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2020-02-07 Paul Kostial

The world of marketing has changed much and yet, the mindset of humans hasn’t shifted ‘online only’ as much as we might think and, it’ll take years. As a result, combining ONLINE and OFFLINE touchpoints is the most effective means to reach and engage your most vital targets, at least for those at the top of the sales pipeline, for both retention and acquisition.

  • In the meantime, adept marketers are using multi- or omni-channel to reach their targets.
  • And many in fact, are using cover wraps to reach and engage even their most difficult targets.
  • Except for some cases, a blended touchpoint strategy always yields the biggest results.
  • To start, there are many targets who are near-impossible to reach via online platforms.
  • And, even if you ‘reach’ them, they are not very responsive (if at all) – all touchpoints aren’t equal.

In a recent side-by-side test of our cover wrap platforms vs. online-only channels, a long-time F500® client measured their results – i.e. sales team interaction via multiple CTA options.

  • Without question, our cover wrap (i.e. offline touchpoint sequencing) vs. their online-only channels delivered beyond the expectations.
  • Their results are shared below and, it was only exceptional news for them. They were very impressed and, the sales team loved it.

After considering cutting their online channels (for this target), we encouraged them to keep the online active, for many reasons – the COMBO will always produce the best results.

Why not? … it’s already built and frankly, the combination then provides the multi-touch of BOTH online and offline working together, in tandem. That’ll engage more targets, right?

  • Yes, of course.  So no, don’t cut the online, just because the offline platform delivered such astonishing results.
  • This F500® client was targeting a very high level CXO (c-suite) enterprise prospecting audience – very difficult.
  • They put their messaging on sequenced covers of Forbes® magazine and, literally put the vehicle in their hand.

They were having huge difficulties reaching this target and, having used our platforms, they engaged a platform to test the results.

And here’s what they got in return … 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, they continued both online and offline, fortifying their TANGIBLE offline touchpoints and, driving vital sales with their most important prospects.

They’re now looking at doing the same sequencing with the retention targets as well, which will produce an even better result.

That’s just a few of the many reasons to consider our cover wraps for your offline targeting and, remember, your sales force will thank you.  It works.

NOTE: Most people are very unfamiliar with the technology and targeting behind cover wraps and, most won’t read all the reasons.

So, let’s chat and, based on your target, we’ll share our 30+ years’ experience …

a) what works, b) why it works and, c) how you can use it smartest.

When you have questions or want to take a look, email us at paul.kostial@audienceinnovation.com,

or visit our WEBSITE with dozens of examples. We also share basic platforms, options & rates.

 

And yes, CUTTING THROUGH THE CLUTTER of online overwhelm is 90% of the battle today. This is an enormous challenge facing marketing and sales today, no matter company size.

 

And especially if you have marketing and sales objectives to:

  • better support your marketing and sales teams,
  • reach and effectively engage your most vital targets,
  • rise above your rigorous and brutal competition and,
  • deliver exceptional messaging for your company.

We’d love to share specific ideas and recommendations regarding how it’s done, for …

We look forward to it and, if your target isn’t a fit, we’ll let you know that too.

 

We offer 400+ content partners, so ask for options and we’ll suggest the best fit for your targets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#coverwrap #magazine #pointofcare #pharma #affluent #directmarketing #outofhome #directmail

#paulkostial #audienceinnovation #b2b #b2c #retail #placebased #geodemo #locationbased #sales


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2019-09-08 Paul Kostial

As we head into 2020 and you begin planning your business’s marketing strategy, consider this: 

Cutting through the massive clutter online is one of the biggest challenges in marketing today – rising above your competition is the only way to build short-term and long-term relationships that will ensure consistent sales and revenue.

Luckily, there’s a solution that combines both online and offline marketing to create a lasting impression.

Tangible touch points are physical direct messaging of your brand that your targets can hold in their hands, enjoy, and find useful.  And, when combined with digital targeting, the combination bolsters targeted response and sales interactions.

That’s precisely what we specialize in here at Audience Innovation.

I’m often asked, “Why do companies use your tangible touch point strategies when digital marketing is so popular?”

The answer is simple – our tangible touch points lift your brand above the clutter and overwhelm and amplify the results of what you’re already doing online and, especially well-placed for hard-to-reach targets of value.

  • Here’s one example. One of our large enterprise technology clients had the following results from our most recent tangible touch point campaign:

    • A 59% CTA response! Compared with the meager 0.9% CTA response this client received with online-only marketing strategies, the tangible touch points were a huge success.

    • The key to this client’s success? …

    • The combination of offline and online that performs best these days – over and over again.
  • A few more quick examples, …

    • global interactive agency used our tangible touch points to engage their CXO/CMO targets by +47% vs. traditional digital-only marketing.

    • major online retailer used our platforms to engage their affluent consumer targets by +14% vs. traditional digital-only marketing.

    • global pharma provider used our platforms to engage their most vital patient targets by +29% vs. traditional point-of-care marketing options.

 

 

How do we get these incredible compounded results?

We call it “tangible targeted interaction” – delivering a series of valuable and engaging sequenced touch points IN-HAND to drive interaction for your sales force, website, video, social and other sales channels.

Best of all, it works well for nearly any vital target.

  • The touch points are welcomed and appreciated, causing heightened target interaction offline and online.

  • It’s stealth, like a Trojan horse – it gets you there, even when your sales force can’t get in the door.

  • Some call it THE “bridge to digital” as it stair-steps target interaction via welcomed, engaging touch points.

It’s exactly like putting your company’s multi-page ‘brochure’ directly in the hands of only your exact target audience and, with our welcomed tangible touch points, they keep it longer, they read it more, and they engage more.

RESULTS are proven over and over, B2B and B2C.

 

Take a look and, let us know when you have a target that may be a good fit.

We specifically focus on B2BAFFLUENTPHARMA and RETAIL/OOH targets (and all sub-segments).

We’re already planning for our client’s 2020 targeting platforms now, so…

  • Visit Us Online where we share a variety of ideas, results, and examples.

  • Watch our newest targeting video updates

  • Respond to this email for target info, ideas, or a proposal.

  • We’ll let you know if your target is a smart fit and what you can expect.

  • BOTTOM LINE – Tangible Touch Points Cause Tangible Results®

KEY Q’s to DISCUSS: – Who’s your vital target? – Do you have a data file? – What’s the best co-branding partner? – What’s the ideal start-up timing? – How many touch points will affect the best results? – Over what timeframe? – Sequenced online or not?

SCHEDULE a TIME TO CHAT WITH US REGARDING YOUR VITAL TARGETS

 

VISIT US – GET QUICK QUOTE – SCHEDULE CHAT – LINKEDIN – ASK ABOUT DISCOUNT OPTIONS


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2019-07-28 Paul Kostial

In a recent ANA/DMA study, 76% of consumers said they trust direct mail advertising when they are making a purchase decision. Only two other formats scored higher: Prints ads (82%) and TV ads (80%). Multiple studies have shown that direct mail makes a connection with consumers. The TANGIBLE offer or promotion they hold in their hands requires “less cognitive effort to process than digital media.” #touchpoints #targeting #marketingstrategy #coverwrap #branding #advertisingstrategies #customerexperience

Direct Mail Marketing Delivers Results for Businesses


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2018-10-20 Paul Kostial

Sadly, it’s true. And here’s just a few examples.

You hit a link on some online ‘sponsored’ message, and your phone rings in 3 seconds #$%^$#, or … you get a text immediately. Immediately #$%^$#!!! What? … #$%^$# … I only wanted to get some info emailed to me and, I really don’t want your salesman/woman calling or texting me at 10:00p on a Friday night. Seriously, I don’t. Stop it #$%^$#.

You try to find a phone number on a website, only to find they have no phone number, and ONLY an option to email them a request. Uhhhh #$%^$#, did your customer ‘service’ team all get fired, or sent on vacation? Really, now I do want to talk to a human, and I’m a paying customer; can’t find a human to answer a question RE my account, to save my life.

Oh, back to the first one. And now, you stalk the #$%^$# out of me, with dozens of emails, calls and/or texts, and it’s barely been 24 hours. Really? … #$%^$# … and you think I want to be your customer now? No, I don’t. I’ll find another to give my hard-earned dollars!!

Or often, I’m not looking to buy now, unless it’s shampoo, and I’ll order that online and, it’ll be at my door in a day or two. I’m just interested in learning more about this insurance option, on my own time, or home refinancing, on my own time. In the meantime, I’ll just go grocery shopping at my favorite #HEB, or #Randalls, and I’ll find what I want, in person, like a human – and me still shopping for my own groceries, and choosing my own apples.

Get this. Go to your local branch of your ‘major’ bank and ask to speak to a customer service rep who’s sitting there to answer customer’s questions. So you ask your question. They pick up the phone, and call the same 800# you could call, and they ask the question of their ‘rep’ online, with a code word at the front so they know it’s an internal inbound ‘branch’ call. Uhhh, really, this is how you do it now? #$%^$# – What happened to your customer service, did they all get fired, or you forgot to train them to help me with even basic questions, in person? I’m paying you – I’ll find another bank to do business. Today.

And let’s not forget now, the robo dial calls and texts, even though you’re on the DO NOT CALL list, and it’s been checked and verified. Did you forget to check that, any of you? I spent time listing myself there to avoid these antagonists frustrations, and you maybe ‘forgot’ to purge that list, so you can email me instead. One email would be nice, not 30 in a week.

One big time client has 180,000+ emails in his work email inbox. He’s shared, he can’t get the first email answered before there’s another 10 follow-up emails and now, many scold you for not answering the first email, or say “I’m sure you’ve been busy, did you forget to answer my prior email?”

Really? #$%^$# … uhhh no, you’re stalking the #$%^$# out of me, so I’ll just BLOCK you. How’s that for cutting off your robotic marketing? … now what, you’ll camp at my house or office, and catch me heading to the grocery store? Seriously?

Marketing, this is not. Sales, this is not. Yes, there’s a powerful benefit to online targeting and yet, there must be a limit to stalking #$%^$# that’s going on today. It’s insane. Insane.

  • Do you want to be stalked? No.
  • Do you want to be texted incessantly? No.
  • Do you want to get phone calls, repeatedly, and all hours? No.
  • Do you buy a vacuum cleaner, then want retargeting for vacuum cleaners? No.
  • Do you want to choose your path, and how you interact with companies? Yes.
  • Do you want valued relationships with companies that value your business? Yes.

Get the point? It’s not that difficult – it’s basic human psychology. Very basic, i.e. it’s not that difficult to understand and, even yourself as an example, you don’t want it either. Yes.

And to think, we stalk #$%^$# them to frustration and agony then, we wonder why they don’t buy. Hold on while I finish LMAO, OMG – what the hell? Is this for real? Someone must be punking me, right? Where’s Ashton Kutcher when you need him? Yikes.

In our business, we speak with marketers every single day – EVERY.SINGLE.DAY of the week. And guess what, they’re all mostly very frustrated. Their sales teams are frustrated, and no one’s much answering the phone any more, rarely responding to emails (unless it’s a known contact), and uhhhh … getting a H2H or F2F meeting these days is near impossible anymore. It’s an epidemic we call ‘bunkering’ and it’s a sad result of a shameful practice.

Read the articles, there are many on these topics, and it’ll only get worse, except for those marketers and sales managers who want to give their customers a more bona fide and productive experience. Honestly, these days, it’s not that difficult to set yourself (your company) apart and above the competition. To start, stop stalking people – it’s not working to produce the result you want and, IN FACT, it’s producing the opposite affect.

If you want to reach people, i.e. your customers, how about sending them a little gift, or a nice gesture of goodwill, or offering them an advantage to doing business with you? Or, what about NOT stalking #$%^$# them? Simple steps cause big results, and this ‘marketing’ madness must come to a halt or, you’ll soon find yourself with fewer customers.

Company after company (large and small) are denoting the reality of this situation and, luckily, some are taking prompt action/s to reverse the saga/mess and, building valued relationships with their customers and prospects. It’s not that difficult but first, you must stop the insanity.

Shared in truth and a bit of humor, and happy to chat any time. These topics are important, and apply mostly equally to both B2B and B2C targeting. Some products/services do well with the online-only options, yet many do not. Think carefully how you’re cultivated a relationship the customer WANTS to have with you and your company.

Try being a customer of your company, and see how it goes. I’ve personally coached many CMO’s to do this, and create a fake profile for a test and, 95% of the time, they call back crying and/or screaming. Yes, they found the truth, the reality of overwhelm on their own, firsthand, and they wouldn’t want to be a customer of their own company.

Sadly, that’s both humorous, and horrifying. It’s time we take smarter/better action, and caring for our customers better, more intuitively, and giving them an experience they’ll want to repeat. Now that’s marketing, and that’s sales – like time-tested and proven over and over.