Main

March 2, 2008

Content Comes to Marketing

Perhaps no complaint is more universal in the B2B marketing arena than the need for well-writen, relevant content. Yet, companies routinely short-shrift investment in content creation. That leads to a woeful lack of good information and a continual disconnect between marketers and prospects/customers.

That gap is why I found Steve Rubel's latest posting on his MicroPersuasion blog so interesting. Writing about event from the recent IAB Annual Meeting, he pointed out how digitally-savvy media companies had become. His angle was the threat that media companies now pose to traditional agencies. Some interesting stats he presented:

• By 2010, 53% of media companies surveyed expect to do more business directly with marketers. The majority of marketers (52%) feel the same about publishers


• Only 27% of marketers expect to be doing more business with agencies two years from now


• Today nearly every media company (91%) offers some kind of "agency-like" services. This includes former untouchables like idea generation (88%) and creative development (79%)

The implications for B2B marketers hungry for content? The answer may be in closer relationships with media companies hungry to leverage their content libraries and substantial content creation resources in new ways.

Posted by jcioban at 10:02 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 28, 2008

Customer Service As Recession Fighter

Taken from the HP website: "HP today announced the most substantial investment in consumer technical support in its history – the aim of which is to enable people to get faster, more effective help with the HP technology products in their homes."

At a time when the economy is wavering and many companies are retrenching, HP announces a major investment in customer service. They may not be perfect, but here is more evidence that some companies really understand what is happening in the marketplace while others flounder in the evolving, customer-centric world.

Posted by jcioban at 9:14 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 10, 2008

New Expectations: HP's IdolHands Contest

By now, most marketing excutives have heard about the short-tenure woes of the CMO in many organizations. In an article in The McKinsey Quarterly titled "The Evolving Role of the CMO" there were some interesting insights into the trends that are makig the job so difficult. One insight I thought was really relevant was how today's marketing executive must manage a rapidly expanding universe of marketing techniques, channels and skills. For example, in media alone the expansion of user-generated content makes traditional approaches to media planning and execution insufficient. Add to that the increasing demand to create immersive engagement in campaigns that create more lasting mindshare and viral extension.

As a case in point, take a look at HP's recently released Idol Hands contest. This is not your typical marketing program. This interactive, user-generated content program supports HP's $3,500 TouchSmart line of touch-screen PCs, billed as "The perfect PC for families looking for an all-in-one touch-screen PC with easy, convenient access to information, family schedules, TV, music, movies and photos."

The campaign is intended to get consumers to upload a homemade video starring their hands. And upload people are! Some of the video are dumb, some quite elegant. All in all, it represents a completely different way of thinking about and using a marketing budget. The concept is engaging, interactive and gets an audience focused on one aspect of the value proposition for the product line. Very clever.

Gotta run, now. I need to get back to editing my submission....I could really use the prize money.

Posted by jcioban at 1:53 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 6, 2008

Tactics v. Strategy

It is interesting to observe the evolution in marketing with the proliferation of Web tools. Perhaps a reflection of the market's penchant for sound bites and "snack culture"-style information, there is a not-unexpected obsession with tactics right now. I am amused as companies like HP, Kodak and Xerox pitch their printing customers about Web portals, Personal URLs, VDP campaigns, etc. And while everyone talks about "integrated campaigns", precious few agencies, consultants and customers are really executing on the word "integrated." Single function companies in the e-mail, personal URL or Web portal space all focus on their single capability...pitching them relentlessly to prospects desperate to find a magic bullet for their marketing programs.

My advice to everyone...don't obsess over tools. Perhaps more than ever in the marketing business, strategy matters. It is really easy to spend (waste?) a lot of money on pieces of marketing. However, the battle for customer mindshare is much more cerebral today. It takes time and effort to really sift through goals and objectives, a target market profile, then match those with the tools and creative programs to create real success.

While markets are evolving faster than ever, some principles of advertising have not changed...Think First. Act Second.

Posted by jcioban at 10:06 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 5, 2008

SuperBowl Advertising Hangover

Like many people in the marketing business, I watch the ads as much as the game. Here is my day-after-the-day-after response to some of what I saw:

1. Is it just my opinion, or was the quality lower than ever?


2. GoDaddy: WTF? I know it got 2 million hits, but I think it is evidence that we are helping accelerate the decline of civilization if that qualified as brand development.


3. Dell: Since I am a B2B guy, I can't resist saying...huh? If all it takes to get the unadulterated adulation of thousands of people is carrying a red computer, count me in. Oh yeah...the Product(Red) thing. I actually had my company distribute Product(Red) holiday cards this year so I get it...but how many of those 97 million eyeballs did???


4. Audi: First SB ad in 20 years. Should have made it 21. If you are under 50, the Godfather thing was not relevant. For many others, it was not clear. BTW...it is scoring well, so I guess I am just not hip.


5. Doritos: The giant mouse whaling on the guy was funny...and oddly violent for Doritos. Sometimes, user-generated content reflects my earlier comment about the decline of civilization.


6. Bud Light: OK, it was sophmoric, but "Breathing Fire" made me laugh. Still won't be buying BL, but I did laugh.


7. CareerBuilder: Hopefully they can help the creatives at W&K land new gigs.


8. SalesGenie: Vin Gupta...don't leave your day job. BTW, I think there ought to be a law against selling mailing lists as "leads." The names on those lists typically don't want to hear from you, don't want to buy from you, and certainly would not want to have a drink after work with you.

I really am not a curmudgeon, but if what I saw represents the pinnacle of American advertising art, it is time for some change in the industry.

Posted by jcioban at 8:46 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 3, 2008

ComScore Internet 2007 Report Released

ComScore has released its 2007 Internet Year-in-Review report highlighting the major trends in U.S. Internet activity.

No surprise...Google is even more powerful at the end of 2007 than it was starting the year. Women's communities showed major growth as a category, and Office Max's powerful year-end viral ElfYourself campaign drew so much traffic it launched the company into 3rd position in growth percentage. Now that's a marketing campaign!

Posted by jcioban at 2:28 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Irrational Exuberance Redux

I was looking at the cost-per-click for some B2B categories the other day..."data center" top position was running over $20.00.

Huh? Maybe I don't get it, but this is a "click" folks. I do agree that SEM is a powerful and necessary tool, but paying that high a number on a general term seems over the top, especially based on what the click-thru links were on some of the top sites.

Some thoughts:

1. If you are going to pay a high click value, make the landing page really relevant and highly actionable. Content is king and the reader better know exactly why you brought them to your site within 3 seconds


2. Evaluate your broad marketing strategy. While SEM is targeted and "laser-like", it remains only one part of a broader strategy. Over-reliance on any one part of a solid marketing campaign can lead to expensive disappointment.

Repeat after me...content is king. If you aren't ready to pay off a SEM click with good content, there are probably cheaper methods for generating broad awareness on a CPM basis.

It remains amazing, but not surprising, how history repeats itself when marketers hear about a new technique that will deliver the "mother-of-all-lead-generation-programs."

Posted by jcioban at 11:36 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 1, 2008

A Super Slide To Irrelevance?

Ahhh, February 1. It's spring again…for the ad business at least. It seems with the impended airing of the world's last great eyeball aggregator -- a.k.a. The Super Bowl -- there is a flurry of focus on the world of Madison and Vine. YouTube, www.superbowl-ads.com, AOLSports ... even Spike TV ... everyone is already set to post those treasured spots for viewing by millions of people on their computers and portable devices. And for one day, marketers willing to spend millions can have a shot at influencing vast numbers of TV viewers with a single 30-second spot. How retro.

Thus, it is with some irony that 2008 brings the confluence of the Super Bowl overlaid upon the continuing writers' strike -- an ongoing nightmare that has people seriously considering what the long-term impact of the strike will be on TV viewership. What was once idle speculation is becoming the fodder for many blog postings. As early as November 2007, TechCrunch speculated that the strike was an opportunity for millions of online properties to blossom. Now, three months later, that posting seems prescient.

In fact, TV does not just go away. Instead, it will transform as the world of analog, unidirectional, broadcast television morphs into a digital, bidirectional, immersive medium. The nature of shows will change as viewers adapt to the capabilities of the new medium. But, as the strike wears on and the YouTubes continue to garner more clicks, with once loyal viewers begining to experience the options available to them, the nature of TV is getting a little nudge toward its future -- like it or not. And if you're a CMO used to leveraging television as a foundation for marketing your wares, I would suggest you are getting a little nudge too.

BTW...those crazy advertisers...all those YouTube, AOL, Spike, etc clicks are rapidly turning their media buy into something that looks a lot more logical, huh?

Happy Super Bowl viewing!

Posted by jcioban at 8:04 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

January 20, 2008

Flowers With ATTITUDE

Every once in a while, you come across an example of marketing that really captures the essence of the craft. Thanks to Seth Godin for providing this posting to an Atlanta area florist with a great positioning and marketing style.

They have obviously thought about ways to differentiate and have approached the florist business with an eye on bringing FTD up-to-date for a new generation of buyers. Hey, it's not for everybody, but that's the point of good marketing. Read the descriptions of the products including the Broquet...great stuff.

Posted by jcioban at 2:56 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

January 16, 2008

Tips on Great Presentations

Most Powerpoint presentations suck. Sorry for the harsh language, but sometimes the truth hurts.

So this posting titled "Ten Questions With Garr Reynolds" by Guy Kawasaki on his How To Change The World blog should be considered required reading. The posting introduces some key thoughts by Reynolds, author of the book "Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery (Voices That Matter)" and the blog PresentationZen.

Best takeaway...the response to the question "What is the single most important thing people could do to enhance their presentations?"

The answer: "Turn off the computer, grab some paper and a pencil, and find someplace quiet. Think of the audience. What is it they need? What is it you want to say that they need to hear. Identify what’s important and what is not. You can’t say everything in a twenty-minute talk—or even a two-hour talk."

To so many things today, I think the advice "turn off the computer" is a great response. Too often we start creating before thinking...bad, bad, bad.

Posted by jcioban at 12:13 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

December 3, 2007

DM Made Simple

Great marketing is not always complex, expensive and flashy. Sometimes, it is brilliant in its simplicity, and elegant in its cleanliness.

Check out this blog about the direct mail for a Belgian optician done by Proximity BBDO (Belgium). Very cool. Great direct mail. Damn...I wish I'd thought of that..... ;-)

Posted by jcioban at 1:01 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

October 29, 2007

Registration Forms and Opt-In Practices

Check out this Get Elastic blog posting "Registration Usability - 87 Registration Forms Tested" containing interesting data on the registration and opt-in practices of 87 e-commerce Web sites.

My favorite factoid was that only 14% of sites actually listed the benefits of registration. Increasingly e-mail weary readers are overwhelmingly suspect of any registration process, and to ask people to register without clearly telling them what's in it for them is silly. In addition, the reasons have to be clear and believable. As suggested in the blog, bullet points that are easy and fast to read are highly preferable to long copy blocks.

Nice posting.

Posted by jcioban at 11:57 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 29, 2007

The Fallacy Of People Don't Read Anymore

Here's a link to some great thinking on copywriting by the highly-respected Drew McLellan author of Drew's Marketing Minute , a blog currently ranking #37 on Todd And's Power 150 Marketing Blogs.

Drew's observations are built around the J. Peterman catalog. J. Peterman was made famous on Seinfeld before an infamous stint in bankruptcy. Now resurrected, the J. Peterman catalog and website are carving a distinct brand niche with their clothing. And the copywriting is brand-consistent, differentiating and ...perish the thought....FUN.

OK, I exist in a B2B world, as do many of you. So, is there anything to be learned from this. I contend yes. All copywriting is about appropriateness — in length and style. But appropriate is not defined rigorously -- it is defined by the brand and the presumed reader use. Everyone is TOO busy, businesspeople AND consumers. To me, the message of Drew's post is in writing's ability to make busy people slow down. If people are not reading your copy, could it be that the words are neither compelling nor relevant to the reader!?!?

Many thanks to Drew for helping point this out.

Posted by jcioban at 11:40 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 6, 2007

Best-of-Breed Corporate Blogs

Just saw an article in BtoB Magazine titled " Looking at the best-of-breed blogs". Not sure that I agree with a couple of the selections (more later), but here is the list:

GM FastLane
Nuts About Southwest
Benetton Talk
Road Warrior Tips
ShopFloor.org
Direct2Dell

I might quibble a little about GM, and ShopFloor.org is a bit unusual since it is a primary communication vehicle for the organization. However, there are a couple of interesting lessons.

First...Southwest shows how much faith you need to have if you really want to launch a successful corporate blog. It really unleashed the employees. Benetton shows how much you have to believe in your own message. Left-leaning and clearly political, that's a blog not many corporations would be comfortable with in the U.S. And Dell showed perseverence can pay off. They made mistakes, took their beating, then got back up and still succeeded.

Posted by jcioban at 7:51 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 5, 2007

Marketing Gone Wild

Building on yesterday's critique of an ad, I offer yet another example of marketing gone wild. Here is the official logo of the 2012 Olympics being held in London:

On the official Olympics site, here is the explanation:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Available in four colours - pink, blue, green and orange - the new emblem is modern and will be dynamic, evolving in the years between now and 2012.

It symbolises the Olympic spirit and the ability of the Games to inspire people to take part - not just as spectators, but as volunteers, in the Cultural Olympiad and more.

Launching the brand at the Roundhouse in North London, London 2012 Chair Seb Coe said:

"London 2012 will be 'Everyone's Games', everyone's 2012. This is the vision at the very heart of our brand.

It will define the venues we build and the Games we hold and act as a reminder of our promise to use the Olympic spirit to inspire everyone and reach out to young people around the world.

It is an invitation to take part and be involved."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Words escape me.

But, Seth Godin did a great job of describing the reaction of many:
"If you are paying money to someone who talks like this, may I suggest you stop? And if you work for someone who talks like this, time to look for a new gig."

Thank you, Seth.

Posted by jcioban at 7:24 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 3, 2007

The Attack of the Killer Ad

This is not AdRants and it is not my normal posting to be critiqueing ads. But every so often, I see an ad that reminds of everything wrong a company can do with its B2B ad budget. This ad from Kyocera caught my attention in just that way.

(Click image to view larger size)

I assume, the concept was awareness, and BusinessWeek (where this ad was running)certainly has reach. But, is "color" really a value proposition for placing an ad that costs tens of thousands of dollars? I assume the point was to let people know that Kyocera is in the color game but the very soft copy does not make a bold statement -- and there are NO differentiators versus competition. The art direction is out-of-control. The Web site listing is for the Home Page -- there is no campaign-specific landing page to quickly get a reader to a payoff. Finally, the placement: BusinessWeek. Many ads in BusinessWeek are "investor-oriented. But for all that money, this is clearly not an investor ad, yet it has a weak call to action.

To be effective, B2B ads need to be clear, express a strong value proposition, explain the simple benefit for the customer, preferably have a strong call to action, and must run in media that are demographically correct. This ad misses the mark on many levels and is a great case study for any company working on ads for B2B media...a study in what not to do.

Posted by jcioban at 8:15 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Delivering An Experience

In the June 11, 2007 issue of BusinessWeek, there is a a great quote from Allen Adamson of Landor Associates: "It is far more complicated to deliver an experience than it is to deliver entertainment on a screen. You have to rely on employees to do so, and just ask any fast-food chain how complicated that is."

The article was about Nickolodean's foray in to branded hotels. But, the words are valuable to virtually any business where customer service matters. Frankly, whether you are in a consumer-oriented or B2B company, that means you. As I have written before, buyer loyalty is harder than ever to maintain, and more any more companies....all the way to those selling through retail chains...need to think about what their "consumer experience" really is.

Posted by jcioban at 7:20 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 16, 2007

B-to-B Advertising Venues Update

The BtoB Magazine ranking of the Top 50 b-to-b advertising venues is out. Number 2 on the list...Google, which as the article points out, accounts for nearly 50% of all searches conducted in the U.S.

Whether you are major manufacturer or a local dealer, Search Engine Optimization and a basic paid ad plan on Google should be top-of-mind.

BTW...three relative newcomers in the Web world are on the list: AllBusiness.com, Business.com, and Global Spec. If you are not aware of these fast-growing sites, visit now!

Posted by jcioban at 6:57 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

An Ad With Honesty (?) And What We Can Learn

I don't know if anyone has seen the new post-bankruptcy ad campaign for Delta. Brandweek provided some coverage, and here is a link to a sample.

As consumers, we are pretty cynical...once burned, we have less faith. And Lord knows, we have lost faith in major airlines. Jay Leno had a great joke about airlines not raising prices to compensate for rising fuel costs...instead cutting services. He quipped, "Cutting services?? What is Southwest going to take out the seats and make flights standing-room only??"

So the new Delta ads, with their mea culpa is likely to meet with skepticism in the marketplace. But, I found something very interesting in them. It is in our normal marketing culture to never "admit" to failure or "acknowledge" problems in public. We do that in our personal lives as well -- it seems almost ingrained in our genetic makeup. That is why the ads are so fascinating. In one TV ad segment, the camera pans an empty airline lobby with dirty walls and part of a faded Delta logo while the voice-over ponders about past failures. That image really connected with me, since it so vividly reminded the viewer about Delta's bankruptcy. In normal marketing, companies just don't make that type of admission. Yeah, it's just marketing and I am not here to shill for Delta. But it is also in our genetics to forgive. And at least for me, I'd rather have a company admit they screwed up than treat me like nothing happened.

I think there is something here for all marketers. I have often been in creative meetings where clients trying to overcome a "challenge" vehemently reject the "truth" in favor of warmed-over pablum. I think Delta's head-on approach works. It may not help save the airline, and lots of people will hate these ads, but in my view...it worked.

Somthing to think about in your business as well. Especially in customer service in a small dealership or VAR location. When you are growing, sometimes you make mistakes. When you do, telling the customer openly that you made a mistake and what you are doing to avoid the problem in the future is usually the right call.

Now, if Delta could only figure out the on-time arrival thing and also figure out how a vacuum works...

Posted by jcioban at 6:27 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 8, 2007

Personalized Contact Redux

I read a funny sidebar in CRN (formerly Computer Reseller News) about recruiting developers in the Web 2.0 bubble. Why funny? A creative recruiting e-mail went to David Heinemeier Hansson, a partner in the software company 37 Signals and the creator of the Ruby on Rails Web development framework. The e-mail offered a development opportunity with the note "It looks like you have an interest in this news and exciting framework." Duh.

Of course, it is also a sad commentary on how badly and frequently misused e-mail marketing is. Given the continuing growth in the e-mail marketing backlash, sending these type of messages feeds into the hands of the growing legions of people screaming for a "Do Not E-Mail" registry.

E-Mail can be a powerful communications medium, but only if we as marketers do not kill it before its value can be matured.

Posted by jcioban at 1:17 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 1, 2007

Rethinking Value

I was in a long conversation this morning talking about the evolution of some distribution channels (high end printing and copiers/office automation). We got on to the Dealer 2.0 conversation again, and the whole concept of delivering value.

Here is a really interesting example of "rethinking value" and adjusting your positioing and messaging to adapt to an evolving customer base.

What is your impression of a gas station? Every really "want" to stop to use the restroom...or did you just "need" to stop?? Along with the campiagn microsite, this is a great example of rethinking value.

How could you apply that in your business? Dealers...how can you pick up the ball and apply it as well?

Thanks for pointing this out to BrandFlakesforBreakfast.

Posted by jcioban at 1:35 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Top Ten Issues Facing Senior Marketers in 2007

There was a sidebar in lst week's AdAge that I found interesting. It was titled "Top 10: Issues Facing Senior Marketers in 2007." Here is the list:
1: Integrated Marketing Communications
2: Accountability
3: Aligning Marketing Organization with Innovation
4: Building Strong Brands
5: Media Proliferation
6: Consumer Control Over What and How They View Advertising
7: Globalization of Marketing Efforts
8: Growth of Multicultural Consumer Segments
9: Advertising Creative That Achieves Business Results
10: Attracting and Retaining Top Talent

Two items caught my attention...#2 (Accountability) and #9 (Creative That Achieves Business Results). I find it fascinating that marketers believe "accountability" is an issue. Could it be that "they've been left alone too long to develop creative that has nothing to do with business results?"

Brand still matters...in fact, perhaps more than ever, but branding alone does not guarantee a positive customer experience through the full customer lifecycle, and companies need to invest across the spectrum of touchpoints to ensure that positive experience. For each step, that means every dollar is precious...so get used to being accountable...it is the new way of life.

Posted by jcioban at 1:11 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 26, 2007

You Don't Want To Buy A Drill, You Want To Buy A Hole....

Rabert Faletra is the Channel Group President at CMP, publishers of the tech industry's most august publications. (CRN, VARBusiness and others). Their ChannelWeb.com website is a very nice online resource for tech industry VARs (and obviously an ad destination for the industry's myriad suppliers...).

In his April 16 editorial in CRN (formerly Computer Reseller News if you are not familiar with the publication), he exhorted readers how important it is to take discussions away from technology...or "best of breed"... and to get them onto subjects that matter to customers. He had a great line: "Selling technology is a raffle." How true.

Unfortunately, it is amazing how badly many companies are at delivering on that simple-sounding strategy. It turns out, as salespeople, we are conditioned to want to sell "products" and not "solutions". It reminds me of the classic story about Ted Levitt's Harvard Business School exhortation to his students, "People don't want to buy a quarter-inch drill. They want a quarter-inch hole." Since we can't buy "holes", we buy "drills"...but that doesn't change what is important to the customer...it's the result, not the tool. So why is it that copier dealers want to sell "MFPs" or car dealers want to sell "SUVs"?

For one, it's easier. If you are trying to sell a prospect on the quality of your "upscale, aspirational transportation" it can be confusing versus talking about the Escalade's elegant interior or tricked-out ride. It's hard to talk about "optimized document production process" versus your "low-cost, 25 PPM multifunction printer with ADP, finishing and high-volume paper tray". And besides, most manufacturers love to talk about their "stuff". Just like a bunch of men talking about "who's bigger" they forget that "size doesn't matter." (Female readers...apologies for the reference...but I couldn't resist the analogy.... ;-)

However, the times they are a' changing. Customers are getting smarter and information transparency makes it easy to learn product specs and subsequently bargain on price like a buyer in a Marrakech souk. Failure to get a customer to talk about the issue they are trying to solve makes it hard to compete on other than easily commoditized features/benefits.

As Bob Faletra said, "Solve problems, but never sell technology." Good advice for people in lots of industries...tech and beyond.

Posted by jcioban at 8:06 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 6, 2007

A Lesson in Web 2.0 Marketing...From A Car Dealer! (Rated R ;-)

Regular readers know that I rail frequently about the need for dealers (in any industry) to get a message out that speaks of THEIR value and avoids copycat product-babble.

So alas, I present to you the video component of a promotional campaign for Clay Automotive, courtesy of our friends at AdRants.com and Catch Up Lady, that simply and humorously demonstrates the art of local promotion. This viral video, and the associated Website (www.dontgettaken.com) are humorous while also being informative and highly differentiating. This is dealer marketing at its best and a real lesson for channel marketing professionals.

Who wouldn't want to buy from these guys....

Posted by jcioban at 6:56 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

E-Mail Marketing: Coming Of Age??

I read about the latest Forrester report on e-mail marketing, "Email Marketing Comes of Age" in DMNews Online and was pleasantly surprised by some of the data: click-through rates remain steady (since 2003) at around 5%; e-mail readers spend over 138% more on products they see advertised in e-mail than their non-e-mail marketing counterparts.

However, the line I keyed on was from Shar VanBoskirk, the Forrester analyst who authored the report, "The responsibility of marketers today is to think strategically about how to incorporate e-mail into an overall marketing program and how to reap the benefits of a good e-mail program." Why?

E-Mail marketing is unlike other media because low cost is quickly leading to heavier and heavier use. Diana Dilworth in DMNews noted that the Forester report identified that 94% of its surveyed marketers are using e-mail marketing. While that number is obviously skewed by their sample set, (I know lots of small business who are not doing "e-mail marketing" in any classical use of the term) it is fair to say that the medium is getting a lot of attention. And as I noted, that worries me. Volume in e-mail is hard to "ignore" so it is unlike advertising...and unlike direct mail, it's low cost makes it easy to do regularly.

Which leads to my thought that the greatest threat to e-mail over time remains misuse by larger marketers (I have gotten 7-8 Gevalia e-mails in the last month) and plain old use by small businesses, non-profits and other organizations. As noted in a previous post, with over 24 million small businesses in the US, if each sent you one e-mail per year, you would receive an average of 652 e-mails every day. Overuse will not only force a restructuring of the medium, but it will also create weary consumers who begin to tune out the medium. And THAT, as advertisers everywhere are already experiencing with traditional media, is a REAL threat.

So, what to make of MarketingProfs blog author Roy Young's posting titled "The Biggest Threat To Email Marketing..." in which he identified the threat as "the failure of marketers to "market" email as a communications vehicle to senior management." I know lots of CEO's who will take the raw numbers and encourage increased use (reactive management at its best.) But, the answer is not in MORE e-mail, but in BETTER e-mail. That may be implied in Roy's post, but it was worth emphasizing.

Posted by jcioban at 5:31 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

March 20, 2007

Bad Behavior Begets More Resistant Readers

The challenge of geting consumers or B2B prospects to respond to any lead generation program is making people downright liars. Recently, I got a very creative mailing from Ricoh with the message outside saying "Your Rebate Information Enclosed." Well, surprise...there was indeed information about a rebate program, but the mailing was intentionally designed to look like a "check" in a secure mailing format to get me to open it and read the promo. Misleading...but not technically a lie (and, truth be told...it did trick me into opening.)

But, I was reading AdRants earlier today and came across the post "Bank of America Direct Mail Misleads." The article rails against a BoA promo with the message "Account Information Enclosed" on the outside of the envelope. You guessed it...just another promo.

I understand the rationale for the approach, but as mailboxes, inboxes, TVs, radios, etc. fill with ads, and unwanted solicitations, it is fueling the backlash against marketing that is making it harder to break through. Bad behavior begets more resistant readers. And, that marketing readers, is real food for thought.

Posted by jcioban at 9:39 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack