Zac Monahan

A recent study on the social life of a tweet finds that the vast majority of tweets receive no response whatsoever and the lack of a response implies the tweet "has [not] resonated enough with someone that it sparks a conversation or encourages someone to share it with their followers."  While these numbers and the research behind them are useful, the conclusion merits further exploration for a couple reasons:

1. Compared to display ads whose click through rate in the U.S. and Europe hovers around or below 10%, a 29% interaction rate is extraordinary.  Moreover, the effectiveness of a tweet can't be measured solely through responses because a response may not be requested, required or even useful.
2. Research focusing on social marketing on twitter suggests it is not how many people you reach with your message but who.  In the context of twitter—where most users are completely passive—the research suggests that responses from influential users are where the real value in social marketing lies, rather than massive numbers of users with inconsequential networks.

If u can fnd another $0 advrtsng mdm w a  29% response r8 in <140 chrctrs, do it.  Othrwse, Twtr looks like one of the bst optns avlble.

I recently read an intriguing piece in the New York Times about the growing popularity of "toning shoes", the bizarrely soled trainers that manufacturers claim will shape your butt while you just walk around. See New Balance's ad for the shoe.

Despite no independent research verifying claims of increased effectiveness, this market segment has experienced meteoric growth from sales of $17 million in 2008, to $145 million in 2009, to a projected $1.5 billion in 2010.  What has caused this growth in a category that had little growth since its definition in 1996?

A new set of 'toning' shoes with an increased focus on form factor.

You read that correctly. This specific exercise shoe segment has increased 100-fold inside two years by making cuter shoes with no proven health benefits.  Perhaps that won't surprise many given the U.S. market for exercise equipment has a strong affinity for fads and silver bullets.  

That said, the incredibly success of companies like Reebok, New Balance and Skechers provides an object lesson on the importance of listening to your prospective customers: selling consumers what they 'want to believe' doesn't require convincing them with hard data.

Companies marketing these shoes have successfully connected with consumer pathos and re-invented a product whose technology hasn't changed in over a decade.  The results may not be typical, but the players in this market are taking them to the bank, and by any measure those kinds of growth numbers mean this is good marketing.  

Giving out free stuff is hardly an original marketing tactic to build a brand, but it worked well for the Kashi and Burt’s Bees brands.  The same could work for your brand.

Both brands displayed products over the weekend at Boise's Art in the Park festival. They employed a "passport" program, requiring visitors to pass through a series of educational product exhibits. In the end, Kashi and Burt’s Bees created a positive customer experience that culminated in an exorbitant amount of free stuff. 

I think the key marketing tactic was Kashi and Burt’s Bees’ focus on connecting with existing and potential customers by teaching them about the various wellness benefits of their products. The free stuff was both brands’ way of encouraging customers to experience their products and the benefits discussed in the “passport” program.  By requiring their customers to invest the time to learn about their products, these brands achieved these outcomes:

• Created a stronger connection with an existing customer base (i.e. me)
• Increased brand identity with potential customers
• Positioned the brand as a solution for those who may not have previously identified with the brands because they had been seen as "crunchy" or "granola-ish" (i.e. my parents)

The take-away for brands interested in improving their local advertising is to find local events, which draw a broad cross section of a market. Then, find a way to engage your target audience so you can influence their product experience, rather than passively presenting your product through give-aways. This will strengthen the association between your brand and the value derived by your customers. 

At Balihoo, our local marketing software can put your local marketing ideas into action. Schedule a demo or check out a white paper today. 

In 2008, the 100 Thing Challenge created quite a stir on the web, motivating people to own fewer material possessions and cap that ownership at 100 personal items. While Dave Bruno’s challenge lasted for a finite period, some analysts think recession fueled decreases in consumer spending may represent a permanent trend in consumer behavior. 

When considered along with the 100 Thing Challenge, the idea of a permanent decreasing in spending leads to a challenging thought experiment for marketers: what if your advertising not only had to generate interest from consumers but also had to motivate them to displace another possession prior to acquiring your product?

The thought begs a number of questions:

• How does your marketing emphasize the value your brand provides?
• Would severely constrained demand change your approach to demonstrating this value?
• If yes, would that approach be different in Albuquerque, New Mexico compared to Augusta, Maine?
• How would you coordinate your efforts in different geographic areas across multiple mediums?
  

At Balihoo, we believe that knowledge and know-how to adapt marketing to local markets probably already exists within your Brand’s organization. Rather, what most brands are missing are the tools to execute locally.  Balihoo’s local marketing software simplifies and automates your local marketing strategy, enabling national brands to collaborate with franchisees and affiliates to drive demand and appeal to local buyers with local needs. Specifically for national brands, Balihoo provides tools to streamline funds allocation and administrative oversight of Co-op Advertising programs.  Take a look at our White Papers to see how our software can help both your franchisees, and affiliates to drive sales with creative and targeted campaigns tailored to the local level.