The CMO Council and several partners recently released a fascinating report titled:  Localize to Optimize.  It's $199 to download the full report, but if your in the Local Marketing or Channel Marketing space, it's really fantastic reading.  From their website, "The study has been focused on helping marketers optimize the delivery of localized marketing support, engaging and acquiring customers on a local level, as well as connecting and resonating with local community interests, icons, prefernces, and hot buttons."  A leadership committe of 20 corporate executives led the effort, with the support of a survey of over 300 local marketers.  


One insight that I found really interesting:  the advent of multi-channel, digital marketing is transforming customer engagement, both globally and locally.  As marketers, we've historically looked at the web as a method for a 1-location business to suddently have a national presence.  However, turned on it's head, it's also a method to give global businesses a local face and pipeling into micro-populations, prospects, and continuity customers.  Balihoo has recently addressed this topic in one of our latest whitepapers, "The Local Web - the Linchpin to Local Marketing Success," which I would recommend if you're interested in this topic at all.  

I won't steal their thunder (and you should buy the full report) but a few of the highlights from the executive summary are fascinating: 

• 49% of marketers believe localized marketing is essential to business growth
• Just 30% of marketers have embraced local marketing automation software platforms (if you're one that hasn't, that's what Balihoo does!)
• The top benefit identified from a local marketing automation software platform is "Greater customer relevance response and return" (67%)  

Naturally, we here at Balihoo couldn't agree more.  As a national brand, it's critical that you capture the power of local marketing (that is happening with or without your knowledge) and turn it into an effective tool that supports your brand, products and local affiliates.  

So - go get the report and learn what the industry leaders think about Local Marketing Automation software.  If you would like to see a local marketing automation platform in action, we would be happy to walk you through the key elements and how they can help your brand be successful at the local level.  You can sign-up for a 1:1 demonstration of our solution here.