So how do you choose which media channels to utilize?

1. Take generation into account. Yes, millenniels will be more responsive to social media than boomers and boomers will be more responsive to direct mail than millenniels but that doesn’t mean eliminating either channel for these groups. Find the balance for each of these mediums as they apply to each generation.
2. Consider how engaged your prospect is with your company/organization. Do they typically open emails? Have they responded to direct mail? Have they ever reached out to you for information? You should always be tracking such data. Dedicating too large a portion of your budget to a group this is not likely to respond will only create a negative impact on ROI. Email is the least expensive way to reach out to those who are not highly engaged and this means saving money on direct mail marketing while not staying completely out of touch.
3. What means of communication do your customers prefer? This is information you should have. If you don’t know, ask them and keep current with this data. A personalized URL with a survey would be the best way to capture such data. That way you can make sure you aren’t wasting money on a channel that is ineffective with a certain person or audience.

As always, these types of analyses and decisions require sufficient data. Data will always be your golden ticket in best determining how to choose media channels and allocate marketing dollars. A blanket approach is no longer an adequate method. Break down your audience into niche groups and tailor your media mix for each. This will both lower your costs and increase your revenues.

I mostly find myself looking for QR codes when I want to visit a website immediately for more information on whatever it is I am looking at, most recently it was an advertisement for clothing. I actually found it amusing that I (yes, a Gen Y’er but still never one to go crazy over the latest technology) found it archaic that I had to manually punch in the website address on my iPhone. I surprised myself with how quickly my behavior as a consumer is changing. That got me thinking as to how many other people would find it really convenient and easy to just have to scan their smartphones over a code to be automatically routed to the information they were looking for…and how many don’t realize it yet just because they haven’t had that option.

Although I do see them from time to time I do think QR codes are still a grossly underrated tool. So back to the title of this blog entry, when will QR codes become the norm already??

The only thing working against this phenomenon right now is the fact that not everyone has a smartphone which is needed to scan the code and be linked to the website associated with it. But it will only be a matter of time until everyone and their brother has smartphones. Non-smartphones will most likely suffer the same fate as VHS players that stopped being manufactured once DVD players hit the market. Now that smartphones are here, they are here to stay and will dominate until all other phones are eventually phased out. This growing market for smartphones means QR codes will become more and more relevant in consumers’ daily lives.

Just as we’ve (well most of us) have accepted social media as a permanent presence in our lives, professionally and personally, we will all most likely embrace QR codes as a common practice too. There is no going backwards in technology. I am sure more and more uses are going to become available for QR codes and they will become harder and harder to resist in marketing as was the case with social media.

Click here to see an example of a QR code in the Iron Man 2 movie poster.

This type of partnership is possible because printers are learning about different kinds of media so they can provide customers with cross channel marketing/media solutions and not just keep them limited to print. These other types of media include email, personalized url’s (PURL’s), and social media, all of which work together in harmony in multichannel integrated campaigns. Campaigns are tailored to clients depending on their vertical market and specific need(s). Printers do recognize that print is not necessarily the only means of communication anymore and are now integrating a variety of media and cutting-edge technology with print.

Of course with more channels involved, it’s necessary to make sure the message is clear and consistent and achieves the objective across the board. This cross channel marketing may last for a few months and may even involve multiple phases. This is where printers have stepped in to take on the role of marketing service provider. They are the ones who develop and execute these campaigns from start to finish and keep track of results and ROI. Most have even created in-house marketing teams to help with this new aspect of the business. Printers have made it possible to have a one-stop shop for print and marketing services.

Here are 3 steps you can take right now:

1) Engage customers - The average person is exposed to 5,000 messages a day but only remembers four. If you are not taking proactive steps to engage your customers then chances are your message is one that is easily forgotten. One of the ways you can engage customers is by reaching them through several channels including direct mail, email, and social media. Seeing a message in more than two channels increases the response rate by 10-15%. Another way to engage customers is through conversation. Find out more about them simply by asking (you can use PURL’s to do this) and apply that to future communication so you can reach customers on a more personal level.

2) Build relationships – As mentioned above, use information you can find out from customers and apply it to future communication so the messaging is relevant. Relevance is the largest lever on response in individualized direct marketing and is therefore key in building genuine relationships. Also, keep in mind that relevant messaging can receive a response rate 3 times higher than messages that are just personalized with a name. This is not just a once and done thing though. It’s important to maintain communication with appropriate timing and frequency to keep building that relationship.

3) Track results and utilize data – Tracking results is almost always done with marketing but actually applying the data from the results to future marketing initiatives is something that often falls through the cracks. Utilize data and make necessary adjustments to your plan to make sure you are achieving optimal ROI. 67% of marketing expenditures could achieve significant improvement in results without significant changes and without an increase in investment. These changes could apply to the messaging, marketing mix, and/or integration of different channels and are important to your company’s adaption to any changes in the marketplace.

All in all, you want to ensure that the right person gets the right message at the right time and in the right way while applying the aforementioned strategies. If you keep doing this you can ensure success for your company both in the short-run and long-run.

Sun Chips - Frito-Lay has developed 100% compostable bags for SunChips that are made from plant-based material and disintegrate after 14 weeks. The plan is for these bags to be fully distributed to all stores by Earth Day. Frito-Lay is relying mostly on online marketing to get word out about this new innovation. They have an integrated campaign in the works that includes banner ads, social media, search marketing, and online videos. One video demonstrates how the bag disintegrates over time and it’s the perfect addition to this campaign because it is virtual evidence of the claims surrounding this new packaging. Social media is also a great addition since they are using it as an interaction tool encouraging people to become involved in this campaign by making their own videos on positive change and uploading them to Current TV. The winning video will be broadcast on national TV on Earth Day. This has all the makings of a successful campaign; demonstration, interaction, it revolves around current trends, and it’s multichannel. I would say the only thing missing is television ads (since it is such a widely known product) to drive people to the website of this campaign.

Starbucks – Starbucks has a microsite dedicated to their green campaign, The Big Picture: A Green Project. If you bring a reusable mug into Starbucks on April 15th you will get it filled for free in efforts to encourage everyone to choose reusable mugs instead of paper cups. The focus of the campaign is on the impact one person can make by switching to a reusable mug (which I love that they did that). There is a video on the website showing their Green Project promotion in NYC last month and it’s quite impressive (if you watch it all the way until the end you will see why). There is some emotional appeal in the video (shows people laughing and smiling while engaging with the Green Project) and overall the campaign appeals to individuals because it focuses on direct impact from an individual perspective. There is even an interactive calculator on the website that will calculate your impact according how many cups of coffee you drink per day. This project also appeals to the desire for instant gratification with the live statistics that are on the website showing the number of pledges made to switch to reusable mugs and how many trees are saved as a result of the pledges.

Avatar Franchise – James Cameron has teamed up with Earth Day Network and scheduled the DVD release of Avatar for April 22nd to coincide with Earth Day. This collaboration was designed to help Earth Day Network achieve their goal of planting one million trees by the end of the year. The DVD will include a code for people to sign up for the Avatar Program (on the main Avatar website) and adopt one of these trees. Participants will even be able to virtually view on a map where their tree was planted. Again, a campaign that shows individual impact and real-time results for your efforts.

Overall best practices here seem to be utilizing online video, encouraging interaction, demonstrating impact, illustrating direct impact, and providing proof of results. The same can be said for any cause marketing or nonprofit marketing. Click here for best practices in nonprofit marketing.

• Consumer thought process before and after the transaction – Consumers want information and guarantees before a purchase and reassurance after the purchase. You may have to go out of your way to make these things happen but it’s worth it.  Do you have a process that helps guide consumers in their decision making? Do you pleasantly surprise customers by providing something extra afterwards? One great example of a company that considers the consumer thought process prior to a purchase comes from Mail Chimp. I have been looking into new email service providers and they did not just talk about how great they are. Instead, they provided a comparison chart right on their website comparing similar companies in the industry which saved me the hassle of going website to website and putting together my own chart. I loved them right then and there for that simple gesture.
• Where consumers initially go for information – You may be all ready with packets of information and brochures to hand out to customers when they come to your company or organization, but what about the information they are getting before coming to you? This includes information from friends, peers, online communities, and social networks. Are you present in these arenas? Are you actively participating or guiding these conversations in any way? If not, what are you waiting for?
• Direct AND indirect competition - I know paying attention to both direct and indirect competition is not a new concept, but it’s important enough to reiterate. Nonprofits, for example, are not just competing with other nonprofits. They are competing for consumer dollars that could go anywhere else, even to a new pair of shoes.
• Cross channel marketing, not just multichannel – Email can increase direct mail response ROI, social media can boost email ROI, email can help social media ROI, etc., etc. Integrated marketing strengthens campaigns, I mean really strengthens campaigns. You could send a postcard here, email a coupon there, set up a website…but without taking an active approach in using each channel to strengthen and improve the other you are missing out on the full potential of your marketing efforts.

After considering all of these points the important thing to ask yourself is: “Is there anything I could be doing to make life easier for my customers in the grand scheme of things?” Think outside the box. Read It’s the Little Things That Count to learn more about this.

You can use direct mail to drive traffic to your website by printing your website address on the mail piece along with any social media avatars, integrating social media or online promotions into direct mail campaigns, and/or sending out direct mail pieces to make announcements about online events. You could also invite current customers back to the site to provide feedback or reviews.

There was such a giant shift in marketing efforts from offline to online that online channels have now become too cluttered and something is needed to supplement these efforts…print media. According to one study direct marketing tactics (such as direct mail) are twice as likely to drive traffic to a website than digital marketing alone. In fact, 60% of the people surveyed felt that a personally addressed mail piece was more likely to drive them to visit a website than an email with the same message. That’s probably pretty surprising (and good to know) for people who strictly market online. To leave you with one more tidbit on direct mail; recent studies show that 63% of 18-34 year olds consider receiving direct mail to be “a pleasure”. There are so many opportunities when it comes to direct mail that are not being taken advantage of. Now is the time to utilize direct mail to both stand out from the competition and improve your online presence.

The beauty of the PURL is that marketers can collect information from visitors by asking questions and then use that information in the future to tailor any future communication to respondents. This concept of personalization and tailoring a message to a consumer/client can almost be defined as a necessity in the marketing world. There’s a definite shift towards personalization that is taking place in order to get your message heard. Some of the best ways to utilize PURLs are as follows:

• Qualify prospects before spending time and money on the wrong people – A PURL that includes a survey and some incentive to complete the survey can help to accomplish this.
• Gain customer insight – If your company is venturing into new markets, developing new products, or venturing into new territory otherwise PURLs can be used to get feedback from your target market and steer your efforts in the right direction.
• Optimize cross-selling opportunities – Customers may not be aware of or informed about the full range of products your company offers and therefore your company could be missing out on some cross selling opportunities. A PURL could be used to attract customers to a website where they can answer questions about their current product usage and preferences and once questions are answered proper suggestions may be made for cross-selling.
• Improve Direct Mail Response Rates -35% of people prefer to respond to direct mail offers online. This number is only going to continue to grow as technology continues to take over all methods of communication.

Despite these benefits that personalized URLs can provide most companies still do not utilize this approach according to the Direct Marketing Association. The impact of the PURL is not to be overlooked as it brings together traditional marketing approaches and digital interactive marketing approaches combining the best of both worlds. Click here to read some case studies of companies that successfully used PURLS in their campaigns; Hewlett-Packard, Pacific Northwest Bank, and Carlson Companies, Inc.

By providing the option to respond to direct mail online you are also opening to the door to continued personalized communication. The information gathered from a personalized URL page (granted that mail recipients go to it and answer the questions) can be invaluable to your business/organization. You can use it to communicate with respondents in the future via mail or email with personal and relevant information. It is likely that you can double your response rate by incorporating a personalized URL and relevant content in your marketing campaign. According to PODi, the leading association for Digital Printing Service Providers and Vendors of Digital Printing hardware and software, campaigns that utilize both relevant text and graphics can increase response rates up to five times.

Click here to read more about making the transition from multichannel marketing to integrated cross channel marketing.