Most of us have fallen for it at some point in time. We registered to get a piece of content, to find it was a little more than a product brochure with a compelling title and abstract.
As consumers, we quickly identify this as an annoying at best, at worst we rail against the company behind the practice, using terms like misleading, deceitful or dishonest.
As marketers, we work diligently to build brands and nurture positive perceptions. Respecting the audience by providing a fair value exchange for high value contact information is a necessary piece of the equation.
Pick up a piece of content. Is it valuable to you, as a marketer, to see broad distribution of that content? Does it provide proof of your value proposition, showcase the benefits of your product, or position your product well against competitors? If so, distribution of the content is likely more valuable to you than it is to the audience. Consider offering it for free. With no registration. Distribute the content broadly and without barriers. The mere distribution, without registration, is adding value to your business. Examples of this kind of content include product and company information, product demos or editorial-style content.
Pick up another piece of content. It provides information for the audience, about the industry, about trends, but it does not strongly position your brand. It is high value information to the audience, but its distribution does not build your business directly. Gate it. Promote it. Leverage it for what it is, a high value piece of content to the target audience, with little lost from lower consumption. Examples include research and forecasts, particularly from independent third parties.
Too close to your content? Talk to your agency or publications in your industry, and ask for their opinions. Listen to the feedback with an open mind, and be ready to develop the new content necessary to drive your lead generation programs that builds on the relationship you have with the audience.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Social Networks a Threat to Agencies?
How do social networks and other emerging channels threaten agencies? Is this the start of the end for agencies.
A recent article from FT, Social networks threaten advertising growth, is one more in a long line of shots taken at agencies. At the heart of this and other articles is the idea that agencies are not evolving their businesses as people evolve their media consumption, entertainment and communication behaviors.
While the article focused on the UK marketplace, one point jumped out. Two-thirds of agencies are not ready for this change. Are one-third of agencies really ready for this change? If one-third of agencies are ready for the change, it is time for the doom-and-gloom coverage to end.
Most major advertising agencies have been slow to embrace new channels. New agencies and marketing services company provide these services, and either become major players or are acquired by larger agencies.
There is no doubt that as personal forms of communication become media channels, marketing and advertising will change. And with it, agencies will change. Agencies will come and go. But the fundamental position of agencies as strategic marketing partners will remain.
A recent article from FT, Social networks threaten advertising growth, is one more in a long line of shots taken at agencies. At the heart of this and other articles is the idea that agencies are not evolving their businesses as people evolve their media consumption, entertainment and communication behaviors.
While the article focused on the UK marketplace, one point jumped out. Two-thirds of agencies are not ready for this change. Are one-third of agencies really ready for this change? If one-third of agencies are ready for the change, it is time for the doom-and-gloom coverage to end.
Most major advertising agencies have been slow to embrace new channels. New agencies and marketing services company provide these services, and either become major players or are acquired by larger agencies.
There is no doubt that as personal forms of communication become media channels, marketing and advertising will change. And with it, agencies will change. Agencies will come and go. But the fundamental position of agencies as strategic marketing partners will remain.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Bright spots in 2009?
The popular advertising press sure doesn't say so.
The real case is lots of uncertainty. Budgets are down, or they haven't even been confirmed yet (it is already more than a week into 2009, right?). But the sky is not falling. Many companies are returning to some of the fundamentals that had been left by the wayside.
At the top of the list is cultivating current prospects. Email marketing looks to be one of the bright spots in 2009. Many companies are realizing they already have an enormous base of contacts that have not been mined as actively or efficiently as possible. Of course, customer analytics and segmentation will continue to be important elements of successful programs.
Another area of growth will be "social marketing", although many staunch social marketing supporters and pundits may be disappointed by the approach B2B marketers take. For many B2B marketers, social marketing will not mean amassing thousands of friends or distributing viral applications. B2B marketers will find new ways to use social marketing channels in many of the same ways they have used email and interactive marketing in years past. To communicate, to listen, and to respond.
What will B2B marketers do with social marketing?
1) They will be on Twitter. They will invite comments during webinars and events and distribute news and information. Twitter will suffer from many of the same ails as corporate blogs, but the size of a corporation's Twitter following and its responsiveness will be tracked much like email marketing is today.
2) They will be on Facebook. Ok, so this isn't a fit for many industries, but marketers will start to participate on Facebook. Facebook allows customers to connect and share, even briefly, information about products and experiences. For marketers with leading products, this will be seen as an opportunity to allow their customers to share experiences and add their voice.
3) They will be in Digg. And Reddit. And Delicious. Bookmarking, posting and linking are easy and will be simple ways to add 'social' features and functionality to pages.
4) Finally, they will be on LinkedIn. LinkedIn will become more than a networking site for professionals, it will become a way for companies and professionals to connect. As the features continue to be enhanced, and with the audience already in place, companies will flock to the tame and proper LinkedIn environment and its premium audience. However, if the LinkedIn team is not careful, the environment will quickly become cluttered.
Hold on tight. 2009 will be a wild ride.
The real case is lots of uncertainty. Budgets are down, or they haven't even been confirmed yet (it is already more than a week into 2009, right?). But the sky is not falling. Many companies are returning to some of the fundamentals that had been left by the wayside.
At the top of the list is cultivating current prospects. Email marketing looks to be one of the bright spots in 2009. Many companies are realizing they already have an enormous base of contacts that have not been mined as actively or efficiently as possible. Of course, customer analytics and segmentation will continue to be important elements of successful programs.
Another area of growth will be "social marketing", although many staunch social marketing supporters and pundits may be disappointed by the approach B2B marketers take. For many B2B marketers, social marketing will not mean amassing thousands of friends or distributing viral applications. B2B marketers will find new ways to use social marketing channels in many of the same ways they have used email and interactive marketing in years past. To communicate, to listen, and to respond.
What will B2B marketers do with social marketing?
1) They will be on Twitter. They will invite comments during webinars and events and distribute news and information. Twitter will suffer from many of the same ails as corporate blogs, but the size of a corporation's Twitter following and its responsiveness will be tracked much like email marketing is today.
2) They will be on Facebook. Ok, so this isn't a fit for many industries, but marketers will start to participate on Facebook. Facebook allows customers to connect and share, even briefly, information about products and experiences. For marketers with leading products, this will be seen as an opportunity to allow their customers to share experiences and add their voice.
3) They will be in Digg. And Reddit. And Delicious. Bookmarking, posting and linking are easy and will be simple ways to add 'social' features and functionality to pages.
4) Finally, they will be on LinkedIn. LinkedIn will become more than a networking site for professionals, it will become a way for companies and professionals to connect. As the features continue to be enhanced, and with the audience already in place, companies will flock to the tame and proper LinkedIn environment and its premium audience. However, if the LinkedIn team is not careful, the environment will quickly become cluttered.
Hold on tight. 2009 will be a wild ride.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Pitney Bowes and DMNews support direct mail
In a multipage ode to direct mail, DMNews goes over the top. I'm not
going to disagree with many of the points. Sure, DM is a great way to
get a physical offer in someone's hands, it is highly targetable, and
it continues to be cost effective for many marketers.
However, the article is difficult to take seriously. The Kool-Aid drips
from every page. For instance, consumer 'enjoy' reviewing direct mail just
as much as email. But wait, a recent study flagged email spam as the
MOST annoying marketing format, with DM and other email not too far
behind. So what does the comparison really represent? Do we 'enjoy'
it, or is this a relative comparison between two evils, spun into a
positive?
Another of favorite observation here: direct mail is delivered at no
cost to the consumer, while we still pay for internet access. Sure,
but there is nothing in the data that shows this is a problem for
individuals. And given the share of people that watch online video,
play games, or use social networks, they aren't paying a flat internet
bill for access to email. Often their email isn't even provided by
their ISP.
Can direct mail work for marketers? Sure. However, this article didn't
convince me it was an unbiased look at DM, and I'm not even one of the
ones that needed convincing.
going to disagree with many of the points. Sure, DM is a great way to
get a physical offer in someone's hands, it is highly targetable, and
it continues to be cost effective for many marketers.
However, the article is difficult to take seriously. The Kool-Aid drips
from every page. For instance, consumer 'enjoy' reviewing direct mail just
as much as email. But wait, a recent study flagged email spam as the
MOST annoying marketing format, with DM and other email not too far
behind. So what does the comparison really represent? Do we 'enjoy'
it, or is this a relative comparison between two evils, spun into a
positive?
Another of favorite observation here: direct mail is delivered at no
cost to the consumer, while we still pay for internet access. Sure,
but there is nothing in the data that shows this is a problem for
individuals. And given the share of people that watch online video,
play games, or use social networks, they aren't paying a flat internet
bill for access to email. Often their email isn't even provided by
their ISP.
Can direct mail work for marketers? Sure. However, this article didn't
convince me it was an unbiased look at DM, and I'm not even one of the
ones that needed convincing.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Want Direct Mail?
Consider the story of Steven Padgett, mail carrier extraordinaire. After failing to deliver standard class mail for more than 7 years (!!), people on his route were not up in arms when they heard about it. Not at all. They came to his defense, as did the public at large, inspiring headlines including "Mailman fails to deliver, becomes local hero".
It just goes to show, despite all the 'great' direct mail marketers create, it isn't enough to overcome the general distaste for direct mail. As the DMA defends the value of direct marketing and works to limit consumer opt-out choices, it would be well served to consider the environment our collective behavior has inspired. Working to maintain the 'right' to behave in a way that rankles consumers is not the long term solution.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Discover This: Timing is Everything
And the latest Discover More mailer has very poor timing. Arriving in my mailbox yesterday, the copy trumpeted rewards available from leading retailers in their online mall. And at the top of the list:
Circuitcity.com.
On November 10, Circuit City filed for bankruptcy. A week earlier, the company announced they were closing more than 20% of their stores. On October 20, they said they were considering closing stores to avoid Chapter 11. More than six weeks before I received your letter.
Yes, direct mail has long lead times. Yes, the piece was sent standard mail, and took its time in transit. So Discover, you have poor timing. Yes, circuitcity.com is still selling products. But you lost me. Probably like so many others, I will not see your mall as really representing my top online shopping options.
Timing is everything.
Circuitcity.com.
On November 10, Circuit City filed for bankruptcy. A week earlier, the company announced they were closing more than 20% of their stores. On October 20, they said they were considering closing stores to avoid Chapter 11. More than six weeks before I received your letter.
Yes, direct mail has long lead times. Yes, the piece was sent standard mail, and took its time in transit. So Discover, you have poor timing. Yes, circuitcity.com is still selling products. But you lost me. Probably like so many others, I will not see your mall as really representing my top online shopping options.
Timing is everything.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Widgets People Want
I had lunch today with a friend from a research and measurement company, and the conversation turned to widgets and the kinds of widgets people will pass along.
Marketers want their widget to be adopted by the community as their own. If it is, then the savvy marketers can lean back, drink margaritas, and watch their widget spread like wildfire. At least for five minutes. So what does it take to give a widget a chance?
First, it has to engage the audience. Marketers have three methods generally at their disposal to engage the audience:
With a wealth of information channels, a multitude of entertainment options, and micro-second multi-tasking attention spans, engaging is the first challenge. Second, the audience has to believe it will capture and engage the community. The initial audience acts as a filter for the community. So the first requirement for distribution:
Appeal to a connected community
As an example, I enjoy working in the yard, pruning, planting, and the like, but I could certainly use some help. I would gladly use a Garden Care widget that tells me when and how to prune, fertilize and care for the plants I have. However, seeding that widget with me is not going to drive distribution. My friends and family tolerate my interest in gardening more than they share it, and would not appreciate the Garden Care widget.
Even within a connected community, there are numerous widgets already competing for attention. Southwest has done it, but very few widgets today truly stand on their own and gain mass distribution based on their value to an individual. So the second requirement:
Incent distribution
Most widgets incent distribution through comparisons or challenges (the ubiquitous movie compatibility or movie trivia challenge) or pyramid structures (who hasn't been a waterboy for their favorite team?). In all cases, by passing along the widget, the value to me is increased. What good is knowing your movie compatibility with ... no one?
Now that your widget is on top, how does it stay there?
Continue to engage
Continuing to provide information or entertain requires continual updates or lively community contributions.
So when attention spans are only micro-seconds (and blog posts run to multiple pages), put down the margarita, its time to start working on your next hit widget.
Marketers want their widget to be adopted by the community as their own. If it is, then the savvy marketers can lean back, drink margaritas, and watch their widget spread like wildfire. At least for five minutes. So what does it take to give a widget a chance?
First, it has to engage the audience. Marketers have three methods generally at their disposal to engage the audience:
- Inform
- Entertain
- Incent
With a wealth of information channels, a multitude of entertainment options, and micro-second multi-tasking attention spans, engaging is the first challenge. Second, the audience has to believe it will capture and engage the community. The initial audience acts as a filter for the community. So the first requirement for distribution:
Appeal to a connected community
As an example, I enjoy working in the yard, pruning, planting, and the like, but I could certainly use some help. I would gladly use a Garden Care widget that tells me when and how to prune, fertilize and care for the plants I have. However, seeding that widget with me is not going to drive distribution. My friends and family tolerate my interest in gardening more than they share it, and would not appreciate the Garden Care widget.
Even within a connected community, there are numerous widgets already competing for attention. Southwest has done it, but very few widgets today truly stand on their own and gain mass distribution based on their value to an individual. So the second requirement:
Incent distribution
Most widgets incent distribution through comparisons or challenges (the ubiquitous movie compatibility or movie trivia challenge) or pyramid structures (who hasn't been a waterboy for their favorite team?). In all cases, by passing along the widget, the value to me is increased. What good is knowing your movie compatibility with ... no one?
Now that your widget is on top, how does it stay there?
Continue to engage
Continuing to provide information or entertain requires continual updates or lively community contributions.
So when attention spans are only micro-seconds (and blog posts run to multiple pages), put down the margarita, its time to start working on your next hit widget.
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