Feature :
Direct marketing
is cheapest
but effective too

Dear Reader,

As we step into the year 2007, we are pleased to bring out another issue in our series of newsletters on communication. Today, as technology progresses by leaps and bounds, new methods and ways of communication, especially online communication, are constantly being explored by companies looking to reach out to a larger group.  For the growth of any business venture advertising is the key and online advertising is rapidly becoming the most immediate and cost-effective advertising channels available in the present world. In this issue we take a close look at the various types of online advertisements such as banner ads, blogging, email and direct mail.

Raj Sekhawat ~ MV Managing editor

Blogging to peak in 2007, says Gartner

Could blogging be near the peak of its popularity? The technology gurus at Gartner believe so. One of the research company’s top 10 predictions for 2007 is that the number of bloggers will level off in the first half of next year at roughly 100 million worldwide. The reason: Most people who would ever dabble with Web journals already have. Those who love it are committed to keeping it up, while others have gotten bored and moved on, said Daryl Plummer, chief Gartner fellow. “A lot of people have been in and out of this thing,” Plummer said. “Everyone thinks they have something to say, until they’re put on stage and asked to say it.”

That’s no knock on blogging. Plummer noted that this leveling-off dynamic plays out all the time, though it often comes as a bit of a surprise when it hits things that had achieved quick popularity.

B2B marketers take advantage of new technology

With advances in live chat, online video and rich media technologies, b-to-b marketers are using banner ads in innovative ways to reach and engage their target audiences, says marketing expert Kate Maddox on btobonline.com

In November, as part of the launch of its Quad Core processor, Intel used a new online ad format that lets users conduct live chat sessions within a banner ad. The online campaign, called “Four Days of Dialogue,” used a live group chat banner unit. During the campaign, Intel technology experts were available to answer questions from users.

“If you look at the business and IT community, they are going online and that is where they’re getting information,” said Sandra Lopez, integrated marketing communications manager at Intel. “The online environment is becoming more user-initiated,” she added. “We do not want to speak to the IT community—we want to speak with them and engage them.” Intel’s live chat campaign was part of a broader initiative that included print and a Web site.

Teaser ad kept them on tenterhooks
To promote the “Four Days of Dialogue” campaign, which debuted at 4 pm ET on November 14, Intel ran a teaser ad on technology sites. “Our agency took a look at when these sites have an increase in traffic in the US, and that occurs at about 4 pm ET,” Lopez said. “It also fit nicely with the overall campaign idea (promoting Quad Core, which means four processors).”

The teaser ad let users know that something big was going to be happening on November 14. The day of the launch, Intel ran an ad with a countdown to the live chat, then a banner with copy reading “Join chat now.” Users could type questions into the banner, as well as see questions that other users were asking. Intel experts answered the inquiries, which ranged from questions about Intel processors to server technology.

“The idea of a chat is not unusual in the tech space,” said a communications expert. “What is unusual is bringing the chat to the target audience.” He said this was the first time the agency conducted a live group chat within a banner ad. One of the compelling reasons for doing so is that users are not sent off to another site, he said.

On-demand online video series
Other b-to-b marketers are taking advantage of new online video technology within banner ads to reach business and technology decision-makers online.

In October, a media company launched an on-demand online video series. The online video programs play within standard Flash-based banner ads and run on technology sites. The programs are between six and seven minutes long and feature technology content that users can play on demand.

The ads contain several interactive features that allow marketers to reach their target audience. To view the complete video, users click on the ad and are taken to a short registration page within it. Lead generation comes through the registration form, and marketers can follow up with direct messaging. Once users are registered, they can play the video programs, using controls to pause, rewind or fast-forward.

The programs feature interviews with experts and profiles of companies that are making a difference with technology. They are not vendor-specific, although sponsors can run a short video clip prior to the start. Within each program is a Q&A section, allowing users to e-mail questions to the experts being interviewed. The experts will e-mail responses back to the users (not in a live chat format).

Excerpted from an article by Kate Maddox on btobonline.com

So you’ve got a small marketing budget? That’s okay, there’s still a lot you can do to reach your B2B audience; it just may take a little more elbow grease.
The key to stretching a budget is shrinking your focus. Don’t attempt to give every product or service or each geography an equal slice of the pie—that will only dilute your overall marketing attempts. Also, know your audience; market to the right people in the organisation. Although your message may not spread as wide, it will certainly go deeper.

In terms of bang for the buck, direct marketing can still be one of the cheapest and most effective ways of reaching your potential customers. But by using email and snail mail, companies can still stay top of mind among prospects and customers, says Jodi Bash, a marketing analyst.

Excerpted from an article by Jodi Bash on Marketingprofs.com