October 23, 2009
Omniture is a data company that works with hundreds of technology vendors, including ExactTarget and Silverpop to help combine data with digital channels. It recently partnered with ComScore to help media planners have better audience measurement tools. DMNews chats with Matt Langie, senior director of product marketing at Omniture, about data integration, behavioral targeting legislation and the new partnership
Consumers interact differently with copy on the Web than they do with traditional marketing media. Transferring copy from a printed brochure online is not a recipe for success. Web copy must embrace online consumer behavior and be relevant to the audience's needs. Three senior creatives share tips on how to optimize online copy.
October 09, 2009
UPS launched a new insert marketing service in early October in five US metropolitan areas with Bed Bath and Beyond, Men's Wearhouse and Zappos. DMNews chats with Lisa Lynn, director of marketing and communications at UPS, about ways the program differs from traditional insert media, the overall challenges marketers face and how to make a statement in white.
Holiday sales are more important than ever this year, as retailers gear up for the final quarter of this recession year. As marketers begin to plan their strategy for the holiday season, five seasoned e-mail marketing veterans share their tips on the best way to reach consumers through the inbox during the busy shopping season.
Today, more and more marketers and agencies are turning to ad networks. Prices tend to be lower than buying advertising directly from publishers and the networks boast a vast online footprint. Starting to experiment with and choose your network(s) can be overwhelming. Here, our experts offer tips on how to make smart choices when it comes to online ads.
Webserts — banner ads placed in confirmation e-mails sent after an e-commerce purchase — have grown in popularity as e-commerce expands and list brokers look for new sources of income. Experts share their "Dos and Don'ts" for marketers looking for opportunities in this emerging channel.
Many multichannel merchants are compelled to cut catalog circulation because of the current economic picture. Some retailers, however, are doing so in the name of "mailing smarter." The goal is for sales to drop at only a fraction of circulation cuts. Multichannel merchants such as Williams-Sonoma and J. Crew reported double-digit reductions to circulations in the first half of this year simultaneous with better-than-expected profits. However, one retailer, Chico's, has expressed remorse recently over making cuts it later realized may have been too dramatic. Here, Kevin Hillstrom, president of MineThatData; Rod Ford, CEO of CognitiveData; and Holly Wasas, account manager for brokerage at Direct Media Millard, weigh in on how to cut back wisely.
September 08, 2009
InfoUSA Database Licensing, a division of InfoGroup, provides proprietary database services for value-added resellers. The company has recently announced content partnerships and expanded alliances with search companies such as Bing and V-Enable. DMNews chats with Jim DeRouchey, president of InfoUSA Database Licensing, about the challenges of local search and the company's strategy to meet that challenge, as well as its future plans.
August 31, 2009
The Weather Channel is one of the most trafficked content sites on mobile phones, with more than 12.5 million unique users visiting the site every month and about 6 million iPhone applications in use. According to AdRelevance, the Weather Channel's mobile WAP site is in the top 10 for mobile Web traffic. DMNews chats with Cameron Clayton, VP of mobile at The Weather Channel about the cable channel's mobile strategy and its plans for the future.
August 24, 2009
DMNews spoke with Tom Day, SVP of Intelligent Mail and Address Quality at the US Postal Service, about the basics of the Intelligent Mail barcode (IMB).
Online fundraising offers nonprofits the opportunity to reach new audiences while building stronger relationships with existing constituents who are spending more time on the Internet. For organizations used to communicating via direct mail and telemarketing, embarking on a digital strategy presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities. Here, Pamela Barden, VP and group director, Russ Reid; Debbi Barber, president, Grizzard Communications Group; Vinay Bhagat, chief strategy officer, Convio; and Angie C. Moore, SVP and GM, fundraising services group at Merkle offer their Dos and Don'ts when it comes to online fundraising.
DMNews chats with The Benefit Companies and its CRM provider Sage Software about CRM. On the line is Larry Ritter, SVP of global product management and product marketing, Sage; Bill Sells, manager of IT, The Benefit Companies; and Justin Andaloro, marketing manager, The Benefit Companies.
Because social media is designed primarily for networking with friends and peers, it is a delicate space to convey marketing messages. Like any social event, marketers should learn a certain kind of etiquette when entering this realm. Collin Douma, VP of social media, Proximity Canada; Paul Dunay, global managing director of services marketing for Avaya; Jeff Hilimire, managing director at Engauge Digital; and Aaron Shapiro, Partner at interactive agency HUGE, offer their Do's and Don'ts when it comes to social media marketing.
July 24, 2009
Leon Henry's Gail Henry, EVP and GM, discusses where the insert media channel stands today, touching on popular misconceptions, unknown benefits and the evolving "websert" channel.
July 20, 2009
With too few dollars in the ever-shrinking b-to-b marketing budget, marketers are hard-pressed to quickly generate qualified, sales-ready leads. M. H. (Mac) McIntosh, president and principal consultant of Mac McIntosh Inc., suggests eight tips for making the most of a minimal budget.
Industry expert Julian Baim, chief research officer of print rating service MRI describes the evolution of circulation and audience measurement.
You've paid for the click and now you need to make the most of it. We asked three experts to share their secrets on how to design the best landing page so that every pay-per-click lead from a search engine turns into a buyer.
A solid e-mail database is the cornerstone for any successful e-mail campaign. David Eldridge, CEO of Alterian, and Blake Groves, online marketing consultant for Convio, share their top Dos and Don'ts for building the most valuable e-mail database.
June 12, 2009
Beginning in late November 2009, mailers will be required to switch to full-service Intelligent Mail barcode (IMB) to qualify for greater U.S. Postal Service discounts. IMB offers a dynamic alternative to the extremely limited POSTNET barcode. As you prepare to make the switch to IMB, here are five tips to make sure you take advantage of IMB's benefits.
With the new credit card bill potentially making plastic an option for fewer people — including those under age 21 and those without good credit — e-commerce retailers are offering more alternative payment methods, which are becoming more and more attractive when shopping online. So what should marketers keep in mind when it comes to choosing and promoting alternative payment methods? Bala Janakiraman, principal product manager, Litle & Co., shares his top tips.
As data collection becomes increasingly complex, sophisticated and essential for marketers, protecting the security of those databases is more important than ever. We asked several top experts to offer their best tips for how marketers can make sure their data stays safe.
Social media is a hot, ongoing buzzword among marketers. But just good social marketing goes beyond just having a Facebook page. How can you be sure to take advantage of these tactics and integrate it with the rest of your marketing efforts? Six experts share their top tips.
May 15, 2009
The rise of social media is creating an exciting inbound marketing channel that serves as an excellent complement to outbound email marketing efforts. Marketers who allocate the time and resources to integrate programs can realize synergies - driving incremental revenue while creating positive customer experiences. Here are five tips to help you integrate social media with your e-mail programs and ensure you're getting the most out of them.
May 08, 2009
Twitter is everywhere and chock-full of consumers - so more and more marketers want to get on the Tweeting bandwagon. But how can you be sure you're making the most of your microblogging efforts? Four experts share their top tips
Local search offers all the accountability and potential for delivering high ROI that make SEM such an attractive channel for marketers, and can help businesses geo-target as well. OrangeSoda co-founder Derek Miner and Gregg Stewart, SVP, TMP Directional Marketing, offer tips on how to become local search-savvy without letting dollars fly out the door.
April 24, 2009
David Zemke, director of product marketing at mobile game publisher GLU, and Brennan Hayden, VP at interactive agency WDA, discuss the strategy behind GLU's "The Price is Right" mobile game campaign.
Four experts serve up their best tips for getting readers to share your e-mails
April 10, 2009
Copywriter Dean Rieck explains why an online business should not limit its marketing initiatives to online-only and how an online business can reap the benefits of a direct mail campaign.
April 06, 2009
Matt Greitzer discusses his inspirations, search marketing's appeal, and how karaoke can bring a team together.
There are lots of choices when it comes to implementing insert media programs, especially as more marketers choose this channel for its affordable yet high-exposure options. Two insert media experts share their thoughts on what you should and shouldn't do if you want to see success with inserts.
As budget-conscious consumers continue to do more price-comparison shopping online, it's more important than ever to make sure customers can find you online when they search, as well as make sure they see the results you want. Five search experts offer ways to improve your SEO.
March 06, 2009
So, you've spent a lot of time and resources building a killer Web site; one that you know is attracting a lot of visitors every day. But there is just one problem: you have no idea who is coming to your site and clicking around. The Web is a great tool for casting a wide net and reaching millions of potential customers, and with a few simple tweaks to your site, you can take the anonymity out of the equation.
The pizza power-player discusses his transition from agency exec to client marketer and the best parts of the job -- besides free toppings
February 23, 2009
Mark Levien, executive director of digital at Fox Home entertainment, and Dea Lawrence, PointRoll's West Coast VP, joined DMNews for a conference call to discuss the strategy behind the campaign and how the companies worked together to reach consumers.
Everyday, more consumers are purchasing Internet-enabled handsets, so having your brand available on the mobile Web has become essential. So how can you optimize your presence in this quickly emerging channel? Five experts offer tips on how to beef up your mobile Web offering.
February 04, 2009
Smart direct mailers should always look for ways to cut costs. But in today's economic climate, cutting costs is a must. Paper, postage, and printing are all on the rise. Prospects have become more choosy about responding to offers. And marketing departments are being asked to tighten their belts and stretch their dollars.
Social media marketing fully emerged in 2008 as a "buzz" channel in marketing. Marketers have worked tirelessly to find the best ways to reach consumers while they interact with each other on myriad social networks, blogs and other online forums.
January 26, 2009
Alexandra von Plato, EVP and chief creative officer at Digitas Health, discusses her career path and the day-to-day intricacies of her job
DMNews asked five top agency executives what they wish marketers knew about working with a direct or digital agency - that they typically don't.
January 12, 2009
In an effort to cut costs, your CMO has reduced pay-per-click (PPC) marketing budgets (despite it getting the best ROI of any tactic), yet still expects to maintain sales levels. What's a savvy online marketer to do?
Growing your databases and driving sales means generating enough leads. So how can you make more of those essential connections? Five experts offer tips on how to beef up your lead-generating efforts.
As budgets for mailers, marketers and consumers tighten, there is a growing need to provide targeted value to consumers and cut down on campaign overhead such as postal expenses. List experts Roy Schwedelson, CEO of Worldata, and Mark Traverso, VP of sales, new business development and e-commerce at Lighthouse List Co., advise marketers on how to navigate uncertain times successfully without sacrificing consumer engagement.
Because search marketing's greatest strengths are accountability and measurability, experts warn that search efforts should not be among the casualties left lying on the cutting room floor after marketers crunch their budgets during these trying times.
While times are tight for marketers and consumers alike, now is as good a time as ever to use e-mail marketing. E-mail is cheap, measurable and affords marketers the ability to test, target and measure in ways that more traditional channels such as direct mail and print cannot. Companies looking to weather these tough times should take advantage of the channel and refine their e-mail programs.
With ever-tightening marketing budgets and an official recession, marketers must explore creative ways to promote their brands cost-effectively. While many companies consider e-mail or digital marketing as a cheaper way to reach consumers, experts say they shouldn't eschew traditional direct marketing at its expense.
December 01, 2008
As we count down the days until 2009, digital marketers are already making their trend predictions. Executive editor Sharon Goldman chats with Adam Turinas, EVP of client development at agency Organic, about his thoughts on interactive marketing for the coming year.
November 25, 2008
Lead generation has always been an important sales tool for those who sell products that are expensive or hard to explain. It's a great way to identify who is really interested in your products and services, help your sales people work productively and improve your marketing ROI.
Social media such as online communities, blogs, video and widgets are redefining how internet users engage the interactive world and, as a result, how marketers must approach multichannel campaigns.
In e-mail marketing, reputation is everything. Users are able to make a decision about your e-mail without even opening it — if they don't like what they see in the "Subject" or "From" lines, the delete key is never far away. Marketers also must contend with the negative connotation of "spam" — consumers apply the term to any unwanted e-mails, even if they are legitimate marketing messages to which recipients have opted in. To top it off, ISPs — always looking to streamline their networks and respond to customers' frustrations — create their own barriers. Our experts examine the ways in which e-mail marketers can manage their reputation.
October 27, 2008
The issue on the mind of most retailers today is, "How can I grab hold of higher sales and consumer satisfaction during this holiday season?" The malls are becoming less crowded, disposable incomes are dwindling, and most frighteningly, people are losing their jobs at an alarming rate.
Company of the week R2C GroupR2C creates, produces, distributes and measures messages that inspire and compel consumers to do something with a brand to drive commercial advantage. The full-service advertising agency specializes in creative, production, media, analytics and performance. |
What's in our mailbox this month: fitness postcards from Retro Fitness, American Woman Fitness Centers, Union's United Taekwondo Academy, and Bally Total Fitness. (We're totally pumped.)
Social data can improve a brand's bottom line and customer relationships. Just ask brands Infiniti and Diamond Nexus.
Here are three must-have data sets that every marketer should include in his or her email strategy.
