Ciceron Blog Archives

MIMA Summit, Metrics Mayhem, and Marketing Magic

Pontificating.
Several of us have been on the circuit it seems talking up the Internet marketing channel. From Vegas to New York, on topics from online tourism to consumer generated media, we're spreading the word. Next week is a big week with the MIMA Summit. If you haven't registered, you should. It's by far the largest confab in the region around all things Internet and interactive marketing. Lots of great topics, good speakers, and most certainly a lively party to follow.

Metrics Mayhem
I haven't seen Mike Keyes, our web analytics expert, in months. Where you been, brother? On site, that's where. Mike is in high demand these days, helping numberous clients get their ducks in order on a variety of metrics platforms. Recently, he's been working on some Omniture projects, in addition to upgrading our WebTrends clients to the newer versions. Google Analytics continues to be a good option for companies eager to get their feet wet without having to put too much forward financially. Whatever the platform, clearly the dial on analytics and metrics has moved hugely in 2006, and as a result, marketing departments are going to run smart, smart, smart in 2007. Eyes wide open!

Marketing Magic
The newer campaigns we're running are much more integrated and run across many media types. Integration -- marketing's greatest buzzword -- is not a creative challenge but an organizational one. Wearing our org development hats, we've been helping our clients organize across departments to make these campaigns as magical as possible. Open-source geeks and white-belt hipsters UNITE!

We're still actively involved in two areas of emerging growth -- mobile marketing and consumer generated media. While mobile still holds promise, the entire field is struggling with the phone's user experience as a less than optimal conversion point. We've got to be able to drive applications and content from the web to the phone. Frankly, searching for and signing up for applications on your phone is grossly clumsy. The carriers -- not the application designers -- need to solve this problem for the cell to take off as a viable marketing and commerce medium.

Consumer Control
You've heard about it. It's become buzz. But I don't think most companies are yet truly in command of how consumer control over media is affecting them. To put it into three overly simplified concepts:

1. Consumer control over media means that we as consumers do not have to believe in advertising or marketing. That's critical to understand. We spend so much of our time and resources writing compelling content, great offers, and clever advertising. While all of it is important in driving product or brand awareness, it's the court of public opinion represented by online customer reviews, blog content, and online niche communities, that ultimately tips the commerce scales one way or the other.

2. In markets where consumer generated buzz is heavy, the role of a company web site dramatically changes, from one that attempts to educate to one that needs to quickly and efficiently convert. Why? Because the informing and educating (or "informin' and educatin'" as our President might say) is occuring once again outside the four walls of a company web site in the places where consumers share their opinions and experiences. A company that garners widespread online buzz needs to have a web site that converts sales, not redundently attempt to educate the marketplace.

3. Your very best customers are your greatest advocates. Those who love you can tip the scales by being vocal about your brand. Recruit your customers to become members of an elite Brand Advocacy group. Empower them to participate in online dicussions. Give them blogs. Show them where buzz is being generated, and encourage them to tell their stories. Buzz doesn't just happen, it can be influenced, only as long as its authentic, on topic, and from the heart.

So, that's what we've been up to. And that's why you haven't heard from us enough lately. We'll try harder to be better stewards of this blog. We'd like to share more success stories in the months to come to serve as inspiration to other bold marketers like yourselves. You're not alone!