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Spring is in the air, and 2013 is already whooshing by us so quickly! Sometimes it is hard to keep up with your blog reading when you are maintaining a busy schedule and trying to grasp every inch of sunshine you can get, which is why we created a compilation of our top blogs throughout the past three months to help you catch up!
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We interviewed Ms. Lea Ghandour, Vice President of Business Development, at Gloss Media to get an insiders view on the ins and outs of a non-traditional marketing agency. Gloss Media is based out of New York City.
I have been a customer of a particular cable and Internet provider for many years and through my many stages of living and economic situations. Despite my thoughts on the monopolization and pricing of the cable and Internet providers in my area, I have been able to tailor my monthly bill to my ever-changing needs. Luckily, I was able to downgrade from Ms. Premium Cable Queen to Ms. Basic TV and still stick with the same company. This proves how important it is for a business to be able to cater to a customer’s various needs, because one size doesn’t fit all. To be able to find what “sizes” fits a business’s target, a market segmentation strategy needs to be implemented and it may not be as easy as it seems. A product or service may seem at first to fit one type of target market but can easily fit into another market if the proper research is conducted and advertised. Marketing to a consumer’s specific needs and wants is not only highly effective but also promotes marketing edge that is needed for differentiation for other products and services. The basic types of market segmentation include the following:
Spring is in the air, and so are music festivals. Though living in South Florida it feels like it is spring and summer season most of the time, it becomes official once the spring breakers and music festivals start flooding in. Annual music festivals such as Winter Music Conference in Miami have been growing ridiculously large while new ones are popping up all the time. Music festivals have not only been a way for performers and music lovers to unite but also a time for brands to promote themselves in every way possible. One true fact is that once an attendee is within the premises of a festival, the only options they have are the brands and sponsors within the festival walls. These particular businesses now have a great advantage to expose their brand but cannot forget that there is also competition with other similar types of products. These types of events have concocted brand awareness of products and services through creating an experience for the consumer. These brand experiences will extend the brand marketing from the consumer through social media site and word-of-mouth. Instead of the standard marketing tactic of handing out free samples and collecting emails, here are some good examples of how brands creatively drew festival-goers to their booths and tents at past music festivals:
There is one thing that is true about me, and that is the fact that I have never won anything in any sort of giveaway, sweepstake or raffle –yet. Once, I attended an art exhibit along with four other people, and every single one of them won a prize in a raffle except for me, of course. Nonetheless, I have not given up! Just the other day I entered an online raffle to win two airline tickets to Switzerland sponsored by SwissAir. All you had to do is like their page on Facebook, fill out a short form, and give an explanation why I want to win the prize. Just as I am writing this, my favorite swimsuit brand posted on Facebook a chance for Instagram users to win a new suit by following them, reposting their picture, and tagging the photo with their hashtag brand name. We shall see if my losing streak will live on! The fact of the matter is that these are two fantastic customer relationship marketing examples on how businesses are currently engaging their current customers, and simultaneously gaining new ones.
Mobile marketing the last couple of years has emerged as the leading marketing trend and is here to stay for the long haul. Statistics say that in several years mobile Internet usage will conquer desktop usage by leaps and bounds! In addition, targeting consumers via mobile devices and applications requires a whole new marketing strategy concept that many businesses may find difficult to implement on their own. Although a business would like to try to formulate and execute all marketing in-house in order to maintain costs, hiring an outside source to assist in efforts such as mobile marketing not only will help with keeping costs down but can also be a great time saver. A company needs to weigh the options to see whether or not outside help is the direction they need to follow. Perhaps a company has delved into researching various agencies, reviewed their past performances with other businesses and still feel unsure whether partnering with an outside source is right for them. However, there are many reasons why a business should hire a mobile marketing agency to assist them in their marketing efforts. Here are 5 logical reasons why a business should hire a mobile marketing agency:
Being the little guy in the business world isn’t easy especially with stiff competition and the ever-growing costs associated with business upkeep. Fortunately, the world of web marketing has allowed small businesses and big businesses alike to have fair game advantage when marketing online. Every business now has the idea that creating a web marketing mix of social media, email marketing, and a business website can encourage consumer engagement and attract new leads. Since current marketing trends are always evolving quickly, here are 5 marketing hacks that every small business should acknowledge in order to keep ahead of the game.
Times are definitely changing in the marketing world. I witnessed another marketing phenomenon as I was at a lounge this past weekend in Miami. As I waiting in line in the ladies restroom, I discovered a lit up replica of an iPad on the wall with an advertisement for a women’s fitness center with a QR code. Huh. It certainly grabbed my attention. Although the fitness center wasn’t in my local area, I was very intrigued. Their marketing goals clearly target the local females in the Miami area from ages 21 to 40, and there is no better way to gain exposure than putting up a flashy interactive ad to a group of women who have to wait a good period time with nothing else better to look at except maybe themselves in the mirror than a ladies restroom at a drinking establishment.
In downtown Fort Lauderdale this past weekend, there was a block party with about 20 food trucks from various locales in South Florida all lined up with a variety of food options ranging from hamburgers, vegan food, sandwiches, and desserts. Although not a new concept anymore, the mobile food business is still very competitive and a unique way to market a brand. Not only can these businesses pick up and go to their clientele in multiple locations but they can advertise at special events, such as a block party or festival, for new business as well. In addition, all these businesses were able to promote their online presence with social media symbols such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and QR Codes on their food trucks. The concept of a mobile food truck can be extended to the way a business conducts their online mobile marketing.
Within the past several years, the various places I have worked include the travel, advertising, publishing, and not-for-profit healthcare industries. All of them relied heavily on promotion marketing but in different ways. The travel agency held many contests to promote budget tours worldwide. The non-profit hosted fundraisers where many businesses would promote their products with free sampling. Of course, the advertising agency I worked for dabbled in all sorts of promotion marketing, which included direct mailers and point-of-purchase displays. All of them participated in promotional item giveaways such as pens, T-shirts, and other items.
