Marketing Commentary from interlinkONE
Multi-channel marketing communications - all in one!
Marketing: Channel and Media Review in the Airport
Posted by 
on Tuesday, January 12, 2010 
at 10:57 AM 
in One of the ways that I measure the use of marketing items is when I am roaming the airport before my flight. Yes, that’s right; I watch the humans and observe the channels and medias in use. I want to know exactly what channels the travelers are using, whether it be Print, Electronic, or Television at that precise moment while at the airport waiting. I also look into what medias in that channel they are using. For example, in print, it may be newspapers, magazines, or books. In electronic, it may be mobile, laptop, net books, e-readers, iPods, and more. In television, I want to see what station is on, and then I try to gauge the interest of the people watching. I do a quick count of the folks in a specific area and get a rough number of the audience. Then, I do a quick count on the channels and medias so that I can report via Twitter and Facebook. It is very interesting to see how things have changed over the years, but even day to day or the time of the day makes a difference.
I do it for fun, but if you were marketing to an audience in the airport it may be helpful to gather this sort of information. I actually did a count several times, in the same way, while on the plane. Some airlines have planes carrying Direct TV which changes the game, but typically the amount of printed material rises dramatically while on the flight. On one trip I was really blown away by the amount of e-readers in use. Now, Wi-Fi on board is finally making the push– something I have been waiting for a long time. The ways to reach the target audience in the airport and in flights is changing. As always, Marketing must remain flexible.
See you at the airport. – John
Tags Smart Marketing Made Simple
Smart Marketing is simple. Follow these 7 simple marketing steps for success!
Step:
- Review your target audience and be sure they match up to your product or service.
- Communicate with your target audience in the multiple marketing channels they communicate in (Social Media, Print, Electronic).
- Use the Marketing Medias (Mailers, Ad’s, Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook, Email) and personalize the message where applicable.
- Integrate response mechanisms (QRCodes, PURLS , Web forms, 1-800) that are relevant to the audience, channel and media in use.
- Perform lead generation (Nurture).
- Measure, Measure, Measure.
- Repeat.
What is Marketing Automation?
Marketing automation is exactly how it sounds. It’s all about making the steps in marketing automatic, as opposed to manual in nature. And it’s accomplished by using software that can execute automated marketing steps.
Imagine harnessing the power of technology to engage your prospects. Via email. Via text messages. Via social networking sites. And then setting up the relationship building process to work completely automated. You still have personalized messages. You still make that connection with your prospects. But it’s all done with an automated system – making technology working for you!
When you build a marketing campaign, there are a lot of moving parts. Yes, you need to get the message out there to your prospects. You also need to ensure that the message stays consistent. Using software that helps you do this saves time, money and allows you to do things within your marketing campaign that perhaps wouldn’t be efficient were you conducting the various aspects manually.
You build your marketing campaign. You develop the marketing messages and you will get them to your target market through the following: text messaging, direct mail, e-mail, Facebook and MySpace ads and banner ads. Each message sent through each of these methods will have a call to action and will allow for a response from your prospects. However, there is no “man behind the green curtain” choosing when to unleash each message. The delivery of the messages are already pre-determined and set up on a fine-tuned schedule. Banner ads are in place on day one. Social media ads (Facebook and MySpace) are also ready to go. Emails will be sent 3 days later. Text messages will go out 4 days after that. And then the direct mail will hit the streets a few days later. Each message is completely scheduled and each message invites response from prospects. The moment your prospects begin to respond and utilize those response mechanisms, your automated marketing system continues to plug away at the campaign, kicking into high gear. Whether the prospect responds via a web form after clicking on a banner ad, or a personalized URL, that prospect is sent information that directly corresponds to the prospect’s interest.
Relationship building via an automated system saves resources in regards to both money and time, and by providing relevant information to the prospect in a timely manner, a company is more likely to foster that relationship and turn it into a sale.
What is Marketing Automation?
Marketing automation is exactly how it sounds. It’s all about making the steps in marketing automatic, as opposed to manual in nature. And it’s accomplished by using software that can execute automated marketing steps.
Imagine harnessing the power of technology to engage your prospects. Via email. Via text messages. Via social networking sites. And then setting up the relationship building process to work completely automated. You still have personalized messages. You still make that connection with your prospects. But it’s all done with an automated system – making technology working for you!!
When you build a marketing campaign, there are a lot of moving parts. Yes, you need to get the message out there to your prospects. You also need to ensure that the message stays consistent. Using software that helps you do this saves time, money and allows you to do things within your marketing campaign that perhaps wouldn’t be efficient were you conducting the various aspects manually.
You build your marketing campaign. You develop the marketing messages and you will get them to your target market through the following: text messaging, direct mail, email, Facebook and MySpace ads and banner ads. Each message sent through each of these methods will have a call to action and will allow for a response from your prospects.
However, there is no “man behind the green curtain” choosing when to unleash each message. The delivery of the messages are already pre-determined and set up on a fine-tuned schedule. Banner ads are in place on day one. Social media ads (Facebook and MySpace) are also ready to go. Emails will be sent 3 days later. Text messages will go out 4 days after that. And then the direct mail will hit the streets a few days later. Each message is completely scheduled and each message invites response from prospects.
And the moment your prospects begin to respond and utilize those response mechanisms, your automated marketing system continues to plug away at the campaign, kicking into high gear. Whether the prospect responds via a web form after clicking on a banner ad, or a personalized URL, that prospect is sent information that directly corresponds to the prospect’s interest.
Relationship building via an automated system saves resources in regards to both money and time. And by providing relevant information to the prospect in a timely manner, a company is more likely to foster that relationship and turn it into a sale.
