Capturing and engaging today's educated consumers for measurable results

White paper
Interactive Business-to-Consumer Marketing
Capturing and engaging today's educated consumers for measurable results.
THE ERA OF THE EDUCATED Satisfying educated consumers requires CONSUMER IS HERE, UNLEASHING that marketers provide the right REVOLUTIONARY CHANGES IN HOW information, when and where and in what Marketers must B2C MARKETERS MUST INTERACT forms these educated consumers want it.WITH AUDIENCES. NOWHERE IS master new ways to THIS NEW BALANCE OF DIALOG, To keep pace with this customer answer critical, long- EDUCATION AND SELLING MORE transformation, business-to-consumer EVIDENT THAN ON THE WEB. (B2C) marketers have turned to the standing questions web as the most cost-effective and We have all become educated consumers. timely channel for helping consumers about the overall Whether purchasing laundry detergent, educate themselves. Besides static web effectiveness of both a new car, or a computer, educated postings, today's online properties give consumers want concise, relevant marketing teams a mind-staggering traditional and new information before making purchase array of outreach alternatives including interactive online decisions. And educated consumers email, online display ads, social media, don't want to be sold something-they search marketing, web presence, marketing programs. want to be empowered to make the best and mobile marketing. The ability to choices. segment and reach large target markets continues to drive marketing teams to employ these and other interactive marketing alternatives, and has in effect revolutionized the nature and pace of marketing.
Last year, analysts predicted that interactive marketing tactics would continue to grow in popularity, while traditional tactics (broadcast and print ads, direct mail, etc.) were expected to decline by 20% or more. Current market studies support the validity of these predictions. (refer to chart at left)More and more marketing activity is Print ads and television ads routinely being driven to the web in response include web site addresses as part of the to the preferences of the educated call to action, showing the prevalence consumer. As a result, marketers must of web-centric thinking as it relates to master new ways to answer critical, all marketing programs. Social media long-standing questions about the platforms like Twitter, Facebook or Digg overall effectiveness of both traditional are also playing a prominent role in and new interactive online marketing current marketing campaigns. However, programs. For example, which ad is like any fast-spreading phenomenon, getting the best results? What level of interactive marketing has introduced interest was generated by last week's challenges for today's B2C marketers. special offer? Is the marketing program Management teams recognize the need reaching the desired demographic and for an interactive marketing strategy, geographic regions? but are faced with:
The web introduces inherently > Existing marketing systems that measurable methodologies in numerous are cobbled together, and reporting dimensions, providing marketers with and analysis that is held together by robust new sets of data from which to Excel. Information is usually out of apply measured results in answer to date, incomplete and inaccurate. The these pertinent questions. The abilities situation presents marketers with to measure, refine, and quickly adjust many capability gaps and a lack of ongoing marketing efforts have become metrics.core requirements of marketing teams > Diverse technology choices for in today's highly competitive, continually alternative marketing solutions, made Like any fast- shifting global markets. more challenging by marketers' varying and isolated skill sets and spreading THE INTERACTIVE MARKETING limited knowledge of marketing phenomenon, OPPORTUNITY AND BARRIERS TO solutions.ADOPTION > IT constraints, slowing the interactive marketing With the web providing answers implementation of new experiences. for educated consumers as well as > Outsourcing that can fill gaps, but is has introduced the ability to measure and optimize expensive. challenges for marketing effectiveness, interactive > Corporate silos that prevent marketing has skyrocketed. Current interactive marketing specialists from today's B2C market and economic conditions are also enhancing the efforts of... [download for more]