Cross-Channel

That is a familiar image, isn't it? The well-traveled, world-weary suitcase, littered with stickers from places visited from Alaska to Zimbabwe. The trusty suitcase that is lugged from state to state and country to country: it may be battered and bruised, but it serves its owner well as they globe-trot across the world.

I used to be envious of the owners of those suitcases. That image motivated me to have my own beat-up, decorated travel companion to visit far off places with.

I have been living outside of America for almost nine years now. I lived in Sydney, Australia for just under five years...

Unless you've been living under a social media-free rock, you've probably heard that there's a new Star Trek movie coming out today. The verdict is out on how favorable the fans' reviews will be, but it's a good excuse to revisit the nostalgia of one of the most popular science fiction franchises ever.

But even if you don't head to the theater, you can still witness a science fiction-esque transformation of technology within the very marketing technology that powers our digital communications. From email, social, and mobile to the new frontiers of marketing automation, the galaxies of marketing...

When it comes to the marketing industry, it’s important to stay ahead of the curve. Not long ago, digital marketing was only a whisper within corporate marketing teams – now it’s here, it’s as competitive as ever and it’s completely changing the way we do business. Here are my predictions for what’s to come over the next year.

Smart, personalised content
It’s time to stop being oh-so-frightened of data capture and start taking advantage of the fact that personalised content makes browsing the web an absolute pleasure! Take Linkedin, for example – simply log in and you’re presented with the...

Every industry is unique, with its own challenges and opportunities. But for marketers in the travel and hospitality industry, the pressure of delivering the right message, at the right time, via the right channel is truly next level.

To succeed in this heavily-saturated market, travel brands must create a seamless information-gathering and booking experience for their customers. If they don’t, they risk missing that very narrow window of time when travelers are ready to make their tentative travel plans become a reality (i.e., book the trip!).

In short, missing that elusive window of...

Join us in San Francisco on May 9^th and Seattle on May 10^th for the launch of the Digital Mornings Breakfast Seminar Series. In this monthly six-part series we’ll gather together to discuss some of the latest research, updates and trends in cross-channel marketing over coffee and breakfast.

In the first session we’ll dig into an overview of the Cross-Channel Marketing Challenge, taking a look at how effective cross-channel campaigns can support the customer lifecycle: acquire, on-board, engage and retain. We will share best practices and case studies on cross-channel programs that incorporate...

(Warning: Sarcasm ahead)

Sometimes it’s just too easy. The power to communicate through email, mobile and social is all right there waiting for someone to start flooding the world with information. So you strike out into the world with your content and expect great results.

Using email for monthly news, SMS for quick bites of information and social media for event announcements might seem like a good idea, but you can easily end up with a bunch of disconnected content aimed at way too many targets. At this point, you're just sitting and back hoping for results without a specific goal in mind.

Misu...

Welcome to the second piece of my interview with genius marketer, David Berkowitz, who is the Vice President of Emerging Media at 360i. In our first video interview, we talked about the future of marketing and all marketers moving toward the idea of a cross-, multi-, and omni-channel world.

What should you be thinking when discussing cross-channel marketing in your teams? 

A lot of this comes down to leadership. There needs to be someone who is saying, "This is how the channels should play together and it should be connected to our overall strategy." It is even like social: it isn't as if we are...

In my last post, "Do You have an Abandoned Cart Strategy?," I demonstrated how retailers could be leaving money on the table by not having a reengagement strategy to help shoppers return to their site and complete their purchase. In this post, we’ll be asking retailers if they are narrowing their shopping experience to a single channel and how this might impact their opportunity to capture revenue across channels.

#2 Way Retail Marketers are Leaving Money On the Table: Narrowing your shopping experience to a single channel

It’s no surprise that customers today interact through a variety of...

In the digital industry, it’s easy to talk about the fall of traditional advertising. While these sources certainly aren’t disappearing forever as many like to suggest, they are most certainly evolving. The Associated Press has long been linked with the print industry. The nonprofit news agency that has worked to fill newspapers is now adapting to the new digital world. In an ironic twist, this longtime print powerhouse is now asking: Are You Adapting?

This video points to the 2012 London Olympics as the tipping point in the sporting world’s digital evolution. We may not have noticed it while...

Viral Marketing: A marketing phenomenon that facilitates and encourages people to pass along a marketing message. Similar to the way a virus infiltrates its host to spread, this marketing tactic has been used for years through a variety of different mediums.

But more recently, the internet has allowed for viral marketing to be a much more low-cost/high-effect strategy. Videos like Gangam Style and The Harlem Shake have multiplied through YouTube like wildfire, having great impact on sales for these musicians in turn. But these stories came at audiences so hard and so fast, can they actually...

I had the pleasure of interviewing David Berkowitz, Vice President of Emerging Media at 360i, about the idea of marketing moving towards a cross-, multi-, or omni-channel world. This is the first video in the series where David talks about integration and future of cross-channel marketing. What should brands focus on when building a cross-channel strategy? 

It starts with internal teams. 

How do you believe the channels fit together?

We are seeing all types of integrations happening. It is really exciting in the sense that we have a ton of different angles. You have some marketers who are saying...

Marketers typically have a "go-to" set of campaigns and channels. Many will stick to these core channels, but a brave few will mix them together in bold and exciting combinations. This menu is a guide for any adventurous marketer looking to put together new and unexpected marketing campaigns that will delight, surprise, and engage their audience like never before. 

Enjoy.

As part of our reserach for the recent SUBSCRIBERS, FANS, & FOLLOWERS report, Marketers from Mars, we asked consumers to share their thoughts on how marketers could improve their cross-channel communcations.

We're happy to share a few of their repsponses here:

How do you improve email marketing performance?

“Make your site stand out from others on the net. Offer a site that is simple to navigate. Offer a 24-hour customer helpline service and also reply to all emails received within the hour. Don’t inundate your users with emails—one per week will do. Make your subject line eye-catching so the...

Although much of the interactive world was focused on SXSW in Austin this week—and then New York for the Galaxy S 4 launch—the news did not slow down for a moment. Luckily, the Content Marketing team at ExactTarget is here to help you stay on top of what’s important!

We’re always on the lookout for fresh, interesting content, to help you stay up-to-date with the latest news and trends.

Here are a few of the top stories that caught our eye this week:

Facebook Working on Incorporating the Hashtag (Wall Street Journal)

Samsung Galaxy S 4 Compared (Mashable)

Facebook Unveils Revamped Timeline (MediaPost)

Wh...

When it comes to daily usage of various online channels, our Marketers from Mars research reveals some interesting trends and differences between marketers and consumers. In many ways, usage rates follow similar trends of prior reports, with email, text, Facebook, and Twitter rounding out the top four.

What’s interesting to note is the higher rates of consumer usage in emerging channels such as Pinterest, Instagram, and Foursquare. While marketers use nearly every digital platform more frequently than consumers, these platforms show different usage patterns.

If consumers are there, should...

I recently had the chance to sit down with Charlie Shin (@CRMinSports), CRM & Fan Engagement Leader for Major League Soccer, at MLS league offices in New York. MLS just launched its 18th season on Saturday, March 2, and arguably has more momentum than at any time in the league’s history. With 19 teams currently taking the pitch and rumblings of expansion teams in markets like Miami and New York (would be a second team), this season is poised to be full of headline making moves.

Charlie shared the primary objective of his role is to build the fan base and increase engagement through utilization...

The Golden Age of Cinema gave birth to the Big Six, or the six major movie studies producing motion pictures. The growth of the film industry over time saw variations as to which studios were considered the Big Six, as well as the rise of mini-major studios. Today, however, the line between major film studios and minor production companies is becoming increasingly blurred, thanks to the presence of original content being produced by Internet streaming services.

Ask any marketer what the most important determinant for content creation is, and the answer will almost always be--and...

Since our first SUBSCRIBERS, FANS, & FOLLOWERS report was published in 2010, there has been a steady increase in consumer usage of email, Facebook, and Twitter.

The consistently high usage rate of email proves that it’s most certainly alive, well, and thriving—even as other channels continue to expand. At the same time, the significant increase in consumer adoption of Facebook moves it squarely into the mainstream as a reliable channel. And the reliable growth in adoption of Twitter proves it’s most definitely here to stay.

As a result, we have seen a similar increase in the number...

It’s March, and we know what that means. It’s time for some Madness. Teams around the country have started punching their tickets to the tournament and several more will do so throughout this week/weekend before the final field is announced Sunday evening. It’s a time of year when college basketball captures the imagination of the country, brackets are filled out, brackets are busted, and fans everywhere are tuning in to witness shining moments.

For many fans, that means watching more than one game at a time. Whether that happens at a sports bar, your home, at work (I would never), or just...