Blog

Smartphone Effect

2011-09-09T21:21:48Z

As someone who has worked for almost two decades in telecom, I have tended to be a somewhat disinterested observer to handset news. There is always some new handset coming out. Of course, the carriers want to make news with the announcements, especially when they have an exclusive arrange. Differentiation. I get it. But normally, the only time I am interested in handset news is when my contract is set to renew.

I mean no disrespect to those that anticipate each Iphone release. My primary interest has always been how the network operated, with an emphasis on the equipment used to support it. Devices fall into the consumer realm and I have always focused on business side of wireless. However, as I came across a recent article on the penetration rates, I was reminded why my clients – who operate in the wireless ecosystem – are so interested with smartphones. The graphic below says it all: 40% of devices in the USA are now smartphones.

Blackberry may have created the category; as the second graphic shows their competitors have redefined it. Many of my friends use their devices oblivious to how they operate. Of course that’s what the smartphone vendors want. But I always think of the impact on the network. With 40% of handsets that impact is growing greater by the day. It means squeezing more out of less will continue to be the mantra at network operators around the world.

I will continue to use my smartphone – a Blackberry for the record – as I watch the world’s operators address this business challenge. And maybe I’ll even look at an Android phone when my contract is up for renewal.

That time of year again - Mobile World Congress starts next week!

2011-02-10T22:26:16Z

The bags are packed (almost). The deadline work is completed (brochures look good) and the meetings scheduled. Mobile World Congress starts on Monday. I read earlier today a journalist describing this as Mobile World Congress season. It's an apt description. What I find surprising is that the season seems to start earlier each year.

Depending on your exhibition budget, planning can start in earnest in October. The start of the year is by far the busiest time of our year. While I have worked on the booth at many MWCs in the past, I am happy to sit that activity out now and have a more liberal schedule.

Now that the deadlines have passed, the press releases issued, I can get my own plans together for Mobile World Congress. There is no shortage of clients, prospects and colleagues to meet. I'll see what I can learn on the floor as well -- and get glimpses of the new devices.

CRM Systems and Web Integration

2010-10-28T14:44:09Z

The days of” brochureware” websites are coming to end. For most industries, at any rate. Most clients we advise are using customer relationship management (CRM) systems for contact and pipeline management. Some have fully integrated their marketing and are employing campaign management -- a great way to make marketing activities measureable. Others are using the systems for support applications. This is a fantastic way for growth-stage B2B companies to bat above their weight and appeal to international clients with a 24x7 help desk.

To enable these workflow improvements through a client’s website, the CRM system has to be integrated. It has been my experience that the possibilities are truly endless for these integrations. All of the CRM systems have published APIs, and once workflows and requirements are established, most client requests are achievable. That’s not to say that all the integrations are easy. This depends on what the CRM developer has exposed through its APIs. It’s often worth considering what functionality is offered through third-party applications. These applications can provide a cost-effective shortcut to the features required with a built-in roadmap of enhanced functionality.

We’ve been involved with a number of websites that have integrated CRM systems, and I see the trend expanding. We’re big fans because the CRM systems, and related report capabilities, allow for easier marketing measurement, pipeline management and enable a host of other workflow improvements through the company’s website. If you haven’t tied your website to your CRM system, what are you waiting for?

How Does Your Website Measure Up?

2010-07-22T15:48:12Z

Given our agency’s focus on internet marketing, it is not surprising that we get lots of questions along the lines of “What do you think of my current site” and “What would you change”? One tool we like to use in the preliminary stages of our assessment comes from a company called Hubspot: Website Grader. As the name suggests this site “grades” your site on a series of criteria, including site content, technical aspects (length of domain registration, existence of alt tags on pictures, inbound links) and overall traffic rank. Some of the categories used to derive the rankings are less compelling for B2B customers, but on the whole the site does a good job.

Let’s face it, your internet marketing strategy -- as a subset of your marketing strategy -- is closely tied to your competitive position. A nice feature of Website Grader is that it lets you easily compare your site to your main competitors. It only takes a couple of minutes. Metrics for comparison include your site’s “grade”, as well as Google-indexed pages, traffic rank, inbound links and more. Website Grader provides a valuable first step in assessing your website against your competition. It's worth a look.

How do your conversion rates measure up?

2010-05-20T16:13:43Z

I am often asked about benchmarks or expectations for response rates from web tactics I recommend. For most of our B2B clients, one of the primary goals of web design, content creation and related SEO is to convert a lead into an opportunity, contact or account. I was happy to find that Marketing Sherpa published some data on the topic a little while back from an online survey of professional marketers that make up their primary audience. I republish it below.

Not surprisingly, it is easier to generate a lead than to close the business - for the most part. One exception noted below is when the buyer has organically found you (i.e., found you by typing key words that your site ranks for). This helps support the case for on- and off-page SEO and generating content that will resonate with your buyer personas. If nothing else, these numbers provide a useful yardstick. How do your conversion rates measure up?

“A Strong Brand Commands a Premium”

2010-03-09T19:55:21Z

I read an article in the Globe and Mail the other day which made an impression on me for a couple of reasons. Kids and advertising: Mommy, that's my bestest (sic) brand referenced a study in the journal Psychology & Marketing which found that children as young as three illustrate an “emerging ability” to use ads to judge which products will be the most “fun” and make them popular. This, despite the fact they are unable to read at this stage in their life.

I remember my first child around the age of three stating “You can do it, we can help” every time we either said the word Home Depot® out loud or saw their logo – whether on signage, in print or television ads. This wasn’t a fast food brand that she was buying into: just a corporate tagline that was entering her little world on a frequent and consistent basis.

Of course, extrapolating this to Ugroup Marketing clients – usually start-up and growth stage companies in telecom and software sectors – is the power of branding. “A strong brand commands a premium”, wrote David Aaker, noted brand specialist and author. He’s right. While it is easy for smaller companies to shy away from “expensive branding exercises,” all successful companies will eventually see the need to formalize their brand strategy. Understanding the essence of corporate and related product brands, communicating that to all stakeholders and ensuring employees deliver on the brand promise (with every stakeholder touch point) is the ultimate goal. An effective brand is something all employees can rally around. It will help differentiate you against your competitors. If the Pyschology & Marketing study is correct, it may even sow the seeds of relationships with your next generation of customers.

A Tradeshow Like No Other: Mobile World Congress

2010-02-10T22:27:17Z

As I prepare myself for next week’s Mobile World Congress, I find myself reflecting on the importance of this show to the mobile industry. This is our Consumer Electronics Show. There was a time that the CTIA annual exhibition and even the PCIA annual convention were significant stops for the wireless industry. Today, Mobile World Congress is a tradeshow like no other in our industry. It is a truly global event.

Vendors and operators make their major announcements in the run up to Mobile World Congress – or if they are big enough – during the event itself. The CTIA annual exhibition, while making a good move in parking the event in Las Vegas for a few years continues to hold their event a little over a month after Mobile World Congress. I know of many vendors that are no longer exhibiting at CTIA, focussing their dollars on Barcelona instead. They make their key announcements prior to Mobile World Congress and don’t see the value in seeing many of the same people again on this side of the ocean. It’s a logical strategy that should be considered by companies trying to trim their tradeshow budgets. Personally, I think that CTIA should push its show out to the fall. Of course, it appears that Trendsmedia are claiming this period – having made a good move expanding their “WiMAX World” tent to “4G World” in 2009.

At Ugroup Marketing, tradeshow exhibits are well down the list of our recommended activities. Their success is more difficult to measure compared to our preferred marketing approaches. At least most are: Mobile World Congress is a notable exception. Every year, I am amazed at the level of business that goes on at this show. Typical attendees tend to be more senior and the business that occurs – often in the confines of hospitality rooms – at the show is truly remarkable to witness. For smaller companies, cost-effective exhibiting can be achieved by attending a country pavilion (e.g., the Canadian Pavilion). This also provides the bonus of some built-in networking events, and usually, shared access to a meeting room. For many companies in North America, Mobile World Congress signifies a move into the international arena and their attendance is a “stamp” that shows the world they are serious about EMEA (and beyond). If you’re serious about wireless, you’ll be at Mobile World Congress. I can’t wait to get there. Drop me a line and we can meet up.

Email Marketing: Cost-effective lead generation

2010-01-22T22:22:51Z

I was interested to read a report “The Forrester Wave™: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q4 2009” that came across my desk the other day. I am a big believer in permission marketing and the use of direct email. This probably shouldn’t be a surprise given the corporate tagline at Ugroup Marketing is Measurably Better. Direct email is inherently measurable. Unsubscribe is the ultimate response of your irrelevance to the email recipient.

As one might expect, given the economic downturn, companies increased their direct email marketing last year. When asked “How has the current economic situation altered your email program?”, the top responses included:

48% were trying to make their communication more relevant
35% identified the need to have direct email “pick up the slack” for other programs
34% suggested they are emailing more frequently

Necessity is the mother of invention, and as much as direct email was a viable marketing channel prior to the economic downturn, I suspect that many organizations will retain it and much of the cut advertising spend, as well as tradeshow budgets of 2009, has disappeared forever.

PR in a Web 2.0 World

2009-12-22T15:04:22Z

Having a degree in public relations, I am amazed at the impact the internet has made to the industry. It wasn’t that long ago that PR firms and newswires were the main mediums (and expenses) to get your message to the media – and ultimately your targeted audience(s). If the “news” your company generated, and the pitch by your agency of record resonated with the media, articles and coverage would follow.

Today, we’re seeing mainstream media closing down editorial bureaus and trade publications eliminating or greatly reducing print runs in favour of online models. Sometimes even revised business models can’t survive in an era of diminishing advertising revenues. Earlier this year, Crain Communications pulled the plug on the venerable RCR News, one of the key wireless trade publications in North America with a 25 year track record.

Web 2.0 has changed the game and some claim that technology has made journalists obsolete. It may be true to a degree. Companies today can publish their news directly through less expensive internet distribution mediums to a series of websites, traditional news services and blog authors. Cutting out journalists altogether is possible. While I agree with the benefits of this approach from a pure search engine optimization (SEO) perspective, it does beg some questions: What releases are truly newsworthy? What releases further the aims of the company? This is where your in-house PR practitioner, marketing communications professional or outside counsel adds value in determining a communications strategy. Furthermore, I still believe journalists have a critical role to play. At a minimum B2B enterprises should be targeting their key trade editors/journalists and analysts. If future investment or employee recruitment are key requirements, local business media should also be targeted.

What Selling a Used Car “Taught” Me About Advertising?

2009-11-30T19:01:26Z

Blog entry about internet advertising and the need for creating buyer personas when writing ad copy.