commerce. Conversely, the online market is the perfect place to start out, even for small businesses looking to sell books, for example. It immediately offers a worldwide customer basis, exceptional ease of use and incredible advertising potential. For more information about how to get started, keep reading this blog!

Franchises, hospitals, healthcare organizations, service or consumer companies, at some point you may have a crisis for the business to deal with. Some crises are harder to manage than others, and some organizations are better prepared to deal with a crisis as it arises. For all companies, knowing your plan of attack in advance is important.

When I started my career, my first job was managing media relations for a large hospital. My boss had an orange laminated poster that said “MEDIA HERE.” That was our crisis communications plan – hook, line and sinker.

My, my, my how things have changed.

A recent Wall Street Journal article, “Entrepreneurs ‘Tweet’ Their Way Through Crises”, highlights the benefits of online communications, specifically for a crisis. From beverage companies to laundry delivery services, the article highlights communication issues that were managed effectively because of the use of online media, which enabled quick and immediate communication with their key audiences. What could have been a debacle for small businesses, ended up generating the two most important ROI measurements – good will and continued sales.

The key to their success started long before the crises. It started because the companies were already involved in an online conversation.

To quote the article:

“Entrepreneurs should bear in mind that Twitter is unlikely to be of help in dealing with a problem if it isn’t used regularly otherwise, says Shel Israel, …’If you just go to Twitter when you have a crisis, you will have no followers and no credibility’, he says. ‘The key to using Twitter effectively is to build trust with people who are relevant to your business’.”

Regardless of the type of crisis you may need to handle, get online now so you can build your communities, which will be necessary when you need to communicate the good and the bad.

If your crisis communications plan does not include a social media component, it needs to. Here are some things to consider while tweaking your plan:

1. Do your online communication networks already exist? If not, what is the plan to get them in place?
2. Do you know how to find your key audience segments? For example, if you are a community based-hospital, you don’t need to broadcast your information to everyone in the community, just to the appropriate new aggregates in your community.
3. Do your employees know how to find you online? Do you have online portals dedicated to communicating with your employees?
4. Do your customers know how to find you online, somewhere besides your Web site or e-commerce platform?
5. Do you have your online spokesperson identified? Who is in charge of disseminating online communication?

What type of online vehicles are you using to help manage crisis communications programs? Tell us about them!

I was reminded of Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty last week when a flurry of commentary hit over the photo of a nearly naked woman in Glamour magazine. She has a bit of a belly, and I love the photo of her. LOVE IT. I applaud Glamour magazine for using it. Like Dove, the magazine is embracing what women really look like.

When Dove’s campaign launched several years ago, it did something no other beauty brand had done before — it used real women to promote its brand instead of paid models. When interviewing its target audience about which celebrity model they could relate to, Dove found that most women were intimidated and depressed by the “stick thin” model, and in no way felt that these models represented the majority of women. Instead of Dove saying, “Here’s this woman whose beauty is unattainable — let us help you look like her,” their messaging was, “Beauty is natural, and you’re beautiful because you’re natural — let us help you maintain it.”

This is the message more health and beauty companies need to send, and it’s the message more advertisers need to encourage.

Of course, I am biased. This blog entry is being written by a mother of two who is closer to 40 years old than 30, and is painfully aware that her 20-year high school reunion is soon to be here. But, now thanks to this photo, my body looks like something you may see in Glamour magazine rather than in People magazine’s “Worst Of” edition.

These days, I want to focus on my daughter growing up with a healthy and happy body image and not with the insecurities of many women my age who didn’t have anything but unattainable skinny models to emulate.

As a professional in the advertising industry, I hope to have the opportunity to work on a campaign like Dove’s or select photos like the one in Glamour magazine. These are the images of women that make me proud to be an almost 40, still-haven’t-lost-the-baby-weight, woman.

As The Side Note has already mentioned, mobile marketing is continually and significantly increasing in importance and influence. I recently had the opportunity to present some mobile marketing ideas to a regional hospital and I thought it might be helpful to share some of those ideas here.

The important thing to ask when you are considering a mobile marketing campaign is: Are you going to produce a business-to-consumer campaign or a business-to-business campaign? Both can be implemented for healthcare organizations. Here are some ideas:

Consumer Marketing:

1. Remind patients of periodical check-ups and examinations
2. Announce upcoming events, such as health fairs or the location of bloodmobiles
3. Remind patients to get vaccinations
4. Offer health and safety tips, such as reminders to drink fluids when outdoor temperatures rise
5. Post banner ads with click-to-call referral numbers for scheduling appointments

Business Marketing:

1. Alert EMTs of emergency room diversion status
2. Provide referring physicians click-to-call referral numbers
3. Promote upcoming events, such as Webinars and CME courses

Weise Communications recently published a white paper on using mobile marketing in healthcare organizations. If you would like to receive a copy of this white paper, leave a comment and we will be happy to send it to you.

Is your healthcare facility using mobile marketing? Share your stories here.

Robert Jolles, the former Head Sales Training Instructor for Xerox Corporation Professional Sales Training program, identified the 8 stages that every customer goes-through when purchasing any high-ticket (expensive) product. These eight stages are: Satisfaction, Acknowledgement, Decision, Criteria, Measurement, Investigation, Satisfaction and Reconsideration.

These concepts are not unknown to any good sales person but how to deal with each level effectively and efficiently was how Xerox’s sales training program became the de-facto standard for selling anything professionally in the U.S.A. . 

My next few blogs with describe each one of these stages and then I will give an overview of what the salesperson does at each stage to move the customer or client to completing the sales transaction.

This is my first post about useful information to explain the professional, effective, efficient, and repeatable Consumer Centered Sales process that hopefully makes any sales transaction beneficial for both the customer and the salesperson.

Here’s an interesting article I found on the net recently about the conversion rates of organic searches vs paid per clicks.

Conversion Rates Are Roughly Equal

A 2004 MarketingSherpa survey of 3,007 marketers highlighted that paid search works slightly better for B2B (Business to Business) oriented offers, while organic search works better for B2C (Business to Consumer) offers.

Survey results revealed that much depends on what your target demographic is and what your conversion action is. So, B2B marketers seeking lead generation wound up with 7.6% conversions from paid search versus 6.7% conversions from organic clicks. On the other hand, B2C ecommerce sites with an average sale of US$51 to US$100 converted 4.8% of paid search clicks to buyers versus 6.5% of organic clicks.

A 2006 WebSideStory study gave paid search a slight edge on B2C ecommerce sites, stating that paid conversion rates favored organic search rates 3.4% to 3.13%.

Organic Search Gets More Click Volume

A 2004 iProspect study [PDF] showed the click through rates at the major engines for organic vs paid search results

Please note that a large part of that data is skewed for Microsoft was because they used LookSmart, which was far more aggressive with ad placement than current search engines are.

• In 2004 at the New York Search Engine Strategies conference a JupiterMedia analyst stated that 5 out of 6 commercial purchases which originated from search originated from the organic search results. They also stated “algorithmic listings in search indexes generate an estimated six in seven commercially natured search referrals.”
• In early 2008 Google’s Avinash Kaushik stated that 14% of Google clicks are on paid search ad and 86% of clicks are on organic search results.
• 2008 Penn State research titled Determining the informational, navigational and transactional intent of Web queries [PDF] found that roughly 80% of search queries were informational, while approximately 10% were each navigational and transactional. With so many searches being informational and navigational, it is unsurprising that people click the organic search results more often than the associated PPC ads.

Article Source:  seobook.com

I just read the New York Times article, Lawmakers Seek to Curb Drug Commercials.

As a healthcare marketer, I believe that there should be some limits on direct-to-consumer advertising for prescription drugs, but I also believe many of those limits are already in place. I disagree with the politicians’ assessment that these ads push people to use drugs unnecessarily or buy name brands rather than generics.

Prescription drugs are just what their name implies, prescription required.  While it is the marketer’s job to present information on drugs and their benefits to the public, it is a physician’s job to explain the pros and cons of any drug, the alternatives to the drug and provide the prescription if/when warranted.  Physicians may not enjoy the demands from their patients that are provoked by drug commercials, but it can’t be any worse than constant self-diagnosis based on the wealth of medical information available on the Internet. Consumers have a right to drug information and have the ability to make decisions on their medical needs. Physicians have the responsibility to guide them in those decisions.

I am also a proponent of drug-based advertising because it can increase the treatments for conditions that individuals may ignore. I am sure that many men and women have seen an ad for a drug that pushed them to receive treatment for something they were previously too embarrassed to discuss, such as erectile dysfunction or bladder control.

I do recognize the criticism from some lawmakers on the money spent for national consumer ads, especially when you see ads such as the Brooke Shields advertisement for Latisse, a prescription treatment for eyelash growth. While I am sure many people can benefit from this product, on the surface, the advertisement does seem slightly trivial.

What do you think? As a healthcare marketer, are you for more limits on direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertisements?

In ultimul timp m-am gandit din ce in ce mai serios la distanta din ce in ce mai mare creata intre producatori si consumatori, pe pietele moderne. La inceput, relatiile erau foarte simple: cineva producea, iar cineva consuma, intre ei nefiind nici un fel de intermediari. Si lumea se specializa pe un domeniu, exceland la acesta si permitandu-si prin barter ( sau folosind moneda ca mediu de schimb ) sa achizitioneze ceea ce nu puteau sa produca singuri.

Pe masura ce societatea s-a dezvoltat si numarul de bunuri si servicii definite ca “de baza” a crescut, relatiile au devenit din ce in ce mai complexe. Au aparut bunuri aduse de la distante mari, bunuri prelucrate foarte mult, cu numar mare de subansamble folosite in productie si cu valoare adaugata mare. Relatiile intre producatorii primari si consumatorii finali au devenit atat de mari incat conceptul de “supply chain management” a devenit tema de doctorat in sine. Consumatorul final nu are in general nici o idee in privinta provenientei produselor pe care le achizitioneaza, mai ales in cazul celor complexe, cu mii de repere.

Am crezut mult timp ca in cazul produselor foate simple, cum sunt cele agro-alimentare, aceasta falie nu este atat de mare. M-am inselat

Cel mai simplu produs este cel care nu este prelucrat absolut deloc si care, in teorie, nu are nevoie decat de transport si vanzare pentru a atinge consumatorul. Sa luam un exemplu: castravetele de solar. In bazinele legumicole, el a fost tranzactionat anul asta cu preturi care mergeau in jos pana la 0.20 RON/kg. De aici, pleaca prin intermediul unor intermediari ( wholeseller ) sau al centrelor de colectare si sortare catre un mare retailer. Aici, sunt adunati castraveti din mai multe bazine si este pus la vanzare. Daca este un retailer simplu, produsul ajunge la consumator. Daca este un cash&carry, el poate pleca catre consumator, dar poate pleca catre un magazin mic, de cartier, de unde ajunge la gospodina.

Avem deci un intermediar care colecteaza de la producator, un retailer sau cash&carry si, eventual, inca un intermediar. Pretul de start: 0.20 RON/kg, pretul final: 2 RON/kg sau chiar 3 RON/kg in cazul lantului cu 3 intermediari.

Si acum intrebarea este: care este valoarea adaugata de acest lant ? Nu exista nici una in afara de aceea ca aduce produsul aproape de consumator si il face accesibil. Este evident ca fara a beneficia de gradul de penetrare al “comertului modern”, castravetele nu ar ajunge nici pe departe in salatele atator persoane si ca rolul acestor verigi in lantul de intermediere trebuie recunoscut si remunerat in consecinta. Insa nu cred ca raportul in care se impart sumele este unul corect pentru producatorul initial.

Adaosul comercial de 1,400% nu se refera dor la doua runde de transport si doua runde de manipulare a marfii. Nevoia de a avea si un producator care sa faca efectiv castravetele acela la 0.20 RON/kg apare in excel ca un lucru marginal, comparativ cu costurile cu publicitatea, cu amenajarea spatiilor, cu ROI-ul dorit, cu gradul mare de indatorare sau cu costurile administrative.

Toate astea fiind spuse, cred ca o sa deschid o linie noua de dezvoltare: B2C. O sa mai revin cu detalii dupa ce clarific modul in care aleg sa ma pozitionez pe piata.

I love a good story, especially a good marketing one.

In Naples, Fla., a 24-year-old, Anthony Chinaglia, came up with a simple marketing idea (the simple ones are always the best) to make money in this terrible economy. His hard work is being noticed by the franchise world. Chinaglia decided people were willing to pay $5 for a good meal. And in any economy, a good meal for $5 is well worth the price. So he opened a restaurant, Mr. $5.

I don’t know what, if any, market research Anthony conducted. In an interview with WINK News on July 20, he stated, “Nearly every large chain was doing some kind of $5 special, so I figured that’s what America wants to pay.” That is low-budget market research at its finest.

Click here for the news story

According to the WINK article, Francorp now wants to help franchise Mr. $5. Can Chingalia say, cha-ching?

This is a good reminder to all of us that sometimes we just don’t need to over think an idea. Boil your main business challenge down to one basic question– how do we make more money? All you have to do is solve that ONE problem. The rest is fluff.

One of Mr. $5 menu offerings includes French toast- four fluffy Texas style French toasts, dusted with cinnamon and sugar, melted butter and two eggs. Mmmm…. now that is money well spent.

Onde Comprar? Onde Vender? Hoje pela WEB, por favor...

 

 

Evolução, inovação, reinvenção… Por quantos processos o Marketing passou por esses anos? Certamente milhares. Ainda mais para acompanhar todo o processo de crescimento da raça humana, que tende há crescer cada dia mais, ao invés de milhares de anos, como são acordados em disciplinas decorrentes em nosso longo processo de aprendizagem.

Todo o processo de Marketing foi evoluindo com o decorrer do tempo. Ao analisar suas práticas em projetos de TV, rádio e impresso, percebe-se que isso antes era o mais certo possível. Como por exemplo o seriado Made Man, que se focaliza nos publicitários dos anos 60, que têm todas as artimanhas para ter o público alvo aos seus pés.  Antigamente, conforme acordado em um dos episódios da série, era mais fácil convencer ao público de que o cigarro é algo sofisticado, sinal de poder e inteligência e assim, calando a medicina que constatou na mesma época que o cigarro era a porta mais aberta para a tão temida morte. Hoje, isso não é mais possível.

Toda a evolução tecnológica veio a favor do ser humano todos sabem. Mas isso só é possível quando se aplica de forma adequada. Hoje, é possível encontrar de tudo pela internet, disso já se sabe a mais de uma década. Mas qual é a melhor forma de se aplicar isso? Quais são as táticas e estratégias mais eficientes? Como focalizar em um consumidor atuante e exigente, que se dispersa com a concorrência com tanta facilidade? Então, ai está o desafio…

Onde Comprar? Onde Vender?  Hoje pela WEB, por favor…

O conceito de mercado mudou radicalmente no século XXI. Se antes para obter um determinado produto de uma cidade distante poderia demorar meses, hoje demora-se 12 horas, no máximo. A internet abriu as portas para um novo tipo de comércio: o eletrônico. Quanta agilidade, em questão de poucos minutos. Espertas mesmo são as empresas que conseguiram captar o novo consumidor mundial: o usuário de internet. Hoje, cada ano que se passa, o consumo via WEB está crescendo de forma apoteótica. E isso tende a crescer ainda mais.  Seja pela forma B2C (business to consumer), C2C (consumer to consumer) ou B2B (business to business).

Certos de que os usuários estão mais exigentes, por serem formadores de opiniões via WEB, as empresas estão começando a perceber de forma mais séria este novo tipo de consumidor. São consumidores mais exigentes, querem custos menores e vantagens superiores. Se isto fosse dito há uns 15 anos atrás, poderia ser motivo de piada. Hoje é motivo de preocupação e muito, mas muito cuidado. Não é nada agradável uma reclamação em redes sociais ou até mesmo perfis que degredem o conceito da marca, pois o boca a boca hoje é mais forte do que se imagina. E via WEB, as proporções são tão maiores.

Sanar a voraz fome do consumidor sobre o conhecimento. Isso sim é um grande desafio. Dar a ele o que ele quer naquele momento. Isso é imprescindível. Toda uma tecnologia está em pleno vapor para satisfazer o cliente e encher o bolso de quem investe. O negócio é saber implantar um bom planejamento. Aliás, melhor ainda oferecer a ele mais opções de uma determinada mercadoria. Se ele quer um determinado livro de um escritor famoso, ou de uma editora de renome, ou até mesmo de um determinado gênero, ele se sentirá privilegiado, pois ele poderia comprar apenas um livro, ou que tal a coleção inteira com um desconto formidável ao seu bolso, com direito a ler o que outros consumidores relatam sobre o produto e a eficiência dos serviços prestados pela empresa. Ambas as partes saem ganhando. O usuário, sem se deslocar, recebe o seu produto onde estiver e a empresa produz a partir de demanda, ganhando notoriedade e confiança. Tudo muito sofisticado, amplo e muito mais barato.

Produção por demanda: esse é o lema. Muitas empresas estão se adaptando a este novo conceito, e isso vem gerando resultados positivos. Ainda não se tem notícia de uma forma melhor em agradar o consumidor, quando é ele que escolhe a personalização de seu produto. É gratificante e sensato. Estoques devem ser dizimados em pouco tempo.

Mas que tem muitos seguimentos que estão andando pra trás, todo mundo certamente já sabe muito bem. Exemplos disso são as indústrias fonográficas e cinematográficas. Quanto investimento em um mercado de mídia saturada, enquanto a maior parte das pessoas está conectada pela internet. Isso sim é ir contra a maresia. MP3, diversos formatos de vídeos, esses arquivos que tão facilmente trafegam pela internet estão dando muito prejuízo. Filmes e CDs que vazam pela internet antes do lançamento, frustrando todo um processo. Mas, com isso, o usuário também atua como produtor musical ou audiovisual. Quantos artistas, mesmo que nem todos sejam de fato, cresce pela internet? Quantos curtas são lançados em diversos ambientes de vídeos e arrastam uma legião de fãs. Este “contra” tem seu lado favorável e vice-versa, basta ter discernimento.

Certo, se para este seguimento o foco do problema está ali, por que não atuar naquele exato ponto? O usuário quer novidades, e se for válido, ele pagará o valor necessário. Algumas empresas trabalham no ramo de oferecer ao usuário apenas o que ele deseja de entretenimento. Um filme por exemplo. As locadoras estão decretando falência pela internet, por que elas não passam a oferecer seus filmes via WEB? Dar aos usuários uma cota de filmes por um determinado valor e tempo, tudo através do computador. E olha que isso já existe de tal forma.  Tudo isso diminui e muito custos e aperfeiçoa todo um complexo processo. Músicas? Bom, que tal oferecer ao usuário apenas a música que ele deseja, não o fazendo engolir um CD inteiro Aliás, CD deixa para os fãs mais aficionados, assim como para os DVDs também.  Outro ponto relevante: ao destacar um artista ou um filme de renome no momento, por que não ir ao passado e buscar um produto do mesmo gênero? Essa linha é bem vinda para muitos usuários, permitindo ainda mais conhecimento sobre determinado gênero, podendo acarretar ainda mais vendas.

Muito se pode fazer com o Marketing Digital. Nesse mar de informações que compõem a internet, o que vale é se destacar. E para isso, existem procedimentos que ajudam e muito a empresa a alavancarem seus negócios. Convencer ao usuário que a empresa tem o melhor serviço, os melhores produtos, é uma tarefa árdua que necessita de muita disciplina. Mesmo emergente, este mercado já tem nomes de peso, e bater concorrências deste seguimento pode parecer difícil, mas chegar ao mesmo patamar, não é impossível. Mecanismos de buscas, índices de relevância de conteúdo, palavras chaves, campanhas, virais, redes sociais… Uma certa infinidade de possibilidades estão presentes, apenas deve-se saber fatiar o bolo e degustar com moderação.

Caminhar entre megabytes, e não um passo de cada vez…

Com todo o aparato discutido sobre tudo que anda ocorrendo na globalização digital, percebe-se o novo cenário que o mundo está se adaptando. A era da informação é crucial ao momento, já que a internet está presente para solidificar conhecimento para todos via rede.

Então o Marketing já está nesta altura do nível necessário. Apesar de que ainda é pouco implementado, as empresas que já utilizam, sentem o resultado positivo tanto através de suas contas bancárias quanto nos picos elevados de seus gráficos evolutivos.

Ao adaptar ao novo consumidor atuante, formador de opinião, o Marketing Digital ganha força em todos os sentidos. As estratégias e diretrizes formadas a partir de seus conceitos demonstram resultados eficazes e coerentes, preenchendo os olhos de quem admira uma inovação, reinvenção ou evolução. Ao saber aplicar, estes três pontos conseguem caminhar juntos, oferecendo mais do que o esperado.

Então esta é a montanha russa que o Marketing vem passando ao decorrer do tempo. Quem guia é o usuário e as trilhas ficam por conta da Internet. Cabe a empresa construir bons trilhos para que seu usuário se sinta bem em seu percurso. Pelas trilhas da internet, quem é mais esperto caminha bem mais. Mas cuidado com as curvas e descidas, elas existem e são inevitáveis. Apenas saber conduzir é o suficiente, pois sempre após uma descida, há uma subida pode ser ainda maior.

Forgive us. This week we are out of sync with our typical blogging schedule. So let me first say that while we typically blog about franchises on Wednesdays, I realize Starbucks is not franchised. But their social media tactic for promoting their new ice cream products is worth learning about.

Starbucks Facebook Promotion

The simple fact that Starbucks is promoting their ice cream on Facebook is not incredibly newsworthy. What I like about the campaign is how they integrated all of their touch points. If you go to the Starbucks Ice Cream Facebook page (must be a registered user) you can send a coupon for a free pint of ice cream to a friend (quantities are limited each hour). I tried, selfishly, to send it to myself but since Colorado is one of the three states where this program is not available, I sent my pint to a good friend in Pennsylvania. After I sent it, I was asked to tell a friend about the program and easily directed back to the Starbucks Ice Cream Web site.I tried to send another pint of ice cream, but instead was given the option to download a savings coupon for myself.

I love the fact that several touch points were tied into this marketing plan. These included the share-a-pint, tell-a-friend, the downloadable discount coupon and the redirect to their site. This is a great use of social media for product launches. This campaign shows that using social media really can be worthwhile to businesses.

Are you implementing social media to help build you business? How are you using Facebook to generate leads and sales?

We are collecting social media for business building case studies and would love to include your best campaigns.

As if it is not enough for business owners to focus on social networking strategies and results, mobile marketing is quickly competing for the spotlight.

In April of last year, Google introduced mobile image ads allowing advertisers to send branded messages that appear as they would on your desktop. “The image ads are keyword-targeted, priced on a CPC basis and must link to a mobile web page, according to an article in bizreport.com.” Click here for more.

As with any technology these days, it quickly advances and offers more. This past February, Google expanded its map feature offering real time location information. This could provide unique promotion opportunities for business owners who would communicate to their opt-in audience with timely information on store sales, etc. This could take advertising to a whole new level. Only time will tell.

But, do mobile marketing campaigns work?

Yes they do. But like with any advertising channel, there are a lot of contributing factors that can make a campaign successful. Look at Jiffy Lube in Iowa. In summary, they executed an integrated campaign, and sent out coupons via mobile. It garnered a great initial response, but the coupons were not redeemed on the same scale. It shows there is more to a campaign than just a great idea, it’s also about execution and timing. For more on their results, click here.

“Mobile marketing is so much more than just cell phones.” This is just one of the five things author Eric Bader of BrandInHand wrote that you should consider with mobile marketing. I think the key to this channel is that you can reach your market right at THEIR fingertips with their mini computer in hand. You just need to be targeted and timely with your communication. Click here to read more.

Here’s a list of 10 top mobile campaigns in 2006. I share this from a few years ago to show that mobile marketing is not new and is being used to promote products and services in a variety of ways, from shoes to entertainment. Click here for the supporting details.

1. Nike ID
2. Dove Campaign (For Real Beauty)
3. Pontiac G6
4. American Express Wimbledon Sponsorship
5. Lenovo Mobile WAP
6. NBC Deal or No Deal
7. Axe
8. Nike Airmax
9. Addidas QR Tagging
10. Snakes On a Plane

So, who should lead the way in exploring the success of this channel?

The answer is anyone who is trying to reach their target audience. This is not new technology, it just continues to advance and more results are becoming known. We don’t need to wait for the big corporations to test the market. They already are. We need to be smart about mobile campaign advertising and its integration into the big picture of our marketing mix.

Watch for more on this subject from me.

Have you used mobile marketing in your overall marketing plan? What results have you received? What advice would you like to share?

What a great article from fastcompany.com! It never hurts to have a friendly reminder of what we should be thinking of to increase sales and not just maintain or get by. And I say “we” because recessions affect all types of business. None of us are immune.

Here is a summary of the top 10:

1. Track your marketing and public relations efforts

2. Look for new ways to re-position your product or service

3. Find new distribution channels—this includes the Internet

4. Create joint venture relationships

5. Implement a “rewards referral program”

6. Know your numbers

7. Be the expert

8. Stand out from the competition – differentiate yourself

9. Join a mastermind group or coaching program

10. Build stronger relationships with your customer base—send out a survey

So many to consider! One could find it difficult to focus and make changes. Yes, I say “change” because we all get comfortable with systems and ways of doing business. However, today we need to look down the road not always taken. We should do this more often than not.

For me, No. 6 and No. 8 work hand-in-hand and are the starting points. You need to know your bottom line, price points, and efficiencies, and determine how to leverage them. You also need to communicate to your market the reasons you are better and what you have to offer that others don’t. Only after that can you explore new ways to increase sales, like partnering with other businesses that compliment yours and offer your customers a better product/service.

What strategy have you implemented recently that is increasing sales? Is it on the list above?

For the whole article, click here.

Easier said than done. Or is it? Many business owners find it difficult to allocate dollars to marketing, whether they’re starting up or growing their business. However, the name of the game these days is lead generation.

The question becomes, “How am I going to keep my client base or find new consumers?”

If you are starting up your business, you are probably struggling to raise enough capital to just open the doors. However, costs today are lower than years ago. On businessweek.com, “Your Startup on a Shoestring” holds true even as our economy struggles and banks tighten up their lending process.

Look to the Internet. Establish your Web site, and even do this in steps if necessary to keep costs down. Cap your pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns and budget your dollars. This article also has some great money saving tips and provides great recommendation, such as “put as much of your money into marketing as possible”.

If you are an established business trying to grow or just maintain, the same is true. Look to the Internet. Evaluate your Web site. Maybe it is time for improvements. Explore social network opportunities. Get involved. Create a PPC campaign. Update your promotions and coupons.

On entrepreneur.com, the article “Win Sales from Recession-Minded Consumers” discusses “3 ways to woo shoppers this summer”. You know it is all about savings!

1. Market Special Promotions
2. Modernize Coupons
3. Woo Stay-at-Home Shoppers

coupon

Just think, coupons are back. And, by popular demand! This article highlights that “nearly 80 percent of consumers surveyed in the 18-to-34 age group say they’re much more likely or somewhat more likely to use coupons if they can download them and have them automatically connected to an electronically swiped frequent shopper card.” That is something to think about.

And coupons are not just for consumers. Dell has coupons for small businesses online.

In times of recession, we must be creative and continue to think of ways to reach clients and consumers to build relationships. Talk to your audience online or at an event. In the article “Recession Marketing All About Connections”, the author recommends face-to-face connections to build credibility. Hold an event and promote it though your social media networks. Promote your business at a trade show. New and old ways of marketing can be combined to keep costs down and maximize exposure.

There is a lot of good conversation and advice online for B2B and B2C. You will notice writers continue to talk about Internet marketing and social media. Why? I believe it has to do with putting clients and consumers in the driver seat and putting your money into marketing channels where you can track results immediately.

How are you allocating your marketing dollars? What results are you seeing? Let us know and we may share your story!