Can you think of the last time you were engaged in a marketing research project? If you’re like most business people, when you hear that question you’re probably thinking about some long-range, very intensive, data-gathering exercise that involved a lot of time, a lot of money and a lot of data analysis. And, yes, that is research. But we’re guessing that you are engaged in research far more frequently than you realize. Importantly, your research efforts don’t have to be full-blown initiatives that involve extensive quantitative research and analysis. Sometimes, yes–but, often, no. The trick is determining when you need to gather more information. And that comes down to two important steps: Continue reading “Marketing Research: It’s All About Answering Questions”
Category: Marketing
Marketing Strategies: Facebook Campaigns
I came across two photos the other day with some ordinary people doing some extraordinary marketing campaigns, and generating phenomenal results via Facebook. Continue reading “Marketing Strategies: Facebook Campaigns”
The Three C’s to Cementing Your Brand in the Minds of Your Market: Coca-Cola Style
“Creativity has been and always will be at the heart of our brands. It fuels our business – with consumers, customers, fans, agencies and partners all over the world,” says Joseph Tripodi, Executive VP, CMO and CCO of The Coca-Cola Company.
Branding Magazine as well as other companies and people around the world consider Coca-Cola as one of the most recognized brands. In addition to ensuring a high quality product and positive consumer experiences across multiple touch points, every year, Coca-Cola spends billions of dollars on creative, hilarious, and inspiring advertisements. Branding, as we’ve discussed extends far beyond the logo and company colors. However, those elements are key in connecting with consumers over time and keeping your name front and center–and recognized!
Coca-Cola’s simple, colorful design, has done just that. It’s proven to be extremely effective in making connections with consumers to market the company, and its products, literally around the world.
So how do you cement your brand in the minds of your market as Coca-Cola has? Follow these three C’s. Continue reading “The Three C’s to Cementing Your Brand in the Minds of Your Market: Coca-Cola Style”
Introduction to FourSquare
In the generation of the iPhone, Apple users are always looking for new, interesting, and most importantly, free apps to explore. Joining the popular Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram is Foursquare, a check-in app and website that makes the most of where you go. FourSquare, like many social media options is “fun,” but it’s also a practical option for businesses hoping to connect with various audiences. Continue reading “Introduction to FourSquare”
Getting #Personal: How Engaging Social Media Visitors in Conversation Can Boost Engagement
A good place to keep your clients, customers, and employees engaged is online. Interaction is key, and a critical element of keeping people engaged and interested. You can do this on social networks, blogs, emails, and websites.
Here’s an example that comes from an intern of mine, who reached out and tweeted to a company that makes an interesting Mac app. Continue reading “Getting #Personal: How Engaging Social Media Visitors in Conversation Can Boost Engagement”
Small Businesses and Local Advertising
Should small businesses use local advertising? While this is one of those questions that can quickly be responded to with “it depends…,” if the market is a local one I do tend to believe that local advertising makes sense. And I’m not alone. Consider the increase in local online advertising among many marketers. Local online advertising was predicted to surge by 18 percent in 2012 to $18.5 billion
, according to paidContent.
The bigger the world gets, the more opportunities to leverage a small circle of influence I think. Just as when generating followers, friends and fans through social media Continue reading “Small Businesses and Local Advertising”
Connecting With Your Audiences Through Social Media
As hard as it may be to believe, not everybody is engaged in social media these days. And, even those who have profiles established on sites like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter may not be active participants and, importantly, may not be seeing your communications, regardless of how frequently you post or how brilliant your insights are.
In my work as a marketing communication consultant I work with clients regularly to assess and improve their communications, including online communications. The first area of discussion Continue reading “Connecting With Your Audiences Through Social Media”
Markets Can’t Really Tell Us How They’re Influenced
I’m a proponent of marketing research and the use of data to drive business decisions at every level and in every aspect of organizational performance. I recognize, though, that sometimes the predictive value of research can be questionable and that it can be most useful to evaluate actual behaviors to support future decisions.
Advertising efforts are a good example of this. Continue reading “Markets Can’t Really Tell Us How They’re Influenced”
Talking Baby Ads Working, but E*Trade Not So Much – How Does That Work?
I recently read a very interesting–and puzzling–article in AdvertisingAge about E*Trade’s recent management shakeup. The company is apparently searching for a new CEO after unexpectedly parting with its current CEO in August. The article goes on to talk about the company’s stock slump and general poor performance. The surprising part, to me, is that Continue reading “Talking Baby Ads Working, but E*Trade Not So Much – How Does That Work?”
Ramp Up Your Email Marketing Effectiveness
I did an interview recently with a reporter who was looking for tips on email marketing effectiveness. Whenever I do this type of thing, or write bout email or Internet marketing, or even *think* about email or Internet marketing, I’m always struck with how very much the *same* online marketing is to traditional marketing. The tools may be different. The reach may be different. But the bottom line, by and large, is that the techniques Continue reading “Ramp Up Your Email Marketing Effectiveness”