Make it Personal - - eMail Marketers planning to adopt more techniques, including advanced segmentation (42%), personalization (37%) and behavioral targeting (34%).

http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?R=1007573

 

eMail Marketers, surveyed in a recent article by eMarketer, reported that they are going to start to use more advanced segmentation, personalization and behavioral targeting in 2010. 37% plan to add social sharing of their email content.

 

Why aren’t they doing this already? We have used these tactics for years and the cost is minimal and the rewards are fantastic. What was really eye opening in this report was that less than half of the marketers surveyed used re-marketing as a tactic.

 

It’s really all about making it personal. If you engage a consumer through these tactics you have done so because you connected on a personal interest. Engagement is nothing more than connection, and eMail is one of the best touch points for engagement. We use a combination of eMail, Social, Search and Media to engage. Any one of those touch points makes it personal if you are segmenting correctly and sending the right message at the right time.

 

We are hearing a great deal about the decline of email marketing at conferences and summits, but in reality it is a hard working tool that always brings great results for our clients when used in an overarching strategy and not a stand alone medium.

 

Let me know what you think,

Leah

 

Last week I missed a speaking engagement at the annual DMAI conference in Atlanta. It is the first DMAI conference I have missed in 10 years, and I didn't want to. I had my speech prepared but the day before I left, I injured my foot and could not walk, so I did indeed miss the fun of seeing many colleagues that you see only once a year. My speech at these conferences is usually focused on the new emerging technologies and how they impact travel marketers. This year, the focus was Smart and Friendly Web Sites and what does that really mean. I want to point out that sometimes going back to basics makes a lot of sense, especially if a company is not even covering the basics within their program. This especially is true for web sites these days, where there seems to be more concern about small insignificant issues than the basics of content. A Smart and Friendly web site today has a menagerie of components that make it work as smart and friendly, but content is central to all issues. Content has to live on the web site, social sites, on the un-tethered web (mobile), in online advertising and in eCommunications of all kinds. If the content is technologically optimized for multiple channel distribution, if the content is branded in consistent and relevant ways, and if the content is optimized for multiple search distribution then the basics are covered. If you are missing one of these elements then go back to the drawing board. Data confirms that the Smart and Friendly Web Site approach generates business. As evidenced in USDM.net clients, like resort hotels reporting an 18 to 1 return in profits on their spend with USDM.net. Multi channel content distribution from a Smart and Friendly web site is key for eCommerce conversions today. Content is one small piece of Smart and Friendly Web Sites. If you would like to have the complete Report on the subject email me and let me know. Till next time… Leah lwoolford@usdm.net

I was traveling last week and recieved a really shocking email campaign from a resort hotel client. The email took me by surprise, but as I always read client emails or txt messages before any others, I started to read the email which began with: "Our spring online advertising promotion has performed fantastically well, and has returned a revenue to us of 15x our advertising spend!".  Of course the reason that I was shocked is that our goal is to deliver a 3x ROI minimum for our hospitality clients and this one really surprised me. Actually what we have been doing that is quite successful is using a proprietary formula that we devised for online campaign effectiveness.  Notice I did not say "efficiency" since that takes on a whole new meaning from the standpoint of the agency... we want the campaign to be effective no matter how much hard work goes into it.  Our previous campaign for this client returned a 8 to 1 ROI, so this campaign really shocked me... I was hoping for the 8x return : )

Good news is that the economy has caused companies to shift advertising dollars online and they are realizing the effect of the shift. The caution is that not everything works well online and today, more than ever before, it takes deep experience and constant optimization to maximum an online campaign in this economy... especially when you are measuring effectiveness against actual revenue booked from the campaign, as we do.

One more interesting thing... the recent consumer brands caught up in online social faux pas in the past couple of weeks has been interesting to watch. From a marketer's perspective these companies should not only be monitoring the blogosphere and social messaging, but they should contribute as well. Waiting till the last minute to comment can spell real trouble.  This is some interesting reading... http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-twitter20-2009apr20,0,2701874.story

till next time

Leah

 

A major protest against Facebook erupted last week after a change in the company's "terms of service" was reported in a blog. The blog pointed out that new language in the user policy gave Facebook legal rights to Facebook member’s content, including photos.

Members inundated the company with thousands and thousands of “hate mail” about the change. Users were irate that Facebook was now claiming ownership to the consumer generated content in the community. In the same week Facebook realized that they had made a mistake. They changed the policy back.

Consumers have adopted their right to post comments and photos, videos, etc. on community sites, travel sites, blogs, twitter and more. Social commentary is influencing people as they make buying decisions and we as marketers realize how important this content is. In reality this is their content, we are only visitors as marketers.

When thinking about advertising on social marketing platforms or in communities we really have to be careful about how we do that and not violate the trust or the “culture” of the social media. If you really want to reach out to these communities, do it the way you go to a party… don’t just burst in the room and into an ongoing conversation announcing “I am here and I have something to say!”. Move into the room and conversations by respecting what is already going on there and make sure you are contributing in some way… humor, advice, etc.

As marketers we have great tools to work with online. We have to respect the community that makes it all possible.

You can get details of this story in the Mercury News http://www.mercurynews.com/peninsula/ci_11736943

Till next time…

Leah

DID YOU KNOW:

36 million women actively blog every week (publish, read or comment) 

43% of Women stated in a recent survey that they would give up reading newspapers and magazines to continue blogg reading or blog psoting

Regarding the shift from traditional media to online; 22% of women surveyed say we watch less television and read fewer magazines and newspapers because we're blogging because we're blogging

The statistics are compelling for blogging and the need for marketers to embrace it as a part of the UGC of their program. But more and more women are reporting that blogging is a big deal in their lives and their decision-making process about what and when to buy.  More than half of women online consider blogs to be one of their reliable sources for advice and information and say that blogs influence their purchasing decisions, especially about travel. 

We have been developing Web 2.0, digital convergence elements and Social Networking into virtual communities for clients for a couple of years now. While it might have been trend-setting to do it back then, today it is a necessity for marketing travel and many other products and services. It is especially important for those that depend on women as the primary decision maker about purchases.

Developing these elements into your web site and Internet marketing program can be a complex undertaking. There are many decisions to be made and many options to consider.  This is an exciting time in online marketing and blogs, social networking and deploying these empowering technologies for women buyers is exciting also.  Don't ignore the research. Move your program toward a more Web 2.0 offering. Your web visitors who are women will especially appreciate it.

Till next time....

Plan Your Work and Work Your Plan.

Leah Woolford

CEO, www.usdm.net

 

 

Last week I spoke at an International conference of destination marketing associations, DMAI. One of my topics was Virtual Communities and how to go about developing one in your interactive program, or even if you should develop one. If you are a travel marketer you need to take this topic very seriously. Online travel sales are expected to grow at an annual rate of 17% reaching $146 billion in 2010. Much of the decisions of consumers using online research, planning and booking are reading and responding to user-generated content. In fact 52% believe Traveler Generated Reviews/ Blogs are an influential (and trustworthy) source when planning/booking travel.

I have seen many travel marketing organizations post flogs, or fake blogs. Usually this is a person within the organization that is using a fictitious name and posting glowing comments for others to read in a blog or forum. Other times the PR agency tries to do this, or sometimes there is really no blog or forum at all, but a flat html page that has an editorial by a supposed couple who visited. People, these are not blogs, not forums, not virtual communities.

Actual Virtual Communities, or social networks, are built upon linking people with like interests together in an online venue for dialog, exchange of information, photos, videos, files, etc. We develop Virtual Communities for the purpose of influencing travel decisions with the help of real people who have been there and done that.

Virtual Communities:
  - Engage your target audience naturally
  - Provide interactive settings for discussion, feedback and great
    research data
  - Strengthen the connection between brand/destination and consumer
  - Build brand enthusiasts and hopefully build brand loyalists

Once you build it, don't just hope that they will come. A strategy for building participation and robust dialog is essential to survival, let alone success.

I have a very large report to share with you, but thought I would post a few things on the blog to get you started thinking. Let me know if you want more.

Leah
Travel Marketing Blog
lwoolford@usdm.net