Maximizing Email Marketing Performance

DATE: May 15, 2008

TIME: 10amPT/ 11amMT/ 12pmCT/ 1pmET

PRESENTERS:
Steve Daigneault, Managing Director of Internet Communications, Amnesty International USA
Andrew Eisner, Vice President of Client Services, Interwoven
Marla Chupack, Moderator, American Marketing Association

COST: Complimentary

Click Here to Register NOW

How Amnesty International USA Doubled Response Rates with Simple Changes to its Landing Pages

Join us on this educational Webcast and learn how Amnesty International USA, a leading human rights organization, made subtle changes to its landing pages that produced dramatic increases in email marketing conversion rates and overall donations.

Learn how Amnesty International is leveraging innovative Website optimization strategies to:

• Easily test different combinations of content, offers, and layouts
• Deliver a more compelling landing page experience
• Increase email marketing campaign conversion rates
• Drive a more data-driven approach to Website design

A recording of this Webcast will be available if you can’t attend the above session. Please register and we’ll send you a link to the recording.

AirMarketing Hosts SEMPOAZ with Special Guest Microsoft

If you are in the Search Engine Optimization/Marketing (SEO, SEM) profession and will be in the Phoenix Arizona Metro area on May 1st; you will not want to miss this event!

This is a unique opportunity to meet with a top search engine and see how things work behind the scenes.

Microsoft Search Marketing Trends and Tools
As a part of SEMPO AZ’s Quarterly Education Series, Kelly Thomas and Jorie Waterman from Microsoft’s adCenter in Seattle will be flying down to speak about the tools and technology being developed by Microsoft to help search engine marketers during all stages of their advertising campaigns. They will cover ways to use the unique research prototypes available on adLabs and the adCenter Add-in for Excel – all tools enabling advanced keyword research needed to hone campaigns in both paid and natural search. After walking through the data and tools available, Waterman and Thomas will discuss how they see search engine marketers utilizing this data across the lifecycle of a marketing campaign.

Attendees will learn and experience:
o What is available on adCenter, and a glimpse into the roadmap for the future
o A deep dive into Demo Targeting and Bid Boosting
o Research prototypes available for review on adLabs
o How the industry could use this data in their strategic planning and optimization processes

SEMPO AZ (sempoaz.org) is a working group of SEMPO (The Search Engine Marketing Professionals Organization). The purpose of this group is to provide education, awareness and a better understanding of search engine marketing. We support the mission of SEMPO (www.sempo.org) and aim to serve the marketing professionals engaged in search in the Arizona market.

The event will be held on Thursday, May 1 from 6:00-8:00 PM at airMarketing located at: 3419 East University Drive in Phoenix.

Admission will be $20 for SEMPO members and $30 for non-members.

To register for this event, please click on the link below:

http://www.register123.com/event/profile/form/index.cfm?PKformID=0×565574202a

If you need more information, please call Jason at 602.565.312 or go to www.sempoaz.org

To see if your company is a member, please visit: www.sempoaz.org/directories/all

Thank you and I look forward to seeing you at the event.

Purina Gets Social

Purina has published a site that capitalizes on peoples’ love of their pets and the power of Social Media.

The PETCHART site is an excellent example of how a company can capitalize on and foster user generated content which gets consumers interacting with the brand, and having the brand gain valuable mind share. This concept can be expanded to support online promotions as well, grow the customer database, distribute coupons and even sample product. The possibilities are endless. Purina PetCharts offers pet owners an opportunity to share videos, photos, and read stories and articles that can help them take better care of their beloved pets. The stories are actually aggregated from RSS feeds which makes the site even easier to maintain. There are links to the company promotions and coupons and special offers. This execution is done very well. The one thing that is missing is the ability for pet owners to actually discuss products and share their own stories and add comments. This would be a fantastic way for Purina to keep a pulse of their consumers and speak directly to them.

Maybe in version 2.

Global Search Engine Trends

Here is a white paper that can benefit any Search Engine Marketer. This discusses the Global Trends of Search and Search engines in the Global Internet, not just America, and yes there are other Search Engines besides Google and Google doesn’t necessarily rule search in some international markets. It was created at the end of 2007, sponsored by WebCertain.com
So enjoy this Global Search Report.

Finding the Ideal Incentive: How We Increased Email Capture by 319%

Here’s an Idea!

The right incentive can make a significant impact on response rates, whether it’s used to build lists and generate leads or increase online sales. But how do you determine which incentive will work best to overcome friction and deliver maximum return?

What errors need to be avoided? Find out at our free Web Clinic next Wednesday, when Dr. Flint McGlaughlin will discuss how to choose the ideal incentive — and answer your specific questions.

Webinar Topic: Finding the Ideal Incentive: How We Increased Email Capture by 319% When: Wednesday, April 2, 2008 - 4:00 to 5:00 PM (EDT)

Reserve your spot for this interactive Webinar here.

Mobile coupons find more favor with consumers than advertisers

Here’s an Idea!
Straight from Internet Retailers website: Consumers are interested in receiving coupons on their mobile phones, though adoption by advertisers remains low: 30% of consumers would like to receive mobile coupons, but only 1% of advertisers offer them, according to a new report from JupiterResearch.

However, 8% of advertisers plan to adopt mobile coupons in the next year, up from 2% last year, the report says. They may be attracted by redemption rates ranging from 5% to 15%, much higher than typical print coupon rates of 1% or less; higher redemption rates stem from consumers opting in to mobile coupon programs, the report says.

Mobile coupons are delivered to consumers in one of two ways. Advertisers place short codes—numbers registered with telecommunications carriers that contain fewer numerals than standard phone numbers—on print advertisements, billboards or in-store signs. Consumers send a text message to a short code and in turn receive the advertised coupon. Or, consumers can register with opt-in programs offered by advertisers.

Redemption methods are inhibiting wider use by advertisers of mobile coupons. Few retailers have two-dimensional bar code systems to read coupons directly from handset screens, the report says. Current methods for redeeming mobile coupons include manually entering a code in a cash register, matching a mobile coupon with a customer’s loyalty card account or writing information in paper records.

“At this stage, advertisers should temper expectations until automated systems are widely deployed,” says Neil Strother, lead analyst for the report, “Mobile Coupons: Identifying New Opportunities Beyond Early Trials.” “The preferred method would be point-of-sale scanners, but most retail chains have yet to make the investment in hardware and back-end systems. As near-field communication methods mature—such as radio-frequency identification (RFID) and Bluetooth—coupon redemption will become more widespread.”

Mobile phone users interested in mobile coupons would like to receive coupons for a variety of items, the report says. These include: exclusive discounts from selected stores, special offers on event tickets, special offers or coupons for CDs and DVDs, special offers or coupons for apparel, special offers or coupons on personal care products, and special time-sensitive offers.

Social Search: Welcome to the World of Socialommerce

How is Social Media effecting SEO and eCommerce? Here is an interesting take on that topic.

read more | digg story

Top 5 Tips for a Successful Online Video Strategy

Here’s an Idea!

DATE: April 8, 2008

TIME: 10amPT/ 11amMT/ 12pmCT/ 1pmET

PRESENTERS
Matt Kaplan, VP Creative & Client Services, PermissionTV
Dan Newberry, Vice President of Advertising & Marketing, BobVila.com
Marla Chupack, Moderator, American Marketing Association

COST: Complimentary

Click Here to Register NOW

Video 2.0 Rules of Engagement: Top 5 Tips for a Successful Online Video Strategy

According to eMarketer, there will be 183 million online video viewers by 2011 – that’s a 60 percent increase from the number of viewers today. This growing consumption of online video provides marketers with new ways to promote their brands, and has also created opportunities to engage with consumers, expand reach and explore new monetization methods. 

Because consumers are free to watch any program, anytime and anywhere, organizations and advertisers are quickly realizing that the consumer is king in online video. By focusing on critical elements such as user engagement, relevancy, interactivity, usability and measurability you too can kick-off a successful online video strategy. 

Please join executives from online video leader PermissionTV as they discuss established best practices, and review how successful brands like Bob Vila, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Intercontinental Hotels and Toyota Scion are engaging consumers and reaping the benefits of online video.

Marketing doesn’t Run on Dunkin Donuts

Here’s an Idea! Stay true to your Brand and learn from the mistakes of others Dunkin Donuts…Apparently the geniuses in the Marketing Department at Dunkin Donuts thinks it is a good idea to partner with other companies and dilute the Dunkin Donuts Brand. This is from an article at franchiseperfection.com Look at Starbucks; they moved away from their core strength and look what happened. When you start diluting your brand by puting it in gas stations and self serve stations… That is a recipe for disaster. You won’t have brand evangelists like Chuck who runs on Dunkin Donuts, who even posted a video on YouTube “Chuck Runs on Dunkin Donuts” to show his love; they will be running away from the Brand.

Leveraging Social Media for the Uber Connected

OK, so we are living in the digital age, we market products utilizing the latest in online tactics and successfully integrating the online campaigns with our other offline channels. We are in the midst of convincing our clients of the importance of consumer generated content or Web 2.0, a.k.a Social Media and how the consumer today has more power and influence over brand sales than traditional message vehicles, yet we are still trying to figure out the best way to use these tools ourselves. Are you feeling the symptoms of Facebook Stress Syndrome?

 

We my friends, you are not alone in this endeavor. In the mission to better understand the younger generation (stay cool) and stay connected with the latest market trends and how to utilize them, I have set up accounts for Plaxo, LinkedIn, MySpace and Facebook. Here is what I have found: It is a full time job to stay connected. When I first set up the accounts, I was very excited to try all of the tools and connect to as many people as possible because I thought that was the name of the game. I was going crazy, trying to keep up with all of the connections, playing the social games on Facebook, answering and asking questions in LinkedIn just for the sake of itself, etc. Then you wonder why people don’t accept your invitations to you’re your network, and the feelings of rejection set in. This led to many late nights. Well since then, I have altered my strategy. For Plaxo, I use it now just for an online address book of my friends, family and business contacts whom I keep in regular contact. I have found this works well for me. I can maintain one address book in one place which is accessible from everywhere. As for LinkedIn, I really like this site for professional contacts and getting introductions to people I wish to meet for business reasons. I have had great success with this tool. It is not to replace face to face networking though. It is real easy to get caught up in inviting people to your network just for the sake of it, but I am now cutting back to inviting only those who I will be working with. This way when I recommend them, I can do so confidently and vice versa when I ask for a recommendation. I have even used it in a job search, as a networking tool, get new business, and to point others to the people who recommend my work. When used in conjunction with face to face networking, LinkedIn is a valuable tool in staying connected or growing your network.

 

As for Myspace, I personally don’t see much value for marketing within it or adults using it for networking. I am not their target demographic though. My teenage nephews are on their Myspace pages quite a bit however. Finally, I come to Facebook, the college age version of Myspace. The same goes for this, I now maintain a page strictly for out of state family members to share updates and photos. These two sites are really for social interaction and sharing personal information between each other online in a single profile page.

 

In conclusion, none of these websites or web applications can replace face to face networking and personal interaction. Use each of these tools for what they are designed for; to augment our relationships, not replace them.