tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28444875963039835322012-01-11T15:43:09.270-07:00Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.comBlogger571100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-82609442414670263042011-12-09T10:40:00.007-07:002011-12-19T09:18:08.748-07:00

Each year at this time I am astounded that creative directors and marketers trot-out the same-old-approach to holiday-related television, radio, print and web advertising.They either turn their logo into some sort of Christmas ornament, make a play-on-words around a holiday phrase, or they butcher a holiday tune to make it fit their company and pitch (The Twelve Days of Christmas or Jingle Bells

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-35796775375427633122011-11-09T10:56:00.010-07:002011-11-09T12:49:07.497-07:00

I am amazed at how quickly the marketing community picks-up on a new technology without understanding how to use it a.) to it's fullest and, b.) to benefit the consumer. As with most new tech releases, everyone jumps on the bandwagon because, well, everyone else is jumping on the bandwagon.Now I'm not saying that a QR code is not without merit. I'm looking at it from a marketing perspective,

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-73035543951079330032011-08-24T13:10:00.003-06:002011-08-24T13:42:46.375-06:00

You may be unaware that a link you have on your site may be incorrect or point to the wrong destination. With all of the activity a web content administrator may have in a given day, how much time do they have to double check a link? While they should make it standard practice, sometime errors slip through. Yet broken links can create frustration, confusion and in some cases, lost revenue.

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-16793139754791926162011-07-15T10:30:00.001-06:002011-07-15T10:30:03.475-06:00

Among the tools many marketers use today are pay-per-click ads through vehicles such as Google AdWords. While we all strive to avoid the need to pay for high search rankings by optimizing our site pages using best-practices SEO (search engine optimization), there are times when you need to be at the top and are willing to pay for the visibility.You only need to look at your account balance on a

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-6704686569282875412011-05-18T09:21:00.007-06:002011-05-18T10:50:00.452-06:00

The buzz is all about the buzz. If social media channels are not part of anyone's marketing strategy today, the so-called marketing director should be packing their office and planning for a long retirement away from business.We're obsessed with social media. That's usually one of the first qualifications on today's job descriptions; knowledge and experience with Facebook, Twitter et. al. On

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-79435838087006345752011-05-11T18:35:00.000-06:002011-05-13T14:27:12.859-06:00

Want to start a heated argument among marketing strategists? Want to hear some passionate opinions among marketing managers? Then let's talk about social media and its role in marketing!Ever since I wrote about the Facebook "friending" push (advertisers and businesses actively recruiting "friends" for their companies) as well as recruiting Twitter followers for no other reason than to boost

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-13715259670167464232011-04-15T13:24:00.009-06:002011-12-15T16:00:36.558-07:00

If you've ever read Steve Krug's book Don't Make Me Think you may have discovered the concept that customers (or web site users) expect to be lead, and not put much brain-power behind their actions.This is not to say that customers (or users) are ignorant or lazy, but rather creatures of habit. A project I'm working on right now for a university requires some vigorous debate on what we're going

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-21014435462887508342011-04-04T12:14:00.001-06:002011-04-04T12:34:31.781-06:00

Who, these days, has time to look at ads; other than the passing glance?Actually, if you look around and take stock of all media vying for your attention, it's rather overwhelming, to say the least. Advertisements (ahem, marketing channels) appear just about everywhere, and on just about everything.As I've noted in earlier columns, you can even get bombarded in restrooms and airport security

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-16817711869530324182010-11-30T11:49:00.000-07:002010-11-30T16:10:06.610-07:00

I often find myself examining at all sorts of product packaging, signage and marketing materials that come my way. Besides the obvious task of looking at layout, appeal, consistency-of-message and such, I look for the way the company’s Web address is positioned, highlighted and used. Such information tells me, as a marketer, whether the company “gets” it; that is, how important they view the

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-62033014712337005672010-11-05T12:57:00.000-06:002010-11-05T13:50:09.266-06:00

One simple rule? That's it?Well, sort of. There actually are many "rules" that make up what are called "best practices" when it comes to marketing and the art of engaging a customer and getting them to purchase. However, if you ignore this one simple rule of engagement, then all the rest of the points are relatively worthless.Before I tell you what that rule is, let me relate an online journey

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-1143158703924262512010-09-16T01:00:00.004-06:002010-11-10T15:41:57.434-07:00

Are you as fascinated about this obsession by marketers with all things social / mobile / twittered / facebooked as I am? Absolutely everyone is linking, blogging, friending, and clamoring to do something with advanced web applications, widgets, sites and extensions. In some ways it's a marketer's treasure chest; so many ways to reach-out and touch a customer!But it's also very confusing,

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-63284140212976959442010-08-20T09:38:00.002-06:002010-08-20T10:07:33.070-06:00

What percentage of your marketing efforts is dedicated to simply listening? I don't mean monitoring the twittersphere, or blogs, or clippings from your PR department. I'm referring to activly soliciting and listening to your customer?Naturally today's worldwide communication channels make it very easy to keep tabs on what others are saying about you; often they have an axe to grind and love to

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-62161597642094430452010-08-13T15:26:00.007-06:002010-08-13T15:57:13.511-06:00

Have you ever found yourself thumbing-through a catalog that came in the mail, and noticed something you didn't expect, and actually liked?In this day and age of highly-targeted marketing, the thought crossed my mind while going through just such an exercise recently. My wife and I received a Crate & Barrel quarterly catalog just as we happened to be looking for a lamp. As we went through the

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-78116868151711796182010-07-18T16:42:00.002-06:002010-07-18T16:48:29.469-06:00

I’ve seen a number of companies and organizations, in an effort to save-a-buck, forgo bringing in a dedicated media planner and try and do it themselves. When the lack of results follows, they often blame it on the media and not the way it was strategized. Personally, media buyers can be worth their weight in gold, if you find the right one. Since a large part of the process involves tactics, I

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-47948903012593923132010-06-08T16:32:00.005-06:002010-07-15T17:23:30.825-06:00

Do you find yourself increasingly filling out online forms, in one way or another?It could be for an online purchase, or to get some information from a company you're interested in. Or, perhaps, you're registering for a service or an account. Online forms are everywhere. Yet, as I navigate through these non-standard, everyone-has-a-different-format labyrinth of fields, one thing that I find

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-28715825159793293072010-05-26T17:12:00.004-06:002010-07-15T17:23:58.436-06:00

These days, when we're bombarded by media and messages from all sides, the emphasis seems to be on the medium or the delivery method.I hear all the time marketers tell me that they're now on Facebook, or have a big social media effort. They run Google AdWords campaigns, and still place banner ads. Occasionally they run print, radio and television too; but it's the new media which catches

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-62871247889906908822010-05-07T10:15:00.006-06:002010-07-15T17:24:16.909-06:00

Show me the metrics!That appears to be the battle cry you hear more and more around offices and businesses looking to maximize the impact of their marketing dollars. Of course, who wouldn't want to see how efficiently their campaigns are working? These days the media landscape is so fractionalized, so seemingly complex yet interwoven, it's given a whole new definition to the term integrated

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-53801356789180518822010-04-23T01:00:00.002-06:002010-07-15T17:24:35.254-06:00

Call me a bit skeptical, but any time I see a "study" done which includes one of the targets of the study as a partner I begin to wonder.According to Media Life, ads placed within a social media framework "double brand awareness" according to a study done between Neilsen and Facebook. For some reason I cannot get over the "uh-huh" factor here. I just cannot imagine them coming out with a study

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-73689925394546316832010-04-16T01:00:00.004-06:002010-07-15T17:24:52.249-06:00

Can it be that companies will do almost anything to get their brand in front of prospective customers? The answer is apparently "yes." Do you need to justify the effectiveness and ROI of doing "almost anything" in order to get it approved by senior management? Apparently the answer is "no."I've wondered for quite some time now how a boardroom presentation would sound like where a marketing

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-41507246532740161582010-04-09T09:30:00.004-06:002010-07-15T17:25:10.433-06:00

The calls to "friend" or "follow me" on Facebook, Twitter or other social media seem to be pitched at me from everywhere. In fact, you're now seeing major advertisers direct you to their Facebook page on national television advertising, rather than their own web site URL's.Why this big push to the social side? Well, it's hard not to pay attention to a medium (such as Facebook) having more than

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-46908655470793203602010-03-30T10:00:00.002-06:002010-07-15T17:25:27.795-06:00

Have you recently found yourself with seemingly more marketing work to do and fewer resources to do it with?That seems to be a common thread among marketing managers I talk with these days. And it's no surprise. The web (and mobile) have brought us wonderful ways of reaching out to new and more targeted audiences with our messages. Yet they have also added numerous new channels that must be

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-25029384904387809612010-03-19T01:00:00.005-06:002010-07-15T17:25:44.836-06:00

Sometimes interface designers just get carried away.On a recent business trip to Phoenix I upgraded my rental car from Hertz to a Cadillac STS. Mind you, I do not fit the typical demographic profile of a typical owner, but for the sheer luxury of it I didn’t mind at all.Usually when I rent a car I take a few moments to look around and adjust mirrors, locate the wipers, and program the radio.

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-8035919358939914962010-03-12T01:00:00.002-07:002010-07-15T17:26:02.586-06:00

It amazes me that we are taught in school, seminars, business articles and the workplace to follow the various steps necessary to put together a marketing / advertising plan; yet many companies and organizations disregard them and proceed directly to tactics.Obviously avoidance of the "discovery phase" must be because:We've done this before and we know what to do...We don't have the budget to

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-60360836397354884052010-02-19T01:00:00.005-07:002010-07-15T17:26:18.570-06:00

Have you seen the astounding figures? According to a recent Experian study, the U.S. market will top 100% per capita cell phone use penetration by 2013. Combine that news with what the Wall Street Journal reported about mobile phone-based purchases: the day after Thanksgiving ("Black Friday") in 2009 mobile online payments processed through PayPal were up nearly 650% from the previous year.

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-57354496559940754062010-02-12T11:50:00.012-07:002010-07-15T17:26:44.091-06:00

According to a ComScore report issued in January 2010 there has been an astounding leap in search market growth, up 46% in 2009. You can read the report yourself, but the implications that has on your efforts to attract, maintain and convert visitors to your site are very important.Why is this critical? Here's what Jack Flanagan, comScore executive vice president said in the report: “Search is

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-14116387779499145242010-01-26T13:00:00.003-07:002010-07-15T17:27:00.556-06:00

You've done all the heavy-lifting, paid meticulous attention to targeting, media placement, and creative. Now you're waiting for all of the leads; the great amounts of traffic to your store, web site or inbox.But for some reason, the results are not stellar. Surely you've done your homework, and planned correctly. So why the disconnect? What could have possibly gone wrong?If you've defined a

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-8533789237883567222010-01-22T01:00:00.005-07:002010-07-15T17:27:27.077-06:00

I’m fortunate to meet a lot of small business owners who are ready to begin taking the Web “seriously.“Mind you, we’re not talking about large corporations; but rather single-store enterprises that sell retail (okay, there may be a few that have multiple locations, but you get the idea.)First question they always pose is “how much does it cost to put up a Web site?” I really don’t like to answer

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-55649897441492555342010-01-15T09:30:00.004-07:002010-07-15T17:27:47.103-06:00

When a campaign fails to deliver the expected results, we often review the metrics and point the finger at the media, not the message.So much time, effort and attention is spent on media placement these days. The choices are overwhelming. Most companies and their agencies are quick to jump on the digital media bandwagon, purchasing an AdWords campaign, banners, sponsorships, print ads and such.

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-80136688513205510692010-01-07T09:44:00.007-07:002010-07-15T17:28:03.351-06:00

Just when you thought "traditional media" was dead, or at least in intensive care, a new study has come out with some surprising revelations.As you may know, there has been a groundswell of opinion that new media and technologies that bring information, communication and entertainment to small devices (I call lean-in media, since you have to get close to it to view) is taking over all aspects of

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-5807014530209810522009-12-28T00:01:00.002-07:002010-07-15T17:28:19.408-06:00

I bet, as a marketer, you don’t stay up at night thinking about bounce rates. Maybe you should.If you are not familiar with the term, or cast it off as something the “tech folks” worry about, you’re not doing your job in today’s new media environment. Simply put, a "bounce rate" refers to the number (or percentage) of site visitors who arrive at a page on your site, and then leave directly after

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-57180402210581626312009-12-04T15:45:00.002-07:002010-07-15T17:28:37.053-06:00

It’s amazing how many businesses actually bury their Web address (URL) in their marketing materials and advertising as an afterthought. I’ve conducted my own unscientific study of URL placement on product packaging, magazine ads and other marcom and cannot believe the opportunity companies are missing. First, let’s talk about one company that’s doing it right. No question, HP (Hewlett-Packard)

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-43610457562945411982009-11-13T16:15:00.001-07:002010-07-15T17:28:54.266-06:00

According to a recent research project from the American Association of Advertising Agencies, running a digital marketing / advertising campaign can be up to 6 times more expensive than running a "traditional" campaign. I cannot say precisely how they determined that figure, but the point is that using digital means to market could be significantly more costly than the old way of buying print,

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-24947090550958826022009-11-05T11:13:00.005-07:002010-07-15T17:29:13.118-06:00

If I knew nothing about your company and came across your web site's home page, would I be able to tell IMMEDIATELY what you offered?Or, what if one of your marketing programs drove me to your web site (or specific landing page). Would I know what to do? Would I have a clear and obvious path to an engagement or conclusion?More often than not I see web site home (and landing) pages that are

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-4022068995785361642009-10-28T15:16:00.003-06:002010-07-15T17:29:35.370-06:00

Sometimes there’s nothing worse than having an annoying interstitial pop-up or appear on the screen, completely obstructing the view of what you’re trying to read. Of course, THAT’S THE PURPOSE of the interstitial ad: to get your attention. In these days of businesses trying to figure out better ways of bringing in revenue from their web sites, an interstitial is a tempting way to go. However, I

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-18566328962353339702009-09-21T09:21:00.001-06:002010-07-15T17:29:51.744-06:00

As marketers we spend so much of our time concentrating on attracting customers. We make the plans. We build the budgets. We arrange for the execution. But, often we forget about the very last step in the marketing process that can either make or break the customer engagement: the person who answers the incoming call to your business. Think of it. You’ve spent countless dollars and hours

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-34962639272147311362009-09-15T11:06:00.005-06:002010-07-15T17:30:07.447-06:00

I like to think that I can understand a bit of Spanish, French and German when necessary. But like most Americans, having the knowledge (and use) of a second language is not something we can boast about. Increasingly, whether we like it or not, the “melting pot” of America is speaking in foreign tongues other than English. In my neighborhood I routinely hear English, Spanish, Russian, Korean and

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-54886682290777956362009-09-01T13:59:00.005-06:002010-07-15T17:30:26.862-06:00

Several years back back Bud.TV wasn’t generating the buzz Anheuser-Busch anticipated among their target audience. Seems company execs were going to allow this $20 million project to just die if “things don’t change quickly.” For what it’s worth, Anheuser-Bush (Bud’s parent company) was concerned that they weren’t getting the traffic to their web site they hoped for. Let me wonder: How could this

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-2642430455794864132009-08-21T10:48:00.004-06:002010-07-15T17:30:44.232-06:00

You already know what you want. You just don’t know how to find it.For example, you get off a long flight and enter a strange terminal. Your bladder is telling you to find a restroom quickly. This urgent need requires you to locate a “facility” as fast as possible in order for you to complete a very necessary task.So, rather than normally looking for a sign that says “baggage claim” you search

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-17009338279285544472009-07-08T13:30:00.002-06:002010-07-15T17:31:17.964-06:00

I suppose it doesn’t surprise me that a report noted that marketing effectiveness is now at an all-time low. According to the World Advertising Research Center “…The marketers surveyed said that 65% of their marketing spend had no discernible effect on consumers (as the stats reflect from 2007 data).” However, it goes on to say, “The report suggests the main cause of the waste can be largely

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-46331900950110601322009-06-12T10:27:00.002-06:002010-07-15T17:31:39.336-06:00

With so much talk about search engine optimization and its importance in getting your web site properly ranked, let’s not forget about another key component in that effort: Qualified inbound links.Inbound links to your web site can positively help in organic search ranking (organic and “natural” rankings are terms for search results that you do not pay for… as opposed to “pay-for-position”

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-86732233498362592122009-06-10T15:24:00.002-06:002010-07-15T17:31:58.116-06:00

Almost everywhere you turn today you hear the term “brand” or “branding” being thrown about. This week I’m attending a trade show in Chicago and heard variations of “brand” at breakfast, during meetings, on the shuttle, and at dinner. “We’re beginning an important new branding initiative…” said one. Another talked about “creating a branding campaign that would…” I even heard about how someone’s “

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-35660053266941552682009-05-29T15:02:00.002-06:002010-07-15T17:32:15.979-06:00

Have you ever come across a Web site’s home page and wondered “what in the world do these people do?”Sometimes landing on a Web site gets you to a Flash intro page (a typical user abandonment issue, and big SEO faux pas, to be addressed in another article). Other times, you arrive on a home page that is so cluttered with information and marketing-speak, you miss the point of what their business

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-43927502162494012012009-05-26T12:41:00.002-06:002010-07-15T17:32:33.201-06:00

Today’s marketing director (or media planner) is faced with a daunting task: pour through the massive click data on dozens of web portals, trying to make some sort of R.O.I. (return-on-investment) sense from it, and make defensible decisions and recommendations. Chances are the result of their effort is not much more than receipt of a truckload of numbers and line charts periodically from a

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-24819704427188024292009-05-08T16:24:00.002-06:002010-07-15T17:32:53.685-06:00

I love the radio commercial that has a voice coming over the retail store’s public address system that tells customers to “please put down your purchases and leave the building… we’re MUCH too busy right now to help you out.”Have you run across situations in stores like that? Have you ever been frustrated with clerks, salespeople or management that are so focused on themselves they forget what

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-86377518049771727062009-04-27T11:11:00.004-06:002010-07-15T17:33:13.362-06:00

Have you been watching the Dow Jones in the last few months? Wow, talk about a wild ride; just when you think you’ve taken a bath, the bulls rush in and you’ve made a pile of cash!So, comparing that to your marketing strategy, do you feel safe placing all your dollars on a single "stock?" Think of it, if you hit it big with the right stock, it would be like winning the lottery!Unfortunately, the

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-46704371847462553922009-04-03T16:00:00.002-06:002010-07-15T17:33:36.989-06:00

In the marketing world there’s no greater sin than creating a disconnect with the customer. The whole point of what we do as marketers is to establish that harmonic resonance between the seller (us) and the customer. It is our mission to create a need, and offer a way for the customer pay you to satisfy it. In business terms that manifests itself in ROI (Return On Investment) which helps keep the

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-87034617885272676142009-03-26T14:34:00.017-06:002010-07-15T17:33:56.873-06:00

Tropicana Orange Juice (PepsiCo) and their recent packaging blunder got me to thinking about the old adage: Ready - Fire - Aim. Okay, it's easy to throw around blame about this one, but we're not going to point fingers. We're going to ask why?If you have not noticed (or are too bleary-eyed in the morning to make such observations), the juice giant revamped their cardboard containers away from

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-65708651932765855452009-03-24T16:35:00.004-06:002010-07-15T17:34:15.694-06:00

Not that long ago Kraft Foods announced that it was changing its cheese strategy. Rather than focusing on pre-sliced cheese, they were moving to the “end dish.” View the New York Times article (free registration may be required). According to the article the brand was, up to now, sold on “functional benefits” such as calcium content. But a new agency has moved in and “promise …that for the three

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-40226686458096495052009-03-17T08:40:00.010-06:002010-07-15T17:34:33.532-06:00

According to a study titled Consumer Brands Drop The Ball When It Comes To Online Transactions by Blast Radius (view story here): “The overall customer experience (on web sites) is great upfront, with beautiful photography, thoughtful product placement and efficient site search,” says Brian Mitchinson, Blast Radius’ vice president of marketing. “But once it came down to processing an actual

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-80895329346909655712009-03-11T14:03:00.005-06:002010-07-15T17:34:52.722-06:00

As marketing budgets are increasingly under the microscope, it becomes more important to think that if you cannot measure it, why do it?There are many ways to examine campaign effectiveness, but a better method involves the component of where a campaign goes awry and where improvement is needed. A sales funnel can be a useful tool to help marketers understand how effectively marketing messages

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-50269131891397424792009-03-02T16:21:00.006-07:002010-07-15T17:35:15.422-06:00

Picture yourself in a crowded mall when an announcement comes over the public address system: “There’s a car in the parking lot with its lights on.” Don’t stand near the door, as you'll find dozens of people streaming out to make sure they were not the ones who’ll have a dead battery when it’s time to leave. But, what if the mall announcement was a bit more specific: “There’s a white car in the

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-80682686833840817692009-02-19T10:28:00.005-07:002010-07-15T17:35:37.632-06:00

It’s not often that you get second chances.The average Web user is being constantly bombarded with media and messages. When they arrive at a site, the temptation to move-on to something more interesting or more appropriate to their interests is only a click away. Lose them once and they may never return for a “second chance.” Savvy marketers should make it a high priority to understand what

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-56795710702944481672009-02-12T12:00:00.005-07:002010-07-15T17:35:57.071-06:00

I oversee a lot of outbound eMail blasts for clients, and also receive my fair share as well. Despite the mounds of bad press eMail gets, it still is an efficient and effective method of communicating a marketing message. The principal purpose of outbound marketing eMail is to send out a marketing “offer” with the intent of delivering to the right audience, creating specific interest in what we

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-88707510595025358022009-02-09T11:00:00.005-07:002010-07-15T17:36:19.002-06:00

All too often I see businesses jump-into the online (read: web site / web marketing) fray with strategies that leave me scratching my head and asking “huh?” It’s not just me; the puzzled looks span a variety of ages and demographics. The mission of the site or the point of the marketing message was so unclear it had to be because a.) I am truly out of the loop and clueless, b.) the creative was

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-53494132688277417132009-02-06T12:42:00.005-07:002010-07-15T17:36:38.888-06:00

How many times has this happened to you? You walk up to an entry door at a store or business and pull on the handle to open it, only to run straight into the glass, the door unmoved? What you didn’t know was the door opened inward and you should have pushed. What clues did the door give you to push versus pull? Was there a sign? Obviously the large handle reaching outward gave the impression that

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-70299538694692378522009-02-04T13:51:00.005-07:002010-07-15T17:37:02.381-06:00

If you read or write a blog, subscribe to a news feed via RSS, or watch videos on YouTube, you're already a part of a social network; an important new media vehicle for audience segmentation and customized marketing message delivery.But what about LinkedIn? Twitter? MySpace? Bacn? If you haven't taken the time to figure out this myriad of names and acronyms, let alone what they are and what they

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2844487596303983532.post-25245250877310343022009-02-03T10:50:00.007-07:002012-01-11T15:43:09.281-07:00

Just imagine how much time, effort and money goes into strategically, developing and deploying an outbound message to a customer, client or associate. No matter if it’s an eMail campaign, print ad, direct mail piece or television spot the collective brain cells and bank account required to bring the campaign to a successful client engagement is enormous. Yet, all too often a critical component to

Bob Chernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350829342744599711noreply@blogger.com