As the world of digital marketing becomes more complex, consumers are
generating huge amounts of data and marketers are able to get more of
it. So much, in fact, that many marketers find themselves drowning in
it. Data and measurement are no longer about the end result of your
marketing; they’re about understanding customer behavior and making
smarter decisions at the beginning. Ready to dig in?
There is no phrase that strikes greater fear in the hearts of advertising agencies everywhere or racks up more unbillable hours faster than the dreaded Request for Proposal (RFP). Now, as a "seasoned" professional, I recognize that the chances of the RFP becoming a thing of the past are about equal to that of my teenage son choosing to hang out with me on a Saturday night.
But, having written the responses to quite a few RFPs (even winning some!), I'd like to offer these suggestions to all those potential clients out there on how to make the process less painful . . . and hopefully, more productive.
Five years ago my mobile carrier invited me into their VIP program only
to drop the program about two years later without notice or explanation.
I've seen a number of loyalty programs that require customers to apply
to join or provide a coupon they have to mail in to receive the program
benefits. Is it really a good idea to make your customers work for their
loyalty?
As an article in the February 2011 issue of Deliver Magazine
noted, "There's no shortage of vendors offering something for next to
nothing," and, "if it seems too good to be true, it probably is."
To those companies who continue to cut or maintain flat marketing budgets during these tough times, and the others who think they are doing just fine with reduced spends, I'd like to remind them not to forget the "I" in the ROI. While we do not want to minimize the return on any marketing investment, it is just that - an investment, which will have long-term (as well as short-term) effects on your company's goals.
It seems that today's corporate landscape is increasingly embracing
its sense of social obligation. Whether supporting the fight against
deforestation or revitalizing a small, once-thriving steel town, tapping
into the human emotion no doubt reinforces the integrity of a brand.
Levi Strauss spent millions planting itself firmly in the American landscape, right there with apple pie and old Chevrolets. Having gone one step further the past year, Levi Strauss engaged consumers in its "Go Forth" campaign about rolling up their sleeves and identifying with the residents of Braddock, Pennsylvania. The approach was to relay the message that real change only comes with real hard work.
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