Taking Marketing Mobile…

…Recently I’ve been combing the web regarding mobile marketing information and opportunities. This one article puts in perspective very nicely.  While mobile marketing certainly has its advantages – pin point targeting and cost savings – there are many folks who still don’t get it. And there are many more continually wasting time and money while in the long run losing potential customers.

One of the most important things advertisers seem to forget that is isn’t your daddy’s advertising vehicle.  This isn’t any where near daddy’s old rig.  This is a persons most personal device. A person’s life is held in this hand held device. This little mobile device carries more personal, critical, and precious data than what is in the Pope’s vault.

 So, when trying to reach and interact with folks on their mobile “woobies”, it has to mean something to them. It has to touch their soul. It can’t be some mass market message. It can’t be, “Hi, I have a product, come buy me”. 

 People don’t want to be bothered. But they crave information. Information that is valuable FOR them and TO them. It has to bring them to somewhere they feel valuable or somewhere they find precious.  Just as people find their text messaging amongst friends to be so important, your message must be deemed important for them to respond – and respond often, almost urgently.  Just as when a friend “wows” them with something they are experiencing, the ad message must “wow” them to act. To interact with your brand as they would with a friend.  And better yet, the recipient, should want to share this interaction with their friends, and their friends, and so on.  Call it going mobile (all due respects to The Who – http://bit.ly/9B5x1L) with a viral touch.

 Let’s face it. Nobody wants to be bothered with information, ads, or phones calls. Especially one that are NOT important or relevant to them. In this world of “continual connectedness”, there is so much data being pushed at people.  This is not new. And as time goes forward, people are learning to filter it. People are learning what to NOT listen to.  Just as with TV where more and more people are using TIVO to watch TV, people will learn when to listen or read and ad. Just as with the internet, people now ignore banner ads or refuse to opt-in on any email campaigns that are not relevant. 

Mobile ads and campaigns need to truly resonate with the viewer and bring value to their devices.  The ad or message needs to be truly relevant and offer a truly valuable offer or truly interesting point for the recipient to act on.  Otherwise, just broadcast an ad to the masses over TV or radio that can just as easily be ignored.

Vaseline Hoping to Grease the Squeaky Wheel…

…in their PR program.  I’ve heard of taking major risks in marketing and PR programs but his one ranks near the top.  Not only did the folks at Vaseline develop a product to lighten skin (http://bit.ly/aUq0Bd – apparently its a status indicator in India) but it performed a full frontal social media (SM) campaign on Facebook much to the chagrin of many Indian folks.

On the one hand, there are quite many of these creams on the market.  On the other, many of these don’t sell at all and many people find them offensive. While I may not be the most savvy marketer in the world, but being aware of other people’s cultures is certainly a priority of any marketing campaign. This is an are where one must tread lightly and be prepared for the ramifications of consumers reactions.  I’m surprised that Vaseline – a trusted and respected product used by millions – would take the risk in attracting a market in such a way.  Certainly, there is a market for the product to a certain extent. But, extend thyself carefully or otherwise leave yourself open for easy attacks.

It will be interesting to see how Vaseline will handle it on their Facebook page (http://bit.ly/cKEn8H) and the others created (http://bit.ly/cMr5n1) to protest it. Its one thing to engage your fans and consumers in SM who favor or “like” your products and loyal followers.  It’s a whole other ball game when it comes to protecting your brand and consoling the angry or unhappy folks – especially the ones looking to attract other unhappy folks to help fight their cause.  And everyone knows it’s the unhappy ones who make the most noise (squeaky wheel gets the most attention sound familiar).  So its time for the digital media SM folks to earn their paychecks and work their magic to grease the squeaky wheels making the most noise.

Let the Ad Wars Commence

…that we will see an incredible change in the amounts and ways ads are broadcast to our mobile devices. A recent article from the Wharton Business School at UPENN  discusses the business maneuvers of Apple and Google which points towards increasingly innovative ways of reaching target markets while we are on the go.

It seems that while both are aggressively pursuing this growing advertising market, both of these innovators have different perspectives on how to derive cash from it.  It seems Mr. Jobs is content and confident that his Apple iPhone and iPAD market can obtain a larger fee due to its unique and very desirable user (market) profile. On the other hand, Mr. Schmidt is willing to market his device to any network and user that is willing to pay the price for Google’s device.

 Each has its pros and cons. By having the high profile user that marketers desire you can afford a higher price to reach them. On the other hand, marketers also much desire the amount of reach – how many eyeballs can I send my message to – which may not afford such a high price but also becomes an extremely lucrative venture.

 Another interesting point is the idea of advertising and marketing becoming content.  This concept has proven true with like online advertising with the advent of social media sites like Facebook, YouTube, and SlideShare to name a few. But of course this also creates the dilemma of delivering these ads to our mobile devices without alienating the viewer – again much like traditional online advertising (did I just say traditional?).

It all boils down to innovation. And there is A LONG history of it between these two companies and consider that future mobile advertising dollars are expected to reach $1.56 billion in 2013 according to eMarketer.  Here’s another way to think of : latest estimates show that are that there are close to four billion mobile phones globally vs. only 1.2 billion computers.  That’s a whole lot of eyeballs to reach.

It will be interesting to follow how the battles go forth in this space. Technological innovation and creative delivery of ads will be the weapons of choice. It will be a matter who can deliver them more quickly and more efficiently while holding onto their chosen market segments. OR, is possible that both empires can survive and co-exist?

Facebook Just Asking for Big Brother to Join-In

As Facebook’s slow move toward becoming a cash cow for marketers marches on , so does Big Brothers imminent involvement in the internet. As Facebook’s popularity continues to grow so does its ability to sell and market its members information become more popular for marketers as well. The technological improvements or add-ons will allow in your Facebook profile data to be shared across almost any web site that a member visits. Oh the power of membership data! It’s the marketing data base that market researchers dream of.

“People who need people, Are the luckiest people in the world…” – B. Streisand.

Well, that is just fine and dandy for the folks at Facebook. Heck lets face it, without the promise of marketing and advertising dollars, the world and popularity of Facebook would have never grown. Facebook has been watching, listening, and learning from all its counterparts in social media and especially Google. Its been taking its time and digesting all of this knowledge and learning how to harness it for what else – to make money!

And that’s fine. I’m willing to share my personal info to a certain extent and I’m willing to learn how to limit its exposure and what I am willing to share. And apparently so are 300 million other people. BUT NOW, Big Brother is mad is hell and doesn’t want to take it anymore. I mean of course, what politician wants to share anything personal – it usually ends up in removal from office (see NY governor Mark Spitzer for one).

But heres my issue: KEEP THE GOV’T OUT OF THE INTERNET! Or at the least, do your damned best to keep it very limited. By allowing the Internet to grow freely and police itself, the Internet has become so well developed and allow for so many new innovations – social media, Web3D, RIA, mobile web and geo location development. The gov’t has pretty match acted as a watchdog and rightfully so. And so far, it has worked out well for everyone.

Certainly Facebook has the right to develop a business plan for its eventual (and extremely) profitable business plan which is primarily built upon advertising and marketing. BUT, please Facebook, carefully think about what you implement and its ramifications. Think before you speak. I know the reason to operate a business, in the end, is to make money. But you’re messing with the “free Internet” here. AND, more importantly, you’re playing with people’s personal information. At least allow people to easily understand what and with whom they are sharing. Sharing their daily endeavors with friends is one thing. Sharing that with endless marketers without their knowing is another. Sure, everyone should unerstan that the Internet is “free” and “open” and information is easily found and shared. BUT NOW, you have the gov’t involved and starting to create the rules of engagement. NOBODY wants that. NOBODY. Not marketers, not sellers, not the users.

Certainly any industry will have to deal with some gov’t oversight. And the gov’t has done a good job of oversight with limited regulation allowing the Internet to prosper. But when state Senators start grandstanding and making speeches with a list of new rules things start to get a bit scary. As worthy and righteous as these new rules may seem, we all should be wary of where it will lead us. Trust me. All it takes is a couple of Senators to start patting themselves on the back for a job well done, and it will lead to every other law maker to start writing legislation. Then we’re in for nothing but heartache and the soon-to-follow ruin of a great thing.

Immirgation Policies Ignore our Great Past

The new Arizona state law concerning immigration certainly has folks from both side really fired up. And I say this is good. And that is because it is certainly an issue for this country that has taken a back seat for way too long. Granted the past year or so found US focusing on more imminent dangers and issues that needed more attention. BUT, this issue needs the federal government to deliver a better solution that is has presently put forth and begin to implement. And now.

I think both sides have great arguments but I think that both sides begin their focus on personal and emotional points in order to garner attention and their favor. On the “pro” side, they argue about jobs, economics and crime. On the “anti” side, they focus on constitutionality and civil rights, even invoking thoughts of Nazi Germany (“please show me your papers”). To both sides, I say, please just try to stay calm.

There are a number of sites offering opinions including its affect on business: http://bit.ly/90MUpc ; legal standpoints: http://nyti.ms/aA99yu; and the countless TV debates: http://bit.ly/cC0nXH (this one just “slightly” slanted right – it is FOXTV after all). I think all of them have valid points. But I think everyone just needs to sit back, take a deep breath, and determine the best logical and legal way to go about this. The feds already have a strong and similar law already in place. But, we all know it really hasn’t been very effective – not only in tracking Latino’s but a great many European and Asians as well.

Personally, I say welcome all with open arms. BUT, lets keep it legal. If you want to work and live here, get documented and follow the LEGAL process just as a great may of our ancestors did. To NOT do so is like spitting in the faces of many immigrants that came to this country and built it into the great nation that it is today. To do so, is just ignoring the LAWS that have been in place for many years and spitting on these documents. Why is this century any different than those of our great past? Why are we deciding to let immigrants bypass laws that our parents and grandparents honored and lived by? It’s so ridiculous it’s maddening. Back in the day, they came, they “signed in”, and couldn’t wait until they became Americans.

To be honest I am not sure the new Arizona Immigration Law is the way to go. But from what I have read, it mimics the present fed law and provides local law enforcement the ability to work with fed agencies to remove ILLEGAL immigrants. For those worried that this law will enable police to abuse civil liberties, please remember the police already have “the right” to request identification under existing laws – “probable cause” sound familiar?

I don’t think anyone can argue that we have an issue with immigration law enforcement issue in the US. Apparently, the great state of Arizona feels the need to help the Feds with that issue. Good for them. Arizona has miles of border-front with Mexico. On the other hand, will this law be abused by enforcement officials and will it lead to more tightening of civil rights?

So Many Best Practices…which is best?

So many great ideas. So many “Best Practices”. So many thoughts on how you should be handling your digital marketing strategy. So many people discussing word of mouth strategies in so many places that my ear drums begin to throb and mind begins to spin until I can’t think straight.

Certainly there a some people out there – Mitch Joel, David Weinberger and Seth Godin to name few – with some great writings, material, and meaningful stuff regarding digital marketing.  But it seems that there are so many people out there who continually write the same generic material and then create a list and then plaster “Best Practices of…” on it. So many keyboards and so much redundancy and so much crap. A great article debunking a great many of the items on these lists was posted by Stephan Spencer at Search Engine Land. So good in fact, I could ignore quite a great many of my RSS feeds for the past week. I guess its time to do some house cleaning and some editing of my own.

 But in any event, my basic point is, just because someone creates a list it doesn’t mean it has to become your Bible. Follow the continuous goings-on occurring on the internet, follow your strategy and most importantly, follow your own path.  Certainly continue to search for more information and certainly listen to those who are successful and informative.  But it’s not a one-size-fits-all digital marketing world.  The best practices are those that’s fits your needs, your strategy, and most importantly your own personal philosophy.  It’s your business, your career, and your bed that you have to sleep in. Study, learn, and create the path that fits your strategy.

 

 The decision to discuss this came to me after a meeting today with my manager and my MBA program adviser later in the day.  Both smart people with a certain idea in mind for me and what path I should follow next. At the end of the day, I had a realization that these lists, ideas, or “best practices” did not really fit you who I am nor the path I wanted to follow.  So, in the end, both lists ended up in the trash can. Lucky for me and I am still able to navigate onto the roads I really want to follow – both academically and career wise.  And so I continue to travel and see where it leads. Whether it is lucrative or not certainly remains to be seen but at least I will have the satisfaction and a sense of reward that it is MY creation.

 And so it goes with reading “Best Practices” list which are so often published on the web. While they can be informative, helpful and even act as a guide, in the end it is up the person creating the strategy to mold them into a path which fits the particular strategy.

Does the Internet Offer New Math for TV

Here is one example of why the TV broadcast of old does not fit into the new world of advertising dollars: http://bit.ly/awqbAt.  But his tool, like many others offered (HubSpot.com, Google, Omniture,) just offer so much more that what Nielsen offers traditional TV. It so much more highly targeted and offers so much more details to viewer’s habits than what Nielsen offers to TV viewer sponsorship.

It’s all about 1’s and 0’s. That’s right. Ones and Zeros. It’s a digital world out there and all the more easily analyzed with the help of new software applications and hardware platforms that’s allows site owners to learn more about their site visitors. Forget about “Big Brother”.  The organism or organization to fear is Big Time Marketers and Advertisers rather than “Big Time Government”.  Hell, with newer and more-better software programs being developed every day, site owners will get to know your every move and even your underwear size if you let them. It’s the evolution of the web for better or for worse spurred on by marketing and advertising. God Bless America!  Or, excuse me, capitalism!

Of course, think of it this way.  We are all consumers to one extent or another. These analytics also could and should provide a more-better way for us to find more-better information and  more-better prices about the products we want to purchase. Imagine that the ads put forth on your computer screen actually pertaining to what your needs, interests, and even hobbies are. Maybe, just, maybe, the visitor wouldn’t be so bothered by an ad and actually click on them to obtain more information or even make a purchase!  Sounds like a win-win sitaution to me.

And of course, there is always speculation by consumers when it comes to advertising and marketing – especially when it comes in the form of the Internet.  But that’s another discussion for another day…

Too Social and Too Much Sharing?

I came across this article concerning personal privacy amidst all of the talk about mobile apps and their marketing potential and ramifications. I love this post (http://bit.ly/c93Aas) along with the relation to a George Orwell book and the implications of what I call “over sharing”.   

Certainly, these mobile apps have their place and utility in peoples lives. These apps offer a great many uses for folks on-the-go and in need of information on-the-now. And in turn, these apps offer many businesses, especially small, a way to attract and interact with consumers.  It also offers marketers a way to obtain some very attractive, much sought after and in final analysis, some very lucrative information.  It’s a win-win-win scenario, right?

But, with everything or anything that offers such a plus to everyone, there will be something on the negative side. And this is where the article touches base with much of today’s digital world. Are we sharing too much? Are all of these social media sites potentially feeding information to the wrong folks? Are we providing a means for people with ill minded intentions a way to take advantage of our well minded thoughts? Or at the very least, is “big brother” watching our every move?  Remember George Orwell and 1984?

Or the movie, “Enemy of the State”? The premise was that the more technology we use, the easier it is to follow what we are doing.  Of course, this is all speculation and would never really happen in this wonderful world of ours. Right? On the other hand maybe Mr. Orwell was onto something.  In any event, while I am certainly an advocate of these ne wonderful applications, and what they offer to everyone involved, I am certainly an advocate of watching what I make public. And that is someting for all those concerned to be certainly concerned about.

Genius Can Be Simple

I love the simple genius of Four Square. This small company provides an excellent and simple marketing tool for those folks that are continuously on the mobile devices.  For those not familiar, folks can check-in to local eateries, bars, cafes, etc. and share their thoughts, experiences and their real-time location with others. That’s real time! Like, now, here is where I am at. All through a simple app for the smart mobile device.

Genius! Eureka!  Maybe so. Maybe not. But the growth in its user downloads to their mobile device says it might be so. And in a culture – and globally speaking – that certainly hooked to being eternally connected to what is going on around them, it certainly points toward it being so. It’s a wonderfully simple application that allows people to interconnect and engage (which by the way is all the rage) any time and any where they so choose. And by providing that choice and that simplicity, you gain user acceptance and loyally (another two items which are [and have always been] all the rage).

You gotta love the simplicity: http://bit.ly/bN03jD. The creator is just so simplistic in its development and its application to every users every day use. Not to mention the businesses that can easily apply it to its every day product offerings. Talk about a win-win situation. Make it simple for both ends = user acceptance = advertisers acceptance = wonderful cash flows for all those involved. People love easy to use apps which deliver unto them answers, solutions, and ways to share. Build an application and they will engage! This (or these to follow) will certainly continue to offer great business propositions to businesses and “solutions” to the users which seek them.

It seems, for today at least, that Four Square could become the Facebook for mobile devise users – whether it be the B- Berry, iPhone, IPad , etc. And it certainly just may make another young techie a multi-millionaire. We’ll see. I’d certainly think it is a mobile trail to follow.

TV and Internet Revenue Math

Trying to put a price tag on ads for TV show viewership on the Internet is like comparing apples to oranges, no? Trying to broadcast a show on the internet like it is done on a TV network seems like trying to – sorry, no comparison available here. It seems the TV networks are still grappling with the format, business model, and pricing for their internet broadcast of their TV shows over the Internet. The CW the latest network experimenting with its internet broadcasting and advertising – both pricing and the number of ad pushed at the viewer.

It would seem to me that the advertising pricing model should be an entirely different species and treated as such. Why try to apply old world math to a new world venue? The Internet and a company’s web site needs to be treated as entirely different experience for the customer. One that is more engaging and even unique to each visitor. The advent of “smarter”, and more powerful web analytic tools and software helps make it so. With the ability (assuming all visitors allow cookies) to ascertain the visitor’s preferences, habits (and even the demographics – another assumption: the visitor shares their profile), the web site owner and web ad server should be able to deliver highly targeted ads. And studies have shown that internet viewers are far less likely to be offended by ads which appeal to their needs and preferences. Heck, a good percentage of people even appreciate the opportunity to be put in front of the ads as long it is pertinent to their personal endeavors. It’s the internet man! People are there to search and find what they are interested in.

Again. This isn’t the TV network. It’s far better than that. It’s the Internet. It works differently because people are there for different reasons. They are there to seek, find, and interact.. They are pulled there. People are not there to be pushed upon them needless and insignificant information ( esp. ads).

So why apply old world math to new world applications. Why take old world ad revenue applications to new revenue consumer touch points? Build your content toward attracting your appointed audience and build a following. Take the SUM of the aforementioned following, divide by its demos, multiply by highly targeted ads, then multiply by the SUM of your followers, equals the negotiated point of the price your advertiser is willing to pay to reach that particular SUM of individuals.

Simple, right? Of course not. But it is certainly NOT the realm of what Nielsen is speaking about with the TV stations. And I argie that it is not the proper mantra. Isn’t time that someone just thought about it in terms of of Internet Math: # of viewers + relevance of ad + conversions + return/loyal customers = continued revenue? Take that and adjust your ROI.