Category: Marketing Measurement

Contextualized Advertising: Just “Preaching to the Choir”?

The older I get, the more I recognize the inevitable cycles that occur all around  me, from fashion trends to areas of marketing focus. It’s the yin and yang of life I suppose; we naturally shift back and forth between preferences for one thing or another. And, it is likely true that there is nothing really “new” under the sun, just recycled or updated twists on things that have gone before.

Except, perhaps, in the world of online marketing. One of the latest trends–contextualized advertising–offers marketers the ability to almost “get inside the heads” of potential consumers to deliver messages to them based not only on places they’ve visited online, but for things that might be geographically or contextually relevant to them.

For instance. You’re walking down the street on a hot summer day and you get a text message telling you about a great deal on ice cream at a shop that is now literally 10 steps away from you. Or, you’re driving to a vacation destination and a special deal on a hotel at the next exit pops up. That’s contextual advertising and it’s all the rage right now. Although, of course, nobody quite knows yet Continue reading “Contextualized Advertising: Just “Preaching to the Choir”?”

Common Marketing Research Survey Errors

Surveys and polls are two little tools that are widely used and often incorrectly. They’re tools that look easy enough to create and, after all, with apps like Survey Monkey, Zoomerang and others widely available they are vastly easier to prepare than in days gone by.

Yet, despite the ease and availability of tools to help in the process, far too many surveys and polls contain very easy to avoid errors that can cause the results attained to be of questionable value. I work with both students and clients on the development and use of marketing research instruments, and I often review and provide feedback on survey instruments. Some of the most common errors I see include: Continue reading “Common Marketing Research Survey Errors”

Yes, the C-suite is concerned about ROI — communicators should be too!

I’ve been speaking and writing a lot about how communicators can do a better job of connecting with C-suite leaders to get traction for their ideas and proposals. Most recently, I presented a webinar for Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media and Ragan Communications on How to Talk Social Media to Your Hospital C-Suite. I also wrote a series of articles on the topic for IABC’s Communication World earlier this year. And I have a presentation coming up in May for Health Leaders Media.

Much of my work and research has been around issues related to social media but, in truth,
Continue reading “Yes, the C-suite is concerned about ROI — communicators should be too!”

Communicating Efficiently Online

Expanding communication opportunities bring both benefits and challenges to marketers today. While the availability of a wide range of communication options can be empowering, it can also be overwhelming. Which to use? When? How? How can you ensure that you’re not just wasting your time?

Marketing staff at both large and small organizations are finding themselves faced with significant opportunities today, but these opportunities can translate into a significant amount of work. What can they do to ensure that their time is being spent most effectively? Continue reading “Communicating Efficiently Online”

What Are the “Right” Metrics to Measure Marketing Effectiveness?

Over time, I’ve come to realize two things about my love for marketing:

  • I’m addicted to response. There’s nothing I like better than developing strategies and tactics, implementing them and seeing how well they worked. The higher the numbers, the greater the rush. The lower the numbers, the greater my need to boost them.
  • I’m comfortable with—even driven by—the ambiguity of marketing. There are no truly “right” answers to a lot of the questions that marketers ask, and I’m okay with that.

One of the questions that there isn’t a “right” answer to is a question that is posed frequently these days. “What are the ‘right’ metrics to measure marketing effectiveness?” Continue reading “What Are the “Right” Metrics to Measure Marketing Effectiveness?”

Looking for the next big marketing idea? Unless it’s tied to real, bottom-line results don’t bother!

Marketers, advertisers, marketing communication strategists, copywriters, designers, videographers, etc., etc., etc., often talk about “the big idea” – and much of their time, effort and brainstorming activities are directed at identifying that “big idea” – that one thing that will… That will what? It is at this critical juncture between the idea and what that idea is intended to do, I think, where creatives often fail to get the point.

Here’s the thing: Continue reading “Looking for the next big marketing idea? Unless it’s tied to real, bottom-line results don’t bother!”

Should You Have a Blog?

A business colleague of mine recently asked me what I thought about the value of a blog. Seems a vendor she was working with was recommending a blog and she really didn’t see the value. There are, though, two very important reasons that those wishing to build an online presence should consider managing a blog (and a few other, secondary, reasons). Continue reading “Should You Have a Blog?”

How Can You Measure Your Advertising Effectiveness?

It’s very important for businesses of any size to track the results of their marketing campaigns. Small businesses, in particular, are often “budget-challenged,” so it is especially important that they know that their marketing efforts are achieving desired results. The biggest benefit is that they will have information to tell them how to use their marketing budget most effectively.
There are a variety of ways they might track the effectiveness of these campaigns: Continue reading “How Can You Measure Your Advertising Effectiveness?”

Common Marketing Research Mistakes

I was interviewed recently by a major business publication about common marketing research mistakes that businesses make. As someone who has been involved in marketing research – conducting research, contracting with vendors to conduct research, writing about and teaching market research courses – I was able to share a number of examples of things I’ve seen (and sometimes that I’ve done myself!). Continue reading “Common Marketing Research Mistakes”