A Measured Approach

Here’s my annual list of what to expect, marketing-wise, in the upcoming 12 months. Time will tell how accurate these are, although my 2009 list was fairly spot-on:

#10) Mobile advertising will still NOT flourish in North America in 2010. However, if the Google mobile phone becomes a hit it could make a late-year run and enter 2011 with great momentum.

#9) The web will continue to grow and play an even more important role in great, measurable marketing. Websites that create relevance, with smart use of microsites, and also help develop a dialog, will reign supreme. One-way websites will be viewed as antiquated and ineffective; YouTube will grow in its importance for traditional TV-based advertisers (:30 second commercials will decline greatly). Google Analytics will continue to gain users and importance.

#8) Wal-Mart’s attempt to compete with Amazon will prove more

You have to love the power of emerging, instant communication. However, just like the old days, if we like something, we tell some people; if we hate something we seem to tell everyone we know.

This post talks about the strong start — advanced ticket sales for the movie Bruno — and it’s rapid decline in ticket sales each day after its premiere. They are blaming a bad movie and the instant power of Twitter.

One thing for sure, it’s not the same marketing world most of us grew up in anymore.

Pandora, an online music site that helps you discover music you like by artist’s you have often never heard of has tested and had success with mobile phone ads. You can read it here.

The site now has 6 million mobile phone users (27 million total users) and that has gotten the attention of Target, Best Buy and Nike, among others. The story also details results, which seem impressive.

As the owner of a measurable marketing advertising agency I see all sorts of curious marketing strategies and tactics. However, the one that amazes me most is how little, even the most sophisticated marketers, pay to retention of clients. I could tell you stories.

When times get tough, that’s precisely where your marketing can have the greatest impact. Ask Twitter. A new study has determined that while Twitter is hotter than the Arizona desert in August (their user base doubled in March), they fail to retain the new users into the second month, losing an astonishing 60% plus in month two. Here are the details.

Ouch. That’s a business model that needs help.

Back to the basics, that’s the wake-up call marketers need to answer right now. That means paying attention to the folks who have been with you, treating them like the special people they are to you and your organization and partnering together to increase results while reducing their marketing spend.

A friend asked a good question that is very pertinent in today’s economy: “How do you position your marketing in a recession?” I have some opinions, based upon real world experiences that might be helpful:

Make sure you focus on customer service and retention FIRST.

*To create raving fans you need to prove that you care about your customers. If you do that, when you go to them and ask for additional business, referrals and testimonials, they will be more than happy to help. I would say that far too many companies, even in this economy, assume that their customers will stick with them. Don’t assume. Actions speak volumes over words. more

Check out this T-mobile viral video. Well over 1 million views in a week. Impressive. Or is it? This viral marketing masterpiece is being viewed, no doubt about that. BUT, is it selling phones/plans? You see, when you do measurable marketing it’s not about just measuring, it’s about measuring the correct things. In this case, sales. Buzz without business is typically just noise. Time will tell if this moves some phones.