123 eGuides

1 Minute Advice: What Tech Marketers Don't Know About Marketing

Here's a provocative thought: What if most everything tech marketers think about marketing is wrong? Samuel Scott, writing for Tech Crunch, says, "The biggest problem in marketing in the tech world today is that too many marketers do not know the first thing about marketing. Digital marketers — who, as marketers, really should be cynical enough to know better — have fallen into an echo chamber of meaningless buzzwords."

Scott goes on to discuss such buzzwords as "inbound marketing," "social media marketing," and "content marketing." He points out that content marketing, for example, is really nothing new -- it is "what creative teams have always done."

What tech marketers need to do, writes Scott, is getting back to "marketing basics." He says they need to "learn about direct marketing strategy, advertising strategy and publicity strategy within the promotion mix and then apply those traditional principles to your online and offline channels of choice..."

Read more of Scott's interesting perspective here.

1 Minute Advice: Consumers and Marketers Don't Always Agree on What Consumers Want

How accurate are marketers in interpreting the informational needs of consumers? It turns out marketers may be missing the mark.

The research organization MarketingSherpa conducted two separate studies, one with consumers and one with marketers, to analyze what consumers want. The results indicate marketers are not always in synch with their consumer audience.

For the consumer survey, MarketingSherpa asked: "In which of the following ways, if any, would you prefer to receive regular updates and promotions from companies that you are interested in doing business with? Please select all that apply." Consumers selected the following: Subscribe to receive email (60%), Receive in the mail (54%), Subscribe to receive email at a frequency I choose (49%), Visit the company's websites when I want updates and promotions (38%), Receive at the physical store (28%), Subscribe to receive emails at a pre-determined frequency chosen by the brand (24%), Follow on social media (20%), Receive via text messages (17%), Download a mobile app (15%), Attend local events (9%), I prefer not to receive any company updates or promotions (8%).

Subscribing to emails is the most preferred way to get updates, with regular mail a surprisingly strong second place. Subscribing to email at a self-selected frequency is twice as popular as receiving emails at a pre-determined frequency by the company.

There was a significant gap between the informational desires of consumers and marketers, however. According to MediaSherpa:

• Consumers' strong preference to receive email at a frequency they chose (49%) was less popular among marketers (14%).
• Another top choice of customers, receive updates in the mail (54%), was less popular among marketers (19%).
• Customers' third most preferred method, visiting the company website (38%), was also less popular among marketers. Only 8% of marketers said they posted updates on websites and did not contact customers directly.
• Inviting customers to follow their brands on social media was the top choice among marketers (77%). In contrast, only 20% of consumers favored this method.
• Sending subscribers email at a predetermined frequency was the second top choice of marketers (76%). In comparison, only 24% of consumers favored this method.

Read more about the studies here.

 

1 Minute Advice: What are the Top Challenges for B2B Marketers?

Reporting on results from a late 2015 survey of U.S. and Western European B2B marketers, eMarketer says the top three business challenges for B2B marketers are (1) Building marketing share, (2) Innovative products/services, and (3) Retaining customers or making customers more loyal. More than half of all respondents chose these three as primary challenges.

In another study conducted in February 2016, senior-level B2B marketers said their biggest marketing challenges were (1) Difficult to measure ROI, (2) The sales cycle takes too long, and (3) Not enough quality leads.

Do these sound like some of your challenges? Then consider ordering a copy of B2B Marketing 123. This eGuide presents a 3 step approach for marketing to businesses that is grounded in timeless principles but recognizes and takes advantage of the brand new marketing world we live in. Purchase B2B Marketing 123 today for just $2.99 at the Amazon Kindle store or in any eBook format, including PDF, at Smashwords.com. This title is also be available wherever eBooks are sold. 

1 Minute Advice: Local Mobile Marketing on the Upswing

These days, consumers use mobile phones for just about everything, including checking prices in stores. New research indicates more than half of consumers now use their mobile phones to look for discounts and offers on items they plan to purchase. Marketers can take advantage of this by plugging into local mobile marketing.

In an article for the Forbes Agency Council, Bernadette Coleman, CEO of local search technology company Advice Interactive Group, offers "seven crucial strategies for mobile marketing success." One of them is localization, and another is using mobile coupons.

"Make sure your company’s mobile marketing strategy includes geo-targeted offerings to consumers who use localization apps," advises Coleman when it comes to localization. "Customers can receive push notifications on their device advising of your offerings based on their proximity to your location." She also suggests considering the use of mobile-only coupons: "Use tools like QR codes to connect with deal-hunting buyers on social media, and post scan-enabled promotions on your Facebook page, Pinterest boards and Twitter feed to connect with smartphone shoppers."

Read more mobile marketing tips from Bernadette Coleman here.