Getting Through the Clutter - The Rise of Glance Marketing

First of all, this photo is REAL. I swear, I didn't Photoshop it. I took this picture of someone's actual iPhone after being horrified to see how many unread messages and emails he had. I was literally speechless. 

While this is (hopefully) an extreme case, it does bring to light the sheer volume of  requests for attention now pouring into our phones, which by the way is the first place we usually see marketing messages these days.

We try and keep up with all this inbound. It's common to see people waiting in line, in an elevator, at a restaurant, watching TV, or frankly anytime there is a spare moment, quickly scrolling through emails, texts, posts, tweets, photos, shares, all trying to keep up with the onslaught. So how do we get our marketing messages through this kind of clutter, in this kind of environment?

Welcome to the rise of "Glance Marketing". A few years ago, researchers calculated we had someone's attention for 3-5 seconds  before they decided to either delete or continue reading our marketing messages. Today I would say we only have about a half a second. Today people are only glancing at our beloved marketing messages. You know, the ones we've spent hours creating.

Remember, in a mobile world you're competing for attention along side someone's family and close friends. So when it comes to creating mobile marketing content, what stops people from the usual glance>delete cycle? Here are some tips:

1. Start with a picture. A really good picture. Use one right up front to get attention. It can be funny, heartfelt, cool, interesting, playful, whatever fits your brand. But make it relevant to the CTA (call to action). Whatever you do, don't use those boring, bland generic stock images we see all the time. (Woman smiling wearing a headset, row of business people staring off into the distance, you know what I mean).
   
2. At this point the reader is thinking, "OK, interesting picture, you got my attention, but so what?"  Next, you better answer the question, "What's in it for Me?"  or ...delete. This is where you resist the temptation to go on and on about how great your product or service is and simply articulate how it will help the reader. And it needs to be expressed in one sentence. Just one.
   
3. Next up, the CTA. That easy-to-find button that gives the reader access to something really useful.

That's it. Picture first, then "What's in it for me?" (described in one sentence) then the CTA button that gives the reader access to something really useful. That's it -  that's glance marketing.

Try it as a test and see how it performs for you. Be sure to make the design responsive (or at least adaptive). What I find interesting is I tend to actually focus more time on these types of glance emails than ones that have much more content. The lack of content actually makes me stop and appreciate the simplicity, allowing me to focus on the CTA.
Currently, most of the marketing content I get on my mobile is definitely not glance-optimized. But the reality is that's usually all marketers get - just a glance.

Steve Kellogg is a Digital Marketing Leader, Strategist and Technologist. He is currently Sr. Director of Global Marketing Strategies, Technologies and Partnerships at Astadia, Inc.

Lead Gen Improvement - Which Comes First, Strategy or Technology?

Each day our inboxes include announcements of new lead gen marketing technologies and strategies. Software vendors show off their latest lead gen tools. We get offers for white papers, webinars and case studies,  all highlighting lead gen strategies. And many of them sound really promising. 

But at some point you begin to wonder if its better to focus on strategy first, then the technology or visa versa. Does strategy drive your choice of technology or does technology influence your strategy? Which comes first, strategy or technology?

The answer is neither. This isn't really a chicken or egg scenario. In fact, focusing on which of these to start with can actually stall the implementation and even hinder the success of lead gen efforts.  So what should you focus on?  Fish.

About 10 years ago I bought an ocean fishing boat (pictured above). 

Living in San Diego, it seemed like a great way to enjoy the ocean with family and friends, see nature in action and have a continuous source of fresh fish on hand. At the time I knew absolutely nothing about ocean fishing or boating.

Since I would never get to any fish without a boat, that's where I started, with the technology. I read up on what features an offshore fishing boat should have, which brands made sense in my price range, which navigation system to get, what radio to buy, etc. Then I focused on which combination of fishing rods and reels I should get, what kind of bait and tackle to use, the list goes on and on.

Next I studied the strategies specific to all the equipment I bought. How to launch the boat, drive the boat, dock the boat, use the radio and the nav, how to use trolling rods, how to keep live bait, which lures to buy, boating rules and regulations, what to do in case of emergencies, etc.

Soon I had mastered the strategies that made the best use of the technologies I invested in. I ended up feeling very confident about my technology choices and the strategies I learned for deploying them. Turns out I was forgetting about one little thing. The fish. I wasn’t actually catching any. Ever.

Had I focused on the fish first, I would have made completely different choices. I would have started by knowing where they live, what patterns of behaviors they exhibit, where they eat, what they eat, when they eat and how much they eat. I wouldn’t have had to purchase equipment for every fishing scenario, just those that supported the actual fish I was trying to catch. And I would have focused on strategies that supported the technology investments related only to my target fish. In the end, I could have cut my investment in technologies by at least one-third. And cut my time researching strategies by half.

So to answer the question, “Should I start with Technology or Strategy?" The answer is neither. Start with the fish (the customer).

When you focus on the customer first, lead gen strategies and technologies become more aligned, more focused and more effective. In fact the good news is that your best customers have already defined your company’s lead gen road map for you! Your first step is to simply discover where they live, where they go, what they consume, how much they consume and how often they consume it (content).

I know, easier said than done. But, now that I’ve started down this ‘fish' hole, lets continue with the "focus on the fish, first" analogy.

Inbound Lead Generation
You've just been promoted to captain of the U.S.S. Inbound Lead Gen, and you're anxious to catch LOTS of fish. Here's your recommended support crew:

Marine (Lead) Biologist: Conducts the scientific study of target species (leads) and how they interact within their preferred natural environments.  Analyze patterns of behavior and consumption, preferences and habits. This provides both the framework and focus for lead gen strategy, technology and continuous improvements.

Bait-Master (Content Manager): Works with the Lead Biologist to formulate the best types of bait to offer a given species, depending on buyer stage, environment, demonstrated interest and behaviors.

Fish School Behavioral Expert (Social Media): Discovers areas where the largest target fish schools congregate, their patterns of activity and who their influencers are. Works with the Bait-Master in serving up effective invitations to the fish hatchery.

Fish Hatchery Manager (Website Manager): Manages the care and feeding of both new and existing leads as they grow and mature through the buyer journey. Works with the crew members above to deliver the most effective nourishment at any given time.

Radar/Sonar Operator (PPC, SEM, SEO, Retargeting, Predictive Look-alike Modeling): Leverages technologies that explore larger areas of ocean in search of lead outliers. Works with the Bait-Master in providing incentives to join the hatchery.

So whether you are evaluating potential inbound technologies, reevaluating the effectiveness of your existing technologies or reviewing your inbound marketing strategies to better align with current business objectives, the moral of my fish story is to start with an in-depth understanding of your favorite fish, then leverage your support crew to overlay the strategies and technologies that are the most effective in finding, capturing, nurturing and growing as many of the same species as possible.

BTW: I sold the fishing boat about 4 years ago to a guy in Australia. I hope he focused on the fish first. Otherwise his shipping costs alone may not have been worth it!

Steve Kellogg is a Digital Marketing Leader, Strategist and Technologist. He is currently Sr. Director of Global Marketing Strategies, Technologies and Partnerships at Astadia, Inc.

Content Positioning: Preventative or Pain Relief?

Did you know the average American spends almost twice as much on pain remedies than on vitamins each year? It's even higher when you factor in prescription pain remedies.

Now remember, I said the "average American". I know you health nuts are cringing right now.

But it makes sense. I know I am more focused on alleviating any current pain than on preventing future pain. And I would consider myself health-conscious.

For example, I am far more likely to reach for an Advil if I have a headache, than to reach for a vitamin if I do not have a headache.

So if this is true for people on a personal level, might they carry this preference with them when making business purchases?

Which is the truer statement at your company?

"Of course we don't look busy. We put the right systems and processes in place the first time". (Preventative)

"Of course we're busy. We have to manage all the incompatible systems that keep breaking". (Pain Relief).

In our experience as consultants, we hear the 2nd statement far more often that the first.

So if your conversions are getting stagnant, try positioning your content more on how your product or service alleviates existing pain and less on how your product or service prevents future pain. See if you don't get a higher conversion. As an added bonus when focusing on alleviating pain, you also get the added advantage of urgency that you don't get otherwise.

BTW: The average American purchases only 1 bottle of vitamins a year. Just sayin...

Steve Kellogg

Eloqua Certified Marketing Automation Best Practices Consultant, Astadia

Let’s connect on Linkedin 
Let’s Connect on The Front Porch 
Let’s connect on Facebook 
Let’s connect on Google+

Sources: Consumer Health Products Association, http://weighttraining.com, http://reportllnker.com

Priceline is Following Me...Literally!

Several months ago I needed to book a hotel in Hollywood, CA near a client. I had never used Priceline before so I’d thought I’d give it a try. They found me a good deal at a hotel “nearby”. Long story short they ended up booking me into a hotel in Century City, which is nowhere near Hollywood.

As soon as I got the confirmation I called them and requested a refund, but despite 30 minutes of wrangling with the “manager” they refused to budge. I ended up paying for 2 hotel rooms that night. The hotel in Century City from Priceline and the hotel in Hollywood that I ended up booking on my own. Lesson learned – I will never use Priceline again. Ever.

Yesterday I needed to book a hotel in Palm Springs, near another client. I went online and did the usual searching, using Kayak, Travelocity, Expedia, etc.

Within 20 minutes I was shocked to receive an email from Priceline.com offering discounts on hotels in Palm Springs on the same days I was planning on being there. How did they know I was looking for a hotel in Palm Springs? How did they know which days I was going to be there?

As a marketing automation and Best Practices consultant I would be the last person to toss up the Big Brother argument for cookie tracking, but wow, this is the first time I’ve ever felt like Big Brother was actually watching me – stalking me almost.

If the email was from a company I would actually consider doing business with I wouldn’t mind, in fact I’d probably appreciate it, but what made this so unsettling is every time I even hear about Priceline it always reminds me of the money I lost.

Cookie Tracking

There has been a lot of discussion lately about cookie tracking as it relates to privacy issues vs. relevance.

In fact, in the EU, there is a new law which goes into effect in May that now requires websites to obtain a user's consent before even being allowed to install a tracking cookie. Yikes.



Summary

Marketing Automation and cookie tracking in particular make it easier to send “hey we just watched you online and boy do we have a deal for you” emails.

As more and more companies test these waters, it will be critical to everyone's success to make sure to also include as part of the process,  confirmation of a good relationship with the target just prior to sending the email. Otherwise we all run the risk of facing the same restrictive legislation the EU is about to face.


Key Takeaway
If the current state of the relationship is monitored, sending the right person the right message at the right time can be extremely effective in fostering a deeper, more personal relationship.

If the relationship is not considered, then it's like the ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend who won't stop following you. They’re stalking.

Visit my brand new website and learn more about data management.

Steve Kellogg
-Demand Generation/Marketing Automation Consultant, Astadia
-Eloqua Certified Marketing Best Practices Consultant

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Building a Nurturing Fast Lane

Nurturing programs do a great job of building relationships, from tire kicker all the way to ready to buy leads.

There are those rare leads however that are impatient and are ready to buy sooner, sometimes much sooner. Your nurturing pace is too slow for them and they are ready for contact NOW.

While lead scoring programs monitor and report on these, anyone who indicates that they want contact immediately, should get contact immediately – like in the next 5 minutes. Lead scoring programs are fast, but not that fast!

The Nurturing Fast Lane

it’s surprising how many leads actually take action if you give them the opportunity to request contact immediately, where it makes sense. We all know that just slapping a Contact Me link on your website usually produces nada, but presenting a way for impatient leads to make contact at the end of an engaging asset often yields better results.

Try adding a Contact Me Now link at the end of every asset in your nurturing program. For example, a link at the end of an entertaining video, an informative whitepaper or a relevant case study. Add this fast lane option to the end of each asset you deliver, even if it’s just an email.

It often relieves friction if you give them a choice of how they want to be contacted. Something like this:

Yes I want to learn more:

BTW: This usually also gets you a valid phone number if they choose that option. Expect roughly 75% of responses to want email contact vs. phone contact, but hey, its better than wanting no contact!

Rely on form notifications to get this into the hands of sales immediately. Time is of the essensce. An immediate repsonse is always ideal. Sales love talking with leads who are engaged right now.

If you don’t have a fast lane built into every nurturing touch point, try adding it. I’ve seen results anywhere from 0.5% to 3% response rates! The more interesting, informative, relevant and sometimes entertaining the content, the better the conversion. The story of our lives.

Visit my brand new website and learn more about lead nurturing.

Steve Kellogg
-Demand Generation/Marketing Automation Consultant, Astadia
-Eloqua Certified Marketing Best Practices Consultant

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How to Make Supply Chain Management (and your product) Funny

Killer content must be:

• Relevant
• Interesting
• Informative
• Entertaining

Entertaining? Yes, according to the new book "Content Rules" by Ann Handley and C.C. Chapman.

I couldn't agree more.

Think about it, as more and more companies adopt marketing automation, more of the content we all start receiving will be relevant. Geez, when everyone is relevant, now what? Now how do you get their attention?

 
Get ahead of the curve as an early adopter of marketing automation by ensuring your content is interesting, informative AND entertaining.
 
WHERE TO BEGIN?
So question #1 is which content should I focus on making entertaining? The answer is, which content is currently converting the best? (For those who have adopted Revenue Performance Management, which content is producing the most revenue?
 
I took a poll of our own Astadia marketing content and here's what I found.
 

Video outperformed all other types of content by a large margin. In fact the least-watched video still outperformed the best viewed non-video asset by a mile. In addition, we found that:

• Those watching a video watched more than 1 video
• Video links got higher SE results than whitepaper, case study or other asset links

Which of your assets currently work the best? Is it video as well?

So why are videos so popular? I think for two main reasons:

1. They take very little effort to watch (unlike Case Studies or Whitepapers)
2. Smart Phones make it very easy to watch video, and Smart Phone useage is exploding

So how do you make an entertaining video? Here's a perfect example:

• COMPANY: Kinaxis, Inc. A Supply Chain Management Company
• CHALLENGE: Tell potential customers how simple their Supply Chain Management Solution is to implement
• POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS: Write a white paper or a case study.
• FINAL SOLUTION: Create a funny video instead:

https://community.kinaxis.com/docs/DOC-5353

 

 Once you've watched the above video, check out the follow-up video. It's even funnier!

https://community.kinaxis.com/docs/DOC-5415

I would very likely forward these videos to friends and colleagues (just like I'm forwarding to you).

As more and more B2B companies begin to "see the light" and adopt marketing automation, it becomes more important than ever to stand out. Being relevant won't be enough anymore - it's probably not enough now.

I highly recommend reading Content Rules. It's an excellent tactical how-to guide in creating your own killer content.

Visit my brand new website and learn more about content marketing.

Steve Kellogg
-Demand Generation/Marketing Automation Consultant, Astadia
-Eloqua Certified Marketing Best Practices Consultant

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