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ESTEE LAUDER is coming to ADMA
16 May 2012
Don’t miss the opportunity to attend ADMA’s “Integrating Social & Email Marketing Seminar” and hear from Katherine Mamontoff, Corporate E-Commerce Manager at Estée Lauder. Katherine will give you insights into how Estee Lauder has recognised and taken advantage of the impact of these influential tools on today’s customers.
As mentioned on cosmeticsdesign.com, “the cosmetic giant Estée Lauder has ramped up its use of social media platforms in a bid to connect with the consumer and is displaying the benefits of executing digital strategies through the various platforms”. In a world dominated by fast changing technologies and evolving consumer behaviours, it has become vital for marketers to understand and exploit the power of new available tools.
It is no longer a question of using single channels to attract, engage and retain customers but of integrating each other so as to reach them any time, everywhere. We are nowadays talking about omni-channel campaigns and multiple customer touch points.
At ADMA’s “Integrating Social & Email Marketing Seminar”, Katherine will showcase how Estée Lauder is developing cross-channelling campaigns to meet customers where they are active. “We are pleased and excited to welcome Katherine to our seminar and we look forward to finding out how Estée Lauder has managed to leverage social media and email marketing to amplify a new product launch,” said Jodie Sangster, CEO at ADMA.
To find out more about “Integrating Social & Email Marketing Seminar” click here.
ADMA Awards – Dates not to forget
01 May 2012
In the wake of a very suave ADMA Awards in 2011 we’ve received an unprecedented number of judge nominations for this year’s proceedings. Over the next two weeks we will be combing the applications to find the sharpest suits and wittiest minds that the industry has to offer and assembling them as our expert panel. These marketers will be chosen for their unquenchable thirst for excellence and their nose for sensational creative.
As the ADMA Awards 2012 saunters seductively in our direction there are some essential dates to keep in mind:
- 11 May - Judge nominations close
- 21 May - Call for Entries open
- 27 July - Entries close
- 3 August - Extended deadline (additional charge 25%)
- 20-21 August - Awards Judging
- 1 November - Awards Gala Dinner
Ensure you diarise these dates, you would be MAD to miss out!
Google’s hottest measures to drive the consumer to you
01 May 2012
Today most business' products and prices are readily available on the web. For marketers, it is becoming more important than ever to understand how the modern buyer is pre-purchase researching to avoid being left behind. “These days, the power lies in the hands of the consumer,” notes Dave Smith, Strategist at Google.
As consumers are most likely to start the buying cycle on the internet, marketers need to stay one step ahead of the game and understand potential customers’ research patterns in order to capture their attention online. “If we don’t get on top of where our customers are researching and if we don’t investigate and understand their touch points, we run the risk of missing out on a lot of value and potentially losing a lot of acquisition,” says Smith.
Enter Click Attribution. Attribution has been around for a while but it’s not until recently that it has become the new buzz word in the marketing industry. It has risen to prominence lately as it assists marketers in understanding a consumer’s journey online at every touch point of their buying cycle. “Click Attribution in a nutshell is looking at all of the data that leads up to sales conversion,” explains Smith.
In a time of shrinking budgets, it's crucial that every marketing dollar is spent as wisely as possible. Marketers now need to carefully assess all channels used in the pathway to purchase in order to appropriately evaluate and weigh their online spending tactics. Click attribution assists marketers in smoothing out this difficult and time consuming process. Ultimately, Attribution allows for continuous improvement of sales conversions and media ROI.
To hear Dave Smith present “Improving campaign performance through analytics and attribution”, register for ADMA’s Data Day event in Brisbane 10th May, Sydney 15th May or Melbourne 17th May.
Click here for more information and to register.
Awards 2012: Call for Judges nominations coming soon
18 April 2012
The ADMA Awards recognise and celebrate the strongest achievers in Australian marketing. Entries will open soon and we ask all representatives of an ADMA Member company to help in composing the panels of the industry’s most influential and expert judges. We are looking for Marketers who don’t just flirt with success, but start a full-blown affair with it!
Members will be asked to consider carefully, as the successful nominees will be the decision-makers of the winners of the ADMA Awards. They should balance humility, experience, knowledge and respect - legends of the industry or legends in the making.
Judging will take place in Sydney on Monday 20th and Tuesday 21st August. Please help us convince the industry’s finest to help judge these important awards. People you would like to have a conversation, a cocktail with, or even charm the pants off.
The secret of successful data segmentation
12 April 2012
Creating alignment between data professionals and marketers may well be the key to unlocking the secret of successful data segmentation and its value within businesses. “As a starting point for success, data people need to get better at educating marketers and our businesses about what we do, what models we use and how they work,” says Paul Dixon, Segmentation and Customer Data Manager at TruEnergy.
Data segmentation is now more important than ever because if you get it right your marketing spend is not wasted on talking to the wrong customers. Segmentation is dividing your customers into groups that are similar, specific and relevant to your marketing, such as age, gender, interests, spending and habits. It's about starting with the data you have and understanding which data will be most effective to develop and target your marketing. “It is the first step in trying to understand your customers,” Dixon notes. In a perfect world, segmentation will give you an insight into how your customers think, how they do things and how they might respond to your marketing or your products.
“These days, people are getting more strategic around their segmentation and I believe it’s a reflection of segmentation and that it’s becoming more accepted and in demand,” Dixon says. Even though getting it right might seem like the magic answer to understanding your customers, it is only the beginning of the journey. He says,” data people tend to forget that marketing is an art form in itself“ and that “they need to get much better at working with marketers as well as trying to understand what they are aiming to achieve in the long run, it’s a two way street.”
In order to be successful at data segmentation, data professionals and marketers not only have to work in synergy but they also need to work towards a common goal. ”You need to have a clear view on what you are trying to achieve from the get go. The clearer you can be on what you are trying to do, the better model and the better project you’ll create. If you have a strong end game it’s going to serve you well in the long run,” Dixon advises.
To hear Paul Dixon present “Exploring Data Segmentation” and gain some solid advice on how to segment more efficiently, register for Data Day 2012.
Data Day is being held in in Brisbane on the 10th of May, Sydney on the 15th of May and Melbourne on the 17th of May.
Early bird closes on 20th April so register today.
For more information and to register click here.
Big changes for 2012 ADMA Awards
05 April 2012
How would your company or agency like to get one FREE entry into the International ECHO Awards 2013? Well, this year ADMA are offering all Awards finalists automatic entry into round two of ECHO.
This affiliation will promote Awards internationally, which means your campaigns and hard work will be recognised along side the best of the best…in the world. What’s more, to make it even easier for you, ADMA have streamlined with the ECHO entry process, so no extra work is required…your entry simply goes straight on through.
We have also expanded the Awards categories to cover many more areas, including FMCG, Brand Experience, Acquisition Campaign, Retention & Loyalty, eCommerce Experience, Media Analytics & Planning, Data Strategy, Direct Response Print, Broadcast and Digital; and Creative use of Technology.
These changes are what will make the ADMA Awards 2012 bigger and better than ever!
Call for Entries will be open early May. Confirmed dates and details will be available on the new Awards website coming soon.
Big data = big business
04 April 2012
Today Big Data has an estimated market value of $5 billion and is predicted to hit the $50 billion mark worldwide by 2017, according to open source analyst firm Wikibon. Their ground breaking report on the size of the big data market was released in early February 2012. Below is Wikibon’s five-year forecast for the Big Data market as a whole:
Source: Wikibon 2012:
“Big Data is the new definitive source of competitive advantage across all industries. For those organisations that understand and embrace the new reality of Big Data, the possibilities for new innovation, improved agility, and increased profitability are nearly endless,” writes Jeff Kelly Wikibon’s Big Data analyst in the report.
Even though Big Data has been around for a while in Australia, it hasn’t started to take off until recently. “I think companies are now jumping on the big data theme as they see it as an underleveraged part of their company,” says Murray Howe, Executive Manager, Group Digital Strategy & Innovation at Suncorp. As the statistics reveal, the importance of looking at data as an important growth opportunity that has the potential to increase your organisations bottom line substantially should not be underestimated.
“Everyone in the business should be looking at data as an asset as well as trying to figure out how to leverage and take advantage of that asset,” explains Howe. Ultimately, the data within your business should be seen as part of your organisation’s value chain.
“In order to become successful in using data, we all need to become data champions and look for opportunities that we can act on and leverage in our everyday business decision making process,” Howe advises.
To gain insights into “Investigating real time marketing in a big data environment” and hear Murray Howe and his Suncorp colleagues expert knowledge on the subject, attend ADMA Data Day – 10 May in Brisbane, 15 May in Sydney and 17 May in Melbourne.
Twelve online lead generation mistakes to avoid
22 February 2012
BY CHRIS FELL, MANAGING DIRECTOR, G2M SOLUTIONS
Chris will be providing a complimentary B2B Strategy session to ADMA members as part of the new monthly Lunch n Learn series. Contact us to register your interest in attending.
The internet is a tough environment to make a sale, or even commence and influence a sale, especially for small to medium businesses. It’s so crowded with competition and flooded with data that when someone does visit your site, it’s an ever increasing challenge for B2B marketers to keep them there. Unfortunately, getting Google searchers to land on your site is only half the battle. Briefly skimming your homepage is different to sticking around and reading your content. People have almost zero patience when they’re browsing online, so it’s imperative to do whatever you can to keep them hooked.
Without further ado, here are some common mistakes to avoid when it comes to online lead generation:
- Bad Timing
People hate feeling pressured into anything – especially buying, so don’t push the sale too soon. Also make sure that your offers, CTAs, and content are targeted to answer your buyer’s needs at different stages of the sales funnel, otherwise you can be sure that you’ve lost them. Instead, match your content and offer to the right stage of the buyer’s journey.
- Landing Page Link Overload
To marketers, landing pages’ sole purpose is to convert visitors into leads. If you have enough links on a landing page to distract or confuse a visitor, it may cause them to stray from the page and abandon the offer completely. Avoid this by creating a streamlined conversion process by removing surrounding navigation. Yes, that means your menu header too!
- No Targeted Landing Pages For Social Media Visitors
This is usually overlooked, but it’s worth looking into. You could just link back to your homepage and hope for the best, but targeted landing pages work. Think about which landing page would suit the audience of that particular network. If you don’t have enough of an online presence to segment your audience in that way, link back to your top of funnel content; for example, your resources page, rather than your generic home page.
- Unclear CTAs (Calls to Action)
People have a short attention span. Coupled with the inherent laziness that comes with internet browsing, you risk your visitors thinking, “well I guess there’s nothing left to do here” and they drop off your site. Make sure each web page has a CTA, and definitely each blog post.
- Confusing Landing Pages
No one likes a cluttered landing page. There are too many things to look at, too much text and not enough white space. It’s bad feng shui! Trim down your wording by simplifying it (often harder to do than ramble on), and remember to use bullet points when listing things. Design your CTAs with clear actionable language.
- Below-The-Fold Forms
Again, people are lazy. Put your form somewhere they can see it. Also, make sure the form submission button is eye-catching so it’s the first thing they see when scanning the page. That way, prospects will know what they have to do to get your offer in a split second. Make it as easy as possible for them so they don’t need to read a lump of text before they have to scroll down.
- Fancy But Unactionable Language
Keep it simple. Start with a verb (action), and be human. There’s nothing worse than stuffy corporate language that people can’t relate to. Make your language as simple and straightforward as possible. Web surfers like being told what they need to do. Compel them to do it!
- Too Many Hoops to Jump Through
Avoid tediously long forms. The longer the form is, the more it will cause your visitors to question if your offer’s really worth it.
- Language is All About You
Instead of having language which is centred around your company’s products or services (“choose us, we’re better than the next guy because of features blah, blah, and blah!”), address your buyers’ problems or challenges. Put yourself in their shoes and genuinely try to help them solve their problem instead of self-promoting.
- Ignore Analytics
If you don’t know your funnel math’s or how long it takes people to move from stage to stage, then how can you determine what’s working and what isn’t? Have a good, hard look at your analytics so you better understand how to nurture your leads.
- Have a Non-existent Blog Strategy
If you don’t have a blog it’s time to start one. Now! If you do, but you don’t have a proper blog schedule, you leave people wondering whether you’re still alive or not. Plan a blogging topic schedule that complements your campaign focus and keywords. Build and maintain momentum. Remember to optimise and distribute appropriately so your awesome content doesn’t fail.
- No Recycling Tactic
When someone leaks from your funnel and they’re not ready to buy just yet, have a tactic to stay in touch with them until they are ready to. One of the most effective tactics to recycle leas that have leaked is blogging.
If you’re interested in learning more about how to generate quality leads, you are more than welcome to download our free whitepaper on the subject.
For the latest on B2B, attend ADMA’s B2B Marketing Seminar in Sydney and Melbourne, and hear the latest initiatives from some of Australia’s leading B2B marketers.
By Chris Fell, Managing Director of g2msolutions and ADMA Tutor.
Chris will be providing a complimentary B2B Strategy session to ADMA members as part of the new monthly Lunch n Learn series. Contact us to register your interest in attending.
B2B: Striking the balance between digital and traditional marketing
15 February 2012
As most customers first interaction with B2B organisations is now happening online it’s crucial to have a strong web presence and efficient digital marketing strategies in place to avoid being left behind. However, even though emerging communication channels are changing the way prospect buyers are interacting with businesses, traditional marketing still has an important role to play in the marketing mix.
Traditional media such as radio, TV and print have been around for decades. Although these channels are not as measurable as digital marketing, they are still relevant and even essential for some organisations to build brand awareness. Likewise direct mail, a tried and tested traditional marketing channel which delivers targeted messages that stay with prospects until they are ready to buy.
In recent years though, the evolution of the internet has forced B2B organisations to rethink their plan of attack. Digital marketing has risen to prominence as it offers a plethora of opportunities for industry professionals. The range of technologies and communication channels that are available these days assist B2B marketers in delivering low cost messages at high speed.
Striking the balance between digital and traditional marketing can be a tough challenge but no marketing plan should be based around one tactic. Having combined marketing strategies will help keep your messages in front of prospects in many different environments. By integrating old and new methods marketers are better equipped to increase product awareness and impact their organisations bottom line.
Traditional vs. digital marketing strategies will be discussed in more detail at ADMA’s Annual B2B Marketing Seminar in Melbourne the 28th of February and Sydney the 1st of March. For more information about the event and to register please click here.
Lead nurturing: top challenge for marketers
25 January 2012
As B2B marketers strive to impact ROI and improve their organisation’s bottom line performance, lead nurturing is currently topping the list as the most significant challenge. In recent years, modern marketers certainly have had their fair share of trials and tribulations so it probably doesn’t come as a surprise that they are now equipped with knowledge of the obstacles that lie ahead.
Initial survey findings from Green Hat’s 2012 B2B Marketing Outlook Research indicate that nurturing leads is a bigger challenge than generating them which are a reversal of results from last year’s report. “We see an up and coming trend now towards lead nurturing, which demonstrates that marketers are taking responsibility beyond demand generation, and working towards the delivery of qualified leads to their sales force, “says Andrew Haussegger, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Green Hat.
Lead nurturing has become the centre of attention for marketers as it helps them with communicating consistent and relevant messages that addresses the pain points of prospects, irrespective of their buying stage. “By providing the right content you strengthen the relationship with a potential buyer,” notes Haussegger.
The importance of getting content marketing right should not be underestimated in an era where customers are demanding relevant information to be delivered anywhere anytime. “In order to be successful at nurturing leads, marketers need to move away from mass communications to a one on one communications approach that targets each individual at the right time,” explains Haussegger.
To have your say and share B2B marketing experiences, we invite you to participate in Green Hat’s B2B Marketing Outlook Research survey. As an added bonus all participants will receive a $100 discount for ADMA’s B2B Marketing seminar in February.
Andrew Haussegger will be presenting “Survey findings from the B2B Marketing Outlook Research for Australia 2012” at the ADMA B2B Seminar in Melbourne (28 February) and Sydney (1 March). For more information about the event and to register please click here.
B2B Marketing: The focus on content
18 January 2012
Content marketing now plays a central role in a B2B marketing strategy. Organisations are increasingly focused on the development of valuable content to attract, engage and inspire their audiences. This takes many forms – newsletters, articles, blogs, videos, white papers and eBooks to name just a few.
A recent study released by Content Marketing Institute (CMI) and MarketingProfs in the US confirms that content marketing remains a top priority for B2B marketers in 2012. The report - B2B Content Marketing: Budget and Trends - provides a detailed insight into the rise of content marketing approaches and how the marketing budget is being distributed. In particular it shows:
- 9 out of 10 organisations market with content marketing.
- On average, B2B marketers employ eight different content marketing tactics to achieve their goals.
- US marketers, on average, spend over a quarter of their marketing budget on content marketing.
However, effective content marketing is not as simple as it sounds. In a world where we are overwhelmed with daily information feeds, thoughts, opinions, trends and insights; how do you ensure that the content you produce gains the cut-through required reach your audience… and more importantly, ensure they read it?
This subject will be directly tackled at - A New Era in B2B Marketing: 2012 Seminar - taking place on 28th February in Melbourne and 1st March in Sydney. Hear five leading industry experts address the latest trends in B2B marketing, providing new insights, innovation and practical strategies that can be integrated into your own business. Content marketing will be addressed by Nicole Birbas, General Manager, Business CRM – Chief Marketing Office at Telstra, who will provide an in-depth case study into effective content marketing.
This seminar is essential for marketers who want to stay ahead of this important B2B marketing trend! Click here to find out more or to reserve your seat.
ADMA dates for your diary
11 January 2012
Each Month, ADMA will be keeping you in touch with what is happening in the marketing arena in Australia.
To kick off 2012 we have compiled a save the date checklist of great events for your diary.
| 24 January | The [y]ADMA Victoria Awards Showcase in Melbourne |
| 24 February | Certificate early bird closes |
| 28 February | B2B Marketing Seminar in Melbourne |
| 1 March | B2B Marketing Seminar in Sydney |
| 20 March | Short courses kick off for 2012 |
| 19 March | Evening Digital Certificate course commences in Melbourne |
| 21 March | Evening Certificate courses commence in Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney |
| 22 March | Mail Marketing Seminar in Brisbane |
| 27 March | Mail Marketing Seminar in Sydney |
| 29 March | Mail Marketing Seminar in Melbourne |
| 30 March | Daytime Digital Certificate courses commence in Adelaide and Sydney |
| 20 April | Daytime Multi-Channel Direct Marketing Certificate commences in Sydney |
For more information on our courses and events, please visit ADMA Education and ADMA Events.
Five Key Trends from ADMA Events
15 December 2011
After a bumper year in 2011 featuring record satisfaction and attendance levels, the event schedule in 2012 will shift into over drive with new event programs that will demonstrate how marketers can use the power of technology to improve customer engagement and marketing effectiveness.
ADMA has been focused on building event programs that showcases the world’s best marketing talent. These speakers generously share highly valued strategies, case studies and campaign models that can be applied immediately.
Over the past 12 months more than 170 speakers have taken the stage at ADMA events. Here are five key trends that have emerged:
Mobile: Is the year of the mobile finally here? As smartphone sales continue to rise so do the brands racing to optimise mobile sites and build apps to engage with customers on the go. Location based services are booming and marketers are being offered new ways to engage with consumers.
Social Media: Consumers are connecting with brands in a fundamentally new way which will see marketing spend shift to social media in 2012. In this new world, marketers and brands are still struggling to understand how to implement social media as part of an overall business strategy.
Turning data into action: Most marketers understand the value of good customer data, but they still struggle to organise and use it effectively. Marketers need to embrace technology to collect, store and analyse data to develop deep customer insights. Only then can organisations truly create relevant, effective and engaging experiences for consumers.
Multi-channel integration: Multi-channel customers are more engaged and profitable than customers who interact through a single channel. In today’s rapidly changing and increasingly complex online environment organisations face an overwhelming challenge to achieve true multi-channel engagement.
Content marketing: Content is king. Consumers now have more media and content choices than ever, and it is getting harder to capture their attention. Creating valuable content that is easily shared through social networks is top of mind for marketers. The year ahead will undoubtedly bring new challenges for marketers.
ADMA Events will once again provide access to the marketing innovators and pioneers who are meeting these challenges head on and shaping the future.
ADMA Awards 2011 second showcase
06 December 2011
Soap Creative picked up gold at the 2011 ADMA Awards in the website creative category for the World’s Biggest PAC-MAN campaign developed for Namco Bandai & Microsoft.
The Campaign
There were two separate briefs initially. One dealt with very high brand affinity, the other very low within a category where Google Chrome was pulling all the creative punches.
Brief 1: Create an online experience for PAC-MAN which can help build awareness for upcoming releases. Target: Hardcore members of the existing PAC-MAN community, people with nostalgic memories of PAC-MAN and younger fans with knowledge of its pop-culture status.
Brief 2: Showcase the power of HTML5 on Microsoft's newly released IE9 browser. Target: Primary objective was to generate buzz among Australia's tech/developer community.
B2B Marketing: Conversion is not the sole responsibility of sales
06 December 2011
Methods to create synergy between sales and marketing have experienced a surge in interest over the last 6-12 months due to the distinct disconnect between the two worlds. Traditionally sales has been responsible for conversion while marketing took care of brand management and lead generation.
Despite clear differences between the two specialties, both are ultimately working towards the same goal. However the two are often poorly aligned which prevents organisations successfully attracting and converting the modern B2B buyer.
The million dollar question still stands, how do marketers synchronise their activities with sales to generate, score and nurture leads all the way along the sales pipeline to increase conversion rates?
The 2012 B2B Marketing Benchmark Report produced by Marketing Sherpa highlights the need for organisations to revolutionise their marketing approach. A key finding of this report highlights that marketers are beginning to realise the importance of supporting conversion as a marketing function by incorporating funnel optimisation strategies to accelerate sales pipeline efforts.
Only when organisations accept that conversion is a function of marketing and sales will they succeed and thrive.
The winning formula to create synergy between sales and marketing will be one of the topics discussed by Australia’s most prominent marketing professionals at ADMA’s Annual B2B Marketing Seminar take place in Sydney on 28 March and Melbourne 30 March.
Download the Benchmark Report Excerpt on AMDA Dialogue
Sign up now for the B2B Marketing Seminar - Melbourne 28 February, Sydney 1 March
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