REPUTATION OBSERVATION AND ANALYSIS SPECIALIST

Digital marketer Eric Anderson argues that “[c]onsumer empowerment through social media is inevitable and permanent, irrespective of the specific channel or technology.” This is mainly due to the sense of freedom that people feel when they rely on – and turn to – peers for information.  As a result, he says – “[t]he criteria for successful social… Continue reading Marketers can use their brand expertise to break through the clutter

One of the oldest marketing tools in memory The one thing that seems to elude many marketers is the ability to attain – and maintain – customers’ interest in their brand over time. It is one thing to get customers to read one’s copy and click over to a website, respond to or forward an… Continue reading Using memes to make connections that last

Consumers look for their own reason to buy Traditionally, marketers create and offer an attractive, often seductive ‘reason to buy’ and use a variety of channels to make sure that the voice of their brand is presented to,  and noticed by, customers on their journey to the Point of Sale (POS) or the shelf. If… Continue reading 10.7 sources of pre-purchase information per shopper

Avoiding the trap In his book Marketing in the 21st Century: Interactive and multi-channel marketing, Marketing Professor Bruce Keillor offers four interrelated components that constitute eCRM campaigns. Firstly, he says, eCRM programs aim to use the Internet to understand the customer. Secondly, eCRM helps marketers to match products with the ‘right’ customers. Thirdly, eCRM sells to… Continue reading A marketer’s multi-channel dilemma: everything to everyone, everywhere

Consider recipients 47 years ago, in 1971, computer engineer Ray Tomlinson invented internet based email and, for those who wonder – email is very much alive and is going strong. According to eMarketer (quoted here) 93% of online consumers have subscribed to receive permission-based email at least once a day. 83% check their email at least once per… Continue reading Thinking like a recipient

From Information to Knowledge Traditionally, information-reliant industries such as marketing, seek to assess the inherent value of the information they own, acquire and use. Resolving that, essentially, information can be considered a commodity, marketers apply a formula based on Return on Investment (ROI) – defined simply as “the amount of profit …. from an investment made.”

The four attitudes  One of the most astute assessments of the relationship between humans and technology appears in the glossary of “The Handbook of Technology Management” under “Technology Readiness” which, according to the book, is the “propensity to use and adopt technologies for accomplishing goals in one’s personal and professional life.”

The need for Immediacy underlines brand-communication Research shows that, increasingly, customers have replaced values linked to individualism, freedom, reason and globalisation with values such as community, authenticity and – notably – proximity. This means that marketers need to be as close as possible – both in location and time – to their target market, in order… Continue reading Harnessing the immediacy genie

Personalisation, old companion and sidekick Personalisation has a long and distinguished history among marketers. Direct Marketing personalisation techniques range from the simple “Dear [FirstName] It’s Your Birthday!” to complex database extrapolations allowing for an automated letter to include customer purchase history (“As someone who purchased 3 of John Grisham’s books in the past…”)