MindFireInc Spotlight
PODI.org cites research indicating relevant campaigns generate, on average, 300% better response than those that are just personalized.
Sales Tip
Have you ever deployed a campaign for a client that you feel is a real winner, but your client is not happy with the results? If you have been building cross media campaigns for long enough, you are bound to run into some level of disconnect. Often times, cross media campaigns deliver great response, but your client’s sales team is not able to close the opportunities. Because of this lack of conversion, executives sometimes do not see the value of the campaign. Here are some simple ways to avoid this frustrating situation.
Early in the process, ask your client what a qualified prospect looks like. Ask them to provide you as much information as they can. By clearly understanding who their key target is, you will be able to source a better list. This is important for two reasons: First, by targeting the message more effectively, you will see greater response. Second, by forcing the client to articulate who they want to sell to, you can set the expectation about the type of prospect you are going to deliver to them. This eliminates the conversation about not delivering "quality leads."
Ask your client about key metrics they wish to measure in the campaign. Any savvy marketer is going to want to measure ROI. This will often include how much revenue is generated from a particular campaign. As the marketing service provider, be careful how your performance is measured. Work with the client to agree how many leads it will require to generate the revenue they wish to gain from the campaign. Make sure you are comfortable delivering the response rate. By connecting your performance to the response rate, you can avoid the "lead the horse to water" issue that can arise. This is when you attract great leads, but the sales team does not follow up. Using this model will allow your client to continue to believe in cross media marketing even if the results of a campaign fall short due to a lack of sales effort.
Keep in mind a good partner is always going to be concerned with the campaign's ROI. While you want to position yourself as a good partner, make sure the criteria by which you are judged falls within what you can control.
Tech Tip
Email continues to be a key communication tactic for many marketers. As a service provider, clients will be looking to you to help them get the most out of their email campaigns. Here are a few tips to help make sure your campaigns get results.
Subject Lines Matter - If you want your email to be read, be sure the subject line clearly communicates the email's content. Do not try to trick anyone into opening the email or you will surely get the dreaded unsubscribe.
Have the email come from a person - Have you ever received an email from an address that says info@anycompany.com? When an email appears to be coming from a real person, it has higher value and is more likely to be opened. Be sure the respondents can reply to a live email address.
Avoid the dirty words of email marketing - If you want your message to be read, it has to get through spam filters. There are a few words you must avoid if you have any hope of getting through the filter. Here is a list of some of the worst words you can use:
- Free
- Money back guarantee
- 50% off
- Do not delete
- Act now
- Lowest Rates
Avoid any words that could be associated with pharmaceuticals, adult websites, or multi-level marketing. These are all industries associated with spam; therefore they are likely to get blocked.
In addition to this basic list, there are some other email pitfalls to avoid. Do not put excessive punctuation in your subject line or body copy. Be sure not to use g a p s i n y o u r t e x t and avoid creating emails that ARE IN ALL CAPS. Each of these things will be viewed as suspect by spam filters and may prevent your message from getting through. There are a number of online sources that help you check your message prior to sending it. Many of these tools will score your message and help you refine the content for the highest rates of deliverability. By using these simple tips, you will have a much greater chance of delivering results.
Data Management
As cross media marketing with Personalized URLs becomes more mainstream, clients continue to demand more sophisticated campaigns. As any marketing service provider knows, there is an increased demand for integrating cross media campaigns with CRM applications. This integration allows for information to be easily passed between a campaign and a CRM like SalesForce.com. Below are three methods to integrate information into a CRM application.
The most basic method to get information into a CRM is by importing a "flat file" that has been generated by the LookWho’sClicking system. In simple terms, this is nothing more than an Excel file. The advantage of this process is that it takes very little technical expertise. However, there are drawbacks to this process. Perhaps the most significant drawback is that it cannot happen in real time. Results can be delayed before becoming available to a sales team.
The second method of integration is to use the automated data output function of LookWho'sClicking. By configuring a data output report that is sent to an ftp site, you can set up the first step of basic integration. Most CRM's have the ability to "watch" an ftp folder. With some simple programming, the CRM can be set up to consume any information the LWC system sends to the ftp. The advantage of this is that once it is set up, data will pass automatically on a scheduled interval. The drawback is that this is still not real time integration.
For the most comprehensive integration, you will need to leverage the LookWho'sClicking API (API = application programming interface). To configure this will require some programming knowledge. The API is nothing more than a series of "hooks" that tie together the LWC system and a client CRM. These hooks allow data to be passed back and forth in a real time environment. The advantage of this is the campaigns can be immediately tied into all of the functionality of a client's CRM including workflow rules, lead routing, and campaign measurement.
As client demands continue to push for more advanced integrations, it is important to know the resources you have available. The Knowledge Base is an excellent place to gather information, including specific information on the LookWho'sClicking API. In addition, MindFireInc has a full team of programmers who can create specific integrations for you. If you would like to get a quote from MindFireInc professional service, please contact Greg Wasmuth gwasmuth@mindfireinc.com or call 949-474-4418 ext. 300.
Case Study
Waybetter Marketing, a MindFireInc partner, recently helped their client improve the value of their trade show exhibition. Historically, this client exhibited at trade shows because their competitors always exhibited. The thought was that "showing up" was good enough. This strategy may have created awareness, but was not an effective method of lead generation.
This year they wanted more. Seeking to generate booth traffic for their client, Waybetter Marketing created a multi channel campaign that included a personalized direct mail piece and a personalized URL. The goals of this campaign included:
- Drive booth traffic during the trade show
- Gather information about respondents
- Convert a "rented list" of attendees into a house list
This campaign targeted a list of registered trade show attendees. Messaging on the direct mail piece drove recipients to a personalized URL. This URL gathered information about the prospect, and encouraged them to pre-schedule a meeting during the actual trade show. The results of this campaign are impressive by any standard.
From a list of 6200 names, the client was able to generate response in excess of 6%. While the response by itself could designate this campaign a success, the most significant result came at the trade show. By targeting attendees, Waybetter Marketing was able to help their client set 85 meetings that took place during the show.
When asked about the campaign, Waybetter’s client said, "I am really, really happy with these returns. This is the definition of lead generation that we've never had before. Given average close ratios, I'm quite sure we will increase our customer base as a result of this campaign/conference and justify the cost of the effort."
