The most important trends to impact the consumer market over the next decade and beyond are starting to emerge; they’re heavily grounded in technology and predict a consumer that craves relevancy, personalization, and a platform to be heard. Savvy marketers need to be poised to meet the demands of this unique new force in the marketplace.
Here are some basic things marketers should consider when planning to reach the current and future consumer:
- Have a plan to continually familiarize yourself with new technology
- Track changes in how consumers are using technology to interact with brands
- Pay attention to consumer preferences; especially how they are interacting with new technologies across multiple industries and devices
- Understand the brand’s customer base; who they are, how they shop, where (in-store and/or online, via mobile, etc), what they like, and motivations affecting their decision making
Anticipating the needs of the customer base will help brands develop products, services and communication methods that fit consumer trends. This is not a new marketing concept, but one rarely put into practice.
Once a plan is in place for keeping up with the technology itself as well as the customer’s use of it, here are some considerations for strategic marketing of the future: Read More »
For many marketing and advertising agencies it’s a constant challenge to maintain healthy business growth, especially as clients are pumping the breaks on spending. There are lessons to be learned, however, that can help you prepare for changes in the quickly evolving advertising and marketing landscape and find long-term growth opportunities.
Some of these lessons were shared during QuantumDigital’s 2011 Marketing Innovation & Discovery Summit. Highlights from the summit are available in a new whitepaper titled, “When Business Slows Down, Agencies Look Forward.” The whitepaper download is free and offers the following information:
- 7 factors that lead to stalled business growth
- 3 essential questions to ask before starting any campaign
- Why metrics and tracking are more important now than ever
- Mobile and location-based marketing trends, and more.
Read More »
It’s no secret that word-of-mouth recommendations and referrals are important in developing strong local business, especially for service-based business—think about cleaning services, roofers, lawn care, real estate services, and so on. In fact, 70% of consumers consult reviews or ratings before making a purchase.1 And, according to a June 2010 Harris Interactive poll of adult US consumers, “71% claim reviews from family members or friends exert a great deal or fair amount of influence on purchase decisions.” (Source: Business Week, October 2008)
Businesses that recognize the impact of user testimonials to spur growth are participating in conversations about their brand on sites like Yelp, Facebook, Twitter, and others. The benefit is a potential move up in search engine results and the ability to influence the decision-making process of people that are actively searching online for specific products and services.
Is this the most effective approach for increasing market share in local neighborhoods where a business is already delivering services? Read More »
Top-level executives from respected advertising and marketing agencies along with leaders from world-recognized retail brands will meet in Austin tomorrow (April 19, 2011) for the 2011 Marketing Innovation & Discovery Summit. Although it’s an invitation-only event, you too will have a chance to get tuned in to the latest communication strategies and digital technologies that will rock direct marketing in the coming years. Read More »
A QR code is a square, two-dimensional barcode that, when scanned with a smart phone’s reader app, directs people to a website, launches a video, or serves up other digital content. It often serves as a bridge between offline and online content.
Emerging now are two different types of QR codes: static codes and unique codes.
Static QR Code: A generic QR code connects a wide audience with digital content. Static QR codes are a one-size-fits-all proposition and does not track details of individuals that scan the code to access content.
- Intended for public use (not targeted to an individual)
- Serves up generic content that is available to a public audience
- Provides basic reporting: number of scans, time of each scan, phone’s OS
- Great for use on billboards, store signs, POS materials, in mass media/print
Following are practical examples of static QR codes intended for public consumption: (left to right) storefront signage, bus stop billboard, print ad.
Unique QR Code: A personalized QR code that is meant to provide a specific individual with either generic content or content only intended for their view, such as a PURL.
These types of QR codes are generated via variable data technology and are often used to track responses to direct mail campaigns. Since the QR code is unique and tied to a specific recipient, the marketer will have the ability to see who responds to a marketing piece and when. This type of data could then be used to further refine and personalize marketing messages or for targeted follow-up campaigns. Read More »
