The From Line

Trend:

The trend of using “Social CRM” for marketing is probably more myth than reality. People are talking about rounding out customer profiles with social data, but is anything actually happening to prove ROI? 

Social media management tools can be useful at managing outbound messages, and deferring inbound messages to customer service. Social media management tools can be useful at managing outbound messages, and deferring inbound messages to customer service. These tools are available for free (Tweetdeck, Hootsuite, Gist) or via subscription (Sprout Social, Involver, Vitrue).

What’s emerging now is the belief that marketers, not customer service reps, need to capture as much publicly-available social data on their customers and dump it into their databases. But the value is still TBD. And as online privacy issues continue to take shape, thus limiting easily-accessible social data, can simply knowing that a customer is on Facebook help to effectively engage prospects in a real way?

TAKEAWAY

“Social CRM”  might be  just a case  of “all  sizzle and  no steak.”  In other  words,  marketers  have  convinced  other  marketers  they need  the stuff,  but there  isn’t much  substance.

Marketing Trend

Our trendwatchers are seeing a growing need for even the savviest of marketers to educate themselves on workflow improvements. The concept of how to mass-produce automated marketing campaigns (without reliance on excessive human interaction) is not difficult to implement, yet many businesses aren’t aware of the right strategies. Furthermore, while the cost of marketing mediums has decreased due to the rapid growth of online advertising opportunities, production costs have skyrocketed. This leaves marketing budgets vulnerable to what our experts call The 21st Century Marketing Paradox – a cost shift from channel to production. 

We don't let a few snowflakes scare us! Despite school and government offices being closed today, our staff is fully committed to you today.

Bacon of the Month Club for Valentine's Day? Or Panties of the Month?

Regardless of what you sell, your company may just have a big opportunity gift right under your noses. Continue reading for more on what the publishing industry did right and what we can learn from subscription-based business models...

Trend: The Return of Subscription-Based Business Models

Established by the publishing industry with magazines and Book of the Month Club, many retailers looking to break into an already-competitive market are turning to the subscription model. Rather than selling a single product and hoping for the customer to return for more, ecommerce sites such as Panty by Post, Men are Useless and Blue Bottle Coffee Company are hoping larger single receipts through subscription packages are the answer to bigger returns.

Despite the frigid weather and the endless news about snowstorms in the Northeast, here's one personalization and segmentation trend that is, in the words of Buster Pointdexter, "Hot, hot, hot!"

Should We Talk about the Weather?
Sleeting or Scorching, Surefire Ways to Get Attention

Latest Marketing Trend:
Over the past few weeks, inclement weather has made big headlines, especially in the northeastern part of the U.S. Smart marketers are taking advantage of the timeliness of snowstorms to get the more business. This strategy involves a very specific type of content personalization – a combination of timing and location. Accurately timed weather campaigns are popping up everywhere in creative ways, cutting through mundane clutter with relevant content.

Examples Include:

* Domino’s Pizza, advertising placement on local news “school closings” page (see example)

* Oriental trading company, weather-related content emailed to subscribers in states with snow

* Bounce U, geo-specific email messages related to school closings and their extended business hours